Classroom management is the glue that holds the classroom together. Without classroom management, a class can not have structure or organization. Every detail matters when it comes to managing my class which is why using classroom management effectively is essential. I believe in running a student-centered classroom where my students feel comfortable, empowered, and eager to learn through their peers and the environment I have provided for them through my classroom structure.
My first step in classroom management is having my students help create our classroom norms and consequences (Marzano et al., 2003; Milner et al., 2019). This helps make the students feel empowered and strengthens my relationship with my students because it shows I value their input (Marzano et al., 2003). Another way I plan on having strong classroom management is by building relationships with my students. For example, I plan to build stronger relationships with my students by having a pride wall in my classroom. A pride wall will give my students the opportunity for me and their classmates to praise their achievements within and outside of school by having newspaper articles, pictures, playbills, etc., of all of their hard work done through extracurriculars or school. Using a pride wall will invite my students to show the class what they are proud of, and it shows them that I support their accomplishments and encourage them to try their best at everything (Milner et al., 2019).
Throughout my time as a teacher, I want to have a student-centered classroom. Therefore, I have implemented group seating, as seen in Figure 1. Since I will be working with high school students, I want them to make decisions for themselves and be able to teach their peers and me the things they have learned through group assignments by having a more collaborative classroom setup. I have also put my desk in the back of the room to ensure I can see all my students. Having my desk in the back of the room will also ensure that I am standing throughout lessons and not at my desk the whole time by standing. This will allow me to be in the back and front of the room throughout my day and have access to see all my students (Marzano et al., 2003). Using a student-centered way of teaching will allow my students to be more accountable for productive behavior, collaborative learning, and leadership development (Milner et al., 2019).
Figure 1
Classroom Layout
Classroom management is the key to having a successful classroom. I plan to implement everything I know about classroom management to be a successful educator and do what is best for my students so they get the most out of being in my class.
References
Marzano, R. J., Marzano, J. S., & Pickering, D. J. (2003). Classroom management that works:
Research-based strategies for every teacher. ASCD.
Milner, H. R., Cunningham, H. B., Delale-O’Connor, L., & Kestenberg, E. G. (2019). These kids
are out of control”: Why we must reimagine “classroom management” for equity. Corwin.