Classroom Management

I believe if students are engaged in interactive and fun activities in class there shouldn’t be too many behavioral issues. Positive reinforcement is also very effective in eliminating or reducing unwanted behaviors. Nevertheless, there are times when we have to employ a classroom management system to improve and maintain safe and learning environment for the well-being and academic growth of our students.

The beginning of the year, I teach the classroom rules and expectations. I use curriculum for each grade that informs students and parents of the expectations, skills and concepts to be learned. Classroom rules are displayed in front of the classroom along with the school rules and expectations.

I believe in positive reinforcement and reward students for good behavior, participation and good work. I use the music staff and a note for each class as a behavior tracking tool. As they do well in class, I let them raise their note a space or a line. The better they perform the higher the note goes. When the note reaches the top, students get a free choice day. This means, I let them choose a music game to play which is educational and at the same time fun. Of course, I warn them of the possibility that they may drop a space or a line for bad behavior (which hardly ever happens and I don’t like to take away from them). Usually, I just don’t let them raise the note, it stays on the same spot.

I provide students with clear daily expectations by displaying the bell work, agenda and homework on the white board along with the day of the month and year. This way students know, as soon as they enter the classroom what to anticipate and the order in which activities will take place. Sometimes, I have to change my agenda. This happens when I find out that students had forgotten or don’t know an important concept pre-requisite to learning the new one.