Classroom Managment,.... What Works Best

I intend on managing my classroom through an assortment of behaviorism techniques and methods. In order for students to begin learning a teacher has to establish good classroom management. Reinforcement and punishment are some of the most important tools for shaping a child’s behavior and helping them learn. This is why I want to use this in my classroom when making classroom management a top priority. Punishers are used to decrease behavior. For example, I would take away free choice time until they stop talking when the teacher is talking or behaves when I have a guest come into the room. On the other hand, reinforcers are used to increase behavior. I could use this by allowing my students to have more free choice time when they listen when I am talking. The best reinforcers to use are on a variable schedule. Intrinsic reinforcers or variable ratio is the toughest to break. Our bodies are actually canalized to react to this type of reinforcement. I plan on reinforcing on a fixed schedule, so that my students keep expecting to be reinforced and will react accordingly. The students do not know how many times they may need to be quiet in line, for example, before they will be rewarded, therefore; they keep doing it. This is how I will establish good behavior in my classroom: in a peaceful way. There will be no arguing between me and a student because I am the adult in the situation and I refuse to argue with the child. Verbally arguments will not be tolerated; however I am open to verbal discussions given that they are done in the right manner.
However, this does not mean that my class room will be managed as a dictatorship ran solely be the teacher. My students will feel that they have a say on certain situations. First of all, I will allow my students to come up with rules that they feel are needed in the classroom and what they think the consequences should entail. This will be discussed on the first day. I will make sure that everyone agrees. When the student breaks a rule, they will not only be breaking my rule, but a rule that they came up with. I believe that this will give the children more incentive to follow the rules. I also will allow free choice time in which the students will have an array of activities that they can participate in, instead of being forced into one activity. When we have time left over or finish a lesson early, the students can draw, play games, engage in computer games, read or other events depending on the time. The activity must be educational, but still gives the children a freedom of choice as well. I believe that by allowing my students to help manage the classroom that they will feel that they do have a voice in what goes on inside these four walls and will have more respect for me as a teacher.
As mentioned earlier, I want to institute a routine in my classroom that will begin on the first day of class and carry on through the entire year. Not only will this help my days go better, but it will also help the students get the most out of each efficiently. For example, once the bell rings, I want to begin my day with a Morning Meeting in which the students will know to come to the rug in the front of the class and sit in a circle. In our meeting I will discuss if there are any changes in our day and we will probably play a little fun phonics game. Then the children will know what the routine is for each day and can carry it out.
I want to manage my class with parent involvement, because I think that this is important to have them involved in the child’s life. I plan on taking many steps to achieving this throughout the year. I will have parent nights in which they can come and look at how their child is doing and talk to me about behavior or any other questions. The classroom website will have a certain section for the parents to send me thoughts, questions, or concerns and I plan on replying to their needs immediately. Their will also be the Price’s Paper that will go out each week. This is a newsletter informing the parents of any and all of the events that are coming up and will keep them updated with what is going on in their child’s classroom.