Emily Veenstra EDUC 302-303 Prof. Terpstra April 22, 2013 Classroom Management Plan Rationale !

As the name suggests, a Christian worldview should be centered around Christ.

As I begin to examine my own goals and perspectives on teaching, I realize how crucial having a Christ-centered perspective is. It effects all areas of life from your view of people, to your view of what knowledge is. Delving deeper into the ways that focusing on Christ can effect my teaching style, I zeroed in on John 1, a passage that I believe describes well the mission of the greatest teacher to walk on this earth: the Rabbi Jesus.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. John 1:1-3

Jesus, the living Word, was with God and was God at the beginning of creation.

Every living creature, every plant or animal, all things of this earth were called into being by our creative God. That includes human beings as well. Men and women are Gods masterpieces, created in His image and made to glorify Him in every area of life.

Creation plays a key role in the learning process. Every lesson taught can be related back to Gods handiwork. Stronks argues that, what students need from the curriculum...is a larger picture of their world and an awareness of how each issue or aspect they are studying ts into that larger picture (2001, 46). Through each subject, we are given a glimpse into the character of our creative and powerful God. We are called to be caretakers of creation, practicing good stewardship in every interaction with it. The purpose of learning is to develop an understanding of many aspects of creation, for God reveals Himself to us through creation.

In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:4-5 !

Darkness entered the world. Man and women, when given the choice, could not remain in a state of perfection. We are fallen images of God. As a result of the fall, creation is broken and hurting (Stronks, 2001, 33). I too am broken and in need of redemption. God did not abandon His creation upon the rst sin, but immediately made a promise to redeem it one day, never to be overcome by the darkness of the world.

The Word became esh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14

The Rabbi redeemer, the true light, came into the world not to condemn the world but to save it, shining into the darkness. The greatest teacher to walk on this earth came to make things new. His pedagogy was one of truth and grace. As Graham points out in Chapter 4 of Teaching Redemptively, as recipients of grace, we are to be dispensers of grace. I have learned rsthand through my aiding experience, that the best way to facilitate and support learning is by creating an atmosphere of grace and love. ! In my aiding classroom, I have also realized the benets of creating authentic

learning experiences. For my future classroom, I want to continue to base these experiences upon the Universal Design for Learning, and provide multiple means of representation, expression, and action. I believe learning should be facilitated by the teacher, with the real engine being the students. ! Part of creating an atmosphere of love includes challenging the students to seek

truth in all content areas. This includes seeking truth in academics and relationships, determining how they should act towards each other, and towards those in authority. Teachers beliefs about childrens ability to learn have enormous power (Anderson, 2013, 171). I want to hold my students to high yet obtainable standards. Though I will hold my students accountable and believe in their ability to learn, I realize that failure is bound to accompany the act of seeking truth. That is where grace comes in.

Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. John 1:16-17

Every community comes with rules. God gave the Ten Commandments to the

Israelites so they would know how to live in community with Him and each other. We no longer live strictly by the Law, but incorporate faith, hope, and love, which sum up the laws and the prophets. Christ came to fulll the law with grace and truth. The rules of my classroom will stand in place to help achieve goals for a truth-seeking, grace-lled classroom. I want to create a classroom environment that incorporates childcenteredness, caring, and democracy (Anderson, et al, 2013, p. 236). Having a law in place in the classroom is good, but knowing when to apply grace is also important. ! Policy Statements and Procedures General Guidelines and Rules for a Fourth Grade Classroom (Public School): Covenant (relationships) Management The teacher will Greet students at the door each morning Take interest in students lives outside of the classroom Monitor favoritism (this does not mean treating students equally because not all students require the same treatment.) Challenge students in their strengths and encourage them in their weaknesses. Treat students with respect while holding them accountable for their actions. The students will... Greet the teacher at the door each morning as well as greet their classmates as they walk in Encourage one another and build each other up. Respect and value the beliefs of their classmates Obey and respect authority Participate in classroom meetings by contribution and problem solving. Content (teaching and learning) Management The teacher will Give clear and precise directions for tasks, whether they be in class activities or take home worksheets. Keep open communication lines between the students (be approachable).

 Clearly dene expectations per activity or new lesson, being sure to announce when the transition from subject to subject or activity to activity is about to take place. Give students enough time to think after a question is posed Use concrete examples so students can grasp what you are trying to communicate The students will Be responsible for bringing all materials needed to class each day Listen for and follow directions Stay on task in class, being sure to follow the expectations presented in each new activity. Be quietly listening to classmates or teacher when they are speaking. Turn in homework on time at the designated time. Conduct (behavior) Management The teacher will Communicate with and inform parents of students behavior, both good and bad, so parents can encourage them to behave or continue to behave responsibly. Be consistent in the consequences and rewards that are the result of certain actions. Lead the class in brainstorming a classroom covenant, and refer to the covenant that they made as the year goes on. By now, these 4th graders have heard classroom rules in many classrooms, so only minimum guidance will be necessary. Immediately punish bullying or unkind remarks towards classmates or others, because that is something I will not tolerate. The punishment can be loss of recess to write an apology letter and ve encouraging bullet points to their classmate. Communicate expectations of positive behavior, kindness towards classmates, and creating a safe place for everyone to learn with students. Be open in communicating where the students are at throughout, checking up on how they are relating with the rules they created. I do not want to implement a strictly behavioristic approach, because students then expect rewards. The students will Create a classroom covenant for conduct and adhere to it. Act with kindness and respect towards their classmates, those in authority over them, and the school property. Report any instances of bullying Listen attentively when the teacher is talking Do unto others as you would have them do to you. This classroom management plan will allow me to implement structure while allowing the students to develop responsibility for their own actions. In enforcing only kindness towards classmates, I will be upholding my belief that all students are created in the

image of God, even if I cant explicitly say that in a public school setting. Communication in any community is very key, and I believe that in my classroom, having checkpoints every week to check which areas of the classroom covenant we are doing well in and where we could improve is also an important aspect. I want this to be a safe learning environment, where students are able to search for truth. The basis of this safe learning environment is making sure students feel comfortable enough to share their thoughts and feelings with each other in a respectful way. ! My classroom set up will reect my personal platform. I want it to be a space of

community so I have set up their desks in groups of four. There will be a whiteboard with a projector at the front of the classroom. The room will have storage cabinets along one wall so I can stay organized. I believe that if my space is organized, it will provide an example for the students to be organized, in addition to helping them stay more focused. A reading corner in the back of the room will be provided with two bookshelves full of books for their age level. There will also be one section of the room that has a calendar, with a list of important dates, and due dates so the students are not caught off guard with anything coming up assignment-wise. The following diagram presents my ideal classroom.

Works Cited Graham. Teaching Redemptively. NIV Study Bible. (2002). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan. Oakes, J., Lipton, M., Anderson, A. & Stillman, J. (2012). Teaching to change the world (4th ed.). Boulder, CO: Paradigm. Stronks, J., & Stronks, G. (1999). Christian teachers in public schools. Grand Rapids: Baker.

Door Cubbies for TakeHome Folders/ Information Closet Storage/Counter Area

Table for Workspace Teacher Desk

Bulletin Board

Students Desks

Computer Station

Whiteboard

Bulletin Board

Calendar Board

Classroom Library

Rug Rug

Classroom Library Window Whiteboard