Leading and Managing a Classroom Learning Community

Our world has many positive and negative influences that can affect a learner in
different ways. As a future teacher, I do not want to shelter my students from the negative
outside forces, but I also want them to see the light in our world. From a Christian
perspective I see the world as a fallen place and a temporary home that needs restoration.
For me, just teaching children about God isnt good enough; I believe living out
my faith is crucial for their learning. I want my life to exemplify Christ in everything that
I say and do. I want my students to see Christ living through my actions and words and I
want them to strive to also live for Christ. The verse I want to live out in my teaching is
Proverbs 22:6, Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not
depart. Someday, I will strive to teach and live like this whether I receive a job in a
Christian or a public school.
One question that focuses my management strategies is the idea of how do I
view people? According to Stronks and Stronks (1999), people are agents for
enculturation and they are truth seekers. Stronks states, they steer clear of any
controversial roles or the expression of personal points of view (pg. 15). Some articles I
have read by Graham (2009), talked about how I am called to be an image bearer of God,
how my role is to take care of the earth, and how I am a self-fulfilling being. I believe
that man and woman were created in the image of God and that we are created to take
care of this earth. I also believe that every human is a fallen creature tainted by sin, but
has the ability to be good. I am confident that as a future teacher it is my calling to bring
out the good in my students no matter if they are believers or not. I want to encourage
each one of them to be stewards of this earth and servants of God doing His will. This
will be exemplified in my interactions with students by showing forgiveness when a
student makes a mistake, and making affective statements, presenting that I am human
too.
Another question I think deeply about when creating my own management plan is
what is knowledge? How do human beings learn? According to Graham (2009),
knowledge is what we know and it does not come naturally. I want to focus my teaching
towards the fact that knowledge and learning comes from being faced with new
experiences both inside and outside of the classroom. Knowledge is something that
continues beyond the school building and the school hours. I understand that as a teacher,
I may be the only influence and example a student has of good morals. It is important that
I structure my classroom around that knowledge is never finished, it is an ongoing
process and each student learns differently. There will be differentiation within my
classroom in order for each individual student to build his or her knowledge and learning.
It is important that I determine the best way of learning for each of my students so
learning is an enjoyable process.
Finally, I believe that learning is best supported when the classroom is a trusting
and safe environment. I want to accomplish this by always allowing discussion. Students
should never be punished for giving their opinions and comments even if they were not

correct. I want to give praising words such as nice work or great thought whenever
students volunteer or comment in a class discussion or lesson. I will use both contingent
and non-contingent interactions with my students to make sure the students know I care.
My students will feel welcome and open to talk to their peers and I about anything. I will
not only strive to be a teacher for my students, but a counselor and mentor. I believe that
learning is best taken in when the students are willing to collaborate with each other and
when they are actively engaged in the material. My classroom will have a fun
environment but also have guidelines and rules to keep the students inline and on task.
Some of these general guidelines and rules for my classroom will include having
students raise hands if they have questions, answers, comments, etc. I will have a
reminder in my classroom that describes expectations of students, such as the one in the
picture. I want students to always listen when someone else is talking, to be respectful of
others space, be caring to others, and to
always do their best.
If the students have fun with the learning I
believe that they
will be more excited about school and
learning in general.
I hope that learning will not feel like a burden
on them, but instead
a gift God has given them. When my students
first come to my
classroom, I will greet each of the
individually with a
handshake or fist pump. My students will
respond with a
greeting back towards me. This sets the
platform for a
positive school day. After the greeting, my
students will turn in
their homework in a homework basket first
thing in the
morning. When they have finished a
classroom
assignment, they can quietly walk up to the
front of the
classroom and put it into the basket. This
allows for the other
students who may be still working to not get disrupted.
Overall, in conduct management students are expected to...
Be respectful of others
Be prepared with pencils sharpened before class starts
Hand in assignments/tests/quizzes/etc. in basket
Get up quietly and get a drink
Cross their fingers and raise it in the air if they need to go to the bathroom
Do their best in everything
Walk quietly in the hallways and classroom
Use refocus sheets if off task
Use indoor voices when not at recess
Raise their hands
Listen to others who are talking
Sit in their seats
The teacher will
Have a clap to signal students (taught at beginning of year)

Grab students attention by having students point to their nose, point to their
name on the paper
Teach expectations systematically at the beginning of year (authoritative)
Use start up requests (quiet hands please) vs. shut down commands (stop that
drumming)
Model, lead, test=you do, we do, I do
Remind students of the classroom rules/expectations
Have a basket in the front of the room for students to hand work in
Have a finger cross signal for students to go to the bathroom
Give class dojo positive points for the whole class following expectations
Give a prize when certain amount of dojo points are reached (such as a guest
speaker, educational movie, extra free reading/writing time, a healthy snack)
Not give dojo points if the class is not readyteaches discipline
Talk to parents, counselors if certain student needs an individualized plan for
classroom conduct.
Individually talk to students who are acting out (dojo) (Each students will have
a dojo profile that will have both positive and needs work points. Needs
work tallies will be given if student isnt following my expectations of being
respectful of others, listening to the teacher
Students must be quiet, seated, and cleared desks ready by end of my clapping
routine
Give positive tally marks for every time students are ready to learn

In covenant management students are expected to

Be caring to their classmates
Listen and respect both peers and teacher
Encourage each other
Communicate to the teacher and peers if struggling with something
The teacher will
Be respectful to students
Listen to students
Encourage students
Listen to co-workers
View each student as an individual and child of God
Communicate to the childs family
Talk to students as adults
Continue learning beyond the classroom (conferences/classes)
Use contingent and non-contingent interactions with students
In content management students are expected to
Hand in homework in basket at the beginning of class
Raise their hands to answer/comment/etc.
Listen to the teacher and peers

Follow directions/ask questions if unclear

Work individually unless instructed not to do so
Get up and get a drink at the bubbler if thirsty
Adjust their learning based on individual needs (asking to work in hallway if loud,
move from their spot on the floor if distracted, etc.)
The teacher will
Listen to students when talking
Create lessons based on each students needs, making them adaptable
Use differentiation when making lessons
Allow for brain breaks (brain gym)
Allow time for individual and small group work
Create classroom jobs for each student
Be respectful of students needs
Create a caring and safe environment for students to learn
Create a daily routine for students

Within Special Education, I want to teach my students to work through their

struggles and to show everyone around them that even though they may have a disability,
this does not mean they are not capable of learning or achieving their goals.
Overall, I hope that I have will have both a positive and God reflecting
relationship with my students, parents and coworkers. I hope that I will exemplify the
importance that every student matters and that every student is created in the image of
God. I pray that God will give me the strength to give my students knowledge, to teach
my students to use their gifts, and to form my students into caretakers of Gods creation.

Sources:
Len A. Froyen, Annette M. Iverson, Schoolwide and Classroom Management: The
Reflective Educator-Leader. Third Edition; 1999
Oakes, J., Lipton, M., 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.