Kelly Gaule

EDF 310

Theory to Practice
This paper is designed to describe research-based theories that
drive and underlies my practice as a teacher. To accurately explain
these theories they are broken down into how they are shown in the
five pillars of effective teaching: culture, expectations, discipline,
curriculum, and strategies.
Culture
To create classroom culture, I look to the humanistic approach.
Humanism emphasizes the person as a whole and understands that
people are complex. This is important in creating a classroom culture
because it stresses that people are inherently good and multifaceted
beings. The humanistic theory states students learn best in a
nonthreatening environment ("Humanistic Principles). This means
that students must be in a classroom where they feel that they belong
and are safe in order to learn proficiently. When students feel at ease,
learning becomes more confortable. Therefore, it is my job to create a
safe and welcoming learning environment where students may discuss
and embrace their personal differences. Creating positive studentteacher relationships and classroom relationships can do this.
To create positive relationships with each of my students, I must
find out more about them. This will be done through one on one
conversation, getting to know you activities, their personal writing,

and making connections with their family and personal lives. This
helps me understand the students as a whole instead of just their
academic successes. These personal relationships create trust between
the student and me so that they can feel comfortable with me in order
to learn.
In order to create a whole classroom community while realizing
that students are diverse and complex, students must grow to build
trusting relationships with each other. This can be done through
community circles where students share their thoughts openly to the
classroom without judgment. Students are prompted to share about
themselves so that others can learn more about their lives. By doing
this, students are realizing students differences and possibly making
connections to their own lives, thus, creating a bond. Students will also
be conducting a lot of group activities where they need to work
together respectfully. I also will implement star of the week where
students differences are highlighted. Through creating an environment
where students are appreciated and celebrated, students will feel
comforted. Therefore students are able to learn without feelings of
isolation.
Expectations
My basis of classroom expectations stems from Victor Vrooms
expectancy of motivation theory. This theory states the intensity of a
tendency to perform in a particular manner is dependent on the

intensity of an expectation that the performance will be followed by a

definite outcome and on the appeal of the outcome to the individual
("MSG Management ). Essentially, students will be more likely to do
well and engage in school if they have confidence in their ability to do
well and place high value on doing well in school. This means that
education must be shown to be of great importance in the classroom
and the students lives. Students must be able to see the importance
and value of school and then be confident in what they are doing in
school.
To show the importance of school and learning, I discuss with my
students that we go to school because we need to learn about the
world around us in order to become responsible citizens. I talk about
how students need to become experts in the community by thinking
like scientists, mathematicians, writers, readers, and historians. Before
each lesson, I tell the students what they will be learning and why they
are learning it so that they see the value. I also stress the importance
behaving properly so that all students can learn without distractions.
Students need to see that it is imperative that they act respectful, kind,
and safe so that they and other students are able to learn get the most
out of their education.
To make students feel confident in completing these academic
and behavior expectations, I set them up so that they are easily
understood and accessible to everyone. For academic expectations

this may come in the form of a rubric given to the students so that
they have a full grasp on what is expected of them. Giving them an
easy to read rubric allows students to see how they will achieve the
expectation. I also provide positive feedback along with constructive
feedback so that they can feel good about their progress. Students will
also feel self-assured with behavior expectations if they are involved
with creating the behavior guidelines for the classroom. Knowing that
they came up with the rules themselves, students will feel more
confident in their ability to follow them. In turn, students will achieve
high expectations if they see the value of them and are confident in
themselves.
Discipline
Grand Rapids Public School implements a clip chart system
related to positive and negative behavior. Students names are moved
up on a color-coded chart if they are displaying positive behavior and
moved down if they are showing negative behavior. This system is an
assertive discipline strategy based off of behaviorism. Behaviorism is
an approach based on the belief that all human actions and responses
can be explained by reactions conditioned by reward and punishment
(Graham). While this system may be beneficial for some students, it
may not work for all. This is when I supplement it by using logical
consequence.
Logical consequence is a shift from behaviorism to more of a

humanistic view on discipline. Logical consequence is a way to control

students behavior in the classroom while also teaching them to
recognize the consequences of their decisions. In this, other people
have no control over others choices in behavior but can influence
them. Understanding the students motivation for negative behavior
provides insights into how to deal with it. Logical consequence shows
four goals that students want to achieve when acting out. These goals
are to seek attention, power, and revenge and to avoid failure. These
goals lead consequences: resentment, rebellion, revenge, and retreat.
By realizing the motivation and goals behind the behavior, I can find a
natural consequence, such as embarrassment, or create a logical
consequence so the behavior stops. For example, a logical
consequence might be cleaning up the floor if a student is ripping up
papers and dumping the scraps on the floor.
Curriculum
>

For curriculum, I look to the outcome-based educational theory.

This theory focuses on the following:

>

Clarity of focus (having specific outcomes gives a strong sense of

purpose to everything teachers and students do).

Design down; deliver up (when planning curriculum, educators
start with the outcomes and work backwards; when planning
instruction, teachers teach what students need to learn to
demonstrate the outcomes).

High expectations (OBE departs from traditional education in its

assumption that all students can learn wellalthough not in the

same way and not necessarily on the same day),

Expanded opportunities (students must be permitted to
demonstrate their learning in different ways, and they must have
numerous opportunities to demonstrate the outcomes, not just
one.)
(Ascd)
In my classroom, I create specific learning out comes and build

on my lessons from those. I gear everything I do with the students

towards those learning goals. As stated before in the expectation
section, I create high but attainable expectations for my students. I
also know that all students may not be able to achieve those
expectations and learning outcomes the same way. This is why I
provide my students with various learning opportunities that can
adhere to what the students needs are. Students are able to display
their learning in more ways than just a test or a worksheet.
Strategies
Most of my strategies for learning follow Lev Vygoskys theory of
the zone of proximal development. The zone of proximal development
the distance between the actual development level as determined by
independent problem solving and the level of potential development as
determined through problem solving under adult guidance with peer

collaboration with more capable peers ("Zone of Proximal

Development). Fundamentally, students can only achieve their
potential in learning if there is guidance from peers and from a teacher
to scaffold their knowledge. This is why I incorporate a lot of group
work and group discussions into my classroom. It is important for
students to hear other peoples ideas and work collaboratively to gain
more knowledge. As the teacher, it is my job to provide multiple
learning experiences to scaffold the learning for students.

Cited Work

"Humanistic Principles." SUNY Cortland - Faculty and Staff Web

Services. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2016.
<http://web.cortland.edu/andersmd/HUMAN/PRINC.HTML>.
"MSG Management ." Expectancy Theory of Motivation. N.p., n.d. Web.
20 Nov. 2016.
<https://www.managementstudyguide.com/expectancy-theorymotivation.htm>.
Graham, George. "Behaviorism." Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
Stanford University, 26 May 2000. Web. 29 Nov. 2016.
<http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/behaviorism/>.
Ascd. "An Overview of Outcome-Based Education." An Overview of
Outcome-Based Education. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2016.
<http://www.ascd.org/publications/curriculum_handbook/413/cha
pters/An_Overview_of_Outcome-Based_Education.aspx>.
" Zone of Proximal Development." Vygotsky. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov.
2016. <http://www.educ.ualberta.ca/staff/olenka.bilash/best
%20of%20bilash/vygotsky.html>.