I believe that all children are different in their own way when it comes to their way of learning, therefore my way of classroom management could differ from year to year. Each child is unique in how they learn and have different educational and developmental needs. My classroom management approach in general would then be a discipline approach not punishment. I believe that punishing a child in front of a class puts their dignity and self esteem on the line, for the entire class to demolish. I do not believe this would fix a situation, but rather make it worse! 

A better way to approach discipline could be used in the ways that Barbara Coloroso does. She has students take control and responsibility for their own actions. I believe that it is the teacher’s job to prepare their students for the real world; if this is not done they are being set up for failure. In our society, adults are expected to take responsibility of their actions.  This should be modeled in the classroom. Instead of keeping a child after school for misbehaving, the teacher should talk with the child and ask them how they are going to make sure it doesn’t happen again in the future. The student then creates a plan, the teacher and student follow through the plan, and they both have an agreement on what to do in the next situation, which; helps the student and teacher in understanding each other and what works the best for themselves. This can help the student become more responsible, and encourages them to do self reflection based on their actions.  I want to set my students up to be responsible adults.

Another important part of my classroom management would include not using Barbara Coloroso’s “Brick Wall” attitude with my students. I think that is the worst thing you could do to your students, by treating in that way. When educating students it is the teacher’s place to adjust to each individual student’s needs as good as they can, for the best learning experience fore each student. Using this attitude with your students creates a “My way or the high-way” Atmosphere. This can cause some conflict in the classroom, resistance to the teacher or even a failure to thrive in learning for the student, because they feel like they are hitting a brick wall.  When a child acts out this behavior could be turned into a teachable moment. While using the “Brick Wall” approach you are not able to use this action to teach, just punish the child and that’s all!

 Barbara Coloroso and our class discussions have given me a lot of ideas about what to do and what not to do in my classroom. They have changed my mind on many things, which I thought I would never change my mind about! Such as not using time-out this “is” what the student wants is time-out of class, where they do not have to learn! Also bribery is not the greatest incentive for students, because as the years go on their standards will only become “A Bigger Sticker, with a Bigger Sticker Price” (Barbara Coloroso).   

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