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Philosophy on Classroom Guidance Guidance is extremely important when managing a classroom, and I have used the information I’ve learned in this class to help me form my own philosophy about the environment of my future classroom. The way you set up the environment will reflect the behaviors of the students in your classroom. It affects the way they will treat the teacher, fellow students, and themselves. Other factors affecting student’s behaviors and attitudes are the ways you use guidance in your classroom. You need to take these factors into consideration when planning your curriculum and discovering the way you want children to feel when they enter your classroom. When you walk into my classroom you will feel a sense of belonging just by looking around. You will not see perfectly organized shelves, bright white walls, and everything clean and tidy. You will find photos and posters on the walls showing the students how to treat each other with kindness and respect, you will see artwork, and assignments on the walls to help the students feel proud of their work. You will see spaces designed specifically for the children. There will be places to learn together which would include tables, chairs, and a big gathering carpet. You will see secret hideaways on the top, and bottom of a loft where students can go when they need some time to be alone and think, you will see messy areas to create in, and soft areas to read in. You will want to come in and join the children because they’ll look like their having so much fun. You would be introduced to the class, and you will receive a warm welcome. In order to uphold this environment the children will be well aware of character counts and their responsibility to their classroom, and fellow students. They will have learned these traits through role modeling, and lesson plans added to the curriculum. I have reviewed several strategies of guidance, and I know the ones I will use in my classroom. According to Barbra Coloroso there are three types of teachers when it deals with guidance. There is the Brickwall, which is a very authoritarian approach where the teacher gives rigid rules and uses threats and bribes to get the students to obey her. There is the Jellyfish, which is the permissive teacher who is inconsistent because she gives so many second chances. This teacher will use put downs in her guidance, and give the students mini lectures. I do not feel either one of these styles is appropriate for children. Both styles will get you into a power struggle with the students, which is one thing you want to avoid. They also create a negative environment for you and the students. I will choose to use Coloroso’s third style when guiding children in my classroom called the Backbone. This style is authoritative and it allows for smiles, humor, and rules that are simple, age appropriate, and clearly stated. This style’s main focus is consistency. There will be no surprises for the students. When they know the rules, and the consequences they can begin to control their own behaviors, and avoid power struggles. These children feel safe and secure in their environment knowing that if they are mistreated by fellow classmates, it will be followed through with. They learn how to think for themselves, not to have teachers think for them. I have also read the book ‘You can’t come to my Birthday Party’ by Betsy Evans. This book is a very positive resource for me when thinking about guidance. It shows the High Scope Theory in dealing with disagreements and arguments. When children are upset, and arguing in my classroom, ● I will stand back and observe to give them a chance to work it out by themselves. If it appears they cannot do this, ● I will slowly step in, put myself down to their level, and guide them through the process. ● I will repeat what they tell me so they know I’m listening, ● I will ask them questions about how they feel. ● I will tell them to express their feelings to each other. This type of approach involves both children. Neither one of them is allowed to speak disrespectfully to the other. This type of guidance creates a loving and caring environment for all of the students. Eventually the teacher will not have to step in because the students will have learned how to handle arguments on their own. In my classroom every student is valued, and every student has a voice. I will use these resources and strategies I’ve learned to help me create the kind of classroom where children appreciate and respect one another. I will do this by teaching them Character counts through posters on the walls, and by adding lessons into my curriculum. They will also learn their expectations through modeling. If you have a caring, and respectful environment where the children come first, you will cut down on power struggles, and have a positive atmosphere full of learning and fun. |
