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No matter who you are, where you come from, or your history, each person has

walked down a unique path that has defined them and helped shape them into the person
they are today. Regardless of my point of view, everyone has a different one, and we have
to respect the viewpoints of others. Every student that walks through my doors may have
a different road they have travelled, and I intend to not only build relationships with them
to better understand that road, but to also act as their advocate. Students need someone
who they feel they can trust and rely on, and as a teacher, I hold the unique opportunity to
be a support system for them, on a multitude of levels.
The classroom must be a community where everyone feels respected, heard, and
cared for. The rules that establish the framework of my classroom environment will be
created with the involvement of my students, and each rule will work towards
establishing a positive environment. The intention of involving my students is to help
them not only know the rules, but understand their purpose. Self-efficacy is one of the
most important motivators of the classroom, and my classroom will work towards
helping students build their self confidence, celebrate their success, and challenge
themselves to dream big and aspire for the seemingly unattainable (Lewis, 2009). By
sparking internal feelings of satisfaction, pride, and excitement, students feel more
inclined to try, explore, and take chances, which only enhances the classroom atmosphere
and individual self-worth (Katz, 1996).
Not only is academia an important aspect of school, but also learning
interpersonal skills and positive behavior is a valuable, yet often neglected aspect of
development (Levin, 2016). The rules of my classroom will be positive, and designed to
encourage respectful conduct. My expectations for students will be made clear and
reinforced throughout the school year. Students need to be taught how to behave; a
teacher cannot just expect students to understand a teachers concept of proper behavior.
Not only will students be reminded of these rules, but also we will, as a class, celebrate
the success of students, including positive behavior. I will install a whole-class system,
where any student or teacher will be able to recognize something done positively by a
student, and with each recognition will come a marble placed in a jar; when the jar is
filled, the class will be rewarded for their positive behavior. By instituting such a
behavior model, I am focusing on the positive and spending time acknowledging the
good, instead of just the misbehavior that needs to be corrected.
Disruptive misbehavior must be tackled in appropriate ways. Appropriately
dealing with misbehavior should involve the teacher considering the scope of the
misbehavior and whether it should be addressed immediately or in a more private manner
(Levin, 2016). Expecting students to sit idly for hours upon hours is not only unrealistic,
but also counterproductive. Students need the opportunity to interact with the material
they are learning and I believe it is fundamental for a teacher to think creatively and
create lessons that encourage interaction, dialogue, and involvement. Differentiating
lessons to appeal to the multitude of learning styles and levels within the classroom is
critical to creating a classroom dynamic that flows and is successful (Hutchinson, 2014).
When considering a misbehavior, it is important, as a teacher, to self-reflect and question
whether the structure of my lesson or day played a part in that student misbehaving. Just

as it is the students duty to listen, participate, and respect others, it is the teachers duty
to create lessons that inspire, challenge, and involves the students. If the lesson is boring
and students were expected to sit for an extended period, it is likely that it is the fault of
the teacher, and not the student.
Consequences must relate to the behavior. It simply isnt good enough to give a
child a time out. Children must receive consequences that help them learn from their
mistakes and misbehaviors, and teach them the proper way to conduct themselves (Levin,
2016). It is important to provide consequences that are not too extreme, but also show
that the teacher is the leader of the classroom and that misbehavior will not be tolerated.
By both establishing an environment that celebrates the positive and personal
relationships with the students, they should understand that a consequence is not a
personal insult, but an action by the teacher to help them to become better individuals and
students. Remaining calm, reacting sensibly within the scope of the misbehavior, and
dealing with and de-escalating poor behavior in the most private way possible, are all
methods that I believe will help the students learn from their actions and make them feel
as though even in challenging times, I am acting as their advocate (Levin, 2016).
Every student has been through their own journey, and part of my role as a teacher
is to welcome those differences into my classroom, and unite them towards a common
goal: learning and interacting in a respectful and positive environment. Emotion and
attitude have a direct impact on success and I intend to help students develop their own
self-confidence that will produce high self-efficacy. Students will be unafraid to ask
questions, take chances, and make mistakes in my classroom. We will celebrate the
positive and tackle any challenges, including misbehaviors in firm but positive ways that
will help them learn and grow as individuals. When educators show a willingness to be
innovative and make changes when it benefits their classroom, students become more
focused on their own attitude and effort, and begin to take accountability for their choices
and learning. Everyone has their own challenges but every student who walks through my
doors will know that we are a team, and together, we can overcome any obstacle.

References
Hutchinson, N. (2014). (4th Can. Ed). Inclusion of exceptional learners in Canadian
schools. Toronto, ON: Pearson.
Katz, M., 1996. Teaching Organic Chemistry via Student-Directed Learning. Journal of
Chemical Education. 73(5), pp. 440-445.
Levin, J., Nolan, J. F., Kerr, J. W., Elliot, A. E., Bajovic, M. (2016). Principles of
Classroom Management (Fourth Canadian Edition) Toronto, Pearson, Canada Inc.
Lewis, S., Shaw, J., Heitz, J., Webster, G., 2009. Attitude Counts: Self-Concept and
Success in General Chemistry. Journal of Chemical Education. 86(6), pp. 744-749.

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