Self Efficacy

A. Create a personal philosophy of classroom management related to your licensure area by doing the following:

1. Explain how key elements of classroom management theories inform your personal philosophy to promote the following in students:

a. Self-management

b. Self-efficacy

My personal philosophy for managing a classroom of diverse students has been developed through classroom lessons, studying various theorists, and personal observations. The following includes my philosophy of classroom management, procedures and routines, and how I will implement these in the classroom.

Theorists who have contributed to my beliefs include William Glasser, Jacob Kounin, and Albert Bandura with their theories about self-management and self-efficacy. Glasser defined the role of the teacher as a leader in the classroom rather than a "boss" (Glasser 1990). He felt that power should be given to the students in the classroom and shared by the teacher. This is the primary theory from which I have developed my own model of classroom management. The Choice Theory is based on the idea that students are responsible for their behaviors, and that each individual can control how he or she behaves. Self Management is promoted because the individual has control over how they act and think, with little control over how they feel or their physiology. The teacher can promote positive feelings with positive reinforcement. I feel that if students realize the power that they have over their own actions, they are more likely to be controlled in social situations both inside, and outside of the classroom. Kounin understood the importance of keeping a close watch on students. He felt that teachers should be able to see areas in which misbehaviors may arise, when students are bothered, and should be able to correct problem behaviors early on before they disrupt the classroom. By having set procedures and routines, as a teacher, I will be able to eliminate behavior problems before they arise by following this belief. Students will self-manage once the behaviors are learned because they will become familiar with what is expected of them. If a child is told to wash their hands upon entering the room on a daily basis, eventually they will wash them before being told. This is an example of self management. I think it is important to closely observe all of the students in the class. By praising positive or good behaviors that are observed, students will be more efficient in self management because they will strive to receive more praise on a regular basis. This will help promote desired actions from the student with fewer disruptions. It is also important to become familiar with each student on a personal level to better help in identifying problems when there are clear signs that they are about to arise. Kounin also believed that if students were engaged in their lessons, they would be less likely to misbehave. When students are engaged, they are concentrating on the lesson and activities (Kounin 1970). By finding ways to spark the interest of all students, I feel that I can make the lessons enjoyable enough for the students to want to be engaged.

Albert Bandura (1997) had major focus on Self-efficacy. He has described that if students do not perceive themselves to be competent in a task, they are less likely to engage in it. Assuming that this is true, if students are grouped with other students which they perceive as a higher ability than they have, they may feel as though they will fail and be less likely to engage to their fullest potential. On the flip side, if students are grouped with other students of similar ability, and they are able to actively participate in group discussions, and contribute to assignments, they will have a greater feeling of accomplishment leading to self-efficacy. I feel that it is important to understand what each student's abilities are, as well as what motivates them in order to group them appropriately for assigned tasks.

2. Explain how key elements of classroom management theories inform your personal philosophy to encourage the following:

a. Student motivation

b. Student engagement

The teacher is responsible for creating lessons to engage students, no matter what the subject material involves. All students should be very clear on what the expectations are for both behavior and academic performance. If they are working within groups they should have the expectation that every group member is responsible for contributing to the assigned tasks and supporting one another in the process. Students also need to be aware of the time allotted to complete their assigned tasks. The teacher should continually assess that all students are on task by monitoring behavior and progress through observation. It is the teacher's responsibility to intervene if a group is not managing themselves and allow them the opportunity to work it out or choose to work independently.

Lesson plans should engage students in learning, but also be enjoyable. Students should be able to give input for what is important to them. The students should also be a part of the decision-making processes. They should feel valued as members in the learning community. If students are engaged in a lesson that they find interesting, misbehaviors tend to be minimal or non-existent since they're focused on the task at hand. The teacher will communicate what the expectations are of the students in regard to the quality of their work, their conduct during classroom activities, homework assignments, subject goals, and any other expectations that are reasonable for the grade level that is being taught.

In addition to clear expectations, the teacher will set up a reward system for both the class as a whole, as well as on an individual basis. The teacher will review the behaviors that will earn the class a reward along with a clear number of behaviors that will be needed. For example, the teacher may reward the class with a marble every time a positive behavior is observed that is completed by the entire class. This could be anything ranging from all homework assignments being completed on time by the entire class to all students being in their seat and ready to begin a new lesson within a time limit after changing classes. The teacher may require any number of marbles to earn a reward for the class. Once the class has earned the required number of marbles to earn a reward the teacher may suggest several rewards which are acceptable.

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