Classroom Management Philosophy

Growing up, my teachers facilitated inclusive environments where each student was seen and recognized an active member of the learning community. My goal is to support my students to be successful members of their local and global communities, just as my own teachers did. I hope to establish mutually respectful relationships with my students. I want my students to know that our classroom is a safe environment to learn and grow. In order to build positive relationships with each student, I will seek to understand each child, both as a student and as an individual with rich life experiences and interests. At the beginning of the school year, I send out letters to each student to introduce myself and share how excited I am to have them in my class. Throughout the year, I have students engage in activities such as personal histories or mathematical “All About Me” posters to continue to share and get to know one another as the year goes on.

I believe that each and every student deserves quality instruction and support. As a classroom teacher, I am dedicated to the education and success of a diverse range of students through an engaging, differentiated approach to instruction. I strive to establish an inclusive classroom community that recognizes the experiences, values, and ideas of my students as powerful assets. As noted before, students engage in meaningful activities to build community throughout the year. My classroom library reflects the backgrounds, cultures, and interests of my students—providing a “mirror” to reflect students’ experiences as well as a “window” to learn more about the perspectives of others.

In order to facilitate a healthy classroom culture, I must model what it looks like to be a kind, respectful member of a learning community. I will maintain clear, consistent, high-expectations that support the success of all students in the classroom. The culture of my classroom connects to school-wide norms and practices, which I post and review with students throughout the year. I model strategies to promote a safe, inclusive learning environment through positive behavior reinforcement.

It is also important to facilitate communication with parents and guardians within the classroom community. I connect with parents through email updates, monthly newsletters, and written notes. These forms of communication serve as methods to highlight positive behavior and students’ growth as well as share any concerns or updates as needed. I ensure these forms of communication are accessible for families by translating. I believe that routine and consistency are important for children and want to make sure that the classroom is connected to students’ lives outside of the classroom where possible.

Consistent routines and expectations will provide structure for my students. For example, I have welcome messages and entry tasks displayed on the board each day when students come into the classroom. This helps students settle in and prepare for the school day. I facilitate check-ins with individual students and whole-class meetings at least once per week, along with checking in after holidays, extended breaks, and any time a guest teacher is present in the classroom. I believe honoring students' voices and perspectives is of utmost importance. These practices take only a few minutes of time, but their impact is powerful, engaging students and establishing classroom community in a meaningful way. It is only when students have developed relationships built on trust and respect, and are socioemotionally supported, that they can truly learn and thrive to their fullest potential.

I utilize multi-faceted approach to support students’ wellbeing and academic success. Within the classroo, I have a “cool down” center with resources for students to take a break, process emotions, or mindfully reflect upon disruptive behavior. At the beginning of the school year, I discuss how the center and its materials are to be used as a tool to support learning.

I am also a highly organized individual. My classroom is organized using elements such as labeled storage, color coding, and visuals. In the virtual learning environment, I use modules, folders, and visually clear buttons to support student and family access to class materials and learning. believe that organization connects to good classroom management, in that a well-organized space provides consistency and structure for students. A classroom in disarray, whether in person or virtually, does not support a healthy, safe learning environment.