Mikaela Deur

EDUC 302/303
Prof Sjoerdsma, Prof. Terpstra
11/30/15

Leading and Managing

We are creative beings, who reflect the creativity of our maker.

As Graham states, every child is an image bearer and created unique

(2009). Our role in the world then, is to use our God-given gifts and

abilities to be a witness in all aspects of our lives. Our primary vocation

is to live lives that point to God. Who are my students? They bear the

image of Christ. Their gifts and abilities reflect his great creativity. Each

one is unique and different, and each of whom displays their creators

work in a different way. Who am I? I am created in the image of the

living God. I have been given gifts and talents to work well with people

and use these gifts to bring glory to God. I have been called to teach

and to show Christs love through my interactions with students,

parents, and coworkers.

Knowledge is our understanding of how the world works.

Knowledge revolves around the idea of learning: asking questions and

seeking out answers. It relies on a hunger for understanding and a

craving for more information. What then, is worth knowing? I dont

think there is a cookie cutter answer for this question. Because each of

us is created uniquely and bears a different part of Gods image, there

are different aspects of knowledge that are important for every

individual. It is important, though, that every individual is constantly

stretching himself or herself to learn more. If there isnt a hunger for

learning, there will be a lack of knowledge. In order to create that

hunger, learning should be active, social and multidimensional.

Considerable research demonstrates how active, multidimensional,

and social instruction supports all learners to be successful (Oakes,

Lipton, Anderson and Stillman, 2012, pg. 174).

As a teacher, there are things that I can do to best facilitate a

strong learning environment. Classroom management goes beyond

just conduct management. It covers content and covenant

management as well (Froyen and Iverson, 1999). Students need to be

involved and invested in what they are learning about. By engaging

students in every aspect of the content, they will become immersed

and invested in what they are learning. In order to do this, we must

move beyond rules and routines. If the classroom structure is rigid,

children will begin to act out (Oakes, et. al, 2012, pg. 241). Engaging

students will increase their desire to gain knowledge through

understanding. Through teachers can set up this environment,

students need to reciprocate this craving for knowledge. It isnt a one-

way street. Once a teacher sets up clear expectations, students need

to follow through with those expectations. One way to move toward

this goal is to establish a system of self-management. Woolfolk writes,

The third goal of any management system is to help students become

better able to manage themselves. If teachers focus on student

compliance, they will spend much of the teaching/learning time

monitoring and correcting (Woolfolk, 2013, pg. 474). To create this

environment in my classroom, we will have a contract that we repeat

every morning: We pledge to come into this classroom today with

ready minds and a desire to learn.

In order to create this type of environment, there are three

general guidelines that need to be established: covenant management,

content management, and conduct management. Each of these three

types of management have several behaviors that fall underneath

them.

For covenant management:

The teacher will

Have personal relationships with the students
o Welcome the students as they enter the room every
morning
o Know their interests and abilities
o Weekly check in with each student about their progress
Invest in the lives in and outside the classroom
o Ask questions about their families
o Allow chances for families to be involved in the classroom
o Give students the chance to talk about their lives in the
classroom setting
o Attend extracurricular events
Create a supportive, loving environment for these relationships
to thrive in
o Be tender and nurturing with the students
o Tell the students that they are important

The students are expected to

Reciprocate the desire for relationships
o Ask questions about the teachers life
 o Get to know their classmates interests and hobbies
Trust their teacher
o Be honest and open with their teacher
o Be tell the truth during weekly check in
Keep the classroom environment healthy and strong by
supporting other students and investing in the lives of others.
o Offer encouragement to classmates they see struggling
o Be inclusive: allow all students to be a part of what they
are doing

For content management:

The teacher will

Come into the classroom with a solid understanding of what the
students will be learning that day
o Do prep work before the day of the lesson
o Come prepared with any resources needed to teach the
lesson
o Spend time thinking deeply about how to apply UDL for the
lesson
o Know the common core standards for the content being
covered
Be willing to learn and grow in their understanding so that
students may best be able to learn
o Accept correction from students
o Establish a community wherein students are working
together with the teacher to learn
Teach clearly, giving clear expectations and communicating ideas
openly.
o Know the content well
o Have students put a finger on their nose if the content is
unclear

Students are expected to

Come into the classroom with a desire and a willingness to learn
o Read over the classroom contract every morning
o Address their neighbor if they dont have this mindset

For conduct management:

Teachers will
Set clear expectations for behavior management and stick to
them.
o Create list of rules for the classroom with the students
 o Follow through with consequences
o Not show favoritism in the way that consequences are carried
out

Students are expected to

Understand and abide by the expectations
o Help to create the list of rules for the classroom
o Follow the rules they establish
Hold their peers accountable when they step out of line.
o Ask their peers to remember our pledge and point them back
to our classroom contract

Sources

Froyen, L. A., & Iverson, A. M. (1999). Schoolwide and classroom

management: The reflective educator-leader. Prentice Hall.

Graham, D. L. (2009). Teaching redemptively: Bringing grace and truth

into your classroom. Purposeful Design Publications.

Oakes, J., Lipton, M., Anderson, A. & Stillman, J. (2012). Teaching to

change the world (4th ed.). Boulder, CO: Paradigm.

Stronks, J., & Stronks, G. (1999). Christian teachers in public schools.

Grand Rapids: Baker.

Woolfolk, A. (2013). Educational Psychology (12th ed.). Upper Saddle

River, NJ: Pearson.