Because I work with one and two-year-olds, I am sure my teaching philosophy will be very different from the majority of our class. Classroom management and teaching philosophies will be very different then most of yours. No matter how well I manage our classroom routines tohelp avoid problem situations, there are bound to be times when the classroom feels out of control. Even typical toddlers can "act out", they can lose control or become overtierd or overstimulated. What typical toddlers need in the classroom is for the teacher to be in charge and show them the way. I need to set limits and be in charge of the room. What I have learned over the last few years I have had at the Early Head Start, strict schedules and guidelines will not cramp a child's style rather it will give them the boundaries and structure that they need to feel comfortable and safe. For one and two-year-olds, safety is key.
It is possible to prevent undesirable behavior in the classroom. One way is to assure their individual safety. The first step in an individual's independence is to build trusting relationships. Once a bond and trust can be established, the child will begin to establish his or her own autonomy. What many parents will refer to as the terrible two's! Once we have reached this point, I feel much of the classroom management requires the teacher know their own boundaries and set firm calssroom rules. With structure and consistency the child will thrive and grow. I look toward my teaching team for assistance when I feel out of control.
Several theories I have learned are:
no one can make me angry without my permission, remember they are children and I am in charge. Encourage the children and my fellow teachers, we are all in this together. What we focus on we get more of. The only person I can make change is myself.
I like to see the best in others. There is great power in acceptance and love. Mistakes are opportunities to learn. I am always grateful for the opportunities to share life with the wonderful little ones that I am trusted with. As I continue to learn and teach I know the future will bring a larger classroom and more responsiblities, I still have much to learn about classroom management. It will be valuable to keep this teaching philosophy in mind knowing above all else I believe in encouragement and wonderment through hands-on-learning.
sitting
11 years ago
Heather - I agree with you and I admire you for working with such young kids. That takes a lot of energy! I think really, any student - from Early Head Start to graduate school - wants and needs to be safe. Without that security, it's nearly impossible to learn and grow. You've made this point well.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed your insight on anger...."no one can make me angry without my permission". I think I need to remember this in the future. It might help me out a lot! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteHeather,
ReplyDeleteWays to improve our classroom management skills is one of the most repeated topics in my school's weekly faculty meetings. We have discussed techniques, and listened and watch video conferences on the topic. I think that having effective classroom management skills can be a "work in progress" for a lot of teachers as each set of new kids can bring its own challenges in this area!
I like your positive attitude. Being able to see the best in our students is such an important skill. Sometimes we are the only people telling them that they are good kids in their daily life!
My favorite comment was "remember they are children". I need to remind myself of that with my high school students because they can talk like they are adults and it's easy to forget that they are really still children!
How wonderful to be able to see toddlers as whole people, meeting them where they're at in their young lives. Being able to recognize the basic value structures that can help guide us all, trust, forgiveness, self-control in that setting is a great gift. Your attitude is very inspiring and I wish you all the energy in the world to do such important work.
ReplyDelete