Goal

6 Reflective Analysis

1. Describe how this artifact relates to the knowledge you acquired in EDUC 596 – Classroom
Management: Orchestrating a Community of Learners. What did you learn from this class
that you applied in your classroom?

One of my key takeaways from EDUC 596 – Classroom Management is that no matter how
many years one has been teaching, it is essential to continuously self-reflect and adjust
classroom management strategies. Each year, teachers get a whole new bunch of personalities
so what you do one year may not be the best approach for the students the following year. In
addition, I learned strategies in this course to create an inviting classroom where my students
feel safe, respected, and valued. By doing the T-Chart activity and classroom rules activity each
year, my rules and expectations adjust each to fit the needs of my students. I also learned that
by involving my students in setting classroom rules results in the rules becoming more
meaningful to each student. When there is meaning behind them, I found that my students are
more inclined to follow them.

This was the first PLS course I took through Rockford University and one of the most valuable.
Through the different strategies that I learned in this course such as the T-Charts, creating a
classroom handbook, having a system for positive behavior, and positive teacher talk, I have
experienced many positive effects in my classroom. I am able to earn my students respect
quicker and also have them feel more acclimated in the classroom quicker. I notice that their
engagement is higher and their work effort is higher to do their best.

2. Brief description of artifact.

My artifacts follow from an activity that I do at the beginning of the school year for setting up
rules and procedures. The first artifact shows a T-Chart handout with class examples of what “A
Great Classmate Looks Like & Sounds Like” and what “Respect Looks Like and Sounds Like.”
Then, we summarize the T-Charts to create classroom rules that we all agree on. In addition, I
emphasize the power of our decisions and choices that we make continuously throughout the
school year. After the class agrees on class rules, I reword them and display in our classroom
how I hope they “choose to be” each day when they enter the classroom. By establishing
classroom expectations early in the school year and having students participate in this activity, I
am able to create a more positive community of learners where my students feel safe and
comfortable in class.

3. Analysis of what you learned from this artifact. What did you change in your classroom as a
result of the artifact?

I learned that building a positive environment in your classroom is one of the most important
things to do right from the beginning of the school year. In addition to other activities that help
you (the teacher) get to know your students, including your students in the creation of
classroom expectations and rules helps build a positive relationship between the teacher and
student. I also felt as if I was starting the school year with mutual respect between my students
and myself. In previous school years, when I just told my students what the classroom
expectations and rules were, it was more of a process to earn their respect and to get them to
fully understand and follow the expectations and rules. When I gave my students the
opportunity to be involved in the process, the expectations and rules finally became more
meaningful to them as they had a say in creating each rule.

This is an activity that I continue to use at all grade levels to establish a positive rapport with my
students and to assist in making my classroom feel like a community of learners. In addition to
creating the rules, as a result of this artifact I also made sure that I always held my students
accountable to the rules we created and that I held myself accountable to the rules. For
example, I made sure that as the school year went on, I personally did not get more lenient
with the classroom rules and expectations and was consistent in enforcing consequences for
not being prepared or following instructions in class. In addition, I continued to hold students
accountable by always referring back to the “Be Choice.” At the beginning of most classes, I
would either have students write down or think about how they were going to choose to be for
the lesson – on task, a good listener, kind, etc. Also, in my classroom I utilized Google
Classroom, maintained a classroom website, and had one whiteboard designated to the week’s
plans, learning objectives, and homework. I made sure that there were no excuses for students
to “not know” what the homework was, not have the notes (as they were scanned to my
website), or not be prepared for upcoming projects and assessments. This helped my students
become more self-responsible to prepare them for their futures.

4. How does this artifact relate to the goal? Refer to dispositions under each goal.

This artifact relates to Goal 6 because the intentions of the T-Charts are to then create
classroom expectations and rules that aid in creating a positive environment. Specifically, my
students collaborate and use the T-Charts as an organizational tool. Giving the students a voice
to create the rules and also having them follow along on the handout helps keep them engaged
throughout the activity. The purpose of doing the T-charts and then creating the classroom
rules are for the students to take responsibility for their own learning. Each student reflects and
comes up with ideas of what a great classmate, respect, and responsibility should all look like
and sound like if you were to see/hear a peer following those actions. Positive reinforcement is
present in the action that instead of the teacher telling students the rules they need to follow,
the students get the ownership in this process and are encouraged by the teacher to do so.