Classroom Discipline and Behavior Management Essay

Total Length: 1300 words ( 4 double-spaced pages)

Total Sources: 4

Page 1 of 4



It's long been a challenge in pedagogy to find a way to meet the needs of a diverse classroom; students have always presented a range of different cultural, linguistic, social and socioeconomic needs and backgrounds. In fact, in the academic research paper, "Culturally Responsive Differentiated Instruction" by Santamaria, it was found that ultimately, "The best teaching practices are those that consider all learners in a classroom setting and pay close attention to differences inherent to academic, cultural, linguistic, and socioeconomic diversity. Through a closer examination of two different, seemingly distinct, theoretical models that have rarely been linked or reconciled, educators may be able to determine what is appropriate for particular groups of students in particular classrooms in particular locales" (Santamaria, 2009). This means that engaging in proactive, culturally responsive forms of decision-making and classroom management can have a marked and profound impact on students and the overall effectiveness of teachers. It can allow teachers to more readily bond with their students and to establish a more pronounced sense of trust. Furthermore, it might help students to feel as though they're more readily understood, causing them to feel more compelled to behave better. This means there should be a vested interest in teachers and schools at large to set standards for implementing culturally responsive care -- even if it means providing their teachers with new training. "In implementing school reform efforts to improve student achievement, reconciliation of best teaching practices and the creation of hybrid pedagogies are critical in addressing a future of an increasingly diverse country and global community" (Santamaria, 2009). This is indeed revelatory: the world is of course becoming increasingly global and more and more, educators are expected to respond to these trends and to find ways to create a touch with more and more diverse classrooms. For a teacher who isn't used to extreme diversity, teaching in the modern classroom could be a rude awakening. Different cultural groups are going to have different standards and needs of discipline, which can prove to be daunting to an educator who has no experience with teaching for a wide group of students from many different backgrounds.
Furthermore, diversity training can help educators to become disarmed of any stereotypes or preconceptions they might hold about race; even stereotypes or biases that they're not even aware they have. This is a crucial component of diversity training, some researchers have found, such as Gere and colleagues in "A Visibility Project": " Findings suggest that incorporation of multicultural literary texts, continual interrogation of attitudes toward race and racism, and explicit engagement with raced consciousness fosters learning about how beginning teachers take up cultural responsiveness, given the persistent stereotypes and the raced consciousness that shape their language and perceptions" (2009). This demonstrates the sheer need and benefit of proper diversity training for professionals to work at their most effective and non-biased manner.

Conclusion

The most successful classroom management techniques depend on being able to use positive techniques like PBSS and to respond to children adequately and fairly in an age-appropriate manner. Furthermore, the best preventative practices are those which look to stop discipline problem before they start, by creating an environment based on mutual respect and learning. Finally, arming teachers with culturally responsive skills is one way to ensure that they are able to connect more fully with their students and in more lasting and meaningful ways. It also arms teachers with the skills they need to teach in a more relevant and appropriate manner.

References

Gere, A. (2009). A Visibility Project: Learning to See How Preservice Teachers Take Up Culturally Responsive Pedagogy. American Educational Research Journal, 816-852.

Lansford, J. (2005). Physical Discipline and Children's Adjustment: Cultural Normativeness as a Moderator. Child Development, 1234 -- 1246.

McKevitt, B., & Braaksma, A. (2004). Best Practices in Developing a Positive Behavior Support. Retrieved from Nasponline.org: http://www.nasponline.org/publications/booksproducts/bp5samples/735_bpv89_44.pdf

Santamaria, L. (2009). Culturally Responsive Differentiated. Teachers College Record,….....

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