Philosophy of Educational Management

 Awareness and Assessment

 I believe it is important for educators to have strong self-reflection skills, as well as the ability to analyze students individually.  I support the notion that the primary goal of an educator should be to encourage students to develop strong social awareness and increase academic achievement through an evaluation system based on a multitude of intellectual intelligences. A student’s voice should not be silenced by the absence of choice in content or process. Furthermore, a welcoming and respectful classroom is essential for students to achieve academic performance as well as encourage positive behavior.

Performance Evaluation: Modeling, Good Behavior, Rewards, Assessment of Academic Work

Educators have an important role as a leader, an authority figure, and role model. It is important to note that because educators are figures of authority, their presence holds much value due to the power of influence. Educators should not only model appropriate behavior, but also positively reinforce advantageous behaviors exhibited by students. However, it is imperative to promote positive behavior with praise as opposed to externally attractive rewards. I believe that a rewards system based on candy and prizes should be limited, if not absent, from the classroom. A classroom management system based on Constructivism rather than Behaviorism allows students to understand advanced concepts, increases self-regulation, raises internal motivation, and alters the perception of the intended goal of attending school.

As a student’s self-monitorization is improved, synthesis and evaluation of class topics may heighten. I believe it is crucial for educators to grade according to higher levels of thinking e.g. synthesis. However, a higher order grading system may only be implemented if a carefully planned scaffolding system is in place. Explicit instruction and clear expectations of student work may increase a teacher’s ability to grade according to a student’s higher-level thinking. Furthermore, I believe it is important to judge a student on what they can do as opposed to what they cannot do.

Setting clear guidelines and expectations of students is necessary to promote a respective learning community. Mutual respect amongst students, teachers and administration fosters a welcoming classroom environment and a collaborative learning community.

Learning Community, Communication, and Mastery

As children become better at self-monitoring and gaining a deeper level of respect for their learning community their communication skills may strengthen. Communication between teacher and student should be frequent and genuine. Feedback on assignments and behavior should be done regularly and immediately. If students are allowed to improve their assignments based on feedback from teacher and self-correction through reflection, mastery of skill is attainable. An educator should communicate in an explicit and guiding manner in order for a student to understand what they need to fix and/or practice. Once a student is able to grasp the main objective of a task, mastery of a particular topic is a reality.

In addition to clarifying intended results to students, educators should keep family members informed of weighty assignment. Furthermore, encouraging a student’s family members to participate in school-wide events may promote student and family investment.  As students and families become more involved, it is important to examine relationships that may develop. Specifically, teachers should have solid boundaries between professional and personal relationships with students and families. It is important for teachers to be educators above acting as a student's friend. However, strong mentoring bonds may encourage students to try their best and develop resiliency in tough situations.

School administration should be a positive part of a student’s learning community. Professional development and teacher support should proliferate when necessary. Additionally, frequent collaboration of a professional learning community, consisting of every educator involved with a student's academic career, will benefit all parties associated with a student.

Group Work, Learning Ideology, Rules and Procedures            

It is important for students to abide by the class rules and not disrupt their peers from learning. If students are severely disruptive, the administration and parents should be informed of the circumstance. Open-minded and unbiased approaches to conflict resolution will reduce recidivism rates of unruly students. I believe in intensifying behavioral management and teaching methods for troubled students as opposed to expelling and isolating punishments. Model behavior by school faculty and adult family members should exhibit self-accountability, coping skills, and respect. Consequently, students will demonstrate self-control and respect through emulating mature adult behavior.

Detailed records should be taken when evaluating a disruptive student. All information regarding a student should have a clear and an unbiased agenda. The goal of a professional learning community should be to maximize a student’s academic ability and resolve real-world problems. Special consideration should be given to learning disabled, ELL, and emotionally distraught students. Each student should be evaluated independently and given an individualized behavior plan that focuses on increasing academic performance, improving social skills, and promoting personal accountability.

The rules and procedures of a class should be clear and reflective of a class’s personality. If reasonable rules and procedures are given, the response and abidance to the rules and procedures will be constructive and effortless. The rules and procedures of the class should be in-line with a school’s mission statement. If rules and procedures are discredited by students and voiced as unfair, a restructuring may be necessary. It is important for educators to be mentally flexible and self-reflect when a rule or procedure violation occurs.

All members of a learning community should abide by the class rules and school mission statement. A hypocritical classroom will result in ineffective teaching methods and a decrease in student participation. Appropriate instruction should result in a student’s academic gain. A classroom should grow and change organically. A classroom that is sterile and seen as undemocratic by a student, engagement may be lost.

High enthusiasm held by teachers on class topics is essential to build an emotional connectedness between student memory and class topics. Enthusiasm, if not sincere, will tarnish class morale. All topics and tasks regardless of the comprehension level should be given respect. A safe and nurturing environment, which promotes student inquiry and questioning, will enhance student enthusiasm. Meaningful curriculum choices that relate to students’ prior knowledge will also intensify student interest.

Educators who evaluate students’ strengths and weaknesses will be able to form groups according to various comprehension levels and learning intelligences. Groups that are flexible will allow students to learn from and/or support their peers. Differentiated instruction should be given to each group. Social Constructivist Theory argues that students will learn more if they have the ability to collaborate with their peers in small and large groups. Differentiating instruction based on the individual needs of the students will help all students expand their learning potential during both individual and small group work.