Needs Of The Student And The Teacher example essay topic

There are many different ways to run a successful and effective classroom. Numerous people have tried to give me the best advice for making things work, but ultimately it will be my choice to decide what works best for me. By assessing the students' needs, I will be able to provide a curriculum and classroom environment that will hopefully motivate their learning. In assessing my own needs, I can make the proper actions necessary to make sure that those needs are met. Rules and consequences fall under both the needs of the student and the teacher, so those are essential as well. In the following, I will discuss what I find to be the needs of the student, the needs of the teacher, and how my philosophy on rules, consequences, and discipline play into these needs.

According to several educational psychologists and theorists, there are many different needs of a student. I agree particularly with Glasser, who states that students have a need for belonging, 'fun', freedom, and a warm environment with a meaningful and engaging curriculum. Linda Albert contributes more by theorizing that the student needs to feel accepted (by being who they are, without judgment), and that student needs attention and affection (Devito, 2004). These, in my own opinion, are some of the most important needs that a teacher might face, especially when teaching adolescents. While all students have different needs, these are a few that are shared by most. Often times, as a teacher you are the most influential adult figure in a child's life.

By creating a warm environment where the student not only feels comfortable, but is eager to come to, you have created the beginning of a successful learning environment. Once you have the student in class, who is ready to learn, the need for an interesting and stimulating curriculum is a must. One cannot teach a student who is disengaged and bored, so as a teacher it is necessary to understand the need for exploring topics of interest. Not only do students have the needs as listed above, but according to Kohn, they also have the need to be treated as individuals (Devito, Spring 2004).

Democratically speaking, Glasser says they also need a sense of power in addition to their need to be treated as individuals (Devito, Spring 2004). Through classroom rules, procedures and discipline, these needs can all be addressed. What about my needs though? Surely if they students can have that many, then so can I! My needs, however, differ greatly than those of the students and include not the needs that will help and guide me to learn, but rather to help and guide me to teach. Before including the students into the equation of a successful classroom, we must first look at the classroom.

I need a room that is organized, structured, and meets the needs of my instructional goals. Personally, to provide the engaging curriculum that I feel the students needs, I would need technology in the room. In addition to the use of technology, I would want a classroom that would allow me to rearrange the seating to my preference. Not only do I require all that, but I also have the need to feel comfortable and safe in my classroom. A teacher who does not feel safe and secure around her students, should not be in that classroom.

Not only for the reason of security purposes, but for the purpose of teaching. How can someone manage a classroom and provide discipline when one fears the students? It cannot happen. How can one teach a class that they can't manage? It cannot happen. Above all the needs I feel I might have as a teacher, I feel my ultimate necessity is that of discipline, consistency, and structure.

Those three together make for a better learning environment for all. In choosing my classroom rules, I would like to utilize the input of the student, but not solely depend on them to make the classroom rules. That, in its own, would be asking for trouble! I think laying out a general guideline and having the students contribute ideas and sub-guidelines is a good idea. This way, I am placing the rules that have to be in place (whether they are school rules that have to be enforced, or rules that I simply cannot live without), but they are also contributing to the sub details and feeling some sort of ownership. By creating the rules and guidelines for the classroom, they are made aware of what is right, what is wrong, and what is expected of them.

They cannot use the excuse that they were not aware of the rules (and what they entail), because they helped to create them! Display of the classroom rules need not be very detailed, but rather displayed as a guideline. However, the students will have a detailed version of the rules, responsibilities, and procedures that will be required to be kept in their notebooks. My idea of this is similar to that of the Curtin and Meddler version of the 'Social Contract' and my students WILL be held responsible for it. For consequences, I think that standard practice for me will be the record keeping of violations, with predetermined infractions already decided. In my practicum experience, I have found this to be the most useful and practical way for someone who is new to teaching (like myself), to keep track of things.

While it does include some time during class and paperwork, it is evident to the students that you are going to remain faithful to the consequences you have set forth and it reinforces the consistency level. As for what the infractions might be, I have come up with the following: o Step one: Verbal Warning. I believe the student should have the opportunity to be aware of the misbehavior and have the option on whether or not they choose to misbehave again. o Step two: Written letter home to parents. This includes not only something the parents are required to sign, but also a list of all the rules for the school and classroom that the student must rewrite several times (this at the middle school level). o Step three: Phone call home, and one day detention. Parents will be made aware that the behavior has not improved and the student has been assigned detention (morning only). o Step four: Phone call home and two days of detention (morning only). o Step five: Dean's referral and RPC There are circumstances when these consequences are not good enough and the student is to be sent immediately to the dean. An instance like this might include fighting, swearing, or insubordination.

At first when I saw my practicum teacher using files and sorts, I thought it was too much paperwork, but I realized that if you have good, consistent classroom management, then you don't really have too many students stepping out of line. That, in turn, leads to less paperwork! My Educational Philosophy have a responsibility as a teacher to provide what I believe to be the best education possible, to all students. This includes maintaining a structured and organized classroom, recognizing the needs of each and every student, and maintaining consistency in my disciplinary efforts. All while providing an interesting and engaging curriculum? It can be done!

Understanding the needs of all students is a must. All theorists have touched on the subject, and while they might argue about the needs of the students, they " re definitely all needs. Based on experience and judgment, I am responsible for addressing all these needs. Should any method I am using not work, I am to try and try again until I have met those needs. Students learn in so many different ways and teachers must be aware of those modalities.

Students misbehave for any number of reasons, whether it be discomfort, disturbances or disorganization. A disorderly classroom such as might be competing sights and sounds, teacher's mannerisms, unorganized teaching materials, daydreaming students or those who are overwhelmed with boredom. This is why, again, it is important to maintain an engaging curriculum. Without one, it is hard to keep the students motivated to learn. Unmotivated students create behavior problems and make it hard to teach the other students who do want to learn because they misdirect attention to them. Part of an engaging curriculum means addressing all modalities of learning; visually, auditory, interpersonally (cooperative learning), and kinesthetic ally.

When these are all addressed, the students are generally on task and have little time to misbehave. Of course, not all students are angels and not all students behave as they should. As part of my educational philosophy, I believe that discipline is an important part of the classroom and should be fully enforced. I am a teacher, not a friend.

I am a mentor, not an acquaintance. Disciplining a student isn't the highlight of my career path, but it is essential to maintaining the organized classroom I need and it will be done. In order to learn, students need discipline with dignity. They need to know that misbehavior is not okay, and that there are rules and standards to live by in the classroom, just like there is in the "real world". Students, when given a routine and are treated with structure, generally perform better. By instilling discipline in the classroom, I hope to provide a more stable and more effective learning environment for all.

Above all, my educational philosophy in discipline focuses on consistency. I have learned through all theorists, Ms. Devito, all my other professors, and by my own experience that this is a must in the classroom. It is important to be impeccable with our word as teachers because often times, it is the only leverage that we have over the students. As humans alone, it is the most powerful tool that we possess. If a teacher makes false promises and empty threats, then inevitably, their word becomes worthless and their credibility is ruined. This is somewhere no teacher wants to go.