The Learner’s Development and Environment Episode 3: Classroom Management and Learning

1. The Learner’s Development
and Environment
Episode 3: Classroom Management and Learning
Name of FS Student: Ma. Cristina D. Panganoran
Course & Year: BSE-2 English
Resource Teacher: Mrs. Irenea P. Dizon
_________________
Instructor: Mrs. Gloria A. Silva
Cooperating School: Holy Cross College (High School Department)
Date of Submission: January 31, 2011
Date Submitted: January 31, 2011

2. Name of School: Holy Cross College (High School Department)
Class Observed: 3 - 1
Date of Visit: January 19, 2011
Observation Report
The students’ ages range from 14-15 years old. The classroom is occupied
with a total of 45 students. They are all in proper uniform and walked quietly to
their respective classroom after the Novena. They are able to handle their own
behavior.
When it comes to discipline and good manners they are very polite and
cooperative in class. They even prepared a chair for me which was unexpected.
These students are all very well-behaved. The students in 3-1 class, worked
independently during class.
Their speed is even faster in note taking than other college students I know.
This becomes evident when I helped Mrs. Dizon check their notes after the
discussion. They showed their skills in taking down notes and understanding the
meaning of the words by analyzing the sentences given. They are all very focused
in class. Generally, the students of this class are fast learners.
Observation Notes on Classroom Management
Each desk has a section where students can put their belongings. The
teaching materials are kept in a cabinet. The room’s cleaning materials are located
at the back left corner of the room. There is a mini altar on the right side of the
black board. There are no rules and procedures posted in the room because
students are provided a handbook during enrollment where they can find the
entirety of rules in school. Posted on the walls of the classroom are the class
officers, certificates of recognition, 3rd grading top achievers, shorten and regular
period schedules and the announcement of upcoming school activities.
The teacher assigned one of the students to collect from each student a piece
of 1/8 sheet of paper with their name written on it before the start of the flag
ceremony so the teacher would know who was late or absent. These papers are
passed to the teacher the moment she enters the room. Next, the teacher will ask
everyone to pick up pieces of papers or trash if there is any, then they proceed with
the teacher leading the prayer. Before they start with their lesson they have a short
review. These activities are done smoothly and the students are used to it.
The seating arrangement is in alphabetical order. On the left part of the room
the girls are seated while the boys are on the right. The students are not noisy. The
teacher is able to manage the noise level very well. The teacher usually has no
problem with this particular class, but if she sees anyone who does not pay
attention, she calmly reminds the students the consequences of one’s actions or
carelessness. She disciplines the class without embarrassment and threat. Using
genuine verbal praises, appreciation thru acknowledgement and encouraging them
to do better next time are the teacher’s way to reinforce positive behavior. I can say
that the teacher I observed has a very good skill in classroom management.

3. Classroom Management Matrix
Aspect of Description Effect on the Learners
Classroom
Management
Specific Areas of In front of the class is helps the learners gain easy access
the Classroom the teacher’s table. to teaching materials; provides
Front right corner of the freedom to move easily within the
room is the mini altar. class; maximizes the students’
The back left corner of interaction with their teacher and
the room is where the classmates; gives a sense of
cleaning materials are familiarity;
and on the opposite side
is where other teaching
materials are kept.
Desks have a section for
student belongings.
Classroom Rules N/A N/A
Classroom Discussion, Enhances reading writing listening
Procedures Note Taking and and speaking skills
Lecture
Daily Routines Opening and closing Conditions the students; saving time
prayer lead by the to cover more lessons; build a habit
teacher; Attendance thru of maintaining cleanliness;
collecting 1/8 sheets of Enhancing study skills
paper; Students pick up
trash in the room if any;
Brief review
Seating Alphabetically arranged Fast checking of attendance; saving
Arrangement seats with girls on the time to cover more lessons; the desk
left side and boys on the facing front allows the students to
right; Traditional rows view the teaching materials easily.
in columns
Handling Correcting error without Does not embarrass the learner; the
Misbehaviors embarrassment; calmly teacher does not discourage
calling attention; participation in class; the learners
reminding the student are not being threaten but
the consequences of disciplined; makes the learners
one’s actions in a serene know that the teacher is not upset
way but only concerned with them.
Reinforcement of Uses genuine verbal Boosts self-confidence; learners are
Positive Behavior praises; Appreciation encouraged to participate in class;
thru acknowledgement; learners do not feel isolated or
Equality or fairness in discriminated
class
Others Certificates of Students can be proud of their own
recognition displayed accomplishments.
near the board

4. Analysis:
1. How did the classroom organization & routines affect the learner’s
behavior?
As we have learned before, an environment that is conducive to learning
includes the physical as well as the psychological aspect. When the classroom is
well-organized and properly arranged this lessens the teacher’s effort on the
physical part. An excellent classroom organization helps the learners and teacher to
gain easy access to teaching materials, provides freedom to move easily within the
class and maximize the students’ interaction with their teacher and classmates.
When a routine designed by the teacher becomes the students’ habit, the
students would know what is expected of them in class. This also saves time for
the teacher because he or she does not need to inform the class everyday of what
they need to do to prepare for the class. If the class is being carried out on a day-
by-day organized schedule there is less talking on the part of the teacher and more
activities are covered during a period.
Just like in the classroom I observed, the checking of attendance does not
take a lot of the period’s time because the teacher doesn’t need to do a roll call
every meeting. This is also applicable in other activities like reporting and
experimenting. A well-designed routine also conditions the class in proceeding
with the actual lesson.
2. What should a teacher have in mind when she designs the classroom
organizations and routines? What theories and principles should she have in
mind?
The teacher should have in mind time management, furniture and teaching
materials, and most importantly the students. I’ve learned that a place must have
favorable learning conditions, smooth transitions during class, and excellent
management skills. If a teacher fails to manage his/her class then he/she fails to get
the students involved during class. This is where the Principles in Classroom
Management come in. As I’ve said before, a superb classroom organization helps
the learners and teacher to gain effortless contact to teaching materials, provides
freedom to move easily within the class and make the most of the students’
interaction with their teacher and classmates.
I’ve done a bit of research and I’ve seen the effects of the theories of
behaviorism on students when it comes to routine designing. This is applicable
with the combination of the Law of Exercise from Thorndike’s Connectionism
Theory, Pavlov’s Higher-Order Conditioning, and B.F. Skinner’s S-R theory.
When routines are designed to be a habit in class then the Law of Exercise should
be practiced combined with Pavlov’s Higher Order Conditioning, where the
teacher can use different kinds of neutral stimulus to become the conditioned
stimulus for the students. Added the positive reinforcement, such as feedback or
verbal praises, from the findings of Skinner then the routine the teacher designs
will be a very effective one.

5. 3. Which behavior strategies were effective in managing the behavior of the
students? In motivating them? Why were they effective?
In the class I observed, the teacher used positive reinforcement in
conditioning the class for their new lesson and expected exam in the next period.
When it comes to their daily routine, the class already turned it into a habit.
The teacher made use of positive reinforcement in forms of verbal praises
and encouragement to the students to do better next time. She also showed them
honestly that she is proud of what they have accomplished for the past grading
periods.
I think that the teacher’s strategies are very effective because the students
are all actively participating and focused in class. If a teacher is doing well in
letting the student engage in learning then it means she was successful in
motivating them.
Students want to be acknowledged for their hard work because this boosts
their confidence in being consistent in getting high grades or being encouraged to
get better grades. It was effective because of the fact that students want to be
accepted and treated fairly, receive their deserved appreciation from their teacher
and the right amount of concern from them.
Reflections:
1. Imagine yourself organizing your classroom in the future. In what
year/grade level do you see yourself? What routines and procedures would
you consider at this level? Why?
I see myself teaching a third year high school class. The classroom must
contain teaching materials that are accessible for use. The furniture must be
positioned in areas where the contents could be easily seen. The seating
arrangement should be in alphabetical order. The position of the desks could be in
the traditional rows in columns or facing center, depending on the class activity for
that day.
I would like everyone to be seated in alphabetical order so it would be fast
and easy to check for absentees in class. There would be an opening prayer where
a different student leads every day this is also in alphabetical order. Leading the
prayer can build a habit of standing in front of the class with confidence. This can
help them improve their speaking skill too. Then we would conduct recitations as a
form of review or checking of assignments if any.
This is done so they will remember to do their homework. They will form
the habit of studying because they will always expect that I might call them to
speak during a review or during answering or checking assignments. This would fit
high school students very well because they can develop their study skills and learn
to do their schoolwork independently.

6. Next are the procedures, a teacher can’t be focused with only one procedure
alone. There is no single best method. One can use discussion, reporting, lecture,
note taking, and many other ways to conduct the lesson. In discussion, the students
engage in listening and note taking. In reporting the teacher can observe the class
and the reporter’s interaction by using their listening and speaking skills. Lecture
would enhance writing and reading skills. Everything depends on the lesson and
how the teacher intends to deliver the topic. The teacher must also have in mind
the integration of the four language arts in every meeting.
2. List the rules you are likely to implement in this level? Why would you
choose these rules?
If the subject I’m teaching uses the English language as the subject tool, then
I would like the reciting, reporting and any kind of speaking in my class in English.
This rule will enhance the students’ natural flow of words in English. One of my
teachers claimed that, “If you want Filipino students to be quiet, tell them to speak
in English.” The truth is, I just want them to learn how to express themselves freely
in the language and the grammar will eventually follow.
The next rule would be maintaining cleanliness in the room. It’s a real
shame but the some of the first year Education students seem that they don’t have a
habit of keeping their classroom clean. So I want to put into practice the
maintaining of order and cleanliness in class. This is a part of the conditions for a
classroom to be conducive to learning.
And lastly I will give grade incentives to those students who have perfect
attendance in the whole school year. This is to motivate the students to come to
class every day. I remember the management announcing that a bonus will be
given to those who always came early to work for the whole month without any
absences. This eventually motivated everyone including me in coming to work
early each day. I think this will also motivate the students to work hard.
3. Should learners be involved in making these rules? Why?
On the first day of class, I will divide the students into 4 groups, then I will
ask them to come up with their group name and their classroom rule that they want
to implement. We will use the rules they come up with and add them to my own
rules to let the students see that they are a part of this class and all their suggestions
and opinions are taken seriously.
The mere fact that the students are involved in making the rules will even
make it easier for them to follow because they do not feel dictated of what they
need to do in the class. This also shows that the students can have a sense of
responsibility in abiding to their own rules.
If both parties are involved in formulating the rules and regulations, then the
establishment of the classroom rules can be seen as the students’ and teacher’s
responsibility altogether.