Teacher Behaviors

Chapter 4 in Levin & Nolan explain how teachers' attitudes and behaviors affect their classrooms. The techniques a teacher employs to influence student behavior should be consistent with the teacher's beliefs about how teachers learn and develop. Each of the teacher leadershiP styles above yield different student behaviors. For example, referent authority results in students' good behavior because they enjoy a positive relationship with their teacher. On the other hand, legitimate authority causes students tobe well-behave soley based on the fact that the teacher is in charge, and his/her rules should be obeyed. Personally, I would like to be a teacher who cultivates postive relationships with her students because they know I sincerely care about each one of them. My goal is to manage my classroom with referant authority. Currently, in my internship, I practice this management style. I help my students reach their academic goals not only by providing one-on-one support, but showing interest in their families, hobbies, and extra curricular activities. I used that information to form word problems in math they can relate to.

Rothstein-Fisch & Trumball state students have"natural inclinations- to cooperate to solve problems, to take responsibility when the teacher in unavailable, and want to help eachother behave appropriately..." Capitalizing on students' collaborative and helping skills could greatly increase time spent on academic tasks. Fostering a cooperative learning environment will encourage the students to respect one anothers' opinions and view, and only provide constructive criticism. All classrooms should have a sense of community, but it is much more difficult to happen on its own when the students are culturally diverse. Cooperative learning will unite these cultures, and they will have opportunities to learn from eachother's perspectives. Currently, in my internship classroom, we have students who come from a variety of family structures, as well aas socioeconomic backgrounds. My CT and I have established a community of learners who are accepting of one another's differences by allowing opportunities for collaboration among students of different academic levels and cultural differences. We have also established a climate of openness and respect for each other thoughts and views. Although cooperative learning will take much more effort on my part in the beginning of the school year, it will be worth it when I see my students' ideas come together. I have observed cooperative learning in action, and it is amazing to witness the students respectfully conversing about one another's thinking.

Rothstein-Fisch, C., & Trumball, E. (2009). Managing diverse classrooms: How to build on students cultural strengths. Virginia: ASCD.

Levin, J., & Nolan, J. F. (2010). Principles of classroom management: A professional decision-making model, (6th Ed.). Boston: Pearson.

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