Classroom Management
Looking at classroom management through an existentialist perspective involves shifting the burden of controlling the classroom onto the shoulders of the students. The existentialist philosophy of teaching turns education into a gradual and individual discovery of the human condition. Teaching needs to offer the essential tools for growth as an individual in the search to find meaning. In the classroom this means emphasizing each student as a person and avoiding conformity or rigid guidelines and standards. It also means giving students control over the classroom environment and the learning process. An existentialist educator will give students the tools to learn and then step back and watch the process. Ideally, the lesson will be so engaging that classroom management is nothing more than an afterthought. In this case prevention is intertwined with the lesson planning. Where an existentialist educator creates a lesson and a classroom that appeals to every student at a personal level, no student will misbehave. To practice supportive management, when there are inevitable issues, the educator will bring students together as a community without losing that appeal to each student as an individual. Finally to successfully practice intervention, as a last resort, the existentialist educator should use a variety of strategies drawing from classroom community, personal expectations and physical environment.
Several methods can help an existentialist educator prevent negative behaviour in the classroom. First, the educator must ask students for an input on lesson planning (Charles, 2008, p. 247). This strategy makes the direction of the coursework appear to be in the hands of the students. In reality the amount of control offered to the students can differ widely but the important aspect of the method is simulating a classroom run by the students. Along those same lines an educator must not act like a dictator constantly shouting orders. Instead the teacher must modify presentation style to show the students that they are there to guide the learning rather than dictate it (Kohn, 2001, p. 87). To build the classroom community, educators can use classroom meetings to offer students the chance for input and demonstrate that they can work together to come to decisions (Kohn, 2001, p. 85). This method gives the students a reason to buy into the class. It is harder for a student to refuse to work toward something that they helped draw out. All of these methods rely on taking the students seriously. Each student must be treated as an adult or at least, an adult in training. They must be granted a certain degree of freedom and "mistakes must be allowed" (Kohn, 2001, p. 88). In fact, mistakes should be encouraged and explained as an integral part of the learning process. Finally the educator should practice all of these strategies in advance and run through "mock classrooms" in their head to try to prepare for any response so as to not be caught off guard (Curwin, 1997, p. 171). Of course sometimes students, especially students experimenting with a class that offers an unusual amount of individual freedom, will still manage to stun their teacher but with experience and preparation the results of that stupor can be channelled into something somewhat productive. Together these methods would set a foundation in the classroom for preventing misbehaviour while maintaining an existentialist education philosophy.
When preventing misbehaviour does not completely succeed, an educator should turn to a supportive approach. The supportive approaches are a bridge between prevention and intervention. These approaches are essential because they allow an educator to get students back on track if the class starts to waver, while avoiding the unfortunate consequences of a more serious intervention. One approach involves using "you messages" (Gordon 1989, p. 80). You messages can quickly grab the attention of the student after this method has been successfully used and conditioned into the minds of the students. An effective educator with an existentialist philosophy would use the you message as a buzz phrase to tell students that something is critically important without presenting it as a demand but instead, more of a suggestion for students to individually investigate. For example, a teacher might look to one side of the room that appears off topic and say, "if you study the section on due process you will do well on the essay portion of the test." This you message puts the ball in the students' court but avoids downright blaming the students of slacking off. Along the same lines, an existentialist educator can discuss how misbehaviour is detrimental to the learning process (Charles, 2008, p. 247). Employing this method when students start to misbehave should turn the course of that behaviour without a direct intervention. No student would need to feel singled out but ideally there would be a joint feeling of guilt for the disruption to the learning of others. This approach can be combined with a classroom analysis on the "urge to transgress" (Charles, 2008, p. 251). At the beginning of the school year an educator could go over the reasons students get off topic with the class. Students could offer reasons why they sometimes feel the need to get off topic. Later on in the year when students do inevitably get off topic, the educator could call upon that discussion to determine what caused the transgression. This method calls on the students to think and work with their teacher to come to a conclusion. If the class agrees that they got off topic because the material is not engaging then perhaps the teacher could modify the lesson slightly. The fact that the teacher gives any credence to the appeals of the students would probably bring the students back in focus. On top of regaining focus this may help students regain hope (Curwin, 1997, p. 179). If many students agreed that they started to transgress at a given point they may be reassured that they were not alone and the process could build classroom community. All of these supportive approaches give an educator that favours an existentialist philosophy the opportunity to keep students on track when things start to get rough but stop short of direct intervention.
At times of last resort, intervention approaches can bring an abrupt end to misbehaviour but frequently the intervention will also disrupt the flow of the class. An existentialist educator might prefer the approach of modifying the classroom environment to fit the needs of an individual student (Gordon, 1989, p. 89). Unlike other existentialist techniques this takes a choice away from the students. However, an educator could offer the opportunity for the student to move their position in class if they can prove they will do better in that location. This puts the responsibility back on the student. Similarly, a teacher could try to get to know each student on a personal level but also how they interact with the class thorough classroom meetings (Kohn, 2001, p. 85). These meetings could be called as a type of collective, constructive, punishment where a burden is placed on the students who are required to work through the reasons they deviated from the classroom plan and asked to offer advice on how to reduce the chance of recurring problems. Another technique that plays into the existentialist philosophy is a type of differentiated punishment based on preserving the individual feelings of the student (Charles, 2008, p. 262). Where one student may shut down if reprimanded in front of the entire class another student may feel intimidated if called on to explain his actions with the teacher alone. To assure the student gets the most of the intervention a teacher must know the student. This might mean spending quite a bit of time to build up a rapport with the students before practicing a more serious intervention approach. Such a technique aligns with the existentialist education philosophy that frequently stresses treating the students as individuals. Together with this technique, an educator could utilize "I messages" to explain expectations to the student based on the motivators of that student (Gordon, 1989 p. 81). For one misbehaving student that may mean saying something like, "I would not want to make a phone call to your parents this afternoon," while for another student it may simply involve mentioning, "I would be extremely disappointed if you did not finish this assignment on time." The key to the "I message," from an existentialist philosophy, is catering it to the personality and the motivators of the student. As a less direct intervention an educator may feel the need to simply switch gears (Gordon, 1989, p. 82). At times this strategy could be practiced in the guise of a scheduled shift. Students may return focus without even knowing their teacher was using a calculated strategy to get them focused again. All of these strategies emphasize using knowledge of the students to create an appropriate intervention. The teacher is less of an authoritative figure in this system and more of a strategist which falls along the lines of the existentialist education philosophy.
For an educator following the existentialist philosophy, classroom management varies from class to class and from student to student. The focus is not on a unified system of management where prevention, support and intervention techniques are outlined in stone and rigidly adhered to. Instead, the individual needs and feelings of each student are assessed and taken into account when moving forward with a management technique. Ideally the job of controlling the classroom will eventually fall on the shoulders of the students but undoubtedly the teacher will have to guide the class to that point. It means relaxing the traditional student to teacher roles a bit and giving students a good degree of control over the classroom environment and the learning process. In terms of prevention, an existentialist educator will nurture a classroom environment that has a sense of community where every student has a role to play to preserve the integrity of that community. Finally, to successfully practice intervention, the existentialist educator must use a variety of strategies drawing from classroom community, personal expectations and physical environment. As with the other approaches, interventions will be tailored to the needs of each student. Nonetheless, interventions will be a last ditch effort to eliminate a problem and will be used only after preventative and support techniques have failed to get students to meet expectations. Essentially classroom management from an existentialist philosophy means differentiating the many management techniques to meet the unique needs of each class and each student. If the classroom runs as planned each student will be interested and engaged thus eliminating much of the need for classroom management.
Looking at classroom management through an existentialist perspective involves shifting the burden of controlling the classroom onto the shoulders of the students. The existentialist philosophy of teaching turns education into a gradual and individual discovery of the human condition. Teaching needs to offer the essential tools for growth as an individual in the search to find meaning. In the classroom this means emphasizing each student as a person and avoiding conformity or rigid guidelines and standards. It also means giving students control over the classroom environment and the learning process. An existentialist educator will give students the tools to learn and then step back and watch the process. Ideally, the lesson will be so engaging that classroom management is nothing more than an afterthought. In this case prevention is intertwined with the lesson planning. Where an existentialist educator creates a lesson and a classroom that appeals to every student at a personal level, no student will misbehave. To practice supportive management, when there are inevitable issues, the educator will bring students together as a community without losing that appeal to each student as an individual. Finally to successfully practice intervention, as a last resort, the existentialist educator should use a variety of strategies drawing from classroom community, personal expectations and physical environment.
Several methods can help an existentialist educator prevent negative behaviour in the classroom. First, the educator must ask students for an input on lesson planning (Charles, 2008, p. 247). This strategy makes the direction of the coursework appear to be in the hands of the students. In reality the amount of control offered to the students can differ widely but the important aspect of the method is simulating a classroom run by the students. Along those same lines an educator must not act like a dictator constantly shouting orders. Instead the teacher must modify presentation style to show the students that they are there to guide the learning rather than dictate it (Kohn, 2001, p. 87). To build the classroom community, educators can use classroom meetings to offer students the chance for input and demonstrate that they can work together to come to decisions (Kohn, 2001, p. 85). This method gives the students a reason to buy into the class. It is harder for a student to refuse to work toward something that they helped draw out. All of these methods rely on taking the students seriously. Each student must be treated as an adult or at least, an adult in training. They must be granted a certain degree of freedom and "mistakes must be allowed" (Kohn, 2001, p. 88). In fact, mistakes should be encouraged and explained as an integral part of the learning process. Finally the educator should practice all of these strategies in advance and run through "mock classrooms" in their head to try to prepare for any response so as to not be caught off guard (Curwin, 1997, p. 171). Of course sometimes students, especially students experimenting with a class that offers an unusual amount of individual freedom, will still manage to stun their teacher but with experience and preparation the results of that stupor can be channelled into something somewhat productive. Together these methods would set a foundation in the classroom for preventing misbehaviour while maintaining an existentialist education philosophy.
When preventing misbehaviour does not completely succeed, an educator should turn to a supportive approach. The supportive approaches are a bridge between prevention and intervention. These approaches are essential because they allow an educator to get students back on track if the class starts to waver, while avoiding the unfortunate consequences of a more serious intervention. One approach involves using "you messages" (Gordon 1989, p. 80). You messages can quickly grab the attention of the student after this method has been successfully used and conditioned into the minds of the students. An effective educator with an existentialist philosophy would use the you message as a buzz phrase to tell students that something is critically important without presenting it as a demand but instead, more of a suggestion for students to individually investigate. For example, a teacher might look to one side of the room that appears off topic and say, "if you study the section on due process you will do well on the essay portion of the test." This you message puts the ball in the students' court but avoids downright blaming the students of slacking off. Along the same lines, an existentialist educator can discuss how misbehaviour is detrimental to the learning process (Charles, 2008, p. 247). Employing this method when students start to misbehave should turn the course of that behaviour without a direct intervention. No student would need to feel singled out but ideally there would be a joint feeling of guilt for the disruption to the learning of others. This approach can be combined with a classroom analysis on the "urge to transgress" (Charles, 2008, p. 251). At the beginning of the school year an educator could go over the reasons students get off topic with the class. Students could offer reasons why they sometimes feel the need to get off topic. Later on in the year when students do inevitably get off topic, the educator could call upon that discussion to determine what caused the transgression. This method calls on the students to think and work with their teacher to come to a conclusion. If the class agrees that they got off topic because the material is not engaging then perhaps the teacher could modify the lesson slightly. The fact that the teacher gives any credence to the appeals of the students would probably bring the students back in focus. On top of regaining focus this may help students regain hope (Curwin, 1997, p. 179). If many students agreed that they started to transgress at a given point they may be reassured that they were not alone and the process could build classroom community. All of these supportive approaches give an educator that favours an existentialist philosophy the opportunity to keep students on track when things start to get rough but stop short of direct intervention.
At times of last resort, intervention approaches can bring an abrupt end to misbehaviour but frequently the intervention will also disrupt the flow of the class. An existentialist educator might prefer the approach of modifying the classroom environment to fit the needs of an individual student (Gordon, 1989, p. 89). Unlike other existentialist techniques this takes a choice away from the students. However, an educator could offer the opportunity for the student to move their position in class if they can prove they will do better in that location. This puts the responsibility back on the student. Similarly, a teacher could try to get to know each student on a personal level but also how they interact with the class thorough classroom meetings (Kohn, 2001, p. 85). These meetings could be called as a type of collective, constructive, punishment where a burden is placed on the students who are required to work through the reasons they deviated from the classroom plan and asked to offer advice on how to reduce the chance of recurring problems. Another technique that plays into the existentialist philosophy is a type of differentiated punishment based on preserving the individual feelings of the student (Charles, 2008, p. 262). Where one student may shut down if reprimanded in front of the entire class another student may feel intimidated if called on to explain his actions with the teacher alone. To assure the student gets the most of the intervention a teacher must know the student. This might mean spending quite a bit of time to build up a rapport with the students before practicing a more serious intervention approach. Such a technique aligns with the existentialist education philosophy that frequently stresses treating the students as individuals. Together with this technique, an educator could utilize "I messages" to explain expectations to the student based on the motivators of that student (Gordon, 1989 p. 81). For one misbehaving student that may mean saying something like, "I would not want to make a phone call to your parents this afternoon," while for another student it may simply involve mentioning, "I would be extremely disappointed if you did not finish this assignment on time." The key to the "I message," from an existentialist philosophy, is catering it to the personality and the motivators of the student. As a less direct intervention an educator may feel the need to simply switch gears (Gordon, 1989, p. 82). At times this strategy could be practiced in the guise of a scheduled shift. Students may return focus without even knowing their teacher was using a calculated strategy to get them focused again. All of these strategies emphasize using knowledge of the students to create an appropriate intervention. The teacher is less of an authoritative figure in this system and more of a strategist which falls along the lines of the existentialist education philosophy.
For an educator following the existentialist philosophy, classroom management varies from class to class and from student to student. The focus is not on a unified system of management where prevention, support and intervention techniques are outlined in stone and rigidly adhered to. Instead, the individual needs and feelings of each student are assessed and taken into account when moving forward with a management technique. Ideally the job of controlling the classroom will eventually fall on the shoulders of the students but undoubtedly the teacher will have to guide the class to that point. It means relaxing the traditional student to teacher roles a bit and giving students a good degree of control over the classroom environment and the learning process. In terms of prevention, an existentialist educator will nurture a classroom environment that has a sense of community where every student has a role to play to preserve the integrity of that community. Finally, to successfully practice intervention, the existentialist educator must use a variety of strategies drawing from classroom community, personal expectations and physical environment. As with the other approaches, interventions will be tailored to the needs of each student. Nonetheless, interventions will be a last ditch effort to eliminate a problem and will be used only after preventative and support techniques have failed to get students to meet expectations. Essentially classroom management from an existentialist philosophy means differentiating the many management techniques to meet the unique needs of each class and each student. If the classroom runs as planned each student will be interested and engaged thus eliminating much of the need for classroom management.