Tenets for Teaching

Tenets for Teaching

Sam Goldstein, Ph.D..
May, 2007
Copyright © 2007

This month, Dr. Bob Brooks and I celebrate our tenth joint work with the publication of our textbook, Understanding and Managing Children's Classroom Behavior (Wiley, 2007). We have attempted to author and edit a volume designed to help parents, educators, administrators and consultants create sustainable, resilient classrooms. It is our hope that this book will foster the work of caring, conscientious professionals. In this, my last article before the three month summer break, I will provide an overview of the basic tenets or guideposts we describe in our text. We believe these must form the foundation for the effective mindset of educators. These are meant to sensitize professionals and others to the myriad of forces that affect children's behavior and development in the classroom. These guideposts or tenets reflect educational beliefs and practices that can, when forming the foundation of an educational mindset, foster productive and satisfying educational experiences. There are twelve guideposts. Each, we believe, as important as the others.

1. Want to teach. If education is your profession by default and you don't want to be in the classroom, no amount of knowledge or management strategies will fill this void.
2. Be honest not defensive. Effective education is a learned process, often one by trial and error, success and failure. Successful teachers are willing to view mistakes as opportunities to learn and critically examine their behavior and the influence it has on their students.
3. Understand the forces. It is important to recognize that student, setting, teacher, parent and consultant variables all affect classroom climate, behavior and student functioning.
4. Understand children's behavioral, emotional, learning and developmental problems. At a minimum, one out of four children in every classroom experiences one of these problems to the point that it significantly impairs that child's functioning in the classroom. It is not expected that educators should recognize and have at their disposal strategies for all of these problems. However, being able to recognize these problems when they present and understand their impact in the classroom is critical to create an optimal educational environment for every student.
5. Understand medical issues. Educators must possess a basic understanding of medical conditions that affect children's behavior in the classroom as well as be aware of, or have available, resources concerning the impact that various medications and medical conditions have on children's classroom behavior and performance.
6. Possess a model for evaluating classroom problems. Teachers should create a list of essential classroom behaviors students must exhibit for success including everything from bringing a sharpened pencil to class to being able to spell, write or understand complex concepts. With this framework in place, teachers can then develop a system to identify children who struggle, the specific areas in which they struggle and a means to evaluate and address their struggles.
7. Understand the impact of families. Families of children experiencing classroom problems are more likely than other families to be dealing with increased stress, marital disharmony and other impediments to successful family functioning. It is critical that educators understand that children come to the classroom with a history that significantly affects their functioning and coping abilities.
8. Recognize that children think. Although there is no doubt that behavior is shaped, developed, maintained and modified based on consequences, there is also not doubt that children's mindsets, the means by which they interpret, process, think and talk to themselves about their experiences affects their self-perceptions, relations with others, behavior and ultimately school success.
9. Understand behavioral theory and it's application in the classroom. Arguably the greatest liability that even dedicated educators bring to the classroom is a lack of awareness and understanding of the theoretical issues that shape children's behavior. It is essential that educators recognize and understand these theories. Absent this understanding, chaos is likely to dominate rather than a controlled, effective classroom environment.
10. Focus on the way work is presented is more important than focusing on behavior. Teachers focusing principally on managing children's behavior may have classes that are well behaved but not necessarily academically accomplished. Conversely when teachers make classroom work and activities interesting, stimulating and enjoyable for children, these students become active participants in the educational process. This participation is incompatible with classroom misbehavior.
11. Recognize the importance of friends and connections to others. A basic understanding of the socialization process children encounter and the reasons for social failure is essential. Educators must recognize the powerful negative influence social rejection and disconnection have on children's overall behavior in the classroom.
12. Possess a repertoire of interventions. Assessment logically should lead to intervention. Educators must develop a repertoire of strategies they can use independently as a first line of intervention when children's behavior does not meet classroom expectations.

Our new textbook contains nineteen chapters with contributions by leading educators in the field, including Drs. Jack Naglieri, Lauren Braswell, Susan Sheridan, Myrna Shure, Mark Steege and Lawrence Diller. Chapter topics include resilience, worry, helplessness, social learning problems, behavior modification, social skills, bullying and medications. There is much work to be done to systematically evaluate the myriad of factors that contribute to and moderate children's school functioning, achievement and behavior. Much additional research needs to be completed to understand how to best disseminate and promote this knowledge so it becomes an integral part of creating and maintaining sustainable, resilient classrooms.