3.0 Assignment Three – Adam Moulds

What’s your emerging model of classroom management?

Prepare a written description of your beliefs about classroom management. Include reference to the nature of human beings and how they develop, students’ capacity for self direction, how young children and young people react in different situations and treatments, the degree of control or coercion that should be used by a teacher, the degree of choice students are permitted and the role of the teacher. Provide a description of the principles on which you have based your model.


Well, this truly is the ‘mother’ of all educational assignments. Where does one begin in attempting this seemingly monumental task? There is literally limitless available theory with which an educator may draw upon in putting their thoughts to paper on the subject of classroom management and so many factors that should be considered.

Do I use a single existing theory? With such a wealth of wisdom at hand this would be most insensible. Do I synthesise components of different models to develop an eclectic theoretical orientation? This seems a logical exposition, but definitely does not sit well in the pursuit of a personalised discipline model or one that caters to the variety of situations that may emerge and indeed the variety of students that may exist within the classroom. Therefore, do I use a shifting model of classroom management that utilises theories and ideas which I see as relevant within the context of the drama learning environment? The answer of course must be, most definitely.

‘…lead teachers “…realise that their task in teaching is to use any tactic they can to help students learn.”’ (Charles 1999 cited in Coman classroom notes 2007)

There are also some more specific questions that beg to be asked. Does my model then have a preventative disciplinary component? What about a corrective disciplinary component? Furthermore, is it compatible within the context of the school I am currently teaching at? And, most importantly, are my beliefs about classroom management congruent with my own educational philosophy and my own personal beliefs?

The only saving grace in this question is that it asks what my ‘emerging’ model of classroom management is. This implies that not only is it o.k. that my ideas are not yet fully formed, but also that this may not ever be the case if I am to genuinely honour the inherent fluidity and constantly evolving practice of the teaching profession.

In essence, this assignment feels like a ‘best of’ compilation album i.e. the best education philosophies, behaviour management strategies and child development theories that I have discovered, evaluated and subsequently acquired during the previous assignments in this subject.

What I will attempt to do is link all of these ideas together (and a few new ones in keeping with the concept of ideological fluidity) through a comprehensive and effective lesson structure.

“If the lesson structure is good you will have the bulk of the students with you. For the others, classroom management theories such as those developed by William Glasser and (Patrick Connor’s) The Pain Model will help immensely… Of the 25 students you have in the class it will always come down to only four or five students who give you trouble. Of these, three of them just want attention, to be noticed and to be acknowledged. Develop a relationship with these students… In every class now there will be one or two students that fit into the Pain Model. Use experts to help these kids.” (Coman classroom notes, 2007)

The following sequence, although shifting in its various applications from year level to year level as to the relative degree of teacher control when compared with student autonomy, is essentially my emerging model of classroom management.

1. Calm the students down with a view to creating a sense of place

Often it is best to do this just outside the classroom before entering the learning environment. This is especially so if students have just come from recess or lunch where their energy levels have been high and thus their ability to focus more than likely needs to be encouraged.

In her book, ‘The Artist’s Way’, Julia Cameron speaks of building your artist’s altar.

“In order to stay easily and happily creative, we need to stay spiritually centred. This is easier to do if we allow ourselves centring rituals. It is important that we devise these ourselves from the elements that feel happy and holy to us.”

I use this idea as advocated by you, too, Allan, to initially connect with my students before class. I find that this works exceptionally well with my year 8 students who love the practice of quietening down as it then means that it is time to learn and to be creative. Also, time permitting I will arrive to class five minutes early to prepare the room in an arrangement that will be most conducive to establishing such an ambiance.


2. Lesson Instruction / Targeting the Zone of Proximal Development

Sub-textually paraphrased this is, ‘Today we will be learning something that is relevant to your lives and builds upon your prior knowledge with a view to developing a competency’.

In this section of the lesson structure it is essential to engage the student’s ‘imagination’ in order to stimulate their ‘motivation’ and potential for the ‘creation’ of knowledge.

e.g. ‘Today we will be workshopping our scenes up on the floor now that we all know our lines and by the end of the day we will have the blocking completely established.’

This sense of building a competency by the end of the lesson within a constructivist learning framework is very appealing to the majority of my class members who, as discussed in the previous assignment, fall into the ‘type 3’ category on the enneagram; the performer, the achiever and also have a preference for learning through interpersonal and bodily-kinaesthetic intelligences.

Within this, there should be a skill outcome e.g. learning how to manipulate and perform iambic pentameter contained within Shakespearean text; a knowledge outcome e.g. that Shakespeare and his contemporaries used this device to more comprehensively convey meaning by stressing certain beats within a line of verse or prose and; a value outcome e.g. that this newly developed skill and newly discovered knowledge will add to “the quality worlds of students” (Glasser cited by Edwards & Watts 2004) by providing them with a greater sense of their own intellectual, emotional and performance capacity within an historical and literary context.

Furthermore, the path of this lesson heads towards the apex of the revised ‘Bloom’s Taxonomy’, that essential ingredient and the summit to which we all should aspire; creativity.


This always relates back to your classic line, Allan,

“Every lesson must be geared towards creativity or you will have a riot on your hands.”

As a teacher at an all boys’ school, I know this statement to be one of fact.

3. A Warm Up Game

If there is one thing that drama student’s love, it is an imaginative, engaging and fun warm up game. I always take into consideration that the individuals who walk into my class may have just come from maths or business studies or some other subject where they are required to be seated, in what for the most part would be a chalk and talk type environment that, relatively speaking involves little social interaction. Piaget and Vygotsky would agree with me that the best way to stimulate the learning environment is not only to teach within the ZPD, but also to promote learning by constructing knowledge in peer groups and therefore, the drama warm up game has many functions.

It serves as a glue for the to-and-fro of a socially interactive learning environment, it frees the imaginations of my students so that they may head towards constructing and creating knowledge together by the end of the lesson, it alleviates self consciousness because this is not the ‘real game’ yet and so individuals feel safe to make mistakes within such a paradigm; And if the warm up game is carefully chosen it can be a terrific lead in to the learning activity for that day. In other words, what appears to be just a good, fun experience for students is actually an educational warm up massage.

This routine ritual of a warm up game not only gets my students focussed, but is also a primary ingredient in the development of my drama classroom’s habitus i.e. “This is the way we do things around here.” (Coman 2007) ‘We settle down, we listen to what we will be doing today in class and then we have a fun warm up game that is relevant to the lesson’s learning activity.’

Despite the fact that the majority of drama students fall into the previously mentioned set of personality criteria, it is still important to give a good variety of activities / warm ups that cater for a good variety of multiple intelligences in heading towards the daily competency. In this way all students feel included which assists in developing a vastly more manageable classroom environment.


4. Teacher Led Instruction

It is here that the theories of Glasser and Dreikurs almost entirely predominate. In demonstrating the desired competency I adopt a lead management style whereby not only modelling appropriate and productive behaviours, but also suggesting that if students choose to do this of their own free will they should feel acceptance within the group as a valuable class member e.g. I was working with a group of year 12 drama students recently and they said that they needed four separate accents to help convey diversity in their Playbuilding HSC task. I demonstrated how to do an American, English, Irish and ocker Australian accent and had them repeat after me until they were able to work autonomously. Once this was the case it was time for them to go off together and engage in the task with a view to coming back to show me how they had developed their competency. A little while later the students performed their piece for me and it was outstanding, with all the accents in tact.

I still remember something you said vividly, Allan, when I first saw you and thanked you after learning of my appointment at The Kings School,

“You did it yourself mate.”

At the time I though this was just humility, which to a degree it may have been, but since then through my own teaching experiences I have discovered that students need to feel as if they have done it on their own and in fact it is the facilitators responsibility to guide them into the task and have them create the competency for themselves.

During the teacher led instruction it is interesting to note how students begin to relate to one another in order to understand and create knowledge and in doing so are forming positive and productive relationships just as Dreikurs’ suggests will happen. It is at this point that teacher led instruction and control should be handed over to student directed activity and autonomy.


5. Student Directed Activity

Here it is very important that groups are selected by me so that no one feels excluded from the group dynamic which would hamper their feelings of social security (Dreikurs) and their individual needs for love and belonging (Glasser). It is also at this point that I begin to roam around the classroom offering my assistance to groups as they may or may not need it, always with a view to them solving the problem and creating the knowledge with minimal teacher control and maximal student autonomy.

However, anyone who has spent some time facilitating in a learning environment knows that this utopian vision of classroom management does not always materialise and therefore the authoritarian motivating forces of Cantor and Skinner can sometimes require necessary implementation. The primary driving force behind the use of either of these theoretical applications is to be an assertive voice so that there is equality in the learning environment and that everyone has the opportunity to learn. I make a concerted effort never to abuse this power or method of discipline as I know not only is it an ‘empty tank’ type resource, but also,

“Students pick up very quickly why you want to control them. If it’s just to teach and have a quiet room, you’re screwed. If it’s to help them learn, you’re home… Use power for and with the students.” (Coman 2007)

This is very sound advice.


6. Performance / Demonstrating the Competency

The performance element which I have at the back end in the majority of my lessons makes the learnt competence a reality. The performance may be for the whole class, just for me to see and constructively evaluate or occasionally, for assessment purposes as was recently the case for my year 11’s, for the whole school population. This more than anything, due to the outgoing and extroverted nature of so many drama students, tends to be the driving motivational force behind them directing positive energies into classroom activities. Once again, this idea is validated by the type 3 enneagram classified personality type.



7. Feedback

This component of the lesson allows informal classroom discussion / a forum in which students may provide positive and productive comments on their peers’ work. According to Hattie,

“The most powerful single moderator that enhances achievement is feedback.” (Hattie 2003)

With this in mind I also ask the students to reflect upon their own learning experiences and to write down a logbook entry so as to facilitate the process of deep learning. Occasionally, I also implement a small meditation session where students are encouraged to reflect on their learning quietly and in their own space.



I have used this symbol at this point in the assignment to show the balance that I feel is required in education. Students need time to be active within the classroom, but they also need time to be reflective. This, I feel is truly when the deepest of learning occurs. This symbol also shows how I feel about homework. Students should be active learners during the day, but at night they should mostly rest apart from maybe just a small reinforcing activity such as learning lines or doing a little bit of research on the internet for a character, for example. An expression used by a great director I once worked with was ‘You need to let the doe rise.’ The subconscious will take care of the processing once you have put the work in, but you do need to give your mind and body the time to let it do so.


8. Lesson Conclusion

As you have suggested, Allan, even if this is just a symbolic and routine way in which to wrap up the day’s proceedings, it does give the lesson a sense of closure. Also, I have found it is a great time to share with the students what we will be working on in the next class and to wish them a pleasant rest of the day, a good night or an enjoyable and relaxing weekend.


It is so vitally important to conscientiously develop lessons and units of work that will actively engage all the students. Yes, the lesson structure is crucial, but the learning content within that structure I believe is just as crucial if you are to truly engage your students. This means catering to the various multiple intelligences and knowing what children will see as relevant learning to their lives.

The most successful unit of work I have devised thus far has been that of ‘Physical Theatre’ for my two year 9 classes. It involved inclusive activities that were student-centred and focussed on social interaction as a means of constructing knowledge that led to a performance (type 3’s). It appealed to the creative imaginations of those who prefer to learn through interpersonal and bodily kinaesthetic intelligences, was within their zone of proximal development, developed a productive and positive habitus, provided a means of satisfying students with all of Glasser’s five genetic needs (especially fun), required little to no assertive disciplinary measures from me and only occasionally was I required to lead them through certain activities. It was also partly researched on the internet which connected them to a greater framework of learning outside the classroom walls and in having to produce a logbook documenting the process, the learning was also of a deep nature.

It is now within these parameters of a lesson structure and unit content that I am focussing my classroom management / teaching practices.


Specific Preventative Strategies / Theoretical Applications

“The naughtiest child will get involved in active learning if you create activities that engage the child.” (Coman 2007)

Luckily and thankfully, drama is a subject that naturally accommodates these types of students. However, I also am constantly attempting to adopt classroom management practices that revolve around: student-centred learning, active learning and higher order learning in the form of creativity.

Inclusiveness is also a terrific preventative classroom management strategy.

“The more you have activities that include people, the harder it is for activities to exist which exclude people.” (Coman 2007)

This underlying principle permeates through just about every lesson that I plan and implement in drama and is in accordance with the great theories of Dreikurs who suggests that,

“People are, basically, social in nature and, as such, have an innate drive to belong to a social group.” (Coman classroom notes 2007)

Another idea of Dreikurs’ which I like very much is the notion of being a teacher who is ‘firm, but kind’, or as Tony Macarthur has put it in his classroom notes, ‘Firm and Consistent’.

“A teacher can be firm yet still supportive and friendly with students. A firm teacher can provide an environment where the students feel safe and secure to learn.” (Macarthur 2007)

This leads straight into Glasser’s notions of catering for the five genetic needs of human beings and more specifically, students in the classroom environment and at the top of that list is;

Survival, safety and security,

“Students who don’t feel connected and in relationship with the teacher and the other students do not feel they are in a safe environment in which to create a competency.” (Coman classroom notes, 2007)

Developing educationally advantageous relationships is also a high priority in Glasser’s and now my own model of classroom management with a focus on fostering ‘connecting’ rather than ‘disconnecting’ teacher-student interactions and habits.

Meeting the other basic needs as implied by Glasser also acts as a highly effective misbehaviour preventative strategy, these being:


Love, belonging and acceptance,

“Students need to be told, over and over, that they are loved – not because of what they do, not in spite of what they do, but just for who they are.” (Edwards & Watts, 2004);

Personal power, competency and achievement,

“We need to have a sense of control, mastery and achievement…fulfilling one’s power need appropriately is not ‘power over’ others but ‘power to’ oneself.” (Edwards & Watts, 2004)

Freedom, independence and autonomy,

“For a boy to turn into a man, he must be challenged and he must be allowed to adventure beyond fences.” (Dr. Hawkes 2007)

Fun and learning,

“…the fun need … is met through enjoyment, learning and a sense of satisfaction. Many experiences can provide pleasure or enjoyment. But if they do not also provide a real sense of satisfaction, then, according to Glasser’s usage, they are not fun.” (Edwards & Watts, 2004)


In terms of using praise as a preventative measure and relationship developing agent in classroom management it is crucial that,

“Effective praise…Is given for genuine effort, progress, or accomplishments which are judged according to standards appropriate to individuals.” (Coman classroom notes 2007)

I like to think of it as a system of ‘personal bests’. It always frustrates me when my students wish to compare their marks with others in the class. I try to remind them that they are all on an individual journey of learning and therefore every individuals results are specific to them only and will vary according to what phase of the journey and indeed what particular journey they may be on.

There are also a host of non-verbal classroom management preventative strategies which assist in curbing misbehaviour. At The King's School teachers must wear a tie and it is this degree of visual professionalism that I feel aids in creating an atmosphere of respect in the learning environment. Other factors that are important, as discussed by you Allan are: being thoroughly organised, using a low calm tone of voice, your physical location in relation to the students i.e. centred amongst them so that they all can see and hear me equally and so that I can see and hear all of them equally too. Finally, using specific and familiarised ‘quiet down’ gestures and moving within the personal space of students can also be very effective to get them back on task.



Specific Corrective Strategies / Theoretical Applications

“Don’t talk about the person talk about the problem.” (Coman 2007)

This a wonderful approach to correcting inappropriate classroom behaviours as it completely removes any chance of a student seeing your attempts at rebalancing the ambiance of the learning environment as a personal attack.

If this fails to work, removing the student from their current context is an excellent way to discontinue the disruptive behaviour. All it takes is five minutes, sometimes less and it is more the act of disconnecting the student from their peers that teaches them to regain focus so that they will not have to revisit another period of isolation.

If this too fails to work, I implement the Reality Therapy process as developed by Glasser and conduct a small interview with the offending student at the conclusion of class. These interviews occasionally need to be revisited to assess a student’s progress as to their levels of focus within the classroom, but more often than not are resolved from a one off discussion. During this therapeutic dialogue I attempt to understand the student’s motivations for their misbehaviour and my tendency towards an eclectic and shifting theoretical model is most evident at this point as it is the flip-side, yin-yang approach contained within Dreikurs’ ideas that I bear in mind. Or, as Dinkmeyer, McKay and Dinkmeyer articulate it,

“In the democratic discipline model ‘each goal of misbehaviour has a positive counterpart’.” (Cited by Edwards & Watts 2007)

If a student is seeking attention, I ignore the negative and affirm the positive
If a student is seeking power, I avoid the conflict and give him a leadership role (or as the case may be in drama, a lead role)
If a student is seeking revenge, I’ll be friendly and kind towards him
If a student is displaying inadequacy, I’ll be gentle and provide encouragement

As mentioned in assignment one, I am striving to mould a classroom environment that flourishes with creativity to the point that the discipline model within my lessons is an almost invisible, yet omnipresent force absolved in high levels of student motivation and the desire to be constructively educated in a way that adds quality to one’s life and in turn to the community. However, at times students will inevitably misbehave and this will resemble no bearing on teaching instruction or lesson planning. When this occurs there is one element that is essential to remain true to;

“Consistency in the application of consequences is the key factor in classroom management.” (Coman classroom notes 2007)

Children, even more so than adults, have an acute sense of what is fair and what is not.



Interestingly, those students who fall within the parameters of the Pain Model are at once applicable to the categories of the preventative and corrective classroom management strategies. For these students,

“…the use of punishment is ineffective. When the students’ pain is addressed there is, in practice no need to use other traditional behaviour management strategies because the misbehaviour ceases spontaneously.” (Edwards & Watts, 2004)

To increase their motivation for learning activities the pain itself must first be treated.

“…a person who is experiencing psychological pain is unable to turn their mind to schoolwork and positive interactions until such time as the pain is relieved.” (Edwards & Watts, 2004)

In order to successfully assess, address and subsequently reintegrate a student who is in ‘emotional’ pain, I aim to take the following steps:

· Relieve the pain and calm the student – listening and slower breathing strategies tend to be most effective here.

· Re-skill the student – as a drama teacher the easiest and most conducive path to re-motivating the student towards re-engagement with the class is by re-enacting the scene. This can seriously aid in the development of and equip a child with ‘Emotional Intelligence’. A quick role play with a theatrically savvy drama student rehearses them into making more beneficial choices as to courses of action in order to deal with difficult circumstances. I have also found whole class meditation sessions to be very beneficial in ‘managing the classroom climate’.

· Reconstruct self-esteem – primarily through positive and specifically directed praise have I noticed this technique to reap rewards.

· Use Related Strategies – e.g. ‘Whole Brain Teaching’ i.e. targeting education and classroom interactions to both hemispheres of the brain through ‘active learning’, not just reactive/passive chalk and talk style teaching practices. This methodology can be very effective for students who fall within the auspices of the Pain Model, but also a good way to prevent individuals from getting to this point in the first place.

· Refer for Professional Assistance i.e. firstly, to the school counsellor at Kings and he can handle it from there through more intensive re-skilling practices than a class teacher has time for. If this still proves unsuccessful, then only by referring the child on to a professional psychologist may the situation be resolved, assisting the student to begin to climb out of their emotional turmoil.



The most important consideration in the philosophy of classroom management, I believe, is Glasser’s key tenet of choice theory which states,

“…the only person’s behaviour I can control is my own. Hence, the teacher focuses on themselves, the relationship with the student and the support being offered to enable quality outcomes.” (Edwards & Watts, 2004)

As a teacher there is no point in becoming emotionally involved, anxious or irritated by your student’s disruptive behaviours. Students are young adults who do not yet have fully formed cognitive or maturity faculties and thus it is more a case of administering a theoretical diagnosis’ to get them back on the task of learning.



Other Key Considerations


The Gift

“Every child is gifted. Find that gift and affirm that gift.” (Coman 2007)

This, to me, is one of my central tasks as a teacher. Not every child will become an actor, a director or a theatrical practitioner of any sort. Not every child is meant to. However, through my teaching practices and under my guidance it is my job to help uncover and develop their natural gift. There is one student that I currently teach in year 9 that immediately springs to mind. This young man is hard working, confident, cooperative, intelligent and creative. At parent-teacher night, his parents informed me that he wants to be a court lawyer. I was unaware that this was his desired career path, but was most definitely aware of his abilities to get up in front of people and perform and knew that this was his gift that needed to be affirmed.


Getting All My Students ‘Across The Line’

“Motivation will increase if you’re all part of a winning team… Nothing succeeds like success.” (Coman 2007)

It is vitally important that I have a fundamental belief that all my students are capable of achieving. I should aim to at least help every one of them attain a ‘B’ grade. There is no reason for there to be any students performing under this benchmark. This idea is wonderfully summarised with Mr Escalante’s words in the inspirational film, ‘Stand and Deliver’, that essentially teaches teachers how to teach,

“Students will rise to the level of expectations in you…
… Ganas. All we need is ganas. Desire.” (1989)




Fundamental Classroom Rights And Responsibilities

“Respect, Teamwork and Commitment.” (Weigler, 2001)

Coincidentally, when I conducted my rights and responsibilities surveys across my drama classes these were the most popular responses.

Furthermore, Ford’s Responsible Thinking Process Model speaks volumes with regards to the social justice implications of successful classroom facilitation and I wholeheartedly attempt to abide by this philosophy.

“All students have the right to learn and teachers have the right to teach in safety. No-one has the right to disrupt the teaching-learning process, to prevent other students from learning or to violate the rights of others.” (Edwards & Watts 2004)


Connectivity

“Student learning has a new manifestation in this era of information rich technology… teacher leaders focus on helping learners to communicate with others to find relevant and accurate information for the task at hand; be co-learners and knowledge producers.” (Katyal & Evers 2004)

I am now beginning to book computer rooms in the C.L.L. regularly to ensure my students stay connected and informed learners who exist within a global framework.


Habitus / Classroom And School Culture

“The way we do things around here.” (Coman 2007)

The King’s School is an environment that promotes learning and leadership. The traditional name given to the library is even replaced with a more modern take on this epicentral educational building; The C.L.L. i.e. the Centre for Learning and Leadership.

Throughout the C.L.L. there are many tributes to leaders gone by. This is aimed to inspire the students towards developing leadership qualities in themselves. The Headmaster, Dr. Tim Hawkes, has also published a series of books called ‘Learning Leadership’ which we as teachers go through with our students in tutor group.

Furthermore, King’s being the all boys school that it is has provided me with a wonderful vocational opportunity. Occasionally I have thought that my appointment there is some act of fate, because it allows me to encourage, lead and reassure young men that it is o.k. to be sensitive and creative and to still very much be a man. In fact, the world is so desperately craving this transition right now from males who are at loggerheads with one another. The advent of sensitive, creative solutions could bring about a huge shift in attitudes towards genuine globalisation.

Dr. Hawkes wrote a very interesting article on the front page of the school’s weekly publication, ‘The King’s Herald’, titled ‘Don’t Fence Me In’, speaking specifically about the nature of boys and their need to be afforded the opportunity to be just that.

“Too many boys are becoming androgynous beings that blur the Yin Yang of God’s human creation. Society does not help with it barely able to conceal its distrust of those afflicted with the toxic touch of testosterone… I wish to reclaim that it is all right to be a boy, it is all right to learn differently, to play differently and to think differently, it is all right to explore the edges, for that is often where the rewards are to be found.”

Robert A. Johnson unwittingly highlights the need for effective boy’s education in his book, ‘He: Understanding Masculine Psychology.’ In it he suggests that,

“Every youth blunders his way into the Grail castle sometime around fifteen or sixteen and has a vision that shapes the rest of his life… Perhaps it is a sunrise, a glorious moment on the playing field, a solitary time during a hike when one turns a corner and the whole splendour of the inner world opens for one.”

This occurrence may not happen in my drama classroom and if it does it will not necessarily mean that a student of mine shall become an actor, a director or a playwright. However, this glorious vision may come in the form of: the joys of teamwork, the magnificent confidence that ensues at the completion of a successful solo performance / presentation, or a keen interest in the infinite complexities of the human condition. With the habitus of leadership and creative learning that permeates through the very foundations of The King’s School, the chance that a boy may stumble upon his grail castle there are most definitely given the best opportunity possible.


Teacher Leadership

“Lead the child forward. Don’t just keep them out of harm’s way. Put them in the driver’s seat in their own lives.” (Coman 2007)

When I hear a teacher comment on a certain child in an unfavourable way, implying they would be happier if that student was not in their class, I think they are really not willing to accept the real responsibilities of teacher leadership. Students are young adults without fully formed emotional, intellectual or social maturity and often do not know why they behave in the ways that they do. By applying various educational theories and through understanding their situations and motives, these are the children that you can really assist in turning their lives and their learning experiences around.

Furthermore it is the teacher’s role to facilitate an environment that makes students desire to learn in order that they may, as Glasser would advocate, ‘add to their quality world’s’.

“In classrooms, teachers display leadership by enabling students to make meaning of the formal curriculum. It is not just a question of good pedagogical skills but the ability that teacher leaders have of being able to link school-based learning to its practical applications in the real world.” (Katyal & Evers 2004)

Advocating teacher leadership within the classroom and indeed within the context of the school environment is a comprehensive responsibility, but one, as Dr. Hawkes has suggested that does bring about the real rewards of being involved with the teaching profession.

“Leadership is not a soft option. It is not something that should be entertained by the weak or by those who wish to have the trappings of leadership to bolster their ego… Leadership, when it is servant leadership, is one of the most intensely satisfying of all privileges, and this causes any hardship brought on by leadership to be given the balm of a deep sense of satisfaction.” (Hawkes 2005)


My Own Personal / Teaching Beliefs

“…what we desire in students’ behaviour will not materialise until we choose those strategies that are most consistent with our own beliefs in achieving those ends.” (Edwards & Watts, 2004)

I believe that all people and indeed all children are capable of being creative individuals. Creativity is the life blood and glue that I believe unites humankind and helps lead us all to a better world in which to live and love. I will conclude this assignment with a few of my favourite quotes from Julia Cameron’s ‘The Artist’s Way’ that would imply that my religion finds its home at the apex of Bloom’s revised taxonomy and I only hope that throughout my journey as an educational facilitator / teacher leader, that I can impart some of these ideas onto my students;

“Why should we all use our creative power? Because there is nothing that makes people so generous, joyful, lively, bold and compassionate, so indifferent to fighting and the accumulation of money and objects.”

“Creativity is God’s gift to us. Using our creativity is our gift back to God.”

God as an acronym;

“Good Orderly Direction.”

“My creativity always leads me to truth and love.”

“…the term enlightenment is a literal one. Students’ faces often take on a glow as they contact their creative energies.”

(Cameron 1995)




References

· Edwards C.H & Watts V, 2004, Classroom Discipline & Management an Australasian Perspective, John Wiley & Sons Australia Ltd, Qld
· Coman, A, 2007, Classroom Notes, University of Notre Dame, Syd
· Friedman, T, 2007, New York Times, NYC
· MacArthur T, 2006, Classroom Notes, University of Notre Dame, Syd
· Hattie J, 2003, Distinguishing Expert Teachers from Novice and Experienced Teachers, University of Auckland, NZ
· Cameron J, 1995, The Artists Way, Pan MacMillan Ltd, London
· Weigler W, 2001, Strategies for Playbuilding: Helping Students Translate Issues into Theatre, Heinemann, Portsmouth, NH
· Regis M, 2007, Classroom Notes, University of Notre Dame, Syd
· Youitt, D.J. , 2004, Leading and Managing – Journal of the Australian Council for Educational Leaders, Vol 10, Number 2, Qld
· Katyal, K.R. & Evers, C., 2004, Leading and Managing – Journal of the Australian Council for Educational Leaders, Vol 10, Number 2, Toowoomba, Qld
· Dr. Hawkes, T, 2007, Learning Leadership – A Leadership Course for Secondary Students, Book 2, The King’s School, Syd
· Dr. Hawkes, T, 2007, Staff Meeting Address, The Kings School, Syd
· Johnson, R.A. , 1989, He: Understanding Masculine Psychology, Harper Collins, NY
· Stand and Deliver, 1988, Directed by Ramon Menendez, Warner Bros Inc.
· www.calstatela.edu 2007
· www.enneagram.com 2007
· www.9types.com 2007
· http://en.wikepedia.org/wiki/Rudolf_Dreikurs 2007