What is the Biophysical approach to classroom management?
The biophysical or medical approach to classroom management looks at the physical being and what may help or hinder classroom activities. One important aspect of the Biophysical concept is the debate between nature vs. nurture. Nature is based on human biology, whereas nurture is based on what the environment for which we are raised. It is important to consider both aspects, because both play a major role in how we learn, work, and adapt in the classroom and outside of the classroom. There are many biophysical or medical conditions that can influence a student's learning or their ability to learn. This may include such things as: predispositions, hearing impairments, autism, ADHD, etc. It is up to the teacher to understand the needs of their students and adjust their management and teaching accordingly.
People can accoplish great things even with handicaps!
It is important for teachers to realize that even with handicaps, people can and do accomplish great things. The teacher should motivate, encourage, and value each child. By doing so, they can foster an atmosphere of learning and accomplishment for every student. Below is a list of people who have accomplished great things with a handicap.
- Michael J. Fox (Parkinson's Disease)
- Thomas Edison (Slightly deaf & Learning Disability)
- Stevie Wonder (Blindess)
- Frida Kahlo (Polio)
- Stephen W. Hawking (Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis)
- Itzhak Perlman (Polio)
- And many many more....
Thomas Edison
Screening - PEPSI Observations
Screening is a way to pick up on what is happening with a specific student. It is important not to produce labels that will constantly stick with the student. Instead, we should look for the simplest solution and look at the child as a whole being. The PEPSI model looks at all aspects of a child. PEPSI includes five areas for which one can observe.
- P - Physical
- E - Emotional
- P - Philosophical
- S - Social
- I - Intellectual
These five areas should be observed and reflected upon, before making any rash decisions in classroom management. It looks at a whole child, but allows the teacher to be aware of what areas for which a student may be deficient before placing a label on the child.
Concluding remarks about the biophysical aspect
The biophysical aspect of classroom management considers the physical make-up of the child. It is the medical background, the chemical make-up, and the biological building blocks of each individual. When setting up classroom management plans, it is important to consider all types of students. Teachers should be flexible. They should accept all students, no matter the disability. More importantly, they should create and foster an environment of acceptance for themselves and the other students that will work and build a community with students that may have a disability. We must look at the whole child and not use labels. Instead teachers need to learn to use people first language. Who knows we may have the next Albert Einstein, Christopher Reeve, or Thomas Edison in our own classroom.
