Classroom
Management Plan
Classroom management is the key component to student learning and achievement in the classroom. My goal is to foster a learning atmosphere where students feel security and a sense of belonging to the class. To do this, I expect my students to demonstrate a high level of respect to myself and to other classmates. As a teacher, I will do all I can to help students meet their basic needs by removing threat from class activities, insisting on considerate treatment of others, creating opportunities for collaboration, involving students in planning and decision making, and providing a curriculum that is both attractive and authentic.
My classroom management plan focuses on designing a supportive environment, building positive relationships with students, using consistent rules and discipline, and providing interesting and engaging curriculum.
Designing a Supportive Environment
I believe in the importance of creating a classroom that is neat, clean, and visually appealing. Students cannot be expected to perform high quality work in an environment that is not conducive to learning. In the Social-Emotional Triangle, the supportive environment tier involves promoting an even flow throughout the room. Students should be able to have access to move about the room without bumping into objects.
My classroom will contain colorful kid-friendly visuals that will communicate the school schedule, classroom rules, student jobs, and classroom curriculum aids. These will be placed at eye-level so that students can easily see and use them.
Classroom routines and procedures will be taught on the first day of school. There will be a routine to use restrooms, drinking fountains, and pencil sharpeners. Students will be expected to complete self-starters as they walk into school each day. They will know what is expected of them at all times. This allows for no wasted time during the day.
Building Positive Relationships
Developing a positive student-teacher relationship is important because it has the potential to increase student learning and minimize behavior problems and disruptions in the classroom. In the article, “Building Positive Relationships with Young Children,” authors Joseph E. Gail and Philip S. Strain explain that a positive adult-child relationship build on trust, understanding, and caring will “foster children’s’ cooperation and increase their positive outcomes in school.” When students feel love and respect, they are more eager to learn and follow directions from the teacher. Also, the teacher will be able to quickly determine the most appropriate response when conflicts arise.
Glasser believed that teachers must connect with their students in order for students to do competent work in the classroom. He described seven connecting habits that teachers can do to support positive relationships. They are identified as caring, listening, supporting, contributing, encouraging, trusting, and befriending. In my own class, I aim to implement each of these connecting habits, and eliminate any deadly habits I may exhibit. I want my students to know that their success is of the utmost importance.
Consistent Rules and Discipline
Instead of focusing solely on the misbehavior in the classroom, I want to focus on the good behavior and attitudes in my classroom. B.F. Skinner believed that reinforcement helped continue positive behavior. Using this theory, my classroom will be centered on providing reinforcement for improvement and effort, not just the final product.
However, when disruptive behavior occurs, there must be a set of classroom rules and a consistent disciplinary model to follow. The following gives a brief description of each:
Rules
My students will be responsible in the creation of their rules. They will discuss the rules and consequences that will be most beneficial to the classroom. In a democratic fashion, the rules will be those decided by the class (with help from the teacher). These rules will be posted in the classroom for the teacher and students to refer to. I will also hold periodic classroom meetings to discuss what is working and what is not working in the classroom. Students will be allowed to express concerns and modify rules as the class deems necessary.
Discipline Model
In terms of discipline, I plan to take action that does not dehumanize my students. My approach will follow the Ginott Model of classroom management. Ginott advocates use congruent communication, which is described as a “harmonious and authentic way of talking in which messages to students are matched to the students’ feelings about situations and themselves.” Congruent communication involves addressing the situation rather than the student’s character, expressing anger appropriately, avoiding labeling, using brief reprimands, and acting as models of human behavior.
When disciplinary action needs to take place, the student will first receive a verbal warning from the teacher. If the behavior persists, the student will be asked to fill out a behavior think sheet. On this sheet, the student will be asked to identify their misbehavior and suggest appropriate solutions for improving and/or eliminating the behavior. The student and teacher will then sign the sheet. This will allow students to know and understand their misbehavior. If the misbehavior persists, I will implement an individualized intensive intervention in which the student, parent, and teacher meet to discuss the situation and create ways to solve the problem.
Providing Interesting and Engaging Curriculum
I believe that successful classroom management results when students are actively engaged in authentic content that is both interesting and applicable to real life. When students are focused on their learning, there is less time for behavioral problems. Psychiatrist, William Glasser, said that teachers should provide a curriculum that is “genuinely attractive” to students. To improve student behaving and learning, teachers should emphasize quality and influence students to make good choices about learning.
In my own classroom, I aim to create curriculum that is both challenging and engaging. I plan on incorporating different teaching structures and types of learning for audio, visual, and tactile learners. These lessons will celebrate students’ diverse backgrounds and give opportunities for self-expression. My lessons will also include differentiation for high achievers, special education, and ELL students. The ultimate goal is to maximize the individual learning of each of my students by teaching them to recognize quality work and implementing a personal desire to do well.
It is my responsibility as the teacher is to create fun and exciting lessons that are tied to the objectives of the core curriculum. School should be enjoyable for both the students and the teacher. I support Glasser’s opinion that teachers should use methods that encourage students and draw them out, rather than trying to force information in lecture format. To do this, I will use lots of collaboration and team-building activities. Using Johnson’s approach, I can make my lessons instantly appealing by tailoring them to the interests of my students. Students will only be asked to do work that is useful. Homework will be given only when it compliments and enhances what we are learning in class.
Classroom management is the key component to student learning and achievement in the classroom. My goal is to foster a learning atmosphere where students feel security and a sense of belonging to the class. To do this, I expect my students to demonstrate a high level of respect to myself and to other classmates. As a teacher, I will do all I can to help students meet their basic needs by removing threat from class activities, insisting on considerate treatment of others, creating opportunities for collaboration, involving students in planning and decision making, and providing a curriculum that is both attractive and authentic.
My classroom management plan focuses on designing a supportive environment, building positive relationships with students, using consistent rules and discipline, and providing interesting and engaging curriculum.
Designing a Supportive Environment
I believe in the importance of creating a classroom that is neat, clean, and visually appealing. Students cannot be expected to perform high quality work in an environment that is not conducive to learning. In the Social-Emotional Triangle, the supportive environment tier involves promoting an even flow throughout the room. Students should be able to have access to move about the room without bumping into objects.
My classroom will contain colorful kid-friendly visuals that will communicate the school schedule, classroom rules, student jobs, and classroom curriculum aids. These will be placed at eye-level so that students can easily see and use them.
Classroom routines and procedures will be taught on the first day of school. There will be a routine to use restrooms, drinking fountains, and pencil sharpeners. Students will be expected to complete self-starters as they walk into school each day. They will know what is expected of them at all times. This allows for no wasted time during the day.
Building Positive Relationships
Developing a positive student-teacher relationship is important because it has the potential to increase student learning and minimize behavior problems and disruptions in the classroom. In the article, “Building Positive Relationships with Young Children,” authors Joseph E. Gail and Philip S. Strain explain that a positive adult-child relationship build on trust, understanding, and caring will “foster children’s’ cooperation and increase their positive outcomes in school.” When students feel love and respect, they are more eager to learn and follow directions from the teacher. Also, the teacher will be able to quickly determine the most appropriate response when conflicts arise.
Glasser believed that teachers must connect with their students in order for students to do competent work in the classroom. He described seven connecting habits that teachers can do to support positive relationships. They are identified as caring, listening, supporting, contributing, encouraging, trusting, and befriending. In my own class, I aim to implement each of these connecting habits, and eliminate any deadly habits I may exhibit. I want my students to know that their success is of the utmost importance.
Consistent Rules and Discipline
Instead of focusing solely on the misbehavior in the classroom, I want to focus on the good behavior and attitudes in my classroom. B.F. Skinner believed that reinforcement helped continue positive behavior. Using this theory, my classroom will be centered on providing reinforcement for improvement and effort, not just the final product.
However, when disruptive behavior occurs, there must be a set of classroom rules and a consistent disciplinary model to follow. The following gives a brief description of each:
Rules
My students will be responsible in the creation of their rules. They will discuss the rules and consequences that will be most beneficial to the classroom. In a democratic fashion, the rules will be those decided by the class (with help from the teacher). These rules will be posted in the classroom for the teacher and students to refer to. I will also hold periodic classroom meetings to discuss what is working and what is not working in the classroom. Students will be allowed to express concerns and modify rules as the class deems necessary.
Discipline Model
In terms of discipline, I plan to take action that does not dehumanize my students. My approach will follow the Ginott Model of classroom management. Ginott advocates use congruent communication, which is described as a “harmonious and authentic way of talking in which messages to students are matched to the students’ feelings about situations and themselves.” Congruent communication involves addressing the situation rather than the student’s character, expressing anger appropriately, avoiding labeling, using brief reprimands, and acting as models of human behavior.
When disciplinary action needs to take place, the student will first receive a verbal warning from the teacher. If the behavior persists, the student will be asked to fill out a behavior think sheet. On this sheet, the student will be asked to identify their misbehavior and suggest appropriate solutions for improving and/or eliminating the behavior. The student and teacher will then sign the sheet. This will allow students to know and understand their misbehavior. If the misbehavior persists, I will implement an individualized intensive intervention in which the student, parent, and teacher meet to discuss the situation and create ways to solve the problem.
Providing Interesting and Engaging Curriculum
I believe that successful classroom management results when students are actively engaged in authentic content that is both interesting and applicable to real life. When students are focused on their learning, there is less time for behavioral problems. Psychiatrist, William Glasser, said that teachers should provide a curriculum that is “genuinely attractive” to students. To improve student behaving and learning, teachers should emphasize quality and influence students to make good choices about learning.
In my own classroom, I aim to create curriculum that is both challenging and engaging. I plan on incorporating different teaching structures and types of learning for audio, visual, and tactile learners. These lessons will celebrate students’ diverse backgrounds and give opportunities for self-expression. My lessons will also include differentiation for high achievers, special education, and ELL students. The ultimate goal is to maximize the individual learning of each of my students by teaching them to recognize quality work and implementing a personal desire to do well.
It is my responsibility as the teacher is to create fun and exciting lessons that are tied to the objectives of the core curriculum. School should be enjoyable for both the students and the teacher. I support Glasser’s opinion that teachers should use methods that encourage students and draw them out, rather than trying to force information in lecture format. To do this, I will use lots of collaboration and team-building activities. Using Johnson’s approach, I can make my lessons instantly appealing by tailoring them to the interests of my students. Students will only be asked to do work that is useful. Homework will be given only when it compliments and enhances what we are learning in class.