Classroom Management Plan

Becca Flanders

EDUC 360

November 25, 2007

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Descriptive Statement:

All educators have a personal vision of what they hope their students will walk away

from their classroom with. Teachers speak of instilling a thirst for knowledge, a love of

learning, and lifelong skills in their students. These ideals are indeed noble and worthy

goals, yet none of them can be accomplished without effective classroom management

skills on the part of the teacher. Successful classroom management establishes a thriving

learning community and lays the foundation of great education. The purpose of this

document is to describe, in detail, how I plan to create my own community of learners

that allows students to thrive and flourish.

Philosophy of Classroom Management:

My philosophy of classroom management is based on my belief that every child in my

class deserves my very best everyday and that my attitudes and actions have the most

impact on how well the classroom functions. Because I view teaching as one of the most

important roles a person can play in our society, I have very high standards for myself as

a teacher. Children learn by example, therefore I must be a model of citizenship to my

students every moment of every day. Another responsibility I take on as a teacher is to

help children develop their own inner self discipline. I strongly believe that as a teacher,

I am not simply responsible for teaching the academic standards, but also teaching

children how to be good citizens and utilize life skills that will serve them long after they

have left my classroom. Because this is my goal, I view misbehavior as opportunities to

teach children how to better handle a situation in the future.

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In formulating my beliefs about the key features that lead to a thriving classroom,

I have been influenced by my course work at Manchester College, the study of classroom

discipline theorists, and my own experiences with teaching and caring for children.

Philosophy of Classroom Behavior Management: “Top Ten Beliefs”

1. I believe that a teacher, like a parent, should exhibit unconditional love for her students. As a teacher I must understand what motivates each of my students, and be able to meet the unique academic and emotional needs that they have.

Like the popular theorist Harry Wong, I believe that the focus of classroom

management should be on the actions and attitudes of the teacher. Because I believe

teachers to be one of the most important and influential people in a child’s life, I take my

role as teacher very seriously. Though children will behave in ways that will try my

patience, I am committed to treating each child with unconditional love. This means that

I will have to separate the behavior from the child himself. I refuse to label, in words or

in thought, any child a “troublemaker.” Instead, I will seek to understand the

backgrounds of my students so as to better understand why they may be exhibiting certain

behaviors in school. My job will require me to constantly be hunting for ways to

comprehend where my students are coming from, and what they need from me and from

their school environment in order to perform at their very best. It is unrealistic to expect

each child to come to school perfectly prepared to learn and excel. Instead, it is my

responsibility to meet children where they are at, understand and accommodate their

needs when necessary, and lead them on their journey to greater heights of learning and

personal growth.

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2. I believe that when children misbehave, I as the teacher have a responsibility of turning this situation into an opportunity to learn.

Every child, be they from an unstable background or a loving two parent home,

will misbehave throughout the school year. Making mistakes and behaving

inappropriately is a part of life and through the regret we feel after we do something

unkind or careless, we gain empathy and understanding. No one is exempt from this

“hard knocks” learning, not even the teacher! The wonderful thing about misbehavior

though, in adults and in children alike, is the chance it gives us to learn humility,

forgiveness, and lifelong morals. I agree with the theorist Linda Albert when she calls

behavior mistakes, “opportunities to learn.” When a child misbehaves in my classroom I

have a responsibility to help him or her come to the realization that first, their behavior

was not appropriate, second, why it was not acceptable, and third, ways in which this

situation could be amended for and better handled in the future. Recognizing these three

parts of any problem will help students develop a strong sense of conscious. The long

term goal of any teacher is to get children to develop their own “inner moral compass.”

Ideally students will be able to recognize their own misbehavior and take appropriate

steps to “make right” the situation. However, many children will need guidance and

sometimes explicit instruction to explain what went wrong, why this was wrong, and

what to do in the future. As a teacher, it is my responsibility to guide children through

this process and emphasize that every misbehavior, though it should be taken seriously,

does not permanently brand her as “bad,” but instead provides her with the chance to

make herself a better human being!

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3. I believe that children should learn to do what is right for the sake of it “being right,” not simply to earn a reward

In my classroom, students will have the opportunity to learn how to act kindly and

responsibly according to the golden rule. Although I believe learning to live this way is

of the utmost importance, I find it inappropriate to reward children extrinsically for

behaving as they ought to. In the adult world, it is unlikely that you will receive a pizza

party for visiting your sick friend in the hospital. The reason people exhibit acts of

unselfishness and altruism is not to receive a reward. In fact, if one is doing something

“good” simply to be rewarded, their act is selfish in nature and not truly a “good” act. A

teacher does her children a disservice in teaching them that they are entitled to praise or a

reward for behaving well. Even a dog can be trained to roll over and “shake” in order to

receive a treat, but I expect much, much more from my students. My goal for them is to

develop moral character that will help them earn the trust of others, maintain lasting and

fulfilling relationships, and feel the joy that comes from doing something for someone

else. In order to move towards this ultimate goal, students must learn to make decisions

based on the golden rule unattached from any future reward or punishment. This belief is

aligned with Alphie Kohn’s teachings that moral instruction should not be based on a

system of rewards. I do not feel as though it is necessary however, to completely

eliminate casual rewards or surprises from the classroom. On occasion it is appropriate

to celebrate a job well done with a party or some small rewards for meeting goals. I am

not opposed to showing my appreciation in spontaneous and genuine ways. What I do

not want is a system that regularly guarantees of a reward directly resulting from good

behavior.

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4. I believe that children deserve to learn in a safe, team-oriented, engaging environment and that it is my responsibility to create that environment in my classroom.

The environment in which I teach will set the tone for how students respond to

my teaching, their work, and each other. I believe that it is my responsibility to create the

best possible environment for my students. This belief is rooted in the theories of Linda

Albert who argues strongly that teachers are only effective once they establish an

environment in their classroom that is safe and inviting. The environment that I establish

goes far beyond just the physical aspects of my classroom. Perhaps even more important

than the way my classroom “looks” is the atmosphere that is present. Inside my

classroom there will be an air of anticipation and enthusiasm that will be contagious! I as

a teacher will be responsible for setting this tone by exhibiting a true love for my students

and my job as well as gratitude, positive talk, and a hopeful, optimistic outlook on life.

Curiosity and exploration will soar in the environment that is rich in hands on

experiences. Students will feel valued as members of a learning community where

everyone contributes. Acceptance of people for who they are and what they bring to the

group will be emphasized through the literature we explore and the discussions we

engage in. In my classroom, it will always be okay to make mistakes or not know the

answers to questions. When called on, no student will feel put on the spot. It will always

be okay to say, “I don’t know.” As a teacher, I will model an accepting attitude towards

making mistakes and learning through my reactions to my own errors.

As far as the physical environment is concerned, I will create a room that is

adequately lit, a comfortable temperature and free from clutter. The walls will be

decorated with student work to showcase their efforts to themselves and visitors. The

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windows will have curtains; there will be beautiful pictures on the wall and many bright

colors. The desk arrangement in my classroom will change throughout the year to add

variety. Frequently the desks will be arranged in a semicircle to allow every student to

see every other student and allow the teacher to easily get to each student’s desk. This

seating arrangement will also foster a sense of community in the classroom because of

the chance it gives students to see all of their classmates. It also lends itself perfectly to

classroom discussions. Sometimes the desks will be arranged in “pods” during periods

when students will be working on units which involve teamwork. This seating

arrangement can help students learn to work as a team with other students and learn from

each other more effectively.

5. I believe that children should be encouraged, cheered on, delighted in, and given opportunities to shine.

Every child is a gift and has a wealth to offer this world. As a teacher, I have the

responsibility to help each child build self-esteem and self-confidence that will help him

love himself and love others. My goal is that each of my students will learn to see

themselves as infinitely worthy of love. In a world that demands a certain type perfection

in the way one looks, acts, and thinks, I will teach my children that people can love them

just the way they are. To accomplish this in my classroom I will have to be a good

listener to my students. I will have to hear both what they say to me, and what they are

not saying. I must know their needs and present-level of self-esteem in order to help

them build from there. Self-esteem is not built through empty and superficial praise.

Instead, I will give students opportunities to prove to themselves that they are capable,

strong, hardworking and compassionate by providing challenges academically and

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chances to serve others unselfishly. In my classroom I will emphasize that doing one’s

“personal best” is what I expect. True self esteem comes from knowing you did the very

best you could do and accomplished something as a result. Another source of self-esteem

is the love that grows inside a person when they reach out and help another person in

need. In my classroom I will emphasize a servant’s attitude towards others. This will

manifest itself in big “kid organized” projects for the community such as can drives and

smaller everyday acts of kindness towards others which will be modeled, discussed and

encouraged greatly. Both of these self-esteem building actions, doing one’s best and

serving others, will be the cornerstone upon which I will help my students grow in self-

confidence and build their sense of worth.

Many theorists argue against using praise in the classroom. I believe that praise

can be used effectively when it is genuine and used in moderation. Every student needs

to know that their teacher recognizes and appreciates their effort and hard work. Praise in

my classroom will be given for a job well done to show that I truly am celebrating with

the student for working hard.

6. I believe that classroom rules should be developed with the help of students at

the beginning of the school year.

Social psychologist Rudolf Dreikurs argues in his theories on classroom

management, that students and teachers should jointly form rules at the beginning of the

school year. I agree with Dreikers that students should be involved in the process of

establishing classroom rules. This is important because students must both fully

understand the rules they are expected to follow and agree that these rules are indeed

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worthy of being followed. If a student believes a rule to be “stupid” he or she will be less

motivated to follow this rule. Conversely, if a student had a hand in developing and

defining the rules, when a rule is broken, he will be more apt to understand why his

behavior broke a rule, and feel remorse for the act.

In my classroom I will establish rules on the first day of school. This will happen

by having a class meeting in which students brainstorm a list of rules they think would

contribute to a healthy and effective classroom and school environment. Next, I as the

teacher will present my rules for the classroom: be a person of integrity, be kind to others

and yourself, and always give your best effort. Then the students will be given the

opportunity to match each of the specific rules they came up with earlier with one of the

broader rules I presented. In this way, students will feel ownership of the rule making

process and yet I as the teacher will still be able to convey my expectations for them and

myself for the coming school year.

7. I believe that careful and thoughtfully crafted lesson planning by the teacher can help prevent behavior problems

Because a teacher’s own enthusiasm and effort is the most important ingredient in

a well managed classroom, I strongly believe that creating superior lesson plans will help

eliminate many potential behavior problems throughout the day. Alphie Kohn (2007), an

often outspoken critic of many practices in today’s schools, teaches that curriculum must

engage students, and give them the opportunity to connect the information they are

responsible for to create a meaningful understanding. This does not mean that everything

I teach must be “fun.” Too often beginning teachers confuse the word “engaging” with

the word “entertaining.” What it does mean is that I need to provide ample time for

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students to be busy in thought over a topic, be it math, social studies and science. My

students should be interacting with the subject instead of listening to me interact with it.

My lessons should build critical thinking skills, problem solving, creativity and

innovation, and evaluative abilities. I do not view my job as a dispenser of information.

Instead, I am a facilitator on the journey my students have undertaken of building their

understanding of the world around them. These convictions about what it means to be a

great teacher are centered around INTASC principle #1 which states that teachers must,

“Use a multitude of methods and integrate them into the student's existing knowledge to

further the student's understanding (Council of Chief State School Officers, 2007).”

In addition to the manner in which my children will be engaged in the subject

matter, I must also pay close attention to the details that can make or break a lesson plan.

This means I must accurately plan for the amount of time allotted and have backup

activities if the lesson progresses quicker than expected. I must also plan lessons that are

in the Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development (North Central Regional Educational

Laboratory, 2007). This means lessons must be challenging for students so that some

scaffolding is necessary, but not too challenging that they get easily frustrated and quit.

Many students I have observed in classrooms act out when faced with work that they

perceive as too difficult and frustrating. Planning lessons that are individualized to

challenge each student at their present level of functioning can help prevent this type of

occurrence.

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8. I believe that students should have reminders, warnings and finally consequences when they misbehave.

In my experience observing in classrooms as well as working with children through

my position as a camp counselor, I have learned that many times student’s behavior is not

purposefully insolent. Many times students are simply off task and need a reminder of

what is expected of them at that particular time. I believe therefore, that students need

reminders and warnings before consequences are considered. This correlates directly to

the teachings of Canter and Canter who developed the “discipline hierarchy.” Giving

students a warning before administering a consequence allows the student who is

mistakenly off task to self correct his or her behavior. When a teacher notices a student

behavior that needs to change she must first address it in a simple non-disruptive manner.

Many times this reminder can be in the form of non-verbal cues such as a pause to make

eye contact with the student, casually saying the student’s name during the lesson, a brief

touch on the shoulder, or another form of proximity control. The teacher may also need

to verbally reinforce the behavior she would like to be seeing. For example, if a

kindergarten student is jumping around the classroom, instead of immediately yelling at

the student, the teacher should keep in mind the student’s developmental level as the

INTASC Principal #2 emphasizes, “The teacher understands how children learn and

develop (Council of Chief State School Officers).” Most likely, the student is feeling

antsy and not deliberately disorderly. An effective approach might be to say, “Jimmy, I

see that you like to jump, I hope you will show me how high you can jump at recess, but

for the next 10 minutes I need you to be looking for the letter A in our classroom.” This

is an example of an initial reminder administered in a non-threatening manner that re-

focuses the student’s attention on the desired behavior. If the student persists in behaving

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inappropriately, the teacher must then warn the student. Though the word “warning”

sounds harsh in nature, the teacher should speak calmly and make clear that the behavior

being exhibited needs to stop or there will be a specific consequence, and remind the

student what they should be doing instead. Using the same example of a kindergartener

jumping, a teacher might say, “Jimmy, I need you to stop jumping and work with the rest

of the class to find the letter A. If you chose to keep jumping you will have to be done

with the fun scavenger hunt. The rest of the class really needs your help to find the letter

A! Get in there and help them out! ☺” The warning must be firm but not mean. If

possible it should be done to the side and not in front of other students. Like the

theorists Richard Curwin and Allen Mendler, I believe in disciplining students while

maintaining their dignity (Fitzer, 2003). This means I refuse to use humiliation and

embarrassment in my classroom as a means of controlling my students. When students

do not change their behavior after being reminded and warned, I must then follow

through with a consequence. The consequence will depend on the situation in the

classroom. Using the example of “Jimmy,” if he were to continue to detract from the

class’s scavenger hunt by jumping around, his consequence would be that he would have

to miss the end of the scavenger hunt.

9. I believe I must provide structure and clear expectations and yet allow for

student input, learning through socialization and creative thinking in my classroom.

In my classes at Manchester I have learned that students thieve when there is clear

structure to their daily life and they know what to expect and also what is expected from

them. Unfortunately, some of my students will come from homes in which there is no

structure or predictability. In my classroom however, there will be a daily routine which

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will be posted every morning and previewed for the students at the onset of the day so

they know what to expect. Routines will also be established at the beginning of the year

so that students know exactly how I expect them to behave when doing group work,

walking in the hallway, playing at recess and other daily activities. Marvin Marshall is a

theorist that supports this belief. He teaches that educators and parents must articulate

their expectations clearly and then empower children to reach and exceed those

expectations.

While structure is important, I have learned through experience in the classroom

and the exhortations of my professors that structure should not be imposed at the cost of

stifling the natural learning processes of my students. Children learn when they teach

each other and talk about their discoveries with one another. Too often teachers make the

mistake of demanding complete silence in situations in which children would benefit

from discussing their work with peers. In my classroom there will be structure and clear

expectations but only if they serve a purpose in creating a better learning environment.

10. I believe in holding classroom meetings to promote a sense of community, team work, and ownership of the learning process in my classroom

In today’s society there is a strong emphasis on “self.” Children are being raised with

the mind set that “it’s all about me.” In my classroom, children will learn about the value

of cooperation and working for the benefit of all. To help children develop this lifelong

disposition, I will hold class meetings. This is a technique suggested by Alphie Kohn.

He contends that class meetings can help build community and provide children with an

opportunity to learn speaking skills, the use of “I messages,” practical problem solving,

and giving compliments to others. Classroom meetings in my classroom will be held for

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a variety of purposes. Some will be held to discuss orders of business in the class such as

the initial class meeting on the first day of school which would be held to establish class

rules. Other class meetings could be held to collectively discuss problems the class was

facing such as excessive talking during reader’s workshop for example. The format of

the meeting would allow for students to take ownership of problems and give their own

solutions to solve them. Other class meetings may be held to plan big service projects or

to give practice a “life skill” or build one another up through compliments. Lastly, class

meetings could be held simply to recap the day before heading for the buses or sharing

“highs” and “lows” and stories from the day. Even though class meetings would

approximately 10 minutes away from the instruction period, I believe them to be well

worth the time because of the social and emotional benefits it would provide students

individually and as a whole class.

Classroom Procedures and Routines

Without clear expectations for procedures and routines, students are left without

guidance and cannot be responsible for misbehavior. Teachers are solely responsible for

establishing effective and detailed procedures and routines and communicating these

clearly to their students. I have chosen just six of the many procedures and routines that

will be essential to a properly functioning classroom to discuss below.

Communication with Parents

It is very difficult for a teacher to succeed in her goal of educating a child if she is

not a “team” with that child’s parents. For this reason I will be responsible for initiating

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contact with every parent in my classroom at the start of the school year to introduce

myself and get to know the family. I must also make monthly phone calls to parents to

report on student progress. This will establish good rapport with teachers and give me an

opportunity to discuss the individual needs of the student, parental concerns, as well as

share the successes of that student within my classroom. In a general education

classroom I will also create daily binders for each child in my class. In these binders

would be the child’s agenda in which homework assignments would be recorded. In the

binder there will also be a folder for students to carry their homework home in and the

child’s daily “Team Work grade.” Lastly, I will have a special folder for communication

with parents. In my initial phone call with parents at the beginning of the year I will

explain that the folder will contain important pieces of information from me, and I will

encourage them to write notes and place them in these folders if they should wish to

communicate with me. Of course I would let them know that they can always reach me

by phone, email or in person as well. I will check these folders every day to see if

parents left a note. I will also use these folders to send papers from the school and

weekly newsletters from me home as well.

Because email is becoming increasingly acceptable and convenient, I will ask

parents if they would prefer to receive an electronic newsletter as well. Lastly, I will

maintain a classroom website which will contain all monthly newsletters, my contact

information, and updated homework assignments for parents to check at home.

In a special education classroom, I will have each student have a notebook in

which I will write a letter to each parent at the end of every day. I will then ask that the

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parents read what I wrote about how the day went and any concerns and write back to me

if they feel it necessary. I will need to set aside 10 minutes at the end of my day for this

and plan activities for my para-professionals to do with the children during this time.

All of the responsibility for this procedure will fall to the teacher in keeping up

weekly newsletters, checking daily binders, making phone calls and maintaining the

website. Although this is a heavy work load, it will be well worth the effort because

parent involvement is essential to my success as a teacher.

Selecting Groups

My curriculum will be filled with opportunities for children to work in groups so

they can learn from one another and gain interpersonal skills. It will be necessary for me

to establish a variety of different groups for many different purposes throughout the year.

If no procedure is established, this could become chaotic and children might get left out

by their peers. For this reason, I will often select groups for the students. To streamline

the process, I will decide ahead of time, during the lesson planning stage, who will be in

each group. When it comes to the point in the lesson I will remind the students of my

expectations for them when they do group work and then identify the groupings I have

chosen. Sometimes I will make groups based on ability level. Other times I will group

students based on where they are sitting in the classroom. The important thing is that I

will plan the groups ahead and have clear reasoning for why I chose these groups. There

are some instances when students will be allowed to choose their own groups. One

example of this is when we are engaged in literacy circles. Students will then choose

their groups based on what book they are interested in reading. We will do this by having

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each student draw a number at random from a hat. That number corresponds to the order

in which they will get to choose their group. I will make a sign up sheet with

approximately five spaces for five names for each book. Students will then have an

opportunity to sign up for a book they are interested in based on their order.

Sometimes I will want students to have input on who is in their group. I will then

ask them to write their own name and the names of 3 people they would love to work

with on a piece of paper and keep it private. I will then collect the papers and use the

input to create groups. This will allow students to work with friends and yet also

eliminate the chance that one child will get left out.

Classroom Helpers

Curwin and Mendler’s theory teaches that students should be given

responsibilities in the classroom in order to develop life skills. For this reason, in my

classroom I will have jobs for my students to do. Examples of jobs that will be done

include watering the plants, checking agendas, passing out papers, running things to the

office, etc. Prior to the start of the school year I will make a list of appropriate jobs

depending on the needs of my classroom. Jobs will not be “fluffy.” Instead they must be

meaningful tasks that help to keep our class running smoothly. Prior to the start of school

I will create a “job board” to keep track of who is in charge of what job. The “job board”

will have pockets for each job. When a student is in charge of that particular job, the

student’s name will be in that pocket. Jobs will be held for one week. Students will

rotate through jobs so that each child has an equal chance to do every job. At the

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beginning of the school year, I will have to explain and model each one of the jobs so that

the students understand their responsibilities when holding that position. Depending on

the grade level, I may have to create checklists to help student’s remember their duties.

At class meetings students may want to suggest new jobs that need to be established in

our classroom. I will be open to student input!

Beginning of the Day

Harry Wong believes that every school day should start in an orderly fashion with

morning work. Morning work is something that students have been taught to work on

independently when they enter the classroom. This is important because it establishes

good focus and order at the onset of the day and gives students something productive to

work on while the rest of the class filters in. The nature of the work will depend on the

grade level. There may be a review question on the board from the day before or perhaps

a journal topic I want them to write about. I will stand at the door and greet my students

with a smile. I will listen to a brief story that they might want to share and then ask them

to begin their morning work. They will enter the classroom and make sure they have all

the supplies they need for the day. This will also be a time for them to make sure that

they have their pencils sharpened and ready to go. When the bell rings and school has

officially begun, I will give the students two more minutes to finish up their morning

work and then I will call for the class to meet me at the “carpet” for out morning meeting.

During the morning meeting we will discuss the schedule for the day, make

announcements, share stories, and prepare for a great day!

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Getting Attention/Signaling for Quiet

Because my students will be doing a lot of independent and group work in which

talking will be encouraged, it will be necessary for me to establish an effective means of

getting the class’s attention. I have learned through my courses at Manchester and

through observing many wonderful teachers that effective teachers do not shout above the

din to get the attention of the class. Instead, in my classroom I will use a variety of

creative techniques to gain the class’ attention. Sometimes I will use the phrase, “If you

can hear me _(insert a silly action here)__.” Other times I will use an “attention getting

device” established at the beginning of the year such as a rain stick or a song such as

“Open shut them, open shut them….” No matter what attention getting device I use, it

will be essential that I wait until all my students are silent before beginning to talk.

Beginning to talk while students are still chatting teaches children that it is acceptable to

talk while I am talking. In order for these attention getting devices to work, I must spend

a great deal of effort at the begging of the year, teaching children what they look/sound

like and explicitly explaining and modeling the behavior that I expect when they hear or

see me use one of these devices.

Dismissal

The end of the day can be a chaotic and stressful time. It is also one of the most

important times of the day! It’s the last thing children will remember when they go home

and if it is disorganized and hectic it will leave a bad taste in the student’s mouth that

may carry over to the next morning. In my classroom I will allow a generous amount of

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time to ensure that the end of the day goes smoothly. Students will be dismissed to

gather their coats and backpacks with 15 minutes to go until the actual school dismissal.

They will then return to the classroom promptly and make sure they have their daily

binders as well as any other materials they might need for homework in their backpacks.

They will then pick up the area around their desk and place their coat and backpack on

the back of their desk. When they have done this they will sit in their chair and wait for

instructions. When everyone has packed their bags and cleaned their area I will call the

class to the carpet. There we will sit in a circle for an end of the day class meeting. Here

we might review something important that we learned that day, remind the class of

homework due or things to study, share “highs” and “lows” of the day, sing a song, or

talk about what we are looking forward to for the next day. With 2 minutes to go until

official dismissal, I will ask students to return to their desks to put their coats and

backpacks on. They will then line up to be dismissed when the bell rings.

In order for this process to run smoothly and accomplish its objective, I must

explicitly go over every step with the students during the first two weeks of the school

year.

Implementation of Classroom Management Practices

At the elementary level, the key to the detailed plans I have laid out in this paper

becoming vibrant and effective tools in my future classroom will rest solely on my efforts

in explicitly modeling the behavior I expect and the routines to be followed. As Harry

Wong emphasizes, during first two weeks of school, a great deal of time and effort will

be put into internalizing the classroom management features in the minds of my students.

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Sometimes it may become tedious, but it is essential that students know exactly what is

expected of them and how they can help themselves, their classmates and me as their

teacher, accomplish great things in the course of the school year.

One of the biggest focuses of my class is an emphasis on working together to

make a cohesive classroom community that works together like a team. I will emphasize

that, like a team, we face challenges together and support one another. On the very first

day, our “team’s” first challenge will be to develop the class expectations. As mentioned

earlier in this document, this will take place in a class meeting in which students will

generate an extensive list of rules they would like to see in their classroom. I will then

introduce my rules and we will relate the rules generated by the students to the overall

“umbrella” rules. These rules for my classroom will be: be a person of integrity, be kind

to others and yourself, and always give your best effort. For younger grades I may need

to change the wording of the rules. For all grade levels, we will need to have a serious

discussion about what each of these rules really mean. The student’s individual rules will

help define the broader rules by giving examples.

To ensure that student’s have a productive classroom environment in which to

work, I must also establish a plan of action to follow when misbehavior does occur. As

discussed earlier I the document, I will provide students reminders, warnings and then

finally consequences when they misbehave. Often a consequence will be as simple as

correcting the wrong that occurred. For example, if I catch a child running in the

hallway, I will ask them to go back and show me how to walk in the hallway. For more

serious problems that occur in the classroom, for example name calling, I will use a

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discipline system. Because I believe strongly along with the theorists Curwin and

Mendler that discipline should preserve a child’s dignity, my system will be private

between the student, parents and me. I will discuss in depth at the beginning of the year

what it means that our classroom is a team. Each person in the class matters

tremendously and each person has great things to bring to our class. When we are on our

best behavior, we can do wonderful things to contribute to the team and lift our

teammates up. When we chose to behave poorly, we let ourselves and our teammates

down. Inside of every student’s daily binder will be a Team Member grade sheet (see

attached document). Each day, students will receive a grade for their work as a Team

Member that day. Everyone will start the day with an “A” for their Team Work grade. If

a student is reminded, warned and then still continues to misbehave, I will discretely ask

that student to change their Team Member grade in their daily binder. To do this,

students will cross off the farthest left grade (see attached document). This will show

their new grade (the next lower grade). These will go home every night with the student

and be initialed by the parents. If a student reaches below a “C” during the day, he or she

will be sent to the principal’s office and a phone call home will be made. This process

will have to be explicitly explained to students at the beginning of the school year as well

as discussed with parents during the initial phone call.

My time spent learning about the qualities of good teaching at Manchester,

combined with extensive observation in the field, has given me a solid foundation upon

which to base my curriculum and instruction. The underpinnings of an outstanding

curriculum is careful lesson planning that incorporates assessment plans at the onset of

the process. I will plan assessments in conjunction with preparing my lessons to make

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sure I am testing what I teach and to correlate both my instruction and assessment with

state standards. Equally vital to the process, I will use assessment that I have

administered to drive and mold my instruction. This practice is related to the INTASC

standard #4 which states, “When assessing students' work a teacher will be able to

understand the further needs of her students. She should adapt her teaching methods to

better help her students dependent on their needs due to the assessment. The teacher

adjusts her role in the learning process to allow the students to further their understanding

of the subject material (Council of Chief State School Officers).”

My teaching will be student centered and be rich with experiences for exploration

and discovery. I want to be a guide and facilitator in the learning process not a dispenser

of knowledge. This means I must find creative ways to arrange learning situations in

which students can create their own understanding and then be guided even deeper

through interactions with peers and through my instruction.

Not only will my instruction be inquiry-based, it will also be multi-dimensional

by incorporating a variety of teaching methods to reach students who have strengths in all

areas of Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences. This relates to the INTASC principle #6 which

states that, “As a teacher, differing modes of communication are used to express any

specific topic or point. By using body language, written, verbal, non-verbal, and

technological forms of communication to communicate, the teacher not only teaches the

subject matter but also is an example to the students as to how the form of

communication is used properly and, in turn, effectively (Council of Chief State School

Officers).”

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Embarking on the journey of entering the teaching service is both challenging and

exhilarating. The potential to impact the lives of students is immense and exciting but the

responsibilities of a teacher are serious ones. Every teacher wants to create a classroom

that functions as a well oiled machine, creating students that possess an enhanced

understanding of the world and that are equipped to face life’s challenges. None of this is

possible however, without a teacher-led effective classroom management plan. The

outline I have crafted in this document shows that I have developed a practical plan that

is preventative, supportive and corrective in nature.

The preventative aspects of my plan include the classroom meetings in which life

skills and group issues are discussed, the development of rules with the input of students,

careful and thoughtful lesson planning, and the establishment of a safe, team oriented,

learning environment. All of these features work together to combat the causes of

misbehavior and prevent the majority of misbehaviors before they have a chance to

surface.

My plan is very supportive of students in their quest to become the best people

they can be. I believe in exhibiting unconditional love for my students as a good parent

might. This is the ultimate show of support that a child can receive! Another one of my

“top ten beliefs” that highlights the supportive aspects of my plan is my conviction that

children deserve to be encouraged, cheered on, and delighted in. In my classroom there

will be time to share stories and listen to one another’s “highs” and “lows”.

Everybody makes mistakes! When misbehavior does happen in our classroom it

will be met with a consequence. This shows that my plan deals with inappropriate

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behavior in order to maintain a good climate for learning. But it doesn’t stop there.

Because I view mistakes as opportunities to learn, I will make sure to discuss

misbehavior with students in order to help them develop the life skills they need. This is

the foundation of the corrective nature of my plan.

Conclusion:

This document, though extensive and detailed, is still only the tip of the iceberg

when one considers the multitude of responsibilities a teacher must take on. I am ready

to accept these duties with a joyful heart as well as a solemn commitment. I am ready to

give my students 100% of my efforts, energy, enthusiasm and love. I have high

expectations for myself as a teacher and I have high expectations for what my students

will accomplish as well. This plan will help me as a teacher fulfill my duty to my

students, and help my students grow and flourish as a member of our classroom

community!

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Works Cited:

Council of Chief State School Officers. (2007). Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC). Retrieved November 24, 2007 from CCSSO Web site:http://www.ccsso.org/Projects/Interstate_New_Teacher_Assessment_and_Support_Consortium/#resource

Fitzer, K. (2003). Curwin and Mendler. Retrieved November 24, 2007 from University

of Illinois at Urbana-Champagne Web site: students.ed.uiuc.edu/fitzer/EdPsy399OL/curwinandmendler.htm

Kohn, A. (2007). Motivation from the Inside Out. Retrieved November 24, 2007 from

Alphie Kohn Web site: http://www.alfiekohn.org/index.html North Central Regional Educational Laboratory. (2007). Zone of Proximal Development.

Retrieved November 24, 2007 from Learning Points Associates Web site: http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/students/learning/lr1zpda.htm

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November 25, 2007 Dear Parent/Guardian, I am greatly looking forward to an exciting school year working and your child! I wanted to write a letter to explain to you some of the procedures that will be in place this year to help everyone in our class accomplish great things! In our class we will be emphasizing team work and learning ways that we can work together. Like the Indianapolis Colts (go Colts ☺) and any other sports team, our class functions best when we each do our personal best. In our classroom we have established three expectations for ourselves: -Be a person of integrity -Be kind to others and yourself -Always do your personal best Ask your student to discuss with you what these expectations mean to him and share what they mean to you! Though I have contacted all of you to explain our discipline plan, I want to outline it briefly here for those of you who are visual learners like me. ☺ In the front of your child’s daily binder you will find his or her “Team Work Grade.” If misbehavior occurs during the day, your child will change his Team Work Grade. He or she will also indicate briefly the behavior that caused him or her to change grade. I ask that you initial their Team Work grade every night and talk about how the day went with your child. My job as your child’s teacher is to provide an engaging and encouraging classroom environment, but I cannot accomplish this goal without your support! Thank you in advance for everything you do for your child at home to help make our days at school productive and successful. Please feel free to contact me at any time. Your thoughts and concerns are very important to me. Again, I am excited for a great year with you and your child! ☺ Sincerely, Miss Flanders Email Phone Number Website Address

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My Team Work Grades Name: ______________________________ Week of: ____________________________ Monday A B C D E ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Tuesday A B C D E ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Wednesday A B C D E ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Thursday A B C D E ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Friday A B C D E ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________