Classroom Management Plan

 My Classroom Management Plan

During my first year of teaching, I plan to use the following classroom management plans in my room.  Having seen many classroom teachers continually modify rules and expectations to fit each situation, I too, will be flexible and will be open to modifying my management plan according to student and classroom needs.

1. Arrival and Dismissal Routines

Beginning of the school day  Each morning, I plan to greet students and welcome them at the front door.  Students will then hang up their belongings, sign in for lunch and get started for entry work.  As a class, we will go over how signing in for lunch means moving their clothes pin from the hanging green card and placing it on the “buying lunch” card or the “bringing lunch” card.  This will allow students who have jobs to do the attendance and lunch count each morning complete both by looking at the clothes pin.  Also, as a class we will have discussed that every morning there will be “entry work.”  Entry work consists of an extension activity of a lesson from the previous day such as a math concept, science concept or it will be an activity that is related to a lesson we will be studying that day.  This information will be written on the Smartboard or whiteboard each day along with a morning message and directions to help them start their entry work. 

Ending the school day Ending the school day will consist of the last 10-17 minutes of class.  I have considered and contemplated whether it is too long of time to start wrapping up the day, but each day my goal is to help students identify what they have learned and what to expect the following day.  Wrapping up the day will consist of student jobs, reviewing what we learned, announcements, and dismissal.  First, I will ask students to share with others what they have learned today. Then, as a class we will briefly review the purpose of the activities and lessons we did and following, I will tell the class what to expect tomorrow.  Afterwards, I will give announcements and pass out important handouts from the school.  Then I will dismiss students to do their jobs.  Some students will be in charge of making sure no one forgets anything from the closet, feeding the animals, watering the plants and checking the floor.  After a few minutes on my cue, student will pack up their belongings, stack their chairs and wait to be dismissed. Having the time to organize the classroom, review what we have learned, share comments and feedback will set a positive tone for ending the class Sprick et al. (1998) pg.73.   

2.  Transitions –leaving and entering the room

Leaving the room Each time when we are required to leave the room as a class, I will ask students to show me they are ready to line up.  Upon my direction, the line leader will come to the front and demonstrate what “line behavior looks like.”  This will be a set reminder of how students are expected to walk –with their hands to themselves, no talking and having pillow space in between the person in front and back of them.  I will call students by table groups and ask them to line up.  When students are quiet and facing forward, we will go to our destination. Entering the room There are certain times when entering the classroom will have different expectations.  For example, returning from lunch and recess will be different from returning from the library.  After lunch recess, when students enter the room, the lights will be dimmed.  Students will enter the room quietly, get drinks, hang up their coats and take their seats to show me they are ready for read-a-loud.  As research suggests, student’s attention is better after a transitional activity Everston (2006).  I will read aloud to them while they are listening quietly at their desks to prepare them for their next tasks.

When returning from a specialist –PE, music, library or art, students may be unusually or extra “chatty” Everston (2006). In these circumstances, I will use an attention signal to help transition student’s minds.  For example, after getting their attention, I may ask them to take deep breaths, close their eyes and silently put on their thinking caps –having them physically mimic what the action may look like.  This activity will help students not only relax a bit, but bring their focus on what they will be working on next.

3.  Attention Signals

1-2-3, Eyes on Me 

A very common and effective attention signal I’ve seen in my observation is the “1-2-3, eyes on me” call.  When the teacher says this, the students are expected to reply, “1-2 eyes on you” and stop, look and listen to the teacher.  The main place to use this is in the classroom, with a calm, collected tone.

Rhythmic clapping or “high five”

I have also seen many teachers clap a rhythm and have students clap back.  This useful also in a classroom setting but this one has its limitations.  The teacher needs to know when to stop the clapping because in my observations, I have seen students unresponsively clap back.  Students may get tired of clapping and this signal may not work.  The “high five” is a hand signal that can be used anywhere.  It is especially good because since it is a quiet signal, students need to constantly be aware of his or her surroundings to put up their hands showing that their 5 senses are being still.

Chime or bell

In many classes, teachers have some kind of bell or chime that gets student’s attention. This tactic of getting student attention is good because students don’t have to respond physically back by clapping or chanting, but they are required to show that they have heard the bell and stop, look and listen to the teacher.

4.  Classroom Expectations/ Rules

Developing and abiding by classroom rules should be both a choice and a requirement for all students.  To promote ownership and to encourage student to take more responsibility for their own behavior, I plan to include students in the rule setting process Everston (2006). During the first few days of class, I will ask the whole class to participate and recall important rules they have heard or have had before.  I will write them on the board and later, we will categorize them, eliminating redundant or repeated items.  During this process, I will have a few rules of my own that I would like to include and explain why they are necessary. Once our class has decided on the rules it is important to explain why we need rules, clarify certain rules and have examples of what the rules look like both positively and negatively.

5.  Student Expectations

I will have student expectations in my room that are separate from the classroom rules.  The following three expectations will help students be responsible both in the classroom and academically.  Having these expectations will help students be accountable –both in their groups and individually.  As a teacher, I will abide by the student expectations to model the behaviors and be alert to praise students.

1. Respect and care for others
2. Play and work safely
3. Everyone can learn so, do your best

6.  Managing Positive Behavior

Individual

In class, students will receive verbal comments and feedback directly and individually.  To prevent students from feeling embarrassed I will pull them aside or use a quiet voice to comment on their behavior or work ethic.  Then, afterwards the students will receive written comments and feedback in their journals home.  I will write them a letter in their weekly journals addressed to them about what behaviors and expectations they have exceeded.  To recognize individual behavior, outside the classroom, I plan to reinforce students by sending letters home to their parents.  Each time I write a letter, I will be specific and descriptive of what the student was doing right as Sprick suggests.  I will have a check-off list to make sure each student has received letters home throughout the year.  It is important to me that I send artifacts home of positive behavior because I feel that even at home, having the artifact will somewhat encourage responsible behavior at home.  In the letter, I may suggest that parents post it on the refrigerator and praise their child for this achievement.   

Whole-class

Implementing the positive reinforcement jellybean or marble jar will take place after the first 3-4 months of school. I feel that allowing student time to learn the routines and appropriate behavior should not be rewarded because they are more so expected.  By bringing in the jellybean or marble jar later in the year, students will be able to re-check themselves and their groups on an on-going basis.  The class will earn jellybeans over the course of the days and weeks of school.  Their goal is to fill up the jar as a class and make decisions how they would like to celebrate.  The class can decide by voting once they have filled the jar once to take the 30 minutes of choice time on Friday or to go on and fill another jar to go for the pizza, ice cream party or root beer float party.

The class as a whole can receive jelly beans or marbles in the following ways:  

1) Receiving a compliment from a teacher or peer
2) Leaving the class neat and clean at the end of the day
3) Being ready before the teacher asks everyone to be
4) Receiving positive reports from Specialist teachers(Art, music, library…)
5) Behaving well on Field Trips
6) Challenges and games I create to give them opportunities to earn jellybeans 

7.  Managing Inappropriate Behavior

In any circumstance where I notice an inappropriate or disruptive behavior, I will try to reinforce a positive behavior or praise.  For example, if I notice a student interrupting another student during class discussion, I will say, “Julie, when others are speaking, it is polite to listen.  Wouldn’t you like others to listen to you if you were talking?  Everyone, let’s remind ourselves.” This way, the student will not feel isolated and the student can put herself in the position and be encouraged to change.  Another way I could phrase this would be to say, “Paul, Sally and Joe are doing a great job following my direction to work quietly.” I will use this on a regular basis unless the misbehavior is constant or repeating.

When students make the choice to misbehave more than once, correcting their behavior promptly and effectively will be my goal. First, I will walk by the student, check to see that they are on task and to indirectly tell the student that I have noticed their behavior.  Next, if the student is repeats the behavior, I will redirect the student to the task saying, “Johnny, let’s keep our hands to ourselves, you should be using your hands to color right now.”  Afterwards, if the student continues to do so, I will give the student a warning and explain the next consequence, “Johnny, this is your warning.  Please keep your hands to yourself.  The next time I remind you, you we will need to stay in for recess.” When the student stays in for recess, I will have a brief discussion of how he or she could handle situations better in the future Sprick (1998). If the student continues to bother others, even after recess, I will have the student removed from the class and talk with the principal.  At that time, the student will make a phone call home explaining the situation and his or her choices.

Emphasizing student behavior and how their behavior modifies others working and learning conditions will influence their thinking and result with students controlling their behaviors so others are not distracted.  When this decision-making skill and self-control takes place in respect of others and the classroom, we will see the evidence of responsible behavior in our students.