Classroom Management Plan

Clare Kelly

ED 398

Dr. Boop

    Classroom Management Plan

Philosophy of my Classroom:

In the classroom I believe a teacher must take on a role as a sailor. They must navigate their way through the sea, waves tall, wide, and short, as well as the fluctuating tides (who are in this case, the students) in order to get the hang of things and fall into a certain groove that is appropriate for both the teachers and the students. Whatever the teacher demonstrates will be mirrored by the attitudes of his or her students and thus, whatever strategies the teacher chooses to execute must resonate with the students, otherwise pandemonium will ensue and the teacher’s notions will prove to be rather ineffectual. Therefore, teacher effectiveness will always go hand and hand with successful classroom management and this is something I will undeniably always keep in mind in my middle or high school English classroom.

As recognized in The First Days of School, “In the first few days of school, teach only procedures necessary for the smooth opening of class. Delay the other procedures until the appropriate activity arises. The effective teacher cultivates a positive reputation, communicates with parents and students before school starts, greets the students with positive expectations, has the seating assignment and first assignment ready.” So just like a Boy Scout, teachers must “always be prepared” and instantly set the right tone in the classroom and with their students, otherwise bad first impressions can be extremely detrimental to their reputation with their students in the classroom environment. You must “hook” the students and real them in right away while gaining respect and engagement along the way.

Foremost, the two primary qualities I will embrace to help aid my successful classroom management plan are: 1) to exude empathy and a non-intimidating, warm demeanor. Far too many times have I experienced a cold, dreadfully unapproachable teacher who acted as if I was inflicting great pain upon him or her by answering one small question, or to ask him or her to explain a concept again to me. This is a characteristic no teacher should possess. If you act as if students are an immense burden to you, how on Earth do you plan to win their respect (or for them to respect you?) More significantly, if you are dispassionate and act as if you’d rather be anywhere but at school, the students will catch on to that instantly and the result will be far from a smoothly-run classroom.. I know from experience when I dreaded a certain class due to an uncaring, pessimistic teacher who made me feel like a fool, I usually did not do as well in that class as I did in classes where I adored the teacher. It all falls on our shoulders. 

The teacher must set this specific tone in order for their students to be successful (which is of course, what we all want for our future students!) In this same vein, teachers and students must bond, so to speak, and form solid relationships and essentially chat a lot in order to get a sense of who each other is. This will help immensely down the line. If there is no connection between teacher and students, how will they construct a conducive learning domain? You have to make the necessary connections with your students in order to expect anything out of them. My number two non-negotiable belief I hold dear as a future teacher is that teachers must work tirelessly to foster creativity within their classrooms, which intertwines with one of the Seven Developmental Needs of Adolescents which is, “self-exploration and definition.” Not only should us as teachers encourage and act as a catalyst for students to “find themselves” and discover more about themselves and what they want through everyday experiences, but we should incorporate these life elements and skills into everything we teach them. After all, the material must be relevant and when it is, students will be infinitely more engaged and be that much more invested in your class; making your classroom that much easier to run.

My Rules to Myself as a Teacher:

I believe that it’s crucial for teachers to have a certain type of discretion that gives them a sense of what’s appropriate to share in class about themselves, their beliefs, and their lives, and what should probably be left out of any classroom discussion. It’s phenomenal when teachers can connect to their students and relate to them on certain levels and are able to tell them stories from their personal lives at appropriate times during class and if it can be fit into the lesson. However, there is always a line that teachers cannot cross. If one goes too far and steps over this line, there’s no telling what will happen. I must always keep in mind that my students will look up to me and may possibly discuss me and my class with family members and friends and I want to maintain a certain professional image that will behoove my students to take note of, and even emulate. It’s fantastic for teachers to be fun and humorous but there’s always a certain line that should not be crossed. I will have to keep in mind that these kids are not my friends they are my students and I am indeed their superior, given that I am in the position of authority and they are in my class. By the same token, I can make a few promises to my future students which they can hold me to and count on me for: I will always be happy to be at school and very passionate and enthusiastic about what we are doing in class. I will do everything in my power to make sure every single one of my students succeeds. I will treat each student equally. I will be concerned far more with how each student is learning as opposed to a mere letter grade in my class. I will make sure everyone gets something out of my class. 

How to Handle the First Day of School:

I strongly believe that first impressions are crucial for us as teachers so yes, the pressure is on! Before the teachers ask students about themselves and get acquainted with them, the teacher must provide their class with a thorough and informative introduction to themselves. Of course, they should say their name, write their contact information on the board (as well as a website if they have one), then share a few personal fun facts about themselves, followed by a brief overview of the class as well as the expectations you have for all of them. As soon as this is over, have them promptly complete a short “assignment” to launch into class in a proper manner. As recognized in “The First Days of School”, “As the students go to their assigned seats, inform them that they will find their first assignment at their seat. Tell them to start to work on it immediately!” (Wong, 108.) My personal preference for this first assignment is an “all about me” kind of worksheet that tells me what I need to know about my students: some fun facts, their learning habits, their favorite books, genres, if they feel comfortable discussing in big groups versus small groups, and the like. I will pass this out right after I give my personal introduction, since if I were to have it on their desks when they got there they may be too busy reading it to listen to my spiel about the class and what I expect from each and every one of them.

In terms of seating arrangements, I think this is something I will have to feel out and test a few different variations in order to find a method that works. You never really know until you meet your students, after all. Of course, on the first day, they will have assigned seats and I will tell them it will remain this way until I learn all of their names and assure them it’s solely for that purpose. Then, I will explain to them that it can be like that for the entire year, I can change seats every month or so, or they can pick their own seats. However, I will warn them they will have to behave in a certain manner in order to be awarded with the latter. But whatever the case may be, after about a month (at the most) I will instruct the students to choose a new seat in order to spice things up a bit more and keep things interesting! I always find it very important in a classroom for everyone to get along relatively well and a foundation of trust is established not just with myself and the kids, but between the student and their fellow peers. This also goes along with the  developmental need of “positive interactions with peers and adults.” Teenagers love to be social, and believe it or not, it’s incredibly beneficial for them to be just that! In turn, I will certainly be a teacher who will incorporate all kinds of strategies along this line to promote a very lively and productive social environment. 

Moreover, to expand a bit more on the respect theme I delved into above, I firmly believe  that committing to memory students’ names and a little bit about them will make an enormous difference in your relationships with the kids as well as in the classroom environment as a whole. I can recall how an old teacher of mine remembered me as “the girl who was obsessed with Gone with the Wind even after I went away to college. Needless to say, it made me feel incredibly special, memorable and important in his eyes. I want my students to feel the same way. Luckily, I a have a knack for remembering names and facts about people with great ease and it will finally truly benefit me once I step foot into my first teaching job. When students are aware that you know all about them, they will feel as if you care and thus, feel comfortable in your class.

That is essentially one of the prime things I want from my future students: to feel comfortable in my class and to feel respected. Granted, they have to show me the same respect I show them! And this correlates to Lindberg’s text, Common-Sense Classroom Management for Middle and High School Teachers. As recognized in the text, “A key tool for any teacher is with-it-ness, or the ability to be consistently aware of what is happening in the classroom.” This is an exceptionally simple idea for success in the classroom, however with some teachers, it is extremely foreign. For instance, I had a teacher in high school who was very oblivious to what was going on in her classroom and would leave the classroom at arbitrary times to “go to the teachers’ lounge.” Naturally, her students would act out and be prone to large amounts of talking, outbursts, and ill-mannered behavior. If you’re not aware, your kids are going to think they can get away with murder.

Classroom Rules:

I found the trouble with teachers who had endless days of disarray in their classrooms did not establish a clear, straightforward policy of what they expect of their students. For instance, for many teachers, their first instinct is the “natural tendency” “to rush toward the student and state in a loud and forceful manner what the student must not to (high profile desist) (Solving Discipline and Classroom Management Problems.) This is not productive whatsoever---it will never be beneficial toward the teacher nor the student for the teacher to raise their voice in this manner. It is best for the teacher to calmly and rationally execute a more logical and thought-out plan. This brings me to the various systems illustrated in Solving Discipline and Classroom Management Problems such as limit setting, the incentive system, the encouragement system, or the management/classroom structure. Out of these much wiser choices, my personal preference is the management/classroom structure. I find this one to be the most unconventional but seems the most constructive---one of the few management systems that doesn’t promote some kind of “punishment.” Essentially, with this system, the teacher strives to “establish or create rules and organize classroom objects, furniture, and the students to support and maintain desired behavior.” (Not in My Classroom! A Teacher’s Guide to Effective Classroom Management.) I feel like once you create a classroom that promotes learning, enthusiasm and respect (among other things) the students will follow suit. 

Moreover, if you throw countless requirements at their students which are listed on multiple sheets a paper for them to refer back to, they certainly won’t. It will be a futile attempt. Keep it simple. I would have three rules and if they were broken, I would have a three-strikes-and-then-your-out additional rule implemented. I would tell them on the first day as clearly as possible: 1. Respect the teacher and your peers. 2. Pay attention to anything your peers say. and 3. Listen to the teacher. If these rules get broken, I will give the student in question three “lives” so to speak and if they act up for the third time, I will instruct them to go take a walk in the hallway to their dean of discipline (that’s what I had in my high school. I will send them to someone who has a similar title and if that doesn’t exist, I will send them to their dean/counselor.) All in all, if I am direct, straightforward, and simple with my students, there should be no reason for my classroom being plagued with countless behavioral problems.

Setting Up My Classroom:

Aside from the fact that my English classroom will naturally be very much devoted to novels, poetry and various writers, it must be inspirational for the students as well. This is the most important thing I must keep in mind when creating a constructive environment and ambiance in my classroom. Foremost, I will have my walls riddled with posters of some of my favorite novels and writers mixed with some of the books were were going to delve into during the school year. For instance, I plan to decorate my walls with the likes of The Catcher in the Rye, Beloved, The Great Gatsby, Gone with the Wind, and some of my other favorites which are also literary classics. 

I plan to decorate my classroom walls with author walls as well: Emily Dickinson, Sylvia Plath (two of my favorite poets), Ernest Hemingway, among many others. Another one of my goals for my classroom is to not have any blank space on my walls; I want my students to be as stimulated as possible. Therefore, having as many pictures on the walls of classroom, the better, as far as I’m concerned. I also think this is a fantastic tactic to get students engaged. Perhaps upon seeing all of the posters of books and writers and the like, it will peak my students’ interest. On this note, the more the students are engaged, the less behavioral problems I should have. 

In a similar vein, as a teacher, I must “wow them on the opening day” and “you want to make the best possible first impression by the clothes you wear, your welcoming speech, the rules you set, and personal remarks you exchange.” (Not in My Classroom!) The way the classroom looks and its atmosphere certainly plays a major role in this, given that this will be the first impression students have of you. After all, upon entering your classroom students want to get to know their teacher and get to know them as soon as possible. (Not in My Classroom!) Furthermore, organization will be another primary goal that I will work hard to display on the first day of school. I will have colorfully labeled bins for homework, makeup work/work to pick up for absent students, looseleaf paper, extra copies of books, and anything under that umbrella.

Parent Information:

First of all, I will hold a “Parents’ Night” in my classroom right in the beginning of the year so the parents can meet me in person, get to know me and therefore hopefully become comfortable with me so they can ask me any kind of questions they want about their student, the curriculum, and the like. I will also thoroughly inform them about my website that they can access anytime and I will assure them that I update it everyday in regards to homework assignments for all of my classes and I will urge both the parents and my students to check it out as often as they need to. I will also include copies of all assignments on the website just in case a student misplaces a paper. 

Moreover, I will be sure to give each parent who attends my “Parents’ Night” a copy of my contact information and encourage them to contact me whenever any question arises. In a similar vein, I will explain that I will update student grades frequently and every two to three weeks I will hand out copies of the breakdown of their grades to all of my students. Lastly, I believe it is crucial for parents to be involved in their child’s education and it is my job to help keep them and their student as informed and enthusiastic about learning in my class as possible. Also, I will always keep in mind that the fact that I will create a website for all of my classes to peruse whenever they are lost certainly demonstrates that I am keeping in mind good planning to identify my primary goals I want to focus on. Also, this will help me exhibit that I am always keeping in mind the school’s goals, its facilities and services, the objectives of my classes, and the potential as well as interests of my students. (Not in My Classroom! pages 3-4.) 

Homework/Test Policies:

I will assign some kind of productive, useful assignment everyday but it will never be busywork. I will always clearly state the purpose of every assignment to my students so they can see why it is an important component to whatever lesson we are on. I will assure my students my assignments will never be unnecessarily long and I will always emphasize that my homework will be for the purpose of practice and to check for understanding. However, I will never grade homework assignments, I don’t find that to be a prudent move on any teacher’s part. I will simply review the students’ completed work and make comments as to what they need to work on, for future reference and that way they have some constructive feedback and criticism. I will also make it known that I am always in school early and stay after school as well and that time I spend there is solely to be at the students’ disposal. I will urge them to come to my room to work on homework and to ask questions and check their understanding on any concept from class.

As for tests, I am not a big believer of tests in English classes---I think it’s a poor and futile way to assess students. Instead, I will have several formative assessments such as projects, papers, skits, group projects, and anything and everything under that umbrella. However, I intend to have weekly vocabulary quizzes on words from the various novels and poems we will study because I believe vocabulary is one of the most important things to master within the realm of English.

More on Behavior:

The book, Not in My Classroom! said it best: “Shaping students’ actions, either academically or behaviorally, will be done through your actions and words.” Hence why in order to mold your students into well-mannered, respectful, engaged and attentive kids, a teacher must choose his or her words very carefully. I will only give directions when all of my students are quiet---if I did anything other than this they will assume they can still chit-chat even though class is starting. This is something teachers must prevent. Also, it is vital that teachers don’t just stand planted in one spot of the classroom---it would behoove them and the students (and keep everything interested) if the teacher moves around in the classroom as much as possible, and I intend to do just that. Other ways I plan to deal with behavior is as follows: I will always take the time to recognize appropriate behaviors and to always do what I say I am going to do (always go through with it) (Not in My Classroom!) Also, I plan to adopt a “three strikes and your out rule” where if a student acts up once, I will give them a warning, a second time, I will give them a more stern warning, and a third time I will tell them to “take a hike” or in other words, right them up. I believe it is best to adopt a simple procedure like this. That way, it is easier for students to remember. Another philosophy to keep in mind is to “pay close attention to your students’ behavior. When activity and noise level goes up, the students are telling you they’ve lost interest.” (Common Sense Classroom Management.) This is a fantastic idea that I will always remember---it is something a lot of teachers forget.

Absences and Tardies:

My students will know from the first class they have with me that when they are absent they should either send me or email so I can fill them in on what classwork they missed and what  was assigned for homework or they should contact another student. Moreover, I will have a bin labeled “Make Up Work” where they can pick all of their missing papers up in order to quickly get back on track and catch up. As for late students, 

Conclusion: 

It will always be very important for me to make sure any policies I come up with are effective and will always be professional and run them past my Department Head, as well. Above all though, I will take into account everything that I learn about my students throughout the year so that I can do my vest best to help them flourish in my class, stay engaged, learn a great deal and of course, have an enjoyable time. I believe the plan I have constructed is very effective and would resonate with many schools, teachers and students out there. 

Lastly, some wise words of advice that my mentor-teacher this semester shared with me that made a lot of sense to me was that a teacher should not treat their students like babies because if you respect them and treat them like adults and run the classroom well, chances are they will reciprocate. Also, she noted that it’s not necessary to start a lesson off with “scaring” the students into behaving well---most likely that’s not a smart move anyway. She also mentioned that if anything does come up, you stop the lesson for a moment in order to get the class and kids back on track; and usually if you stop and ask for them to pay attention, they will. She truly believed in treating her students like adults. She seemed to find success in it, and I do like that idea. It just goes to show that respect may possibly be the concept a teacher ought to stress the most within their classroom!

Bibliography:

Ms. Leah Floyd, 8th grade Reading teacher, Northview Middle School

Wong, Harry K., and Rosemary T. Wong. The First Days of School: How to Be an Effective Teacher. Mountainview, CA: Harry K. Wong Publications, 1998. Print.

Lindberg, Jill A., Dianne Evans. Kelley, and April M. Swick. Common-sense Classroom Management for Middle and High School Teachers. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin, 2005. Print.

Wootan, Fred C., and Catherine H. Mulligan. Not in My Classroom: a Teacher's Guide to Effective Classroom Management. Avon, MA: Adams Media, 2007. Print.

Wolfgang, Charles H. Solving Discipline and Classroom Management Problems. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2008. Print.