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Classroom Behavioral Management Plan
Phylicia Kelly
EDUC 360
November 22, 2010
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Descriptive Statement
The purpose of this document is to present my thoughts and beliefs concerning the best
management practices to implement in a classroom so that students are given as many learning
experiences as possible. This document notes my individual teaching style and how I plan to
apply these different beliefs in my classroom, I have already established a foundation toward a
positive learning environment. With the guidance of several theorists, I have organized my
classroom management philosophy and my top ten beliefs/practices that I believe to be essential
for any classroom.
Philosophy of Classroom Management
My Philosophy of Classroom Management is organized through the incorporation of
several classroom behavioral management theorists, such as Fred Jones, Harry and Rosemary
Wong, Jacob Kounin, Richard Curwin, Allen Mendler, Spencer Kagan, Michele Borba, and
Ronald Morrish. As I thought about my individual philosophy and how I intend to manage my
own classroom, each and every one of my thoughts was centered around which management
practices will provide numerous learning experiences for all of my students, which manage
practices will create a positive learning environment, and which practices will help me to
organize the classroom so that all students are given an equal opportunity to learn to the best of
their ability. As a teacher responsible for many students, I want students to engage in the best
possible learning experiences I have to offer. In my mind, these learning opportunities will
prevail by incorporating the following Top Ten Beliefs into my own classroom.
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My Top Ten Beliefs
1. I believe that teachers should incorporate Fred Jones’s theory of “Say, See, Do
Teaching” in their everyday lessons. This theory suggested that teachers involve the students
during the teaching of a lesson. Often times, teachers spend a large portion of their lessons
presenting information to their students while the students are simply sitting at their desks
quietly and listening. Usually, the students are not asked to participate or do anything until
the end of the lesson. By teaching in this manner, it is very likely that students will become
disengaged from the lesson. Students may begin to feel like there is too much information to
retain, therefore, they start letting their minds drift to other places. Also, because the
students tend to sit passively for too long, they acquire the urgency to do something. When
this happens, these are the most opportune times for misbehavior to occur. If teachers try to
think preventively, they will realize that this form of teaching is not effective for a classroom
full of students; therefore, I believe that teachers should practice Say, See, Do Teaching in
the classroom.
Say, See, Do Teaching is when teachers “put students to work from the beginning”
(Charles, p. 127, 2011). The teacher quickly presents some information, engages the
students, presents more information, and then engages the students once more. During the
lesson, students are more likely to maintain interest if they are actively participating. Since
my main goal as an elementary teacher is to increase student learning, Jones’s theory of Say,
See, Do Teaching seems to be a positive approach to incorporate in the classroom.
2. In a typical classroom, teachers are likely to experience the effects of Helpless
Handraisers. For instance, when teaching a whole group lesson, often times, students seem
to understand the concept that is being taught; however, when the students are asked to begin
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working independently, there is no doubt that several hands go up with questions beyond
questions. At this point in time, the teacher proceeds to maneuver around the classroom
answering questions and often times, re-teaching the lesson that was just taught. By the time
the teacher has answered all questions or re-taught the lesson, more than likely, the lesson
has taken more time than originally planned. Therefore, more time throughout the day has
been wasted (Charles, p. 127, 2011).
As a teacher, I believe in conserving time, not wasting it. I want the students to leave
class everyday with as many learning experiences as possible. To do this, I plan to
incorporate Fred Jones’s technique of using Visual Instruction Plans (VIPs). VIPs are
displays that the teacher creates to post around the room, explaining the steps or process for
an assignment. For instance, if a teacher has taught the students how to do a division
problem, he/she may want to create a display with each step labeled so that the students have
a diagram to follow. With this type of visual display, the teacher is not constantly re-
teaching the same lesson over and over again. The teacher can quickly take a glance at a
student’s work and simply direct that student to the correct step he/she needs to alter. Also,
with this type of instruction provided, it is unlikely that the students will need the teacher to
repeat their individual tasks when they do not remember (Charles, p. 127, 2011).
3. When students come into my classroom every morning, I believe in having some form
of morning work on each student’s desk. Harry and Rosemary Wong say that having
morning work “eliminates 90 percent of discipline problems that otherwise arise” (Charles, p.
113, 2011). I agree with that statement; if students know that they are required to come in
the classroom, take care of their morning procedures, and then begin the morning work on
their desk, they will most likely remain in their seats and continue working. If they are not
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presented with this task every morning, the students will think that they are given free reign
to get out of their seats, wander around the room, and chat with other classmates. By not
giving the students an exact task at the beginning of each day, the students will take
advantage of this free time and inevitably misbehavior will occur. If a teacher manages this
procedure from the very beginning of the school year, the teacher will deal with fewer
instances of misbehavior. Also, by incorporating morning work into the morning procedures,
the teacher will be able to make an easier transition into the lessons for the day. A classroom
will be much more productive if the teacher is able to move into learning very smoothly at
the start of every day.
As the teacher, I know that my responsibility will be to make sure that the morning
work for every day is prepared. Even though this will be a bit time-consuming, I feel that it
is absolutely necessary. A productive and positive learning environment occurs when the
teacher has a well-managed classroom; to have a well-managed classroom, I believe that it
all begins with the first 5 minutes of everyday, as soon as the students walk through that
door.
4. The key to having a well-managed classroom is also by incorporating classroom rules
and expectations. Just as Harry and Rosemary Wong suggested, I also believe that teachers
should “limit the number of rules to a maximum of five, which should be stated in a positive
manner” (Charles, p. 105, 2011). I believe that a maximum of five rules/expectations is a
great idea because a classroom with too many rules can be overwhelming to students. Yes,
children should have limits and expectations, but several of these limits and expectations can
fall under certain categories. For instance, one rule could be to “follow directions the first
time they are given” (Charles, p. 105, 2011). This rule applies during several activities
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throughout the school day: following the directions for morning procedures, following the
directions to complete a homework assignment, following the directions for sitting on the
floor during whole group, etc. This is a simple rule that students can understand and the
teacher can implement it throughout the entire day.
As previously stated, I also believe that these rules should be stated in a positive
manner. Students are more likely to react positively when the words are phrased positively
as well. When the rules are written in this form, they are encouraging good behavior, rather
than focusing on the misbehavior that can occur. Classroom rules should be there as a guide
for students to follow so that they know what is required to act as a well-behaved,
responsible student.
5. I believe that teachers should apply Jacob Kounin’s principal teaching of “With-it-
ness” in their classrooms. This term means that teachers are able to be in one location in the
room and still know what is happening in all other corners of the room. Teachers need to be
visibly aware of everything that goes on in a classroom because they are responsible for each
individual under their supervision. To be sure that misbehavior does not arouse, teachers
need to be “with-it,” so to speak; they need to see and hear everything that is happening
throughout the room to make sure that students are following procedures and staying on task.
To prevent classroom disruptions, it is up to the teacher to see where problems are transpiring
and handle them immediately without causing more disturbances to those students who are
working hard. By being actively aware of the students’ behaviors in the classroom, teachers
can prevent further distractions and misbehaviors before they occur.
6. The theorists, Richard Curwin and Allen Mendler, have stated that student
“responsibility is more important than obedience” in a classroom (Discipline with Dignity).
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For my own classroom, I also believe that students should be taught that they are the ones
responsible for their own choices and behavior. If my classroom is to be a student-centered
environment, then it would only be right that the students control their own actions and know
that no one else is to blame, but themselves for the choices they choose to make. By
focusing on the concept that each individual student is responsible for his/her own choices,
the classroom is less likely to focus on student obedience. I do not want to stand up in front
of a classroom of elementary-aged students and lecture them on following the rules; I do not
want the students to feel that their ultimate job is to obey the teacher. The students will be in
charge of themselves, and I will merely enforce the consequences when poor choices are
made. In my classroom, I believe that good behaviors should be shared and discussed with
the students and then encouraged. By encouraging these good behaviors and reminding
students that they have a choice every day, I feel that misbehavior will be less likely to occur.
When the students know that they are held responsible for their own choices and behavior, I
believe that they will do their best to make the right choice.
7. Another belief of Curwin and Mendler’s that I truly agree with is the idea that
teachers should handle misbehavior privately so as not to embarrass the student. When a
student does choose to make a poor choice, the misbehavior issue concerns only the teacher
and the student involved; the rest of the class does not need to know, hear, or see how you
handle the situation. Therefore, the teacher should pull the misbehaving student aside and
have a one-on-one conversation discussing the appropriate manner in which the student
should have acted. By handling the situation in this fashion, the student will not be
humiliated in front of his/her peers, and to be sure that he/she does not get embarrassed in
front of everyone, the student will most likely try harder the next time to behave more
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appropriately. However, if a student is embarrassed in front of his/her peers, more than
likely the misbehavior will only persist. As a teacher with the ultimate goal of providing the
students with the best possible learning environment, I will try to prevent misbehaviors
before they occur, or stop them before they get out of hand. Therefore, handling behavior
issues privately is a great tactic; it not only brings about a quick solution by speaking directly
to the student, but it does not contribute to disruptions in the classroom for the other students.
8. To have a well-behaved and well-managed classroom, I also believe that lessons need
to be motivating to the students. Richard Curwin and Allen Mendler have also stated that the
reason misbehavior occurs is because students are bored in school. If teachers try to prevent
this boredom by making the lessons and activities engaging, the students will not have the
time nor the will to misbehave. They will be preoccupied and interested in what they are
learning; therefore, there will be fewer disruptions and misbehaviors in the classroom.
Just as I previously stated, my ultimate goal as a teacher is to provide the best
possible learning environment for all students. When there is very little misbehavior,
students are given the opportunity to learn without distractions. Then, when students are
engaged in the lessons and motivated to learn, I feel that they will be able to truly walk away
from the lesson and retain the new schema they just added to their “filing cabinets.”
Therefore, to create these motivating and engaging lessons, teachers need to try to make the
lessons personal and relevant to the students. Motivation is key to increasing learning and
decreasing misbehavior.
9. After misbehavior has occurred, I believe that teacher should work together with the
misbehaving student to find an appropriate solution. This belief actually comes from a
combination of the two theorists, Spencer Kagan and Michele Borba. Kagan believed that
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that there are three pillars that set the foundation for a classroom, and that the concept of
shared responsibilities between the teacher and student is one of them. However, Borba had
a very similar belief except she suggested that a teacher should work with the student every
time misbehavior occurs by involving the student in the 4 Rs: responding, reviewing,
reflecting, and making right. To do this the teacher first needs to have a conversation with
the student in which he/she should ask why the student chose to behave that way, meanwhile
listening to what the student has to say (responding). Then, the teacher needs to help the
student(s) review the classroom rules so that they understand why they are in trouble
(reviewing). Next, the teacher needs to ask questions that cause the student(s) to think about
the effects of their behavior (reflecting). Finally, the teacher needs to assist the student(s) in
making the situation right. During this entire process, the teacher and student are working
together to find an appropriate solution to the problem. By walking the student through these
steps after the misbehavior has occurred, the student is able to discuss the situation, review
why the behavior was inappropriate, and be a part of the solving process. I believe that a
misbehaving student is more likely to learn from his/her mistake if he/she is asked to move
through this process afterwards. If the student is the bearer of a teacher-directed punishment
with no conversation about the situation, I believe that the misbehavior will reoccur again. In
order to provide a safe and positive learning environment for all students, the teacher needs
to do whatever is necessary to prevent future misbehaviors, even if it means practicing this
intervention process as often as necessary.
10. My final belief about classroom behavioral management comes from Ronald Morrish,
who believed that consequences should be applied to help the students learn. One particular
type of consequence that he suggested was compensation. This means that the misbehaving
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student should “do something positive to make up for the negative” (Charles, p. 95, 2011).
For instance, the student could write a letter to the victim he/she was teasing; or, the student
could make an improvement plan indicating how he/she would handle the situation in the
future; or, the student could write a story that illustrates the problem and lesson learned to
read to younger children. Basically, Morrish thought that misbehaving students should do
something that showed they were learning from their poorly made choice. I believe that this
is a great technique to prevent future misbehaviors and for students to learn from their
mistakes. By having a student write a letter to a victim of teasing, the misbehaving student
may realize that he/she truly could have hurt the victim’s feelings. Children will not come to
this realization by being told they just have to stay in for recess or give up some of their free
choice time. I believe that students need to compensate for their misbehavior; they need to
do something that will help them learn from their mistake to prevent the behavior from
occurring again. Therefore, I would use the loss of recess or free choice time as a
consequence, but during that time, I want the misbehaving student to do something that
compensates for their negative behavior.
These are the Top Ten Beliefs that I deem to be essential to create a well-managed
and well-behaved classroom. Overall, I believe in doing whatever is necessary to prevent
misbehavior before it occurs, but it does not always work that way. There are just some
behaviors that will inevitably happen and they cannot be prevented. However, the key to
keeping a well-managed classroom is to work through those misbehaviors by supporting the
students through the reflection process, guiding them to the appropriate decisions,
acknowledging student responsibility in the classroom, devising a compensating consequence
plan, and engaging students in interesting lessons. Along with my Top Ten Beliefs, I also
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believe that a teacher should have several procedures and routines organized and ready to be
implemented every day in the classroom. The specific procedure and routines that I plan to
incorporate are as follows:
Procedures and Routines
1. Beginning of the Day
When the students come into the classroom in the morning, it is very important that the
students have specific morning procedures to follow. Without these morning procedures, the
school day will most likely not begin on time and the morning will seem chaotic. Upon entering
the classroom, the students can take a brief second to say hello to the teacher and classmates.
Then, the students must go directly to their cubbies, take out their homework and communication
folders, and put their backpacks away. After putting their backpacks away, the students must
proceed to the basket on the back table in which they must leave their communication folder and
then place their homework in the proper homework tray. After turning in all necessary items, the
students need to go directly to the attendance and lunch count and indicate whether they are
having hot or cold lunch by moving their designated magnet to the proper section on the front
board. Then, they need to make sure that they have 2 sharpened pencils to begin the day by
sharpening any pencils if needed. After returning to their seats with sharpened pencils, the
students must take a seat and read the directions on the front board displaying what is to be done
for morning work. Morning work may consist of a journal response, a worksheet, or an
individual activity that can be done alone and quietly. The purpose of morning work is to get
the students on task right away so that they are prepared to begin learning once the morning bell
rings.
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Since this is a long list of procedures to follow in the morning, the teacher will type up a
Word document that displays each step for this procedure. The teacher will display this
laminated document on the wall next to the classroom door so that the students can see them as
they enter the classroom. Then, the teacher will create smaller versions of this document to put
on the corner of each child’s desk so that he/she can have them in an easily accessible place. To
begin the day, the teacher will make sure that the directions for the morning work are written on
the front board so that the students can begin right away. Also, the teacher must make sure that
the attendance/lunch count magnets are ready to be maneuvered appropriately. With these
procedures in place, the students should be able to get on task right away at the beginning of
every day.
2. Attendance/Lunch Count
Rather than taking time out of every morning to orally call each student by name to see if
they are at school and what they are having for lunch, it would be more appropriate to have the
students take care of the attendance and lunch count during their morning procedures. To check
attendance and the lunch count easily, the teacher will have a prepared magnet for each student
in the classroom (they will be cutouts of lunchboxes that will be laminated with a magnet glued
on the back). On the corner of the front board, there will be a section labeled Hot Lunch and
another labeled Cold Lunch. The students will be responsible for moving their individual
lunchbox magnets to the proper section, depending on what they are having for lunch. As the
teacher, I will explain the fact that it is against the rules to move anyone else’s magnet except
your own; each student is responsible for him/herself. By carrying out this procedure during the
morning procedures, the teacher will not have to distract the entire class as they are quietly and
individually working on their morning work.
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As the teacher, I will need to be sure that the magnets and the lunch chart are prepared
before the very first day of school. The students will need to practice this procedure the first day
so that they can keep up with it throughout the rest of the school year. Then, on a daily basis, I
will need to make sure that each magnet is moved to a designated area, not in the Hot Lunch or
Cold Lunch sections, so that the counts will be accurate every day. This will be a routine that I
will be sure to get organized at the end of every school day for the following day.
3. Pencil Sharpening
At the beginning of each school day, the students are required to make sure that they have
two sharpened pencils to begin the day. I want the students to have two pencils ready just in case
one pencil breaks; it is always better to have a backup so that students do not constantly want to
get out of their seats to sharpen another pencil. Being at the pencil sharpener only distracts the
rest of the class because of the noise it provides, and it is just another opportunity for
misbehavior to occur. However, as a teacher, it is important to realize that even though students
will have two sharpened pencils in the morning, they still may need to re-sharpen the pencil
throughout the day for whatever reason. Knowing that this may occur, I will also have an area
set aside with two cans for pencils: one can will be labeled Sharpened Pencils and the other can
will be labeled Unsharpened Pencils. If the student has an unsharpened pencil, he/she will
quickly and quietly get out of their seats, go over to the can-pencil area, leave the unsharpened
pencil in the correct can, and take a sharpened pencil out of the other can. By doing this, the
whole class and I do not have to hear the pencil sharpener throughout the day since it provides a
distraction. This technique will also limit the misbehavior because students will not be in one
area for long periods of time, waiting to use the pencil sharpener.
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As the teacher, it will be my job to make sure that all of the unsharpened pencils from the
Unsharpened Pencil Can will be re-sharpened and put into the other container. In order for this
procedure to be a success, I need to make sure that these pencils are sharpened before the
students get to school. This will be another task that I will get organized at the end of every
school day for the following day so that it is ready the next morning.
4. Communication with Parents
Communication with the students’ parents is very important. It is the teacher’s responsibility
to keep the parents updated with the current happenings at school and what will be occurring in
the future. Also, as a teacher, it is very important to keep those parents involved with the
everyday activities of their children. Teachers play a major role in providing students with the
necessary information they need to grow and learn, but reinforcement at home is most certainly
beneficial. We are only with the students for about 7 hours every day, and we try to provide the
students with as many learning opportunities as possible. Since it is sometimes difficult to
accomplish everything that is necessary, teachers become very dependent on those parents to
review, study, and practice with their own children.
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Therefore, in my classroom, I will provide every student with a Moose (Management of
Organizational Skills Everyday) Book. This item will be in the form of a binder and will house
everything necessary pertaining to school. For instance, there will be an inside pocket labeled,
“Important Papers from School.” Then, there will be a file folder in the binding section labeled,
“Super Duper Work to Keep.” Any of the work that is done at school that needs to go home will
go in this area. Then, another file folder will be labeled, “Returned Homework” in which the
student’s homework for the day will go home in that section and come back in that section.
Following homework section will be a labeled section titled, “Parent/Teacher Communication.”
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This is where I will supply blank sheets of notebook paper for the parent to write a note to the
teacher or vice versa. Then, I will have a final section labeled, “Newsletters” in which a weekly
newsletter will be sent home at the end of every week to share what has been happening in class.
In order for the Moose Books to be a success in my classroom, I will have to prepare
these binders before the first day of school. I will need to be sure that I have a binder for each
student and that each one contains the correct sections. Then, I will definitely need to explain
how the Moose Books work to the parents so that they can participate in this organizational
process. This Moose Book will be beneficial to the teacher, student, and parents because it
contains all the necessary items for school. It is also very important because it provides a fast
and easy communication process for the teacher and parent if a note needs to go home or to
school any day of the week. Also, by using this binder, the parents will know exactly where the
daily homework will be and what the student needs to accomplish.
The only issue that I may have with these Moose Books would be the cost. Not every
school will provide all of the necessary materials for these books so I definitely need to be ready
and willing to support this out of my own pocket. However, with the organization that these
Moose Books will provide, I will definitely do whatever is necessary to get the funds.
5. Getting Attention/Signaling for Quiet
When a classroom of students are working together in groups, participating in free choice
time, transitioning from one subject/activity to the next, or during any time in which the students
have gone above the appropriate noise level, I plan to obtain the students’ attention by using the
technique of “Give Me Five” by Harry and Rosemary Wong. To teach this technique to my
students, I will definitely need to rehearse it during the first week of class. First, when I want to
quiet the class and get their attention, I need to start by simply raising my hand and saying out
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loud, “Give me five.” At this point in time, the students should be going through the five steps in
their mind that they should be doing during this procedure. The five steps are: 1) Eyes on the
speaker, 2) Quiet, 3) Be Still, 4) Hands Free, and 5) Listen. As the students are thinking through
these 5 steps in their mind, the teacher will gradually put up all 5 fingers, indicating that they
have almost completed all 5 steps. Once all 5 fingers are up and my hand is open, I should have
the students’ full attention.
In order for this procedure to be successful, I will need to create a chart that lists these 5
steps and hang it somewhere in the classroom so that is easy for all students to see. Then, during
the first week of school, I will need to teach this procedure and practice, practice, practice it over
and over with the students. By the end of the first week, the students should have this procedure
nearly memorized.
6. Transition to Specials
When it is time for the students to leave the classroom and transition to their specials,
lunch, or recess, I believe that there should be a specific procedure in which the students are
quiet so as not to disturb any other classes in progress. For my students, I will use the “Flip and
Zip” technique. This is a very interesting procedure that I witnessed in another school
corporation and I find that it is very successful. During these transitioning times, the students are
all required to line up in two lines, a boy and girl line. Then, before we leave the classroom, I
will simply say to students, “Flip and Zip.” At this point in time, the students should cross their
arms across their chest and zip their lips. Then, when we are walking through the hallway, all
voices are off because their mouths are zipped, and no one is touching the walls or each other
because their arms are crossed. This is a very simple procedure, but it will definitely need to be
rehearsed with the students repeatedly.
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As the teacher, my responsibility will be to teach this procedure to the students starting
the very first day of school. Then, I will need to ensure that all of my students are following this
procedure by reminding them as often as necessary. It may even be beneficial to create a small
sign near the doorway that reminds the students to Flip and Zip every time they leave the room.
Implementation of Classroom Management Plan
Classroom Rules/Expectations
I believe that the students should be involved in the process of creating our classroom
rules and that these should be established on the very first day of school. My reasoning for
having student involvement in this process is because I believe that the children are more apt to
follow the rules if they were part of the rule making. As I previously mentioned in my Top Ten
Beliefs, I want my classroom to be centered around student responsibility rather than teacher
obedience. If I just stand up in front of the classroom and explain my rules to all of the students,
it is likely that they will not realize the importance of following these rules, and I will simply be
enforcing obedience. However, if the students are involved in this rule-creating process, they
will have to think about what is most important, why it is most important, and overall they may
try harder to follow the rules if they are their own rules; the students would realize that it is their
responsibility to follow these rules, especially since they chose them.
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When we begin creating these rules as a whole class, I will start by explaining that we
will only 5 rules for our classroom; we do not want too many that will be hard to follow and too
few that do not cover all of the necessary areas. Therefore, when the students start thinking
about the rules for the class, they will need to decide on what is most important. However, since
this is my classroom, I will have some rules/expectations that I believe will be very important to
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have in a classroom. For instance, I believe that students should follow directions the first time
they are given. Before I begin creating these rules with my students, I will have a plan of the 5
most important rules to me. Then, when we start deciding on the rules, I will guide the students
using my plan. I want the students to share their opinions and I want them to have a say in our
classroom rules since they will be responsible for following them. If I find that one of their ideas
is more important than one from my plan, I will be willing to acknowledge that. However, I will
do my best to guide the students to appropriate rules. Given this responsibility, I believe that the
students will try their best to create a good set of rules and expectations for the class.
After the rules have been created, I will transfer the information from chart paper to a
poster board and laminate it. I want to hang this poster board in front of the classroom so that it
can be viewed by all of the students during any time of the day. Then, after creating a
Rules/Expectations Poster, I will explain the consequences to the students if they choose to break
any of these rules. These consequences will be the standard ones used in nearly every
classroom: first offense being a warning, second offense -losing half of recess, third offense-
losing all of recess and sending a note home/calling the parents, and fourth offense- referral to
the principal’s office. If a student reaches his/her third offense, this is where I will implement
the idea of compensation from my Top Ten Beliefs. By the time a student reaches the third
offense, he/she has repeated some form of misbehavior. Therefore, I believe that the student
should stay in for recess and compensate for this misbehavior. For instance, the student could
write a letter to the teacher explaining his/her wrongdoing and how he/she plans to fix it in the
future. I will list some compensation ideas under the third and fourth offense because that is
where these ideas will be implemented. After explaining the consequences, I will have them
written on a laminated poster board to be displayed in the front of the classroom as well. The
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students need to see exactly what their expectations are and what the consequences are if they
choose not to follow them.
After discussing the rules and consequences for the classroom, I feel that the students
definitely need to know about the reward’s system. I believe that there should be incentives for
the students to motivate good behavior. As I have previously stated several times, a well-
managed and well-behaved classroom creates a positive learning environment for all students to
continue growing and learning. If incentives will motivate the students to be on their best
behavior so that learning can occur, I will definitely provide these rewards. Some rewards will
just be simple, easy rewards that merely show praise. For instance, when a student is displaying
good behavior by sitting quietly at his/her own seat waiting to go to lunch, I may verbally praise
this student and let him/her be the first in line. However, I also believe that there should be some
special rewards, such as Preferred Activity Time (PAT) in which the students are given a specific
amount of time to do whatever they choose to do within reason. For example, the students can
choose to play board games, play math games, play computer games, work on homework, read a
book, draw a picture, etc. At the end of every day, I plan to re-evaluate each student’s behavior;
every student who was not subject to any of the previous consequences for misbehavior will
receive a sticker. At the end of the week, all of the students who received 5 stickers (one sticker
each day) for good behavior will be given 20 minutes of PAT. For any students who were given
only 4 stickers, they will only receive 15 minutes of PAT. Then, any students with 3 stickers
will receive 10 minutes, 2 stickers will be 5 minutes, and 1 sticker or less will be a loss of all
PAT at the end of the week. The ultimate goal is that the students will want this extra 20
minutes of Preferred Activity Time so they will try their best to behave appropriately throughout
the week. For the students who do not receive any PAT at the end of the week, I will have them
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work through an Improvement Plan in which they need to explain how they intend to improve
their behavior for the following week. During the PAT, I want the student(s) to realize why they
are missing out on this reward, and then explain what they need to fix to be a part of it the
following week.
My overall goal of using this compensation technique is not to provide the students with
busy work; I simply want the students to learn from their mistakes and devise a plan in which
they explain how they can improve. The object is for all students to behave appropriately
throughout the entire week so that they are gaining as much as they can from our learning
opportunities.
Curriculum and Instruction
In my Top Ten Beliefs, I stated that motivation is the key to increasing learning and
decreasing misbehavior. I truly believe that the students need to be engaged in my instruction if
I really want learning to occur. In order for the students to be motivated about learning, I first
believe that I, the teacher, need to be motivated about every aspect that I am teaching. If I am
not excited about student learning, how can I expect my students to be excited? Therefore, I
intend on showing my enthusiasm for learning during every lesson.
:
Then, I also believe that the lessons that I teach need to be relevant and authentic to the
students; these lessons/activities need to spark their interests. If I cannot gain their interest, it is
very likely that the students will not retain the new information. After school begins, I will
spend time getting to know my students, their different learning styles, and what I can do to get
them interested in learning. Then, I will take that knowledge and do my best to incorporate these
aspects into my teaching. If I know that several of my students are visual learners and then
others are bodily/kinesthetic (hands on) learners, then I would try to create lessons for these
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multiple intelligences. I want my students to continue to grow and learn, and I want to provide
them with the best learning opportunities possible; therefore, I will definitely plan for the types
of learners in my classroom.
Classroom Management Style
Preventive:
:
A preventive classroom management style is when the teacher uses proactive
management strategies that work toward preventing misbehavior before it occurs. In order to
have a preventive classroom management style, I believe that a teacher needs to have an
organized set of routines, rules, and consequences so that students know what is expected of
them. If these management systems are in place, the students will know that they are responsible
for following these procedures and that they will be held accountable for the choices they make.
One of the management techniques that I intend to use in my classroom that will support
a preventive management style is the idea of allowing students to be a part of the rule-making
process. By allowing the students to be a part of this decision, we will already be talking about
the importance of the rules in the classroom. They will also gain an understanding of what each
of these rules mean because they will need to defend why they believe that a particular rule is
essential in a classroom. I strongly believe that this is a great preventive technique because the
teacher is definitely making the rules known to every student in the classroom.
Another preventive management strategy that I believe should be taken into account is
the physical proximity of the teacher to the students. Students are less likely to misbehave if
they know they are in the sight of the authoritative figure. Therefore, I will be sure to position
my desk in sight of all of the students’ desks so that I can see every student. If I notice that a
student is getting off task during a lesson, small group work, or individual work, I will bring
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myself closer to this student. Often times, the off-task student will re-evaluate their behavior and
make the correct choice if he/she knows that the teacher is watching.
Supportive:
A supportive classroom management style is when certain measures are taken to assist
students by helping them get back on task. For instance, one way to redirect a student’s behavior
is through the use of appropriate body language. When a student becomes distracted and stops
working through an assignment, the teacher can simply make eye contact with the student, give a
hand signal, or show the appropriate facial expression, such as a frown (aka, the teacher look). I
believe that my body language will quickly and quietly redirect that off-task student.
Another way of creating a supportive classroom environment would be to instill humor
into a lesson that has become uninteresting. Often times, misbehavior occurs when students are
bored and no longer engaged in what they are learning. If I try to keep the students engaged in
the lesson by incorporating some interesting or humorous points, I believe that the students are
more likely to stay on task with the lesson at hand. This will also be a way to ensure that
learning will continue to take place since the students will be focused on the excitement of the
lesson.
Often times in elementary school, students are likely to get off task when they have a
particular object, toy, or belonging that distracts them from their responsibilities. As a teacher,
my goal would be to prevent the distractions and misbehaviors that could occur with this
particular object. To support the student(s) and redirect their attention to the main lesson, I
believe that it would be beneficial to remove any of these distractive objects. It is very easy for a
student to get off task when this object is in their hands waiting to be toyed with. At the end of
the school day, I would then return the object to the owner and ask him/her to leave it at home.
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Corrective:
A corrective classroom management style would be the measures that a teacher takes
when students choose not to follow the classroom or school rules. For instance, these would be
the consequences that I have previously mentioned. When a student breaks a rule the first time,
he/she is given a warning. After the warning, the student will lose half of their recess. Once a
student reaches his/her third offense, the student then is in charge of compensating for the
negative behavior. The student will lose all of their recess, but that time will be spent wisely.
That time will be spent writing a letter of apology and explanation or writing an improvement
plan for their behavior.
Also, when a student has chosen not to follow a particular classroom or school rule, it is
very important that the teacher makes sure that the consequences are consistent. If I do not
follow through with the consequences that were discussed at the very beginning of the school
year, the students will recognize this and they will take advantage of it. The students will learn
what they can get away with and what is unacceptable. My overall goal is to show students that I
will be consistent, misbehavior will not be tolerated in any fashion, and every student will be
responsible for the consequence of their own decisions.
Another corrective management strategy would be to speak to the student privately about
the issue at hand. When a student chooses to misbehave, it is the responsibility of the teacher to
keep this matter private and between the teacher, student, and/or principal and parents. If a
student is misbehaving, I believe that the teacher should not embarrass the student; this may only
make matters worse. The situation is likely to be solved in a quicker and quieter form if the
teacher directly speaks to the student in private.
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Miss Kelly’s Classroom Arrangement
Entrance
Cubbies
Teacher’s Desk Window
Bulletin Board White Board
White Board
Students’ Desks
Guided Reading Table
Whole Group Rug
Rocking Chair
Storage Cabinets
Computers
This would be the way that I would arrange my elementary school classroom. I chose to have the Teacher’s Desk in the corner across from the entrance because it is in the back of the classroom, out of the learning area. I chose to put the students’ desks in groups of six in which their backs would face the window and the entrance. I would prefer that none of the students’ backs would be to the front of the room, which is where I would be teaching. I also chose to provide enough walking areas through the groups of desks so that I could be within a close proximity of all of the students. Then, I also provided a designated area for whole group time and a designated area for guided reading groups. These are important areas because they are essential to the elementary school curriculum.
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Parent Letter
Dear Parent/Guardian,
Welcome back to another school year! I am very excited to have your child in my class this year and I know that it will be a great year for learning. I just thought that I would send a letter home on this first day of school to share a little bit about our classroom and the way that I have it structured so that the students are provided with the best possible learning environment. Today, we discussed our classroom rules/expectations and the consequence and reward system. My belief is that the students in the classroom should have a say in the rules that they will be responsible for following. As a class, we had a discussion and narrowed our rules to the 5 most important ones: 1) Follow directions the first time they are given, 2) Raise your hand and wait for permission to speak, 3) Stay in your seat unless you have permission to do otherwise, 4) Keep hands, feet, and objects to yourself, and 5) Always use kind words. The students have agreed that these rules are very important to our classroom so that everyone is at ease everyday and ready to learn. If by some chance any of the students choose to break any of these rules, there are consequences already in place: 1st offense: Warning, 2nd offense: Lose half of recess, 3rd offense: Lose all of recess, compensate for negative behavior by writing an apology letter or improvement plan, and note home to parent, and 4th offense: Referral to principal’s office. These consequences were explained to every student in the classroom and they know what is expected of them. However, I also feel that good behavior should be rewarded and it will. At the end of every school day, I will re-evaluate each child’s behavior. Anyone who was not subject to any of these previously stated consequences will receive a sticker on their daily sticker chart. At the end of every week, the students will receive Preferred Activity Time in which they can do anything of their choosing within reason. The students who received all 5 stickers throughout the week will receive the full 20 minutes of PAT, 4 stickers results in 15 minutes, 3 stickers results in 10 minutes and so on down the line. My ultimate goal is that every student will be on their best behavior everyday to enjoy this time at the end of the week. In order to keep you updated about the happenings in school, I have this Moose Book system in which every student will be provided with a binder with all the important items for school. In this binder, I have provided a pocket folder for important papers from school, work that needs to stay home, homework that needs to be done and returned to school, and newsletters. Also, toward the back there is a section with blank sheets of notebook paper for any point in time in which you may need to write me a note or vice versa. Please, do not hesitate to write me a note about anything concerning your child. I will use this section to do the same. Also, please be sure that your child brings this binder to school every day. I will ensure that it is taken home every day so that you can have all the necessary updates. Thank you so much for your time! I am looking forward to this school year and I hope that you and your child are too! Sincerely, Miss Kelly
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Works Cited
Charles, C.M. (2011). Building classroom discipline. Boston: Pearson. (2007) Discipline with dignity. Retrieved from http://wik.ed.uiuc.edu/index.php/Discipline_
with_Dignity.
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