Classroom Management Plan - Carla Goldberg



Classroom Management Plan

Carla Goldberg

APU

Abstract

“So keep them engaged all the day, leaving no time for mischievous play. Learning will soar and knowledge will grow, and the class is over before you know!” (Stronge, Tucker, & Hindman, 2004, p. 35)

Classroom management provides a structure for learning to occur. Without it, some learning may take place, but not to the level most teachers desire. My plan outlines how I intend to maximize the time I spend with my students. Many of my strategies involve mitigating the “moments” from turning into “situations.”

Classroom Management Plan

Introduction

As a teacher, I am the catalyst for learning. My classroom management plan is designed to support learning in a positive, fun and safe environment. I believe all children can learn and it is the teacher’s responsibility to keep children engaged and excited about learning as much as possible. This will be accomplished by demonstrating the practical application of the lesson being presented to ignite each student’s desire to learn. The goal is to help the students realize knowing the information will benefit them, resulting in the students taking ownership in their own learning.

“The fact is that, in every classroom, someone will always be in control. Will it be you or your students?” (Breaux & Whitaker, 2006, p. 107).

Classroom Design

My classroom will be bright, sunny, and inviting. As a child looks around the room she will see visual cues related to what the class is learning. The room will consist of a comfortable reading area stuffed with books, books on tape, a bean bag, stability ball, and a comfortable rug. Students will sit at table groupings to encourage team building and accountability. I will spend most of my time engaged with the students in activities such as circle time, moving around the room helping students, and leading the class in body movements to increase learning. There will be no blind spots in the classroom. Although I will have my own desk, I hope to only use it at the end of the day to prepare future lessons. Students will be allowed to move around the class and not stay fixed to their seats for some activities, as long as they are not distracting other students. The classroom will be organized and everything will have a place. There will be adequate space between chairs, desks and supply areas so it feels comfortable and not cramped or cluttered. Materials such as paper, pencils, scissors, glue and other supplies will be stored in the same place everyday, for easy access. If traffic flow becomes a concern, I will re-organize the class to eliminate this issue. On pages 16 and 17 of this document are three dimensional layouts of my classroom.

The books in my classroom will be about all types of people, including children’s books about dealing with cancer, being in a wheel chair, being deaf, living in an Alaskan village, moving to America, divorced parents, single moms, civil rights movement, and more. I want the kids to internalize the view that all humans are equal, so we should not single others out as different. We will also study different countries and have play games and eat ethnic foods from various cultures.

I will make use of teaching tools such as a Promethean Board, flip charts, white boards, movies, books on tape, manipulatives, models, maps, charts, field trips, movement/physical activity, word wall, bulletin boards, iPads, iPods, and other multi-media. This approach allows for various types of learning styles and keeps students interested longer than if I was just lecturing.

If you look into my classroom during Think Time, you might see a bunch of kids at various areas within the room. One student will be by himself at the independent study center, a few will be listening to books on tape, a small group will be engaged in a guided reading session, and another group working on their passion project. Upon initial observations, it may appear that there is no organization. Since everyone learns differently, I take this into account in my teaching style, providing opportunities for visual, audio, and kinesthetic learning. Students are encouraged to partake in learning activities they enjoy and Think Time is a great avenue for them to explore learning.

Parental or Guardian Involvement

I will work with families of all backgrounds to maximize learning of all my students. I realize it much easier for a child to do well in school with support from family members or guardians. I’ll communicate with parents and primary caretakers on a regular basis via phone, email, notes and class newsletters.

I will also send home a monthly newsletter that is mainly developed by my students. It will include a message from me, important dates, and students’ work such as pictures, poems, stories and cartoons. Each week I will write home to one of my student’s family. I will explain what the child is doing well in school. The focus will be positive and serve as a way to help the parents feel connected to the classroom.

Since learning is based on what happens at school and at home, I will discover as much as I can about the family life of my students. Although this information will not change how a student’s work is graded, it will help me understand some behavior issues or performance inconsistencies.

Each Friday I will send home a note identifying if the student has any work missing. The form will be required to be signed and returned on Monday. This will help keep parents in the loop, so there are no surprises regarding grades or other issues related to missed work.

I would love for parents or family members to come in and be guest speakers. Topics covered might include local history, occupations, or cultures. I encourage and cherish parent involvement at any level.

Student Involvement

Although students must comply with school policies, they will be involved in the development of classroom rules and procedures. I will lead this discussion and guide them to incorporate the following rules

1. Be respectful of people and property

2. Be prepared for class

Class procedures will also involve some class discussion to enhance buy-in from the students. Common procedures include

• Attendance/Lunch Count

• Collecting/Returning Work

• Morning Workshop

• Hallway Behavior

• Recess/Going Home

• Transitions

• Focusing for Learning Time (Stronge, Tucker, & Hindman, 2004, Chapter 3)

For large projects, I will incorporate the students’ input into the rubric. This process, will also be lead by me and I will filter out ideas that are off base. I will allow student choice as much as possible, especially for projects. For example, if the unit we are studying is Colonial Palmer, students could choose from one of the following for the project: perform a play, write a paper, make art representing the era, build a mini tractor, or a different out of the box idea. There will also be times where students can work as small groups instead of doing individual projects.

A team captain will be assigned to each table group for the week. This will give students the opportunity to develop leadership skills and respect authority. The captain will be responsible for things such as getting papers, and dealing with minor issues that come up. For example, if Suzy needs help during independent work activities, she can let the captain know and he will see if anyone at the table can help her before asking for help from the teacher. If the issue can’t be resolved amongst the table, the team captain will perform the predetermined signal, such as placing a designated object on his desk to let me know someone needs assistance. This will minimize lots of kids asking for help all at once, especially if they all have the same question. It also provides an opportunity for students to rely on one another and develop communication skills.

I realize there are cultural differences and I am sensitive to this issue and will work to learn about the cultures of my students to make them feel welcome. I love learning about different backgrounds, which is why I chose anthropology as my minor in college. I find it exciting to discover why people employ customs that differ from mine. It’s important to me that all children feel welcome, secure, and at home in my classroom.

Safety

My classroom will be a safe environment allowing children to take on challenges without being afraid to try something new. I want to create an environment where students feel the classroom is a place where they can take risks and be supported by me and the entire class.

Table groupings will be responsible to keep their area clean and neat so there are no possible tripping hazards or other accidents. They will also let me know if anyone is missing from their group after specials or other events I’m not involved with. This will help foster a team effort. When students are given approval to go the bathroom, they will place a stuffed animal (or other designated object) on their desk to identify they are using the bathroom. This provides a visual reminder incase of an emergency, such as a fire alarm.

I will utilize the cooking area in the room once the students understand the safety issues related to the appliances. I know first hand that you can learn a lot about a culture and a region from their food such as: temperature, climate, resources, cooking methods, etc. Food is one thing everyone can relate to. I’d like to incorporate it as often as possible for learning such things as math and other cross curriculum activities. If I feel the class can not handle the safety issues around cooking, I will either do the cooking while they are not there or postpone those activities until the class is responsible enough for this type of activity.

As a former State of Alaska Emergency Management Officer, I realize safety is a major concern. Students will know what to do incase of an emergency and where exits are located. I will also include curriculum to learn about first aid and other emergency medical issues. Any school materials that might be harmful to students, such as large paper cutters, science experiment chemicals or other toxins will be out of reach of students at all times.

Expectations

I believe, in general, very little is expected of children these days. That is one reason they do so little. Expectations are great indicators of the future. I have high expectations for my all my students, but I don’t compare the students to one another. A high expectation for one child, is not the same for another. Monthly, I will sit down with each student and we will talk about what they want to accomplish over the next four weeks. Of course, I’ll have input too and I also want to discover what I can do as a teacher to help them learn better. Together, we will develop achievable and measureable goals to work towards. I believe with student buy-in, it is easier for the goals to be achieved. Once a goal is met, a new goal will be set. The goals might be about math, attitude, being courteous, trying harder, or any other social or academic topic.

I also have expectations for me. I will model and set a good example for the students. My dress will always be professional and I will not wear jeans unless it’s a special activity, such as a walking field trip to the park. I will make a connection with each student and determine better ways I can create a safe, loving environment for my students to flourish.

At the beginning of the school year I will come up with a rough teaching plan for the year. It will identify topics I would like to focus on for the month/season. It will be a general guideline. In terms of teaching, I will be prepared for class and always know at least a week ahead what the lessons will be. I’m willing to adjust the plan if necessary to cover topics the kids have extra interest in, while still meeting the minimum “meat and potatoes” learning.

Since I’ve been a substitute before, I realize having a detailed lesson plans can make a big difference. In my substitute plan I will include such things as: behavior issues that might arise in my absence and additional information that would be helpful for the substitute. I will also talk with my students ahead of time regarding appropriate behavior expectations when any adult is in the classroom.

Behavior Enhancers

Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday we will have a morning meeting and a closing meeting (at the end of the day). The meetings are a chance to come together as a group to discuss any issues or concerns, and also to have a team building activity. At the end of the day, it will involve a calm activity. For example, a student might read a poem and talk about how it motivated him to think about something in a new way. The purpose for the end of the day meeting is to help the kids go home relaxed. School is so hectic and the kids are so hyper at the end of the day, I hope to minimize this so are all more relaxed. It will also help foster respect towards one another.

The meetings provide an opportunity to discuss any issues such as strife towards one another, or other grievances that need to be addressed. My goal is by having these meetings it will allow some steam to vent before the issues grow too large. The first few weeks I will model and talk about the correct behavior to use during meeting time and what type of responses are not appropriate. The class will practice this behavior in mock situations before implementing it to each other.

When kids lose interest in learning, inappropriate behavior usually follows. That is why I always have a backup plan, or two. When I notice the signs, I will change topics or perhaps teach with the kids sitting on the floor, or something that involves moving and refocusing. Or I might bring out some manipulatives to illustrate a point, or ask Johnny if this happened when he went camping over the summer. The key is to try and keep them engaged. I find this the best way to minimizes behavior issues.

I will have procedures in place for appropriate behavior in the classroom, which will help with many minor issues. I’ll lead discussions about being kind, polite and other types of behavior necessary in the school setting. To implement this, I’ll start with reading a book about it and discuss how they felt when other filled or emptied their buckets. As a class, we will talk about the rules and procedures and practice them correctly as a group. When children start to get off track, we will go back to practicing them until the kids remember them. I will also identify when students are doing things correctly. For example, I’ll say “Thank you Duke, for putting your mail folder in the bin and hanging up your backpack. Nice job!” This gives immediate positive feedback and provides a reminder to the rest of the class too.

Another technique I use to redirect focus is to introduce sign language when the class starts to get “that look” in their eyes. Since I don’t know a lot of signs, I often ask a yes or no question. Then I show them the sign for each, they literally pop right out of their chairs with interest. That gives me a little time to think on my feet where to take it next.

Many elementary schools within the Matanuska Susitna School District have procedures in place for inappropriate behavior. Since I don’t want to conflict with those policies, I will follow them. Here is the choice behavior model:

1. A verbal warning is given

2. The second time she will go to Choice 1 (sit at desk with head down and think about what she did)

a. After a few minutes I’ll ask her “Why do you think you are in choice?”

b. If she doesn’t know I’ll tell her. I’ll then ask her “What would have been a better choice for you?”

c. “Are you now ready to make a good choice and ________ (listen, or whatever is appropriate)?” If she answers yes she can join the class.

3. Third time (for same issue)

a. She sits in a chair at the back of the room, facing the wall

b. Ask same questions as above

4. Fourth time (for same issue)

a. She sits in a chair at the classroom next door

b. Ask same questions as above

5. Fifth time (for same issue)

a. She goes to Principal’s Office

Above is the plan the school uses. However, I will give a nonverbal warning before giving a verbal warning, unless the child does something not tolerated such as hitting another child. If the kids are young, I will give two reminders since they forget so quickly. Another discipline technique I will use is to spend the first few minutes of recess with the students practicing the desired behavior until the child does it correctly. I will use this technique most when it’s a chronic issue, not just a one time offense.

Learning Challenges

No one figured out I was dyslexic until I was in the third grade, for the second time. I remember doing my multiplication flashcards over and over. To this day I can see mom’s face, her eyebrows raised with anticipation as she held her breath holding a flash card in the hands.

“Six times six is sixty-three?” I’d say in a questioning tone. Her eyebrows and shoulders would drop as if she heard some terrible news.

Her hopeful expression changed as she again told me “No, six times six is thirty-six.”

Because of experiences like this one, I have a special place in my heart for those who learn a little differently or need extra help. I will provide these students with necessary tools to help them thru difficult times, and come up with alternative methods to teach challenging subjects.

I believe all students can learn. It may take a while to figure out the magic light switch, but we all have one. My job as a teacher is to help students find that switch. In the meantime, I hope to ignite their passion for learning by making it a fun, glorious, and engaging adventure.

The monthly goal setting conferences with my students will be a great time to help me identify issues that a child may be struggling with. Any reasonable changes I can do to assist in a child’s learning will be applied as needed. For gifted students dealing with boredom in the classroom I will provide extra support and challenge to make school interesting.

When appropriate, I will meet with educational professionals such as the speech teacher, counselor, principal, experienced colleagues or other experts within the school to gain skills to assist me in working more effectively with learning or behavior challenges. If a child has an IEP I will work the professional involved closely to ensure what I’m doing in the classroom is not counter productive of what they are doing with the student.

Conclusion

No one said teaching is easy. Perhaps one of the reasons I’m attracted to teaching so much is I that love a challenge, and rise to the occasion. I enjoy being put in an environment where I’m stretched, that is where I always grow the most. I want to share that with kids. I want to encourage them to take calculated risks in my class, a safe place, so they can be prepared for the real world. I’d rather have them fail and learn something valuable, than just have success after success without being challenged. There is much more to life than just going through the motions. I want my students to embrace the motions, not go through them. “We all get to choose for ourselves whether life’s an adventure or a collision!” (Breaux & Whitaker, 2006, p. 61)

References

Breaux, A., & Whitaker, T. (2006). Seven Simple Secrets. Larchmont, NY: Eye on Education.

Stronge, J. H., Tucker, P. D., & Hindman, J. L. (2004). Classroom management and organization. In Handbook for qualities of effective teachers (). Retrieved from Moodle.

Classroom Basic Floor Plan

Includes

• 2 Laptop Stations

• Audio Center

• Bookshelves under windows

• Reading Area

• Storage behind moveable white boards

• Closet for coats and backpacks

• Independent Study Station

• Kitchen

• Promethean Board

Open area on right side of room for physical activity: hop scotch, plays, exercise, stretches, etc.

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Bulletin Boards & White Boards

Promethean & White Boards

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