Classroom Management Plan

Philosophy on Classroom Management and Discipline

A school classroom should be welcoming and warm. Classrooms are where students

spend a majority of their lives; they should reflect the lives of students who are in them. The

classroom should be relaxed yet structured enough to show that it is a working classroom.

Students will have multiple places to work from including desks for independent work, small

meeting areas for group collaboration, and tables for project based learning. Students will have

the opportunity to work in multiple modalities, and the classroom will help facilitate the

differentiation. Lessons will be delivered in multiple ways to facilitate success among the

students and a positive learning environment.

The Classroom Arrangement

The classroom will have an open layout with room for movement and alternative

seating. Students will have different areas to work depending on their preferred learning style.

Some desks will be placed in groups of two or four depending on the students preference. As

was mentioned above, classrooms should reflect the students in them, so the actual

arrangement of the student seating will be fluctuating. Alternative seating will be available

using stools, beanbags, or standing tables. Class meetings will be held in front of the

whiteboards where students can sit on the floor and work if they so choose. A kidney shaped

table will be available in the back of the classroom for small group work or collaborative

learning. Choices are crucial to a happy student environment.

Rules

The classroom rules will be developed by the whole class. Students should have a say in

what rules they are expected to follow. The rules should be stated in such a way that all

students understand and can agree to follow. As the students develop their own set of rules,

the following will be the baseline for the classroom rules the students will follow:

1. I will come prepared to class every day.

2. I will be kind and respectful to everyone.

3. I will make smart choices

The rules should be student generated so they have some ownership to their behavior in the

classroom. The rules should also help respect diversity and increase social justice by holding

students accountable for their actions in the classroom. If each student takes ownership over

the rules, they are more likely to follow them and expect others to follow them too.

Responses to Misbehavior

Behavior management is vital to the community the teacher is trying to build in the

classroom. Students need to know the expectations of the teacher and what the consequences

will be if they choose to misbehave. Alternatively, the students also need to know that there

are also positive consequences for doing the right thing or behaving correctly. The teacher and

students will practice surface management strategies such as ignoring and redirecting before

taking further action. Consequences will be delivered in a quiet, but firm voice and explain why

their actions have received the consequence.

Procedures

Procedures will be taught at the beginning of the school year along with rules and

certain policies students need to know. Teaching policies and procedures may take up to two

weeks to get through everything thoroughly before academic instruction is taught. Like other

things in elementary school, time management is imperative to a smooth running classroom.

Procedures will be modeled, taught, and revised depending on the student's behavior.

Procedures and routines are the basis for building student self-reliance and agency.

Creating a Respectful, Supportive Learning Environment

Students will be responsible for maintaining a respectful and supportive learning

environment. The teachers responsibility is to provide expectations to the class so that they

may know what to follow to help maintain the classroom community. The only true way for

learning environments to stay safe and supportive if to have the students feel responsible for

the learning environment by allowing them to build their own set of rules or class code,

establish restorative practices in the classroom including the practice of restorative circles.

Restorative circles should be practiced in the classroom regularly so students know they will be

held accountable for their actions and for maintaining the supportive learning environment.

Managing and Facilitating Instruction

Instruction should happen in multiple forms to better suit the needs of the students in

the classroom. It will be the teachers responsibility to decide how to facilitate a lesson to the

best abilities of the students. By having multiple forms of teaching happening on a regular basis,

the teacher can guarantee that all students are being taught the way they feel most

comfortable. The teacher will have specific lessons that will be taught with direct instruction,
while other lessons can be done in a collaborative group setting. The teacher will set the stage

for how these lessons will be facilitated and how the students will be managed during the

different styles of teaching. Students will have opportunities to engage in project-based

learning. While the whole classroom will not revolve around the PBL model, this is a good age

group to begin practicing the PBL model focusing on 21st century education.

Motivating Students to Learn

Positive Consequences

Level One Students will receive verbal praises from the teacher when expected
behaviors are visible. High fives will also be used for positive consequences
when students are following the rules.

Level Two Students will receive extra time for their preferred activity; recess,
computer time, etc. Students may also help the teacher with daily errands
and routines; office helper, attendance taker, phone operator, whiteboard
cleaner.

Level Three Students who meet their academic goals will be honored at school
assemblies and receive prizes for their continued academic excellence. As a
class, students will have the opportunity to earn classroom parties for their
excellence in behavior. These parties may include; smoothie party, popcorn
party, lunch with the teacher, longer recess, etc.

Promoting Safety and Wellness

Following the guidelines set by the school district, students will learn about school

safety through discussion and drills. Students will participate monthly in an emergency drill

facilitated by the school safety coordinator. Health and Wellness will also be taught with a node
to the Wellness Policy laid out by the school board policy. The classroom as a whole will

endeavor to keep to the wellness policy when it comes to snacks, special treats (birthdays) and

class parties. The objectives of these policies is not to prohibit parents from celebrating their

students special days, but giving them a more structured health conscious approach to treats

and parties in the classroom. The classroom community encourages all students to participate

in these events, but in the chance that students do not want to participate, alternative activities

will be laid out by the teacher for that student.

Interacting with Parents, Colleagues, and Others

Communicating with parents is the most important aspect of the students success.

There needs to be open communication with home and the classroom. Teachers will try their

hardest to meet every students parents and keep up communication in a variety of modes.

Depending on the preference of the parents, communication will have a paper format,

technology interface, email/website access, and open office hours. Office hours will be

available before school from 7:45 to the bell and after school from 2:35-3:30.