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Courtney Whetzel
EDUC 370
Dr. Hawk
November 24, 2015
Management Model
The purpose of classroom management and behavior management in schools is to
provide a learning environment in which all students feel safe and can learn effectively with
minimal disruptions from other students. Classroom management is the broad concept that
encompasses the set of behaviors and strategies that the teacher uses to guide the students and
their behaviors in the classroom (Evertson & Emmer, 2013). When students come into my
classroom, they should know that it is a safe place and they should not fear being hurt physically
or emotionally by me or any of the other students who may choose to behave inappropriately.
An effectively managed classroom will optimize student learning and facilitate social and
emotional growth among the students (Kratochwill, DeRoos, & Blair). A well-managed
classroom will also maximize the student learning time, because there will not be as many
disruptions to the teachers lesson, because the students will know the rules and expectations of
the classroom and the consequences of breaking these.
According to Michael Linsins Smart Classroom Management Blog, an effectively
managed classroom will allow the teachers to hold the students accountable without yelling,
scolding, lecturing, or using any other stressful or hurtful method (n.d.). When a teacher can
spend more time being focused on the teaching and less time on disciplining, learning will be the
ultimate goal of the classroom. Classroom management is more than just a discipline plan for
those students who chose not to behave properly, it is a plan for running the classroom as

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efficiently as possible, so that the class time can be spent with the teachers teaching and the
students learning.
The roles of the school, students, teachers, and families combined create the positive and
safe learning environment that management models strive for. The parents and the teachers
should plan to work together to make sure that the students are able to achieve the learning goals
of the classroom. The parents are the support system of the children and their main goal is to see
their children learn, grow, and succeed. The role of the teachers is to nurture the children and
help them grow and engage in the positive learning environment that they have set up for the
students. The school is the institution that provides the teachers with a place to do their jobs and
a place for the students to go to expand their knowledge. They provide the safety standards, the
curriculum, and the larger behavioral plans that the teachers are expected to implement in their
classrooms to make them a more positive learning environment for their students. The overall
school system can be viewed as a large learning community. The students main role is to be the
learners who mature and grow in these effectively managed learning environments.
It is ideal that the family would be able to play a consistent role in the students learning,
however if the family is not able to completely fill this role due to a hardship of some sort, as the
teacher it is my job, to try to find a way for this student to still meet the learning goal. If a student
is not able to complete a project that I have assigned at home due to not having the resources
necessary, I should allow some time in class or before/ after school, so that the student can still
have a chance to complete the assignment and not be penalized for their socioeconomic status or
family hardships. When it comes to assigning homework and assignments, I want to strive for
keeping these assignments to be ones that the students are able to complete on their own and
dont have to rely on their families to always be there to step them through the assignment. It is

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important that I as the teacher get to know my students and their family situations, so I can keep
these in mind when I am planning things for the classroom. I also need to keep family beliefs and
cultures in mind when I am planning my lessons and activities.
In order for me to be sure that the students are getting the best out of their classroom
experience and learning everything that I have for them, I will need both the support of parents
and the principal. I will need the parents to not only support their children in their learning, but I
will need them to help me implement the rules and expectations of the school and the classroom.
If one of the school rules and my classroom rules is about maintaining appropriate attendance, I
will need the support of the parents to make sure that their child is in school as much as possible,
so that they are taking advantage of their learning. I will also need parental support to be able to
have creative and fun activities within the classroom as a different way for the students to learn
the content. I will need the principals support in allowing me to run my classroom in the best
way that I see fit for my group of students, so that my management system is appropriately
meeting the needs of my students. I will also need the principals support in implementing the
consequences that are attached the students inappropriate behaviors.
I would consider myself a moderately assertive teacher. I know that I need to work on
being a bit more assertive when it comes to disciplining students or asking them to stop doing
something. I prefer that my students respect the rules and do what I ask of them, because if I am
doing something for them, in this case teaching them and helping them grow and develop, then
they should do the same for me. In my classroom, the students will treat themselves and others
with respect. I do not want to be a mean dictator teacher, but I also do not want to be the kind of
teacher that tries to be best friends with my students and lets them get by with everything. The
rules that will be set in my classroom will not only be set for the students safety, but also to

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make sure that everyone is treated with respect. I will follow the rules of the school in my
classroom, but I will also have my own set of classroom rules and expectations, some of which I
will set, but also some of which the students will come up with on their own within the first few
days of school. Having the students help create some of these classroom rules will allow them to
feel like they are taking ownership of their learning and give them a since of belonging in their
classroom (Evertson & Emmer, 2013).
I want to be a teacher who has control over my classroom, but I dont want to be strictly
known as a rule enforcer. I want the students to know that I am the authority figure of the
classroom, but I also want them to know that we have a system of trust in our classroom. I want
to try to incorporate some of the restorative justice strategies that Dr. Judy Mullet shared with us.
If my students are in a disagreement with one another, I want to have a method in place, where
they know how they should handle this and as a way for them to discuss the issue at hand. The
method that I would like to have in place in my classroom would be the STORY method. In this
method, the students will be encouraged to discuss how they feel and why they feel this way,
they will brainstorm three ideas for solutions, they will choose and agree on one to two of these
strategies, and finally, they will take the time to thank one another for sharing how they feel and
for listening and coming to an agreement on how to solve the problem (Mullet, 2015). I really
like this method for the classroom, because it can be done with students of all ages, and I want to
teach in a lower elementary classroom (grades K-2), so this will be a great method to implement
and teach my students how to consider each others feelings. When Judy Mullet went over this
STORY model she used a STORY map where the students moved closer together as they came to
an agreed upon solution, but there are many other ways that this could be done in the classroom.

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I want to have a classroom where everyone has their own role/ duty that they will need to
complete in order to keep the classroom running smoothly. I will have a classroom duties chart in
my classroom, where each student will have some kind of job each week. I think that having a
duty in the classroom contributes to each student feeling like they are a bigger part of the
classroom and will allow them to take ownership of their part of the classroom. Some examples
of these duties include: lights person, door holders, supply getters, and sweepers for snack time.
I want my classroom to be a place where students feel safe to express themselves and just
be themselves. Students will be able to help me create the classroom rules and will be able to
make suggestions for things that we will do, but I will be the one to make the final decision on
what happens in my classroom, keeping their input in mind. My classroom will be a place that
fosters student creativity and expressiveness.
One thing that many people may not think of as being an important element of their
effective classroom management is the floor plan/ layout of their classroom. I consider myself to
be a very organized person, so it is only natural that I will try to carry this over into my
classroom environment. I think that being such an organized person will help me teach my
students the organization skills that are necessary to get by in life. When I am arranging my
classroom at the beginning of the year, I want to make sure that I can see my students at all times
and that they can see me. My room arrangement will be consistent with the instructional goals
and activities of the classroom (Evertson & Emmer, 2013, p. 13). Most of the time, I will have
my students seated in groups, so that they can easily work on group assignments. I will also have
to keep in mind the high traffic areas and the supply areas when I am arranging my classroom at
the beginning of the year. The classroom floor plan can greatly impact how smooth a lesson/
activity runs in a classroom.

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I myself do not like to work in an environment that is silent, so noise will be allowed and
encouraged in my classroom. My students will be allowed to chat with one another while they
are working to complete assignments, as long as they are working and the assignment is not a
test. Growing up, I always enjoyed having teachers that would play soft music in the
background while we were working on assignments, so this may be something that I also keep in
mind for my students while they are working. I expect students to have brief moments of chatter
during transition periods and in downtimes.
If I could pick each individual student that I wanted to make up my classroom
environment, I would pick a group of students that had a range of abilities and personalities. I
wouldnt want a classroom where every student was on the same level at all times. I like a bit of
a challenge, and I also feel that each individual student brings something different to the
classroom, so by having a mix of students with differing abilities, I am adding to this classroom
diversity. I want to have that one student who is always cracking jokes and having to be
redirected to their work, or that one student who is the advanced reader, that needs you to make
things more challenging for them to push them harder. I feel that by having this classroom with a
diversity of needs and abilities fosters a since of community, as we all work together to achieve
the learning goals of the classroom. I also feel that having a classroom with a mixture of easy
going and challenging students will make me a better teacher as I work to be sure that my lessons
are meeting all of their individual needs.
Before the school year starts, I will have set a list of four to five rules and expectations
that I will expect the students to follow. These rules will not change throughout the year and will
have consequences that will not change either. The consequences will not change, in order for me
to be sure that the disciplinary actions will be kept consistent for all students, no matter when

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they break these rules. The rules that I set will mostly be for the students safety and to make sure
that the classroom runs smoothly with minimal disruptions to student learning.
In my second grade classroom, my first rule would be that there should be no talking
while the teacher or another student is teaching/ presenting. This rule is to make sure that my
students are respecting one another and me as the teacher, as well as being sure that they are
getting the information that is being presented to them. My second rule would be that it is
perfectly fine to make mistakes in our classroom. I would rather see my students try something
new and fail the first time, than not try something new at all. Often in schools, students think that
they cant do something because they arent completely sure how to do it or they think that they
cant give an answer to a question, because they may not have the correct answer. The students
often worry what will happen if they fail to complete something new that they are trying or that
they are going to be singled out if they answer a question incorrectly. If a student volunteers to
answer a question, and does get the answer incorrect, I will let them know that no that isnt the
correct answer or the answer that I was looking for, but I will also let them know that it is okay,
because not everyone makes mistakes, but I am glad that they took a chance, made a guess, and
tried. I think that having this rule in my classroom, will allow the students to feel safe, and will
keep them from fearing what will happen if they get something wrong. A third rule for my
classroom would be that students need to always walk in the classroom and the hallways. This
rule will be set in place as a safety precaution that will keep the students from getting hurt,
because they are moving too quickly in such a small classroom environment, or from running
into someone/something in the hallway. The fourth rule that I will have in my classroom is that
students will come to class prepared and ready to learn each day. I want my students to come to
school with their homework and supplies that are necessary each and every day. I also want them

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to come to school with a ready to learn mindset. If the students come to school prepared and
ready to learn, we will be more likely to have a great day, and if the students have all of the
proper materials with them, we will not have to take the time out of class to gather them.
The other rules of my classroom will be designed and agreed upon by the students within
the first week of school. I will have them keep in mind that the rules that they create will be rules
that they need to follow. Curwin and Mendler said that a teacher should set up a classroom with a
democratic atmosphere and part of this atmosphere would be letting the students come up with
their own rules. When the students come up with the rules and the consequences, they know
what is expected of them and they will be more likely to remind one another about the rules and
what will happen if they break them (Richard Curwin & Allen Mendler, 1988, p. 34). When the
students create these rules, they will be able to not only create rules for themselves to follow, but
we can work together to create some rules and expectations that they expect me to follow.
Together as a class, we will decide on three to four of these rules to add to my list of rules. One
example of a rule that students may come up with would be one in which they keep their hands
and feet to themselves. This would be a good rule to keep, because it would go along with the
overall rule of my classroom of respecting oneself and others, as well as the overall school rule
of respecting each other. Another rule that the students may come up with may be about taking
turns and sharing things in the classroom. Some of the rules and expectations that the students
may come up with for me to follow may be to never give up on them and to be patient with them.
This will not be a problem for me, because this is something that I want to strive for in my
classroom. Another rule that the students may make for me may be for me to not yell at them. I
dont want to be the teacher that yells at my students when I get frustrated, so having this rule in
place with a consequence would just give me one more reason not to do this.

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The rules and expectations that will be set in my classroom are expected to prevent
inappropriate behaviors, but I know that they will still arise. When these inappropriate behaviors
arise or are behaviors that break the rules that are set for the classroom, I will follow through
with whatever consequence I/ the students have set in place for that rule/ expectation. As a
teacher, it is my duty to be able to monitor all aspects of my classroom and be able to deal with
multiple events at once (Evertson & Emmer 2013). For minor interruptions and misbehaviors, I
will try to handle them with close proximity and nonverbal cues at first, so I am not interrupting
the teaching. When this doesnt work or the situation calls for a more severe action, I will try to
get the rest of the class involved in an activity or another part of the lesson and then handle the
student and the problem behavior.
One major way that I am going to try to keep problem behaviors down in the classroom is
through a strong system of caregiver communication throughout the year. I want the caregivers
of my students to be informed of how their child is doing in the classroom: both good and bad.
When the parents/caregivers are informed of the classroom rules and expectations, they can help
maintain these by reminding their students of how they should behave in school, and through
their support when I do have to give a student one of the consequences because of their actions. I
believe that if a parent is made aware of my rules and expectations at the beginning of the year,
they are going to be more supportive and be more likely to work with me in implementing them
with their children, instead of going against the consequences if I make them aware of the rules
after their child has broken them.
To help maintain a positive climate within the classroom, I will be sure that all of the
classroom rules, expectations, and consequences are written down and posted in a place where
all students can see them and refer to them as needed. I will give each student a warning the first

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time that they break a class rule or expectation, but after that, we will have to refer to the
discipline system for the next action. I will provide my students will both positive and critical
feedback. I dont want to always be pointing out what a student is doing wrong, so I will be sure
to praise them when they are doing something right. I will praise the students for the effort that
they put into their assignments, while also pointing out some areas where the student could have
done something differently. I think that by giving my students feedback on both the positive and
the negative things in their work, I am showing them what they are doing well, as well as the
areas where they may need some growth or extra practice.
In spite of all the efforts that I will make to keep a positive classroom environment, I
know that there will be misbehaviors and I will have to turn to consequences and punishments
for these actions. Since punishments usually result in taking something away from a student, and
this is most likely going to be recess, I dont want to have to turn to this too often. I believe that
students need to have that recess time that they are given during the day, as a way for them to
take a break from sitting at a desk and doing work, just to be with friends and get some of their
energy out. I like the idea of having consequences for actions, because this usually requires the
student to have to do something in response to their action. Some examples of consequences that
I may use in my classroom may include, being moved away from the rest of the group, or having
to write a Im sorry note in response to their actions. I believe that these consequences may be
enough of a punishment for a minor breaking of a rule or just not being able to follow the
directions that are given to them. When a student breaks the rule of not talking when the teacher
is teaching or when a student is presenting, the students consequence may just simply be that
they have to come sit beside the teacher or they may have to move to a desk/ table by
themselves, so they arent tempted to talk.

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Classroom management plans are important to have, because they allow the teacher and
the students to have a productive and smooth running classroom, where learning is the main
goal. There are so many different management strategies and techniques out there, that finding
the best one may be a difficult task, but I think that the key to an effective management system is
pulling in the pieces and parts from multiple theorists perspectives and building your own
system that best meets the needs of your students. One other important thing that I will need to
keep in mind with my future classrooms is that just because one system worked with this group
this year, it may not work the following year, because I will have two completely different
groups of students who may have very different needs.

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References
Curwin R. & Mendler. A. (1988). Discipline with dignity. Alexandria, VA: Association for
Supervision and Curriculum Development
Evertson, C. & Emmer, E. (2013). Classroom management. New Jersey: Pearson
Kratochwill, T. DeRoos, R. & Blair, S. (n.d.). Classroom management. Retrieved from
http://www.apa.org/education/k12/classroom-mgmt.aspx
Linsin, M. (n.d). Smart Classroom Management. Retrieved from
http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/
Mullet, J. (Director) (2015, November 1). Restorative discipline. lecture conducted from
bridgewater college teacher education program, bridgewater.