Running head: CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT PLAN

Emilia (Emma) Brown

Classroom Management Plan
University of Utah

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT PLAN

Preamble
In order to create a safe, engaging, and positive classroom environment, classroom
management must be present from the beginning of the year until the very end of the year. When
students are in a classroom with well-thought out rules, clear expectations, explicit instruction,
and engaging lessons and content, they will learn and thrive. Its extremely important that rules
and expectations are given on the first day of school, and that students are constantly being
reminded of them. This will create an environment where students can learn, feel safe,
understand respect, and become a part of a classroom community. Teaching students about
service and team building through hands-on experiences and activities will enable students to
grow and become better contributing members of society.
When it comes to managing my classroom, my philosophy is fairly simple: every student
matters, and each one is capable of success. Each student brings different strengths to the
classroom, and its important to build on these strengths and remind students constantly that they
are wise, capable, and can do anything they set their mind to. When it comes to learning, the sky
is the limit! There is no such thing as a stupid question, and I believe its nearly impossible to ask
too many questions. As a teacher, its my job to facilitate positive and engaging learning
activities and lessons for my students. Having a thorough management plan will enable me to
create the best opportunities for my students as I strive to help them to grow and succeed in the
classroom. My ultimate goal as a teacher is that students will find a joy and love of learning, and
leave the classroom feeling confident and capable in their abilities. As a teacher, I plan to do my
very best each day to make sure that every child feels strong, safe, and successful. I want to
make a difference in each of my students lives.

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Preventative Techniques

Classroom Rules
o Creating the Rules

Allowing students to create their own classroom rules gives them a chance
to be responsible, reflective, committed, and accountable. Students will
probably be more likely to follow the rules if they play a part in creating
them. I will help students brainstorm a couple of rules, and then allow
them to share their own. According to book Teasing, Tattling, Defiance,
and More(Wilson 2013), classroom rules should revolve around three
categories: taking care of ourselves, taking care of each other, and taking
care of the environment (p. 23). I will share this with students and prompt
them to think of rules that focus on respect, care, and safety (for
themselves, others, and the community), as well as creating an
environment that feels comfortable and allows everyone to learn.

o Teaching the Rules

In order to teach students the rules, I will model what following rules (and
not following rules) looks like. I will role-play with students by having
them be the teacher and me be the student. I will demonstrate what poor
behavior (loud, unkind, distracting) looks like and how it makes them feel.
I will also demonstrate what good behavior (respect, thoughtfulness, kind
words and actions, and attentiveness) is and how it can help to create a
safe, engaging, and positive learning environment. I will discuss with

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students how both behaviors affected them, and encourage them to

practice positive and good behavior so every student can feel happy.

Building Community
o Morning Carpet/Circle Time- Every morning, after students listen to the
announcements, recite the Pledge of Allegiance, and complete the self-start
displayed on the board, the whole class will come to the rug and sit in a circle.
Having them sit in a circle will allow everyone to be seen and heard.

Something Fun

I will start out the circle by saying something fun I did the day
before, over the weekend, or over the holiday. For example, Good
morning, class! Something fun I did over the weekend was go for a
hike, and see a movie. It was awesome! After I share my
something fun, I will have each student go around and start with:
Good morning, and state their something fun. This is just a
quick, engaging check-in where students have the opportunity to
share something personal and get out some pre-morning chatter.
This check-in also gives students a chance to learn about one
another and discover new and exciting things.

Something We Can Work on Today

Following something fun, I will ask students: What are three

goals we can work on today so that we can be successful? I will
call on a few students to get about three goals and write them down
on the paper easel. After writing these goals out, I will display

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them at the front of the room. This way every student can see them
and be reminded to focus on making the classroom better.

Its a Great Day to be Alive!

After placing our classroom goals at the front of the room, I will
come back to the circle and say to the students, What kind of day
is it? To which I will have them respond, Its a great day to be
alive! This is something my parents often told me growing up. It
helped me to focus on the good and be mindful of the chance to
live. I hope that it will enable my students to feel excited for a new
day!

o Team Building

We will do at least one team building activity a week (typically Monday

or Friday). As students participate in team building activities, their
friendships will grow, and the class will become more unified. If the class
as a whole ever looks glazed over, we will do a quick mini-team
building activity to get their energy flowing again.

o Positive Classroom Environment

According to the article Helping Young Children Control Anger and

Handle Disappointment (2010), positive reinforcement needs to be
frequent and powerful. If students are constantly being belittled,
reprimanded, or punished, they will not enjoy being in the classroom, and
their learning and self-esteem will suffer. As teachers, it is our job to
protect our students from disrespect and hurt, and if we do not treat them

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with patience and respect, chances are the rest of the class wont either.
Children learn by example, and if I am negative in any way, that will
affect my students. Praise, excitement, and encouragement go a lot further
than sarcasm, negativity, and unnecessary punishment. I will create a
positive classroom environment where everyone can feel safe,
comfortable, cared for, respected, appreciated, and important. I will focus
more on positive praise, and strive to avoid negativity. I will make sure
students apologize to one another when feelings get hurt, and I will make
sure students support each other and avoid any and all put downs.

Classroom Arrangement
o My classroom will be set up so students can focus and always be ready to learn. I
will change the seating chart once every two or three months (depending on how
students behave). The first month or two of school will really help me get an idea
of where students are at cognitively and behaviorally, and I will adjust the seating
chart as needed. If students are having issues with their neighbors, I will move
thembut only as a last resort. I would really like to have a seating chart where
children can both focus and get along with their peers.

I will not have individual desks in my classroom. I will have about 6

square-ish/rectangular-ish tables (depending on how many students I
have), and I will have about 4-5 students at each table. I will attach metal
baskets under their chairs so they have a place to keep their pencil boxes,
notebooks, folders, and binder. This will decrease clutter and garbage

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often found in students desks, and it will make switching tables (when we
get a new seating chart) much easier.

My SmartBoard, ELMO camera, white board, and lesson objectives will

be at the front of the room.

I will place the classroom rules at the front of the room, as well as in the
back (where we do our morning routine on the carpet), so that students
will always have a reminder on how they should behave.

I will have a table at the back of the room (near the carpet area) so I can
work with small groups when needed.

o Procedures

Morning Procedure

Students will come in quietly when the bell rings after putting
away their backpacks in their lockers. They will then mark their
attendance (move their clothespin from the absent side to the
present side), sit in their seat, and begin their self-start.

Following the self-start, students will listen to the morning

announcements and recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

Carpet/Circle Time

Everyone will quietly walk over to the carpet at the back of the
room, and sit in a circle.

Students will participate in Something Fun, Something We can

Work on Today, and Its a Great Day to be Alive!

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Students will be respectful, raise their hands, participate, and be

attentive during our morning circle time.

Bathroom and Drinks

Students are to go to the bathroom and get drinks before school,

during recess, during lunch, and after school. Students will be
reminded of this each day (particularly during first recess). If
students ask to go during class time, the answer will be no
UNLESS, its an emergency. I will remind students that they know
their own bodies best, and if they know its an emergency, they do
not need to ask and may simply get up and go.

If it gets to a point where students seem to be abusing the

emergency privilege, I will only allow one student out to the
bathroom at a time.

Because we have a drinking fountain in the classroom, students

may get drinks during seatwork time and independent work time. I
will not permit students to get drinks while I am teaching new
concepts to the whole group.

Sharpening Pencils

Students are to sharpen their pencils at the very beginning of the

day, before the Pledge or announcements. If they forget to do this,
they will have to wait until recess or lunch, and borrow a pencil
from a friend.

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I will have two containers next to the pencil sharpener. One labeled
Dull and the other Sharpened. Students will be able to borrow
the sharpened pencils if they need to. The dull pencils will be
sharpened at the end of the day.

Lining up

Students will line up quickly, quietly, and without drama (e.g.,

they will not fight over who is in front, push or shove each other).

If students cannot line up quickly and quietly, I will make them

line up again.

The caboose or end of the line consists of two students. These

two students are in charge of turning off the lights and shutting the
door.

Walking in the halls

Students are to move quietly throughout the halls. They are not to
distract other classes as we walk by, and they are to keep up with
the class. When we are walking in the halls we will stay to the
right so we dont run into other classes walking throughout the
halls.

Tardy Students

Students who are late are to follow the procedures the rest of the
class did at the beginning of the day. They are to put their things in
their locker, walk into class quietly, take care of their attendance,

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and get to work on whatever were doing. Students at their table

can help them get caught up.

If tardiness becomes a habit, phone calls will be made to parents.

Seatwork (also known as centers)

Seatwork typically involves four things: (1) Spelling and

Grammar, (2) Independent or partner reading, (3) A social studies,
science, or writing activity, and (4) Reading in a group with me at
the back table (groups are based on reading proficiency). I will
explain the requirements for the day, and we will begin seatwork.

Students are NOT to come back to the table and interrupt my

reading group, unless its an emergency (e.g., theyre bleeding or
dying). Students are to talk to a neighbor or friend if they have a
question. They are to remain quiet (whispers only).

Then students will work on their centers, while I work with one of
the reading groups.

Every 12-15 minutes we rotate groups.

Students are to complete their work (either during class, or at home

if they do not finish by the end of seatwork) and bring it back
completed the following day.

If students finish their seatwork before time is up, they may read
silently.

Binders

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Students will keep all of their work in their student binder. The
binder will have dividers (e.g., calendar, spelling, homework,
seatwork, etc.) and students will be required to keep everything
organized.

There will be a folder in their binder where unfinished work goes.

Students are not to keep old assignments, graded papers, or

outdated calendars in their binders.

At the beginning of each week, we will replace the papers in the

binder with new ones (e.g., get rid of old calendar, old spelling
words, old math homework)

Passing out Papers

I will pass out stacks of papers to each table and students will take
one and pass it down.

Students will always put their name on their paper right away

If a student is absent, someone at that table will take a paper for

them, put their name on it, and place it on their chair so the absent
student has it when they return.

End of Day

At the end of the day, I will go over homework again so students

can be reminded of what their assignments are.

Students will complete their jobs (e.g., pencil sharpeners, table

wipers, board erasers, etc.)

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Students will pick up garbage from floor and make sure they have
their binder on their lap to take home.

I will remind students of any school announcements, and when the

bell rings they will be dismissed.
Supportive Techniques

Proximity
o Proximity is where teachers are very in tune with their class and the environment.
I will make sure I am constantly scanning and watching my students carefully. I
will be mindful of their attentiveness and body language. If I see a student off
task, I will move closer to the student (walking over, standing next to) and
directing their attention back to the task at hand. When students are working
independently, I will roam around the room to make sure students are focused and
engaged.

Attention Prompts
o Attention prompts or signals are a great strategy in getting the entire classrooms
attention. If the noise level has escalated, students are off task, or you simply want
students attention up front, a simple prompt (verbal, visual, musical) can help to
create a quiet and engaged roomful of students. I will use the attention
prompt/signal Give me five! With this signal, I will say the phrase and students
will (5) Stop, (4) Put things down, (3) Fold Arms, (2) Eyes on Teacher, (1) Ready
to Listen as I count down from one to five. It is my hope that I will be able to grab
students attention from the moment I say, Give me five! Other prompts I may

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use could be turning off the lights, a clapping cue, or a hand in the air as a signal
to stop.

Body Language
o I think its safe to say that every student has at some point been given the
teachers look. Students know what this look (serious eyes, sometimes tight lip,
and firm shake of the head) means. Simply giving a student this look can remind
them to focus and get back on task. I will surely have my teachers look ready
on the first day of school. Other body language techniques I may use will be
holding still and waiting for the room to be silent, thumbs up for a student who
does an exceptional job, and a wink or a smile when someone does something
especially great (such as help another student out, clean up a mess thats not their
own, or raise their hand when everyone else yells out).
Intervention Techniques

One-on-One Conversations
o One-on-one conversations are extremely important as a teacher for many
reasons. One, because it gives students the chance to open up to you in a way
they may not if there are other people around. Two, it allows me as the teacher to
get the full story from their side. Three, it is a way to effectively talk to a
student without embarrassing them in front of their peers. Having one-on-one
conversations can help to resolve conflict and allows students to practice their
communication skills.

Phone Calls Home

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o Just like teachers want to be kept in the loop, its important that teachers keep
parents in the loop. Because students are away from their parents while they are
at school, parents will not be aware of any successes or problems unless the
teacher keeps them informed. When I have students who are constantly
misbehaving, ignoring classroom rules, failing to turn in homework, or are
constantly having breakdowns, I will give their parents a call and let them know
about the situation. I will also call parents if their student has done something
exceptionally well, and I want to reinforce this positive behavior to their parents.
This gives parents the opportunity to praise their children and make them proud.

Buddy Room
o Prior to the school year, I will set up a buddy room with a colleague. This buddy
room (a quiet corner in my colleagues classroom) will be a place where I can
send students who are acting out, disrupting class, not following the classroom
expectations, or who I simply need a break from. According to the book,
Building Classroom Discipline (2014), When students fail to comply with
expectations, dont scold or punish them (Charles, p. 81). A buddy room
gives the teacher a way out from getting frustrated, angry, or disrespectful
towards a student. Sometimes difficult students love nothing more than to engage
in a whos right battle with the teacher. Students can be very in-tune with our
weak spots, and if we let them get to us, we can place ourselves in a situation we
dont want to be in. A buddy room will allow me to send my student to a safe
environment where I dont need to worry if theyre being taken care of or on
task, and it gives me the chance to calm down if Im frustrated and continue

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teaching. When it comes time for the student to come back, we will both be in a
better place to communicate and problem-solve.
Communication with Parents

Phone Calls
o As mentioned above, its paramount that teachers keep parents in the loop. I will
strive to call each of my students parents at least twice during the school year.
These phone calls will be to update the parents on their childs behavior, school
work, and most importantly: what their child is exceling at. Focusing on the
positive towards the parents reminds them that their child is capable and smart. If
I have students who have behavior issues, IEPs, or other unique cases, I will make
sure to contact these parents regularly to report progression and offer and discuss
strategies for improvement as needed.
o Monthly Newsletter

I will send home a newsletter at the beginning of every month. The sole
purpose of this newsletter is to keep parents informed and up to date with
what their student has going on in class. The newsletter will have a
calendar with special events coming up (picture day, class field trips,
school activities), as well as when homework is due. The newsletter will
also have important resources or links (such as my classroom blog, the
school website, Common Core State Standards, etc.). I will put my contact
information on there as well so parents know how to get a hold of me.

o SEP Conferences

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In SEP conferences, I will always have a paper with two important

sections: strengths and goals. During each SEP conference, I will go over
strengths with the parents and student. I will ask the student to brag
about themselves and share concepts, subjects, or talents they feel
confident in. Following this, we will think of two or three goals to work on
until we meet at the next conference. Focusing on strengths and goals will
help students feel capable and parents to feel positive about their students
learning and progression. For each conference, I will make sure to have
notes and data on the students, as well as quality or needs improvement
work, so I can have proof for parents of their childs hard work and
possible areas for growth.
References

Charles, C.M. (2014) Building Classroom Discipline. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson.
Wilson, M.B. (2013). Teasing, Tattling, Defiance, and More. Turners Falls, MA: Northeast
Foundation for Children, Inc.
Joseph, G.E., & Strain, P.S. (2010). Helping young children control anger and handle
disappointment. Center on Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning,
Vanderbilt University. Retrieved from
http://csefel.vanderbilt.edu/modules/module2/handout7.pdf