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Part I: Learning Environment

Classrooms should be recognized as more than rooms in which students sit and teachers
lecture. Classrooms should be known as safe, comfortable, and organized, places of social and
intellectual freedom. Teachers can construct classrooms that not only meet these standards, but
also reflect their personal teaching styles. Such learning conducive classrooms are made up of
three essential components: a functional classroom layout, a comfortable classroom ambience,
and a sensible use of time and resources. In this management plan, I will illustrate the classroom
layout, ambience, and resource management techniques that I will use during my first teaching
assignment.
Classroom Layout
Classroom layout is paramount in designing the ideal space for learning. Classroom
layout will influence the success of my instructional design in two particular ways: classroom
equality and classroom management.
First, I believe classrooms should reflect a safe and egalitarian learning environment
where students are equal members of a community. To enhance this value, I will use a round
table instead of a teachers desk. The table will function as a common ground between the
students and me when interacting in small group meetings, one-on-one conferences, or in
exchanging paperwork.
The table will be free of resident materials. Rather, my personal laptop and the
paperwork necessary for the days lessons will be the only items existing tabletop. Much like the
students, I will enter with my materials on person. Commonalities such as arriving with our
respective learning materials will serve as reminders that we are in the classroom for the same
purpose: to collaboratively build critical thinking skills in the social studies content area.
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Secondly, classroom management relies on student interaction with the teacher, and other
students when appropriate. Classroom management is built on student engagement. I do not
find the traditional classroom designmultiple rows-of-desks lined from front to back
conducive to student engagement. Rather, I feel that each student should have a front row seat to
the educational experience, whether that be in full-class discussion, small group collaboration,
lecture, or technology based learning.
To maintain this front row experience, students desk arrangements will be somewhat
fluid in my classroom. That is, for activities such as full class discussions, lectures, and
technology centered lessons, students desks will be in a U-shaped format (Figure 1). When
students are working in small groups, their desks will be arranged in staggered four-desk clusters
(figure 2). Such a lesson centered learning environment will not only improve student
engagement, but will also allow for improved monitoring of student attentiveness and
understanding.
The result of a classroom modeled around equality and management will be a student
centered learning environment. Student centered learning environments are paramount in
creating and sustaining structured and effective classrooms. Thus, the layout of my classroom
will have an influential role in the success of my instructional design.
Classroom Ambience
Classroom ambiance establishes the mood of a classroom. While teachers can
successfully frame learning environments in different wayssome hyper-structured, others
totally relaxedtwo somewhat offsetting elements are essential in designing a classroom with a
positive and productive mood: ensuring the classroom is comfortable and conducive to learning.
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Studies have shown that comfortable classrooms enhance student success. Thus, while
student comfort should not allow students to drift into fantasyland, the classroom ambiance
should promote student relaxation. For this reason, students will largely be in charge of creating
the atmosphere in my classroom. Allowing students to choose the lighting, temperature (if
controlled by independent thermostat), and aesthetics of the classroom, will make the
environment more personal to them, simultaneously creating a sense of community amongst
them.
I will encourage changes and additions to this student created environment, helping it
become more conducive to various learning styles. For instance, I will have several floor lamps
available, allowing students to create different levels of light in different sections of the
classroom. Likewise, through various class activities, students will create timelines, pictures,
and maps for wall mounting, helping to surround students with the courses content matter.
Amongst the student created art, one wall will be reserved as the Word Wall. The
Word Wall will have student produced, content related, words, definitions, and model pictures,
helping students grasp and retain foundational concepts of the covered material.
In aggregate, a student developed ambience paralleled with a well-structured classroom
layout will create a positive and productive mood in the classroom. This mood will ensure that
the learning environment is both comfortable and conducive to learning.
Resource Management
The efficient use of time and resources is imperative to classroom functionality.
Classroom functionality can be improved through pattern development and equitable resource
distribution.
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Pattern development and classroom efficiency go hand in hand. Regardless of the
classroom layout (figure 1 or figure 2), each class session will begin with an entry exercise.
Entry exercises will be projected onto the board before students enter the classroom. Having a
daily task upon entry will encourage students to sit at their assigned seats and begin thinking and
working, as opposed to talking and playing.
Similarly, with five minutes remaining in each class session, students will be given a
prompt or exercise to complete before exiting the classroom. Tasking students with a brief
assignment at the end of class will assist in regaining their focus, managing their activity, and
disseminating any necessary information pre-departure.
Managing resources such as paper, rulers, and writing utensils is equally influential in
time management as is pattern development. If students are consistently getting up and walking
to the other side of the classroom whenever they need a ruler or highlighter, they will lose
focus, create distractions for others, and burn precious learning time.
Small plastic tubs will be spread about my classroom, each filled with pens, pencils,
highlighters, rulers, pencil sharpeners, and so forth, such that each student can access supplies
without causing interruption. Likewise, when available, both lined and unlined paper will be
stationed at predetermined locations around the classroom.
Using entrance and exit routines during each class period provides students with
consistent structure. Equitably placing resources around the classroom lessens students need to
get up. Using these strategies in tandem promotes time and resource efficiency, thus adding
minutes to each lessons actual learning time.


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Part II: Class Rules, Expectations, and Protocols
Class Rules and Expectations
Course rules are in keeping with the guidelines specified in the student handbook. The
student handbook illustrates consequences for rule violations while on school grounds or when
participating in school activities, such as fieldtrips.
Course expectations are as follows: Respect yourself and each other. Thats it. If you are
respecting yourself, your classmates, and the instructor, you are meeting the course expectations.
If you fail to meet these expectations, consequences will be forthcoming. The severity of
the infraction (disrespect of self or another) will be matched with comparable consequence, at
the instructors direction.
Examples of respect:
- Attending class regularly
- Waiting your turn to speak
- Participating in group activities
- Valuing others opinions
Examples of disrespect:
- Being consistently late or absent from class
- Interrupting others while they are speaking
- Not assisting with group projects or activities
- Belittling others thoughts
Class Protocols
Grading:
The objective of this course is to collaboratively build critical thinking skills in the social
studies content area. That is, the goal is for personal growth via one anothers assistance, not
through competition between one anothers work. For that reason, there is no bell-curve in this
course.
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Each student is graded on his or her own success, as measured against assignment
specific grading rubrics, provided in class and available on the course website.
Course grading is allocated such that failing one assignment, exercise, quiz, or test will
not harm a students grade beyond recovery.
Course grading will be distributed as follows:
Collaborative Activities: 15%
Entry / Exit Exercises: 10%
Quizzes: 3% x 6 = 18%
Tests: 15% x 3 = 45%
Homework: 12%

Letter grades will be broken down as follows:
A+: 97 100% B+: 87 89% C+: 77 79% D+: 67 69%
A: 94 96% B: 84 86% C: 74 76% D: 64 66%
A-: 90 93% B-: 80 83% C-: 70 73% D-: 60 63%
Homework:
Homework that is turned in on time will be graded and returned within one week. If
homework is turned in on time and a student is dissatisfied with his or her initial score, he or she
may rework and resubmit said homework for regarding within one week of its original grading
date. Any points lost in initial grading can be recovered in regarding.
Late homework will automatically lose one letter grade for each class session that it is
late. For example, if an assignment is turned in one class period late, its grade will start as a B+
(89%) rather than an A+ (100%) when the grading process begins. Homework turned in late
does not qualify for regarding. That is, whatever score is received on a tardy assignment is that
assignments permanent score.
Assignments turned in late due to excused absences will not be negatively affected by
said absences, but must be turned in during the first class meeting following the excused
absence(s). Any delays thereafter will fall within the late homework grading scenario.
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Tests/Quizzes:
Tests and quizzes must be taken during the assigned class period unless the student
missing the test or quiz has an excused absence. Only with an excused absence may a student
take a test or quiz at an earlier or later time than stated on the syllabus. Points lost on tests or
quizzes missed for unexcused absences will not be recoverable.
Tests and quizzes taken during assigned testing sessions will be scored and returned
within one week of the test/quiz date. If a student is dissatisfied with his or her score, he or she
may rework the test or quiz during a time period established between the student and instructor.
Test and quiz retakes must be conducted within one week of test scoring. Properly reworked test
and quiz questions will be worth half of their original value.
Tardiness:
Repeated tardiness will negatively impact a students course grade. Points lost on missed
entry exercises because of unexcused absences will not be recoverable. Entry activities missed
due to excused tardiness will not affect a students course grade. Class discussion, notes, and
other material missed due to tardiness, whether excused or not, is a students responsibility to
recover.
If a student has a pattern of unexcused tardiness, the students parents may be contacted
by the course instructor.
Absences:
Repeated absences will negatively affect a students course grade. Each class period will
have either an entry or exit activity that will count for a daily point value. Students with
unexcused absences will not be able to recover points lost on daily entry or exit activities.
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Excused absences will be unaffected by missing entry or exit activities. Class discussion,
notes, and other material missed due to absences, whether excused or not, is a students
responsibility to recover.
If a student has a pattern of unexcused absences, the students parents may be contacted
by the course instructor.
Participation:
Participating in class discussions and collaborative exercises is encouraged. Because
each person learns differently, participating in full-class discussions is commended but not
required. However, when participating in collaborative exercises or projects, students are
required to participate or they could suffer loss of points.
Evaluation of group projects will be dually graded using instructor assessment and
student accountability slips. When using accountability slips, each student will define what letter
grade he or she believes each group member should receive on the project. Students will also
recommend a letter grade for themselves. Accountability slips will be submitted to the course
instructor upon completion of group projects. Students will turn in accountability slips
individually and with anonymity amongst their peers. This method of grading helps promote
student accountability on collaborative assignments.







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Figure 1:
























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Figure 2:






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