Running head: CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT PLAN

Taylor Harms
Classroom Management Plan
University of Utah

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT PLAN

Preamble
I believe that the first step to learning in the classroom is building a
classroom community. Children learn best when they feel safe, respected,
and valued. A safe classroom environment has to be deliberately designed
by teachers. I believe strongly in team building, which helps teach students
how to be a kind and respectful classmate. Skills learned through team
building are the foundations of citizenship and being a well-rounded,
functioning adult. It also allows a platform in which students can build
friendships with classmates they might not naturally gravitate towards,
which helps all students feel included.
I also feel strongly that school should be fun and engaging. Real life
experiences in the classroom make learning concrete and relatable. When
students can see how lessons relate to life outside of the classroom, they are
more interested and motivated to learn. Hands-on learning is vital for
elementary age students to learn concepts. At this age developmentally,
abstract concepts are very challenging and adding some hands-on activities
to these concepts really helps children understand. Integration is so vital in
schools today. It is impossible to teach everything that is required in the Core
Curriculum without integrating. Integrating allows teachers to show some
creativity and to add fun topics into the curriculum. Classroom management
is the most important part of teaching. Classroom procedures are the
foundation for all learning in the classroom. Children thrive on routine and
clear expectations, so spending time at the beginning of the year to teach

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procedures is very important. Positive reinforcement is an important part of

classroom management. Giving praise for good behavior instead of
reprimanding bad behavior helps create mutual respect between me and my
students.
Preventative Techniques

Classroom Rules
o Creating the Rules
We will discuss, as a class, what classroom rules they think
we should have. We will create a list of all the rules the
students think the classroom should have. Then we will
narrow them down into three types of categories; taking
care of ourselves, taking care of each other, and taking
care of the environment (Wilson, 2013, p. 23). We then will
label them Be Respectful, Be Kind, and Be Safe.
o Teaching the Rules
To teach the rules, our class will discuss what the rules look
like, sound like, and feel like. This will help my student
understand what being respectful, kind, and safe really
means and how they can be each of those. Then I will roleplay situations and ask the kids to think about whether I

am being respectful, kind, and safe.

Building Community
o Morning Community Circle- Every morning after students
complete the self-start and the announcements are over, the
whole class will sit on the floor in a circle.
Good Morning Routine

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We will then say good morning to everyone, by

having one person start, they say Good morning,
Joey, have a great day, then Joey would say
something similar to the person who said good
morning to them, then he would also say good
morning to the next person in the circle. This helps
everyone feel valued and welcomed into class. In the
beginning of the year we will introduce this activity
with the book called The Invisible Boy by Trudy

Ludwig.
Feelings Check-in
This is where everyone gives fist to five on how they
are feeling. Five being great and zero feeling angry or
really bad. Then have a little bit of brief sharing.
Then encourage everyone to take a deep breath then

let those feelings go.

Discussion of Classroom Improvements
The morning circle also creates a forum where I can
discuss things that the class may need to work on,
such as being more inclusive or more respectful. It
also can be used as conflict resolution of situations

that affect the whole class.

o Team Building
For the first twenty days of school, we will do team building
every day. After the first twenty days, we will do one team
building activity every Friday.

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o Positive Classroom Environment

A positive classroom starts with me and the way I talk to
the class and discipline students. One way to keep a
positive classroom environment is by praising students
who are following the rules and who are doing what I am
asking. By rewarding students for being on task, it keeps
those who are on task, on task and it reminds the students
who are off task to focus. Positive reinforcement help cut
the number of reprimands or negative comment down. This
is an easy way to show respect for students. It also sets a
precedent of the type of language we use to talk to one
another. It is also important to get to know your students
on a personal level and that they know you. If a teacher
has a good relationship with students, then students more
readily accept the rules and procedures and the
disciplinary action that follow their violations. Without the
foundation of a good relationship, students commonly
resist rules and procedures along with the consequent
disciplinary actions (Marzano, Marzano, & Pickering, 2003,
p. 41). Building a trusting relationship with students will

help you know how to keep each student on track.

Classroom Arrangement
o The physical layout of the room will help keep my students
focused. I will move students who talk too much. My layout will

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allow me to move easily and to all students, that way I can stand
near every student while I am teaching. The proximity will help
refocus unfocused students.
The desk will be in the double horseshoe shape, which

allows students to work with partners easily.

The smart board, document camera, and white board will

be up front.
In the back, of the class by the classroom library, will be
out carpet meeting spot, which will be used for our daily

community meetings.
The classroom rules will be displayed up front by the board
and also in the back on the class, near our meeting spot,
which will help remind students of our rules when we are
having community circle.

o Procedures
Morning Procedure
Students will take out their homework folders from
their backpacks, then put their things away in their
lockers. They will put their homework folders into the

homework basket.
Students will then sit down at their desks and begin
their self-start.

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Community Circle
Everyone will walk over to the community circle
space in the back of the classroom. Then students
will sit down. We will then do our good morning
activity, where students say good morning to both

students sitting next to them.

Students then will do fist to five on how they are

feeling.
Then we will discuss any issues of concern. In this
part of community circle students must wait to speak
until they are called on, also while others are

speaking they will keep their hands down.

Bathroom
When students need to use the bathroom, they will
put their hand up with a fist and shake it back in
forth. (ASL sign for bathroom). They will not say
anything verbal. Then I will give them a non-verbal
shake/nod of my head whether they can go or not or

I will tell them verbally.

They are not allowed to use the bathroom while we
are in community circle or while I am in direct

instruction, unless it is an emergency.

If it is an emergency and we are on the carpet or
while Im teaching, they are to ask me one more time
(non-verbally), if I tell them not right now. That way I
know its an emergency.

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They can use the bathroom during independent work

or center work, without asking me. Although, I do
encourage them to wait until they have finished the

task they are on first.

Drinks
Students can get drinks during independent work or

center work.
The one rule is that they wait until nobody is getting
a drink/ no forming a line at the drinking fountain.
This ensures that they will not distract students who

are working by talking in line.

Sharpening Pencils
I do not allow students to sharpen pencils during the
day, except for recess, before or after school. I have
a non-sharpened pencils bin and a sharpened pencils
bin. This way they can leave their unsharpened

pencil and grab one that is sharpened.

I do have a hand held sharpener that can be used
during independent work, near the pencil bins. If
students abuse pencil sharpening then I will take the

hand help sharpener.

Lining up
Our weekly line leader will call students up once they

are quiet and are ready to leave.

Students will get in line without running or fighting
over spots in line. If they run or fight, everyone has
to sit down and try again.

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The weekly caboose will end the line and make sure

the classroom door is closed.

Walking in the halls
Once in the hall, we have stopping points where the
line leader stops the class to make sure everyone is
there, in a single line, and quiet. If they arent quiet

we will wait until they are until we will keep moving.

Tardy Students
Students who come to class late are expected to put
their things in their locker, grab their homework
folder out of their backpack and put it in the
homework basket. Then they need to sit down and
get out what the rest of the class is working on. They
are not to tell the whole class why they were late, but

come in quietly and get started.

Centers
I will start centers, by telling each center captain

what activity they need to get their group.

Then students will work on their centers, while I read

with one of the groups.

Students are not allowed to talk during centers. If
they finish early they can get out a book to read.
They also turn their center work into the center

basket once its finished.

Once we rotate, center captains get their group the

next activity.
Students arent to disturb the reading group at my
table.

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If students do not complete their center work in the

time they have, they will take it home for homework.

Work Folders
Students will keep all of the assignments they are
working on in their work folder. On one side of the
folder they will put all of their finished work/graded
work and in the other side they will put all of the
work they are still working on. If its been graded or
finished they will put a check mark at the top of the

paper so they know its not homework.

At the end of the day, we will clean out our work
folders. They will take home all graded work, and any

center work they still need to finish.

Passing out Papers
Students will grab a paper then pass the stack to the
person sitting next to them. Take one and pass it

down.
End of Day
At the end of the day, we will pass out the homework
folders. Then we will clean out our work folders and
put our finished and unfinished work into our
homework folder. Then everyone will pick up 10
pieces of scrap paper. Chairs will go up and they will

grab their backpacks.

Friday Desk Clean Out
Every Friday we will clean out our desks and
reorganize them. The students will have 10 minutes

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to throw away scraps and organize their desk. At the

end of the 10 minutes they are expected to be
finished and ready to start the normal end of day
procedures.
Supportive Techniques

Proximity
o Proximity is one of the greatest and useful supportive
techniques. When I see students off task, I will move closer to
them while I am teaching. It is such an easy way to get students
on track without even drawing attention to the fact they are off

task.
Positive Reinforcement of Students On-Task
o When students are off task, I will praise students who are on
task. This reminds students what the expectations are, but again
without calling them out for not being on task. This positive
statements will keep those who are doing what they are

supposed to be doing to continue their behavior.

The Teacher Look
o It is important to have non-verbal cues to remind students to
either stop a behavior or to follow directions. I will uses a more
serious facial expression, with a gentle shake of my head. This
simple reminder helps remind students without embarrassing
them in front of the whole class.
Intervention Techniques

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Conflict Resolution
o When situation arises with in the class, where students are
having trouble getting along, I will begin to teach them
conflict resolution strategies. This is vital for people to
learn to be successful adults, so starting to model conflict
resolution at a young age. In order to have the platform to
teach conflict resolution the classroom must be a safe
environment, so student feel like they can express their
feelings. I will use this when students are fighting and

typically if both students are at fault.

One-on-One Conversations
o Having conversations with your students about their
behavior is important, especially for me as the teacher.
Sometimes I can be quick to make assumptions about a
students and the causes of their behavior, but when you
ask them about it you can learn a lot about them and
maybe things that are going on at home. These
conversations can happen while we are on our way to
recess or a few minutes after school. This will be used for
behavior that is concerning or also uncharacteristic of the

student.
Compensation
o In Building Classroom Discipline, they suggest letting
students have some kind of compensation to make up for
their behavior (Charles, 2014). Instead of a consequence,

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which is generally negative, students can do something

positive for the person their behavior affected. I will use
these when a students behavior directly affects another
student. This will help mend any hurt feelings and will keep

our classroom community strong.

Contracts
o Behavior contracts will be used when there is a behavior
that is chronically happening or for serious behavior. The
contract will specifically define what behavior/s the student
is demonstrating, but will also have the behavior that we
want the student to be doing. The desired behavior will
have specific examples so that the student knows what I
mean by being respectful or other more broad behaviors. It
also lets the student know how they need to change.
Rewards will be given when student meet their behavior

goals that are listed in the contract.

Phone Calls Home
o I will call parents when there is serious behavior issues in
the class or when there are chronic behavior problems
developing. It is important for parents to be kept in the
loop which how their student is behaving. This can be
really helpful to get on the same page and to brainstorm
ways to help the student. Parents do know their children
the better than anyone so they are a great resource for
behavior issues.

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Buddy Room
o A buddy room is an important intervention for students
that get you frustrated with. Having a safe space for a
student, helps both you and the student calm down. I will
have a buddy room set up in the beginning of the year, and
I will explain the procedure of the buddy room with the
whole class, so if I do need to send a student to the buddy
room it will go smoother. The buddy room will only be used
in the most extreme cases, when I feel frustrated or even
angry with a student. This will ensure that I keep my cool
and will stop disruption from happening. According to
Wilson, later in the day you need to check in with the
student to talk about what happened and what they can do
better next time (Wilson, 2013, p. 35). This step is
important to follow through with, because it will help
students learn how to do it better next time.
Communication with Parents

Phone Calls
o I will call parents when there is behavior to discuss (intervention
techniques) and when students are doing a great job in class. It
is important to let parents know when their student is doing a
fantastic job in your class. Throughout the year, I will call each
parent at least once, letting them know something their student

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is doing well in, even if it isnt something academic like being

respectful or are a great artist.
o Classroom Website
I will have a classroom website where parents can have
access to what we are doing in class each week. I will also
have a page called homework help, where parents/ families
can go to see how we are teaching students to solve math
problems so they can help their students learn outside of
the classroom.
o SEP Conferences
In SEP conferences, it is important to make a strengths list
for each student. Each student should have goals they are
working on too. Keeping assessments, data, projects, and
journals to show parents is important to help explain how
their student is doing in multiple areas.
References
Charles, C. M. (2014). Building Classroom Discipline . Upper Saddle River,
New Jersey : Pearson.
Marzano, R., Marzano, J., & Pickering, D. (2003). Classroom Management
That Works: Research-Based Strategies for Every Teacher. Association
for Supervision and Curriculum Development .
Wilson, M. B. (2013). Teasing, Tattling, Defiance and More... . Turners Falls,
MA: Northeast Foundation for Children, Inc. .