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Storey’s Classroom Management Plan

Storey Alibara Gillingham

College of Education, Grand Canyon University

ELM-250, Creating and Managing Engaging Learning Environments

Christi Longin

October 24, 2021

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Contents

Professionalism....................................................................................................................3

Student Engagement Strategies...........................................................................................4

Philosophy of Classroom Management...............................................................................6

Classroom Procedures.........................................................................................................8

Rules, Consequences, and Rewards.....................................................................................9

Classroom Arrangement and Cooperative Learning.........................................................11

Communication with Families...........................................................................................13

Classroom Management Evaluation..................................................................................14

Reflection...........................................................................................................................16

References..........................................................................................................................17
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Professionalism

Those who fully commit themselves to professional, ethical conduct are acting with

integrity and can rely on legal protections, best practices, and the structure of the profession of

teaching whenever challenges arise. These ethics are based on many years of study and rigorous

standards which have been refined over time and are still being developed. One of the most

important parts of teaching is maintaining professional distance when engaging with students.

While it is easy to joke and laugh with them, and can foster a positive relationship, teachers

should always remember that they have a responsibility to students and families to remain

professional when managing their classes. This is true as well for students who have different

beliefs—even if teachers have strong, conflicting opinions that do not align with those of their

students, they should treat them appropriately and not allow those differences to cloud their

judgment when considering these children’s needs. The same respect and professionalism extend

to families, coworkers, and administration as well. Schools are not the place for vitriolic debate,

gossip, and judgment. Students and staff should feel safe coming onto campus, knowing they

will be treated fairly regardless of who they are or where they come from. When I take on a

teaching position, I will strive to uphold this ethical standard and ensure that students, families,

and staff feel respected and safe. I will communicate my qualifications honestly and ensure that

my decisions are made with the students’ best interests in mind, consulting coworkers, research-

based practices, and specialists as references for information as necessary. I will pursue

professional development opportunities that allow me to better serve my community. I will not

overstep boundaries when it comes to appropriate interactions with students, former students,

families, and coworkers. I will not engage in adult relationships or improper multiple

relationships with students and their families. I will not gossip about my coworkers or malign
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them to other people. These actions are unbecoming of the profession of teaching. In order to be

seen as a professional, I have to conduct myself as one.

Student Engagement Strategies

The primary purpose of student engagement is to allow students to feel safe and

productive within the learning environment, decreasing distractions and increasing connections

made between students and the material. Side effects of effective engagement strategies include

increased happiness, decreased negative behaviors, the development of mutual respect and

positive interpersonal relationships, effective communication, and the ability to understand and

follow rules and procedures established within the classroom. These work together to allow

students to become invested in their own learning and to enjoy the process of academic

development. Regardless of prior and present circumstances, the major factor in self-motivation

for students is the ability to feel a sense of agency in their learning. In order to activate student

engagement, a teacher can work to understand their students’ interests, likes, and dislikes, and

incorporate these into lesson design and planning. Activities that are personally rewarding will

hook students and make them feel like their preferences matter. Additionally, planning for the

differences in each individual that they bring in from the outside will allow teachers to better

help them achieve their potential. Regardless of which activities are chosen, variety will prevent

boredom and make learning fun.

Respect for diversity is vital in the classroom. Whether it is socioeconomic status, race,

experience, religion, culture, disability status, or any other personal factor, students with

different backgrounds can learn to work together and collaborate. The development of positive

interactions and the ability to show respect for others should be modeled and reinforced in the
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classroom from early childhood. This decreases tension between students and allows them to

understand one another and work to solve problems as a team. Part of this is intentional activity

design: Making sure that class activities are meaningful and challenging while encouraging

collaboration between students is an important function of a teacher.

One engagement strategy is to work with students to set and then follow goals. This will

allow them to create a personal stake in their own success. Check-ins and emotional support will

help students maintain their momentum. Ultimately, this leads to those students taking pride in

their work and carrying these skills beyond the classroom. Offering students appropriate choices

in how they seek and demonstrate learning is a great motivator for engagement. This allows them

to develop independence and include their own passions in their work. Choice boards are a great

classroom tool for this, giving students set options for their learning opportunities. Choice makes

students feel empowered and unique and is an excellent engagement strategy.

Students who are learning English may struggle in many key areas and experience

decreased motivation and engagement due to the difficulty they feel accompanies every

assignment. Combatting this involves an educator showing investment in and respect for their

cultures and language, their personal family structure, and their personal strengths. Incorporating

English skills into instruction and activities can bridge the gap for these students, making

assignments achievable and flattening the difficulty curve. Differentiation strategies and the use

of technology can further assist in this process. Students who receive this support will be more

willing to engage in class. Students both above and below average in performance, including

those with confirmed special needs, may require differentiation to maximize engagement. Work

should be appropriately challenging yet reasonably achievable. To this end, teachers can make

use of pre-differentiated assignments, rotating centers that allow for tiered instruction, a dynamic
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approach to teaching which allows for high- and low-level concepts to be taught concurrently,

and thematic instruction which allows students to focus on a single theme explained through the

lens of multiple elements.

Philosophy of Classroom Management

I believe that classroom management is the result of established routines meeting

effective protocols and fair and reasonable disciplinary measures. Beginning the year with clear,

reasonable expectations that are consistently reinforced will help teachers circumvent unwanted

behaviors. In addition, although it can be very difficult, relationship building is a crucial part of

classroom management. Many extreme and disruptive behaviors are the result of students feeling

misunderstood or unsafe in the classroom, while minor transgressions may be due to unfulfilled

needs. When interacting with students, teachers should demonstrate compassion and respect,

even when it is not being returned.

As adults in education, we are inherently more equipped to deal with extreme emotions,

because we can rationalize and distance ourselves from a situation, while relying on response

protocols that are established in trainings and through professional counseling. Our brains are

fully developed and our ability to see multiple sides of a conflict, take on another’s perspective,

and respond with respect and emotional maturity far outpaces that of our students. Children do

not have the luxury of cognitive distance—remembering that even their most extreme outbursts

are developmentally normal and can be managed through compassion, understanding,

redirection, and even the occasional write-up is our job. There is always room for firmness, but

there is never a place for cruelty in the classroom, so distinguishing between necessary

consequences and unnecessary punishment is crucial.

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It is counterproductive to reach the same emotional level as a heightened student, so

asking for help when we feel ourselves losing control and taking time to restore our personal

stability can allow us the best opportunity to meet their needs. Ideally, the use of proper

management models will prevent incidents from getting out of hand, but having a response plan

for if they do is an additional, necessary layer of protection for staff and students alike.

Furthermore, when students can see the progression from action to consequence, they then can

self-moderate and regain control when they begin to make harmful choices. Everyone deserves

to feel safe and capable of success in the learning environment.

As a current and future educator, I make use of PBIS and Kagan strategies to reinforce

desired behavior and address students’ needs. I do the former by recognizing students’

achievements, rewarding them with PBIS points and verbal positives when they show

exceptional citizenship and kindness, and making sure that they are incentivized to repeat the

behavior by giving these reinforcements consistently (Center on PBIS, 2021). For the latter, I try

to assume that students have the best intentions when they act in an unpredictable way and

therefore, I am able to maintain emotional stability while I identify and begin meeting their needs

or offer correction and guidance (Kagan, 2002). Kagan’s collaboration strategies will be

especially helpful for maintaining high expectations in the classroom while working together to

problem solve (Kagan, 2002).

I will plan to incorporate the S.T.A.R. strategy in the initial preparation of my classroom.

I will make sure that all desired systems—both academic and behavioral—are in place in the

classroom and ready to go from the start. I will minimize confusion, plan ahead, communicate

clearly and explicitly to the students, display procedures in an easily visible location using

simple and concise language, and inform students of my expectations immediately (Sippl, 2021,
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& Wong, 1998). I will include self-regulating through S.T.A.R. in the very first week of school

through practice and acting (for younger children) or group discussion (for older children) and

examples. Be establishing the flow of the classroom early, as suggested in the Wong model, I

can ensure that all students know what is expected of them and ideally reduce the likelihood of

uncertainty leading to disruption (1998).

Classroom Procedures

Procedures standardize expectations for the classroom, allowing students to

quickly transition into learning. When effective procedures are established and practiced

regularly, students know what they should do and how they should do it. Having parameters for

acceptable behavior, processes in place for necessary classroom actions, and high expectations

that students are accountable for following collectively mean that there is less room for chaos.

Ideally, procedures should make the time in between activities as brief as possible, allowing

students to access all necessary learning materials, lessons, and assignments for the day within

the allotted time. The procedures listed above should simplify the day-to-day minutia of the

classroom.

Examples of classroom procedures range from the mundane to the specific and all of

mine will be modeled as early as possible. One procedure that we will work on as a collective

will be attention grabbing. I will use the call out, “Hey, learners!” to get my students’ attention.

This engages them, is gender neutral, and sets a high expectation from the start. They will pause

and turn to listen. Students who fail to do so will be gently reminded. For my students, the use of

technology will have a step-by-step process that includes behavior and device care. Students will

be expected to stay on task and computers will not be used for free time during a lesson. When
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students turn in assignments, they will check for header information, wait until the appropriate

time, and then return to their seats once work is turned in. When packing up at the end of class,

students will know that this also involves cleaning up, putting away materials, and checking the

floor. I will allow students to use this time to chat with their friends provided all prior steps have

been completed and will remind students that doing what is expected of them reduces the

number of times I have to approach and remind them, which makes everyone happier. When

using the restroom, students will be given the personal responsibility of waiting until instructions

are finished being given, signaling to me that they need to use the restroom, signing out, and

taking the pass. They will not take their possessions with them barring hygiene supplies, if

applicable. For all procedures, feedback will be given after observation. Positive feedback in

conjunction with suggestions for how we can do better as a class will make a difference.

Rules, Consequences, and Rewards

Rules for the class should be minimal and fair—reflective of the needs of both students

and staff. For my class, which will most likely be self-contained or moderate special education

due to my current placement and goals, rules will include those that may seem obvious to some

students but are not easy to recall for others. For example, my rules will delineate physical space

(stay in your seat, keep your hands and feet to yourself) as well as classroom conduct (use

appropriate language, raise your hand, and use classroom equipment safely). These are helpful

reminders for how we use our body, words, and choices appropriately in the classroom. For

consequences, I prefer a fair and consistent approach. For some students, frequent reminders may

be necessary, while other students have a more complete understanding of when they are

breaking rules and therefore consequences can escalate sooner. These consequences begin with
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verbal redirections and progress through temporary reseating and removal of distractions, a

reflection sheet filled out by the student, a call home, and finally removal from class and/or an

office referral. I will make sure that students understand this progression to the best of their

ability and let them know when I feel that I need to escalate consequences so that they can have

one last chance to redirect themselves.

It is important to include positive consequences as well. A student who shows

exceptional kindness and good citizenship will receive specific praise. I do not believe in giving

academic praise to students, but focusing on work ethic (giving their best effort during an

activity) and attitude not only reinforces desired behaviors, it also shows other students that they

can also achieve success regardless of how well they do on assignments. For additional rewards,

I will make use of whatever system is considered appropriate at my school or formulate my own

if none is standardized across campus. The PBIS system is excellent for reinforcement. Desired

behaviors are rewarded with points that can then be collected and traded for rewards in a campus

store (Center on PBIS, 2021). Good behaviors translating to minor but special prizes that

students earned for themselves is quite powerful. While some are skeptical of rewarding students

for doing what they should be doing anyway, I believe that it is enormously helpful. If I want a

behavior to be repeated, I should go out of my way to show students that it is worth it and I

recognize what they are doing. A classroom that only punishes and never rewards tends to feel

exhausting to children who have no choice but to be there.

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Classroom Arrangement and Cooperative Learning

The classroom layout I have created for this assignment is a variation on the TEACCH

model, a method for meeting the visual and organizational needs of students with Autism

Spectrum Disorder (ASD) but which I have also found to be tremendously valuable for most

students (TEACCH Autism Program, 2021). For

the portion of class that students spend in my

room, I have designed my layout to maximize

independence (TEACCH Autism Program, 2021).

Students begin by following an entry procedure

which will have them placing their backpacks on

the wall hooks, checking their schedule for the day, which is displayed on the wall above the

hooks, and coming to sit in front of the board. For this step, there are no desks, and I have not

designed this classroom with chairs at the front. I would ideally use pillows or simply the rug

itself, but I am not opposed to adding chairs if necessary. However, these chairs would stay at the

front of the room regardless.

After rug time, consisting of announcements and morning warmups, students will

transition to their stations, each of which is equipped with independent work that will guide them

through skill mastery as well as all necessary materials to complete items within a station box.

The M stations will teach and reinforce math skills, the R stations will do the same for reading

skills, and A1 and A2 will give students the opportunity to work on guided math and reading

training that further increases their skills. Meanwhile, students on the C stations will be working

on computers, using a program called Membean to teach and test them on their vocabulary and

grammar skills. Beyond this, it is expected that students will transition out of the classroom for
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specials, science, or social studies. If students are not able to transition into typical classrooms

for science and social studies, the stations can be altered during prep or by students before

leaving in order to allow them to seamlessly use prepared, swapped task boxes and guided

instruction time for these subjects as well. Depending on how classes are allotted, there is a lot of

flexibility with this system and the teacher will be free to circulate and help or attend to one of

the A stations.

In order to meet the needs of diverse learners, there is a “cooldown corner” which allows

students who are experiencing overload to relax. The area will be partially visible, preserving

student privacy without compromising safety, and there will be a timer that can be set to one,

three, or five minutes, allowing students to make their way back to their classmates. If there are

no students whose emotional needs are significant enough to require a cooldown, this can instead

be used as a reward for students who have completed all task boxes and can be converted into a

miniature lounge. The timer will remain, however, to prevent abuse of the privilege.

In a traditional TEACCH classroom, stations would only ever serve one purpose:

Reading stations would only function as reading stations for the entirety of the year, no matter

how the task boxes change (TEACCH Autism Program, 2021). However, when servicing diverse

learners rather than those who primarily have ASD, there is a lot more give in how stations can

be customized. Computer stations would remain static, but the A stations can be used as craft

tables or for group work instead of guided skill practice some days, while the M and R stations

can alternate so that students avoid feeling bored by the same view every day. I firmly believe

that all necessary materials should be included in the task boxes, but freedom of choice can be

added in the form of a task box island from which students can choose what they would like to

work on and take them to the M and R desk pods instead of having that choice made for them.
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In order to ensure that students can seamlessly transition from one activity to the next, the

use of timers is essential. It is okay to not finish a task box. Progress can be measured by how

much each student got correct out of what they did finish, and eventually they will begin to see

improvements as long as they are held accountable for their work. Arrows on the ground may

encourage better classroom etiquette, and conversations with the class at the rug will help to

manage expectations and behavior. While my drawing does not account for a large class size

(capping out at 20 learners with its current design), this is easily rectified by adding more station

pods or increasing the table size at the A stations to accommodate larger small groups. Again,

considering the needs of learners may result in the “cooldown corner” instead functioning as a

group reading station, where students can take turns reading passages together in relative

privacy.

Communication with Families

At the beginning of the year, I will write the following email to my students’ families:

To Our Parents and Families,

Welcome to the 2023/2024 school year! Words cannot express how excited I am to get to

know your child over the coming months. My name is Storey Gillingham, Ms. Gillingham or

Ms. G to your children, and I am a first-year teacher with a degree in Elementary and Special

Education. I have been in education for over a decade as a paraprofessional and have worked

with all age groups, ranging from pre-K to high school. I am intimately familiar with behavior

management and the rigors of the classroom. My philosophy on behavior management is very

simple. I believe there are no bad children, simply gaps in communication skills that can be

practiced and improved. The experiences I have had in education have led me to an important
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conclusion: High, achievable expectations and enthusiastic support are the greatest factors in

student success. Although all of my students no doubt come from different backgrounds,

everyone is capable of learning and achieving their goals when they work together. I intend to do

everything in my power to make sure that your students feel supported as they take this next step

in their academic journey.

Throughout this year, I will be communicating with you through email, phone calls,

and/or text messages to keep you up to date on events and to ensure that we can work as a team

to meet your child’s needs. I believe your child is a person first and a student second, but you can

rest assured that I will hold them to a high yet achievable standard of learning when they enter

my classroom. Please feel free to contact me at any time regarding your child’s academics, any

concerns you may have, and/or any questions that come up throughout the year. We have

excellent support services at our school if you or any family in the district are in need of

additional support. My contact information is in my signature if you have any immediate

questions or comments. Talk to you soon!

Ms. Gillingham

Self-Contained Special Education

(XXX) XXX-XXXX

sgillingham@school.org

Classroom Management Evaluation

Professionalism looks different on us all. For some teachers, professional conduct is

wearing a suit every day and following the rules to a tee. For others, professionalism is using
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strategies learned in class to give students fun and memorable experiences that some may

consider nontraditional. Regardless of how we choose to structure our classrooms, however, the

fundamentals of professionalism should always be observed. Students should be spoken to in a

respectful and compassionate tone of voice. Educators should not raise their voice, use strong

language, engage physically with children (except as a last resort provided the teacher has been

trained appropriately), violate campus rules, share students’ private information with unrelated

parties, or form an inappropriate relationship (of any kind) with students. While there are many

more rules than this, these can be used as a baseline for professionalism. When students observe

that a teacher is levelheaded, respectful, and ethically sound, they are more likely to trust and

listen to that teacher.

When asking for input from families, it is important to demonstrate respect for their role

in their child’s life. A teacher should never talk down to a parent or guardian, willfully exclude

them from their child’s academic life, or assume they know more than the parent or guardian

does about their own child. When teachers are able to form a partnership with parents, the effect

on families and students is profound. Those who feel involved and invested will show their

support and feel safe coming to the teacher with concerns. However, teachers are trained

professionals and should not base academic practices solely off of parent advice. It is important

to draw a line while ensuring parents feel heard. I will actively seek input from families through

the use of polls, phone calls, and emails, and will communicate with parents about strategies I

am using in the classroom and how they affect students. Without giving intimate details, I can

provide enough information to keep parents in the loop regarding what happens during the day

while their children are with me.

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Reflection

In the process of receiving peer reviews, I had to contend with my own work ethic. I

received two peer reviews throughout my time in this course: one from Kori Kolditz and the

other from Rebbecca Strange. Kori responded to my assignment by letting me know that I

needed to make grammatical changes to a few areas of my writing. Upon review, Kori was

totally right, and I was able to correct some errors that I failed to notice while drafting. Rebbecca

offered advice on my placement of the image in my writing as well as the lack of the remainder

of the Classroom Management Plan. I was able to correct both issues by rearranging my photo

for the former and compiling the entire plan for the latter. Though I did not submit my work in

time to receive a higher volume of peer reviews, the feedback those two gave me was very

helpful in editing and finalizing my work. I chose not to use advice regarding the format of my

paper. One bit of feedback was that I did not need an entire first page for my header, but as it is

consistent with APA Style and was the format required by the assignment, I ignored the feedback

there. I also chose not to add citations to the section that was listed as not having them, since

neither my information nor the assignment required citations for that section. However, I believe

in the importance of citations overall, so it is great advice in general.

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References

Center on PBIS. (2021). Positive Behavioral Interventions & Supports. Retrieved from

https://www.pbis.org/

Kagan, S. (2002). What is win-win discipline? Kagan Publishing & Professional Development.

Kagan Online Magazine. Retrieved from

https://www.kaganonline.com/free_articles/dr_spencer_kagan/ASK15.php

Sippl, A. (2021). Stop, think, act: How to practice emotional control skills with your teen. Life

Skills Advocate. Retrieved from https://lifeskillsadvocate.com/blog/stop-think-act/

TEACCH Autism Program. (2021). The University of North Carolina School of Medicine.

Retrieved from https://teacch.com/

Wong, H.K. (1998). The Well-Managed Classroom. Professional Reference for Teachers.

Rinehart and Winston. Retrieved from

https://www.wtc.ie/images/pdf/Classroom_Management/cm6.PDF