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My Classroom Management Plan
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Tori Budzinski
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Elementary Teacher K-8

My Classroom Management Plan

My Philosophy:
To me, classroom management is one of the most important
aspects of teaching. Without proper management,
classrooms are disorganized, lack discipline, and are
chaotic. This then leads to a lack of learning and
productivity. I believe that in order to maintain an effective
classroom full of learning and productivity it needs to be
teacher led but student focused. Along with that, there
needs to be organization, effective procedures, healthy
teacher-student relationships, consistent follow through and
appropriate discipline that prepares students to be well
rounded members in society.
Management Style
My management style is a mix of theorists but the theorist that resonates with
me the most is Harry Wong. In his book The First Days of School, he believes
that the first day is the most important day and will set the tone for how a
teacher manages their classroom. I find the first few days to be the most
important of the entire year. I believe that your reputation is built within those
first few days. Wong (2009) believes that in an effective classroom, students are
working, know expectations and there is very little wasted time and disruption
(p. 85). Also, the climate of the classroom is work-oriented but relaxed and
pleasant (p. 85). This is exactly how I plan to operate my classroom. I do not
like to waste time and plan to minimize disruptions as much as possible. I
intend to instill procedures and have students follow a routine that will help
them avoid breaking rules and being unproductive. I also intend to make a
positive working environment, one that is open and enjoyable through building
positive relationships with my students. Wong states that an effective teacher
is able to organize a well-managed classroom where students can learn in a
task-oriented environment (p. 80). My goal is to be that effective teacher
through organization, procedures, and relationships.

Wong is the main theorist I tend to follow however some of my discipline follows
the theorist Spencer Kagan. Like Wong, I believe in having consequences for
bad behavior and rewards for good. However, I also believe in Kagans methods
of forming collaborative solutions and learned responsibility. I intend to
create solutions with the students that prevent bad behavior and also teach
appropriate behavior. I also hope that my students will develop these skills on
their own. (Charles, 2011, p. 209)
Proper classroom management is the most important
factor that fosters student learning. With an effective
classroom management, a teacher and class can get the
full learning experience every student deserves.
For the first day of school, I believe that it is important
to establish three things:
1. Explain how the classroom will operate on a daily
basis;
2. Establish rules that should be followed daily;
3. Establish procedures that help keep the classroom running smoothly.
Classroom Operation:
As a teacher, I believe the best classrooms are organized with minimal
distractions and downtime. Distractions and downtime can often lead to chaos
in the classroom. I believe the less chaos, the less likely students are going to
break rules and not follow procedures. The more efficiently we as a class can
move from one subject to the next, the more time we have for learning and
class work.
In order to build organization I need to establish an effective classroom layout.
By layout, I am not just implying the way desks are set up but where supplies
are located, stations at which students will work and where to turn in
materials and homework. Depending on the types of desks supplied, I think
arranging tables or desks in groups are effective for younger students. For
older students, they would be not be arranged in groups quite yet. After the
first couple weeks of class, when procedures have been learned and performed
well, the arrangement may be different. I do want most chairs and desks facing
the front of the room where lessons will be given.
Along with desk arrangement, I envision student centers placed throughout the
room. These centers will have proper reading material and an abundance of
books that students can choose to read. There will be chairs and bean bags.
Rugs will also be provided in order to make the area comfortable for students
to sit down and enjoy group work or quiet reading. I plan to have supplies
always clearly labeled and easily accessible for students to use. I plan to have
trays labeled for homework turn in and take home work. I also plan to have
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organized student space. By this I mean backpacks and coats will be in a

designated area along with cubbies for each student where they can keep
homework folders, books, and notebooks. Near this place I envision having a
mailbox unit where I can hand back graded assignments. My teacher area will
be neat and orderly so that I can locate files, work, and lesson plans easily. The
more I am organized, the more prepared I will be. The more prepared I am as
teacher; the easier it will be to manage the classroom as a whole.
The walls and boards of the classrooms will appropriately display daily
schedules, large concepts we are working on throughout the year, rules and
procedures, as well as space for student work to be displayed. It is vital to
celebrate student work so they feel successful and valued. Every day, I plan to
write out the days objectives on the board so that students clearly know what
we plan to accomplish for the day. I also will display a class schedule with
times to shift between subjects and attend specials and lunch. I will also
display homework on the board so students can write it down in their
planners. The less time taken to ask what is coming next or what is our
homework, the more time I have to work with students.
Classroom Layout:

Rules:
On the first day of school, I would like for the students and I to come up with
rules together. We will call this a class contract and we will brainstorm what
the rules should be for the year. I think this will help students remember the
rules instead of me just telling them what they are. However, I will help
facilitate the discussion of what these rules should be. When we are done
establishing the rules, each student will sign the bottom of the contract
indicating that they will abide by the rules or accept the consequences of not
abiding by the rules. Some of the rules I hope to be on our contract are:
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1. Treat others how you would want to be treated;

2. Be prepared;
3. Raise your hand if you have something to say or have a question
4. Use indoor voices at all times.
Procedures:
Bell Work
Every morning students are expected to come into class prepared with their
homework complete and materials ready for the first subject. There will always
be a small bell work exercise on the board. Every day, I would like them to rate
how they feel for the day. I would love to know if there is anything that may be
upsetting to them as well as if they are feeling great and ready for the day. This
will help me better understand which students may have a lower tolerance for
learning during the day. I also want to know how the homework was the night
before, if assigned. Along with the bell work, there will be a review question.
This work will help me to get a feel of where the students are at so that we can
tackle any problems or confusion before moving onto the next lesson. During
the bell work, I will be walking around the room observing the students and
reading their answers. Also during this time, I will make sure my materials are
in order and ready for the day. Students will be expected to talk quietly with
classmates but take time to complete their bell work.
Raising Hands
During the lessons students are expected to be quiet while I am speaking and
when other classmates are speaking. If students want to add comments or
have a question, they are always expected to raise their hands. This will
help give everyone the opportunity to talk.
Getting Student Attention
While doing group work, the room may get louder than anticipated.
Students will get chatty at times. So, I need an effective way to get
their attention if I am giving new instructions or it is time to change
subjects. I will probably use the clap once if they hear my voice and
then clap twice if they hear my voice technique. I think this will be
an effective way to get students attention. After I have them clap they
are expected to be quiet and ready for the next instruction.
Leaving the Classroom
When the class leaves the classroom, students are expected to line up quietly
at the door in straight line in the number class order. Whenever we leave class,
this is what is expected. See above about leaving the room. When students
have to go to the bathroom they will raise their hands but instead of using their
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full hand, they will cross their pointer finger and middle finger so that I know
they wish to use the restroom. I will then dismiss them and in the process of
leaving the room, they will have their names written on the board and will place
the appropriate bathroom magnet by their name. This magnet board will also
have magnets for every reason a student may leave the room such as nurse,
meeting with another teacher, or making an office trip. The magnet board will
help me know where students are at all times. They are expected to do their
duties and then return immediately. When in the hallway, students are
expected to be quiet so they do not interrupt other classes.

Establishing Relationships with Students

I believe as a teacher, the most important way to establish relationships with
my students is to create an inviting environment which helps them be
successful in school. If they do not feel successful, they could fall behind and
dislike school. A few ways that I will help create an inviting environment is by
having an inviting personality. I will be positive and show them how excited I
am to spend the school year with them. Along with that, I want them to always
feel successful and truly apart of the classroom. I intend to display
students accomplishments all over the room. I will also be
encouraging and excited when they accomplish something
important to them, even if it seems small. Giving them
that gratification, even with something as minor as a
worksheet, will make all the difference in attitude
towards school for that student. (Wong, 2009, p. 67)
I want students to never be afraid to come to me if
they are having trouble with schoolwork. If they
don't understand a lesson, I want them to be
comfortable asking me for help. I will always be
willing to put in extra time to help every student succeed. I want students to be
comfortable enough to talk to me about their personal problems. I hope to
facilitate this by simply asking about their days. If someone is having a bad day
I will of course listen to the problem. As I stated earlier, during bell work, I will
have students rate how they feel for the day so that I can gauge how they are
feeling. I hope that the students will always be able to trust me. My job is not
to just teach but to also be a mentor to students. I hope to establish that
mentoring relationship with each of my students.
When the class does not run smoothly or a student is acting out. I will
communicate the consequences and individually speak with students when
necessary. My goal is to not jump straight into punishing a student but to talk
with them about how to change behavior and to work together to devise a plan
to correct future misbehavior. For my part, I will help students learn from their
mistakes and help them see how they can make better decisions in the future.
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Enhancing Student Motivation

The first way I am going to enhance student motivation will be ensuring that
my lessons are interesting. I hope to have many creative and interactive ways
to help the kids stay focused on the material. For projects, I hope to give
students a choice. I will give them several options and then they will be able to
make their own decisions on how they would like to display their work. Having
choice gives students more freedom and keeps them interested in the topic.
Another way I will enhance motivation is by being an example and role model
for them. If I am enthusiastic and energetic about a students presentation,
then students will hopefully be enthusiastic as well. If am interested and
excited about the material, that excitement will rub off on my students
(Vanderbilt University).
A great way to enhance motivation is to role play or switch roles with the
students. By this I mean that students become the teachers and create lessons
to teach the rest of the class. I pretend to be a student. I believe this will help
students to stay motivated for lessons. It also switches up regular routine and
makes the lesson more memorable (The Center for Teaching, 2014).
The final way I will enhance student motivation is by setting realistic goals for
students. I will ensure that we set goals before every lesson and will encourage
them to set their own individual goals. I think this will help them be wellrounded individuals. It is always great to set goals for yourself in
whatever you do (The Center for Teaching, 2014).

Experiences
Throughout my field placements, I have seen many
examples of effective classroom management techniques. At
my Project Based Learning placement, classroom
management is extremely important since there are more
projects going on than in traditional schools. The teacher has a
very creative way of getting the students attention when they are doing group
work. She sings a little tune and the kids respond back with the rest of the
tune.
In other placements, I have seen many of my teachers have daily schedules
written out on the board so that students can clearly see the days activities.
They also have objectives written on the board so students know what is going
to be accomplished. Having schedules and objectives, keeps the class
organized.
Along with that, I have had teachers discipline students by having them change
colors on a chart. Every student starts the day on green. If they get in trouble,
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they are to change their color to yellow to indicate that they have had a
warning for inappropriate behavior. If they are warned again, they are to
change their color to red and then must deal with a consequence.
A final effective classroom management skill I have seen is the use of morning
bell work l. This work gets students ready for the day by giving them practice
on a previous lesson or preparation for a new lesson. It also keeps students
focused while others are getting ready for the day.

Working with Parents

The first way I intend to build relationships with parents, is by always inviting
them to be a part of their students schooling. I hope to invite them to come
visit the classroom before school starts and to meet me. I also hope to include
them in larger activities such as field trips, important project days, or regular
help with in the classroom. (Wong, 2009, p. 60)
The second way I intend to work with parents is by regularly communicating
what has been happening in the classroom. I hope to send home a weekly
classroom newsletter. This newsletter will highlight the objectives that we have
covered for the week, a summary of the activities we have been working on and
an overview of the items we will be working on in the
upcoming week.
A third way I intend to send parents emails and make
phone calls to inform them about how their child is
doing in the class. If there are behavior issues, I will
let the parents know either by making a phone call
or scheduling a meeting at a convenient time for the
parents and myself. Together, we can work on a
plan to help their child improve his or her behavior.
A final way I will work with parents is by letting
them know how well their child is doing at school. I
want to regularly send positive emails about their child so that when I contact
them, I am not just the bearer bad news. I believe this positive communication
will bear much good will, creating an uplifting educational experience for my
students and their families.

Reflection
When it comes to classroom management, I find structure and organization to
be huge proponents in developing a successful classroom. Without
organization, no learning would take place. I also believe that it is crucial to
instill routine, rules and procedures in order to keep the classroom well
managed and organized. I believe students are less likely to misbehave if proper
procedures are ingrained and practiced routinely. Along with those important
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components, it is also crucial to establish healthy relationships with students.

By healthy, I mean relationships that are open and trustworthy. I want
students to feel comfortable with me and be able to confide in me. I also want
to be a good role model and mentor for each and every one of my students.
When students are comfortable within the class and clearly know expectations,
then great learning will take place. Even though management is one of the
most important aspects of the classroom, the second most important is
creating effective lesson plans that are creative and keep the students
interested in learning. That will always be one of my goals as a teacher; to
create effective and interesting lesson plans.
Furthermore, I believe in a teacher led classroom but student focused. Along
with that, building relationships with parents and students is important to
having a thriving classroom. It is important that I also maintain a positive and
welcoming personality for my students so that they feel comfortable with me
and know that they are the most important part of the classroom. I truly
believe, that with all of these components, students will receive an excellent
education and develop appropriate behavior self management skills.

Sources
Center for Teaching: Vanderbilt University. (2014). Motivating Students. Web. Retrieved from
http://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/motivating-students/
Charles, C. M. (2011). Building Classroom Discipline (11th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson
Education.
Wong, H. K., & Wong, R. T. (2009). The First Days of School. Mountain View, CA: Harry K.
Wong Publications, Inc.