My Classroom Management Plan

My Classroom Management Plan

Philosophy (and Influences) of Classroom Management

            My philosophy on classroom management can be summed up in one statement: Be patient, caring, structured and practical. The ground rules should be clearly laid out on the first day of school, such as what Harry Wong describes, in order to establish a firm understanding of what is expected in the classroom from day one. Children need structure and it is immensely beneficial for the teacher to provide it at all times. I also ascribe to Lee and Marlene Canter’s ideas of assertive discipline. It should be made clear that “students have the right to learn while they are in school and the teacher has the right to teach”. Any disruptions that negatively affect class time will be handled accordingly, per the prescribed set of class rules that students will consistently be reminded of.

            While physically teaching, I show preference toward Jacob Kounin’s lesson management techniques; To maintain order, teachers need to be aware of all that is happening in the classroom at all times and have the ability to act quickly when circumstances arise. I also believe that student behavior is optimal when students are interested in presented material. Lesson momentum and excitement play a pivotal role in the advancement of student learning.

            When confronting students with issues that may be construed in a negative manner, I agree with Haim Ginott’s “Congruent Communications Theory”. “I-messages” are much more effective than “You-messages” because students may feel threatened and lash out when a teacher addresses situations in a negative and non-productive manner. “I-messages” also show students that the teacher truly cares about the student and encourages improvement rather than places blame.

In the classroom, I prefer myself to maintain a referent power base with my students. My intention is not to be a friend to the students, but rather, to convey a message that I care about them on an individual level. When I am disappointed or angry, it is because students were breaking pivotal rules, being disrespectful, or disruptive. Everyone is entitled to their own thoughts and opinions, and should feel comfortable asking questions or expressing concerns without the fear of ridicule or negative backlash.

               I believe in collaborative management because it is the teacher’s responsibility to ensure that students become productive members of a democratic society. A helpful way for students to learn how to function democratically is for the teacher to model the behavior and allow students to make their own decisions. The teacher should serve as the guide and leader and the student should be able to provide input which is valued and taken into consideration in times of need.

 My introduction to students on the first day of school will most certainly be: “I am the teacher and my job is to teach you. You are the student and your job is to learn. As long as we both do our jobs well, this will be a rewarding year.”

Routines and Procedures

To avoid disciplinary problems stemming from idle time, students will be required to enter the classroom and immediately begin a warm-up activity of some sort. The warm-up activity will serve as a distraction from social activity and will prepare students for the requirement of focus on the topic of the day.

Throughout the workday, students will be required to stay on task and only leave their seats for sharpening pencils or throwing away trash, etc., when they do so in a non-disruptive manner or have asked for permission to do so. This will alleviate unnecessary distractions throughout the school day and procedures will, likewise, be explained thoroughly to students during the first days of class.

Students must remain quiet and attentive to instruction, unless notified otherwise (because of group work or other extenuating circumstances) and will be reminded of the necessity to do so and the consequences of disruptive behavior whenever the necessity arises.

Seating Arrangement

My classroom seating chart will be laid out in rows and columns with each student having the accessibility of a single partner at all times. In this way, students are all faced forward and will be less likely to become distracted by peers around them. The teacher’s desk will, optimally, be in the front, corner of the room so that when students are working and the teacher is at the desk, the teacher is always in view of all the students. In this way, the teacher can monitor misbehavior or receive questions and comments from students at all times. There will be room in between rows and around the room to move around and desks will have the option to be pushed together and moved around for special activities throughout the school year. Storage best placed in the back of the classroom because it does not need to be a focus or distraction for students.  Additional desks will be placed off to the side for students to use for projects that require more space or for students who consistently misbehave in class and must sit near the teacher, who will then exert proximity control to maintain appropriate behavioral expectations.