CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT PLAN 1

Classroom Management Plan

Megan Valanne

Introduction
Classroom management is a crucial component of teaching that is always changing and

improving. Managing a classroom is not something that is done once and then everything runs smoothly.

It requires an ongoing set of rules and routines that are established early on in the year. With this being

said, the rules and routines need to be practiced on a daily basis to ensure that students understand the

expectations in the classroom. There is no special trick to ensure constant attention or smooth

transitions. Distractions and disruptions can include a variety of things: i.e. a child who is

constantly talking, a child refusing to sit down, or a child who will not participate in learning.

These behaviors are ones that we want to avoid, yet they will certainly happen. Another point to

remember is that teachers need to be fully prepared with a variety of issue prevention methods

and strategies. As a teacher, I want to ensure that I am fully prepared and organized to prevent

any unnecessary distractions created on my end. Teachers and students both have responsibilities

in the classroom to ensure that engagement is occurring. A whole group understanding of what is

needed to ensure minimal interruptions should be put in place early on.

Beginning of the Year

A way to ensure that both the teacher and the students feel comfortable and understand

what is going on, is to have rules and regulations set in place from the beginning of the year.

Allowing the children to also provide their expectations of the teacher will promote a strong

sense of dedication and organization from the teacher: “research also indicates that rules and

procedures should not simply be imposed on students; they should be created with students”

(Marzano, 2005, pg.5). Creating the rules with the children will also build a sense of unity within
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the classroom as well as give the children a sense of responsibility and encouragement to have

opinions. It is necessary to have a clear schedule that is visible for the students. If a child

becomes distracted or off topic, a simple gesture towards the poster of rules might be enough to

reengage the student in their activity. Another important aspect of discussing expectations and

rules at the beginning of the year is transitions. Understanding what the day will normally look

like will both prepare students and rid them of any anxiety they may have of the unfamiliarity of

the lesson. Of course, there are certain circumstances where things interrupt the plan; however,

striving to maintain routine as much as possible will aid in classroom management.

Prevention

Through our class readings, I have learned about many appropriate and effective

strategies that I can implement into my classroom. I want to integrate the notion that children

behave in a particular way for a reason and it is my responsibility to help them tackle the

problem instead of blaming them or questioning their emotional response. Having the students

understand that this is the perspective I have as a teacher, I feel like they are more likely to

approach me when they are beginning to feel upset, which will prevent an outburst. Allowing the

children to understand that teachers are human and make mistakes too is another way to prevent

students from misbehaving. When you are honest about mistakes and discuss the importance of

being honest, students will understand that this is behavior they should participate in. being a

backbone teacher will be difficult in some instances as I begin my teaching career, but it is

important to remember the reasoning behind prevention and consequences. In Kohn’s

book Beyond Discipline: From Compliance to Community, Chapter 8 discusses the problem-

solving techniques that can be implemented into the classroom. One part of the chapter that is

extremely helpful is what Kohn discusses that talking to the child is not the problem, it is the
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technique. The author makes this connection with “I;ve been sitting at my word processor for

months, typing like mad, and I still haven’t produced a good novel. Obviously typing doesn’t

work” (Kohn, 122). This comparison really illustrates why many people give up on trying to help

students; however, Kohn makes it clear that perhaps the technique the teacher is using is not

helping. Having a single chat with a student is likely not going to solve any issues or break down

barriers. But, this is a start of a respectful relationship. Throughout these articles, the notion of

‘chasing the why’ has been reoccurring when talking to students about misbehavior or emotional

outbursts. Calmly asking the student why they did something is likely to produce a legitimate

response from the child, whereas yelling at them for their behavior will not motivate them to

share their thoughts with you. In doing this, outbursts should be minimalized or the child should

begin to recognize what triggers their emotional misbehavior. It is important to be there to

support the child in these situations to prevent future problems. This demonstrates the many hats

that teachers wear in their daily lives and the responsibility they hold in helping build the minds

of their students and supporting them along the way.

Adjusting in the Moment

Strategies to adjust in a disruptive situation are important to be aware of when entering the

classroom. Teachers cannot come to class with an expectation that their sole lesson plan will

work, fit the required time slot or engage every student in the classroom. If we as teachers, are

aware of this, the classroom dynamic will flow much better. If a child is frustrated and not

completing the assignment, it is important that their feelings are validated. A strategy that stands

out is the “chase the why” suggestion as mention in “No-Drama Discipline” (2014). Chasing the

‘why’ forces the adult in the situation to think about it from the child’s perspective. When there

is an understanding of their behavior, it might seem reasonable to an extent for why the child
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misbehaved. Approaching the child in an aggressive way will likely increase the behavior you

are attempting to correct. It is absurd to expect a child to stop yelling by a teacher yelling at

them. This will not make sense to the child and will likely create further hostility in the future.

Instead of instantly blaming the child, questioning their thought process shows the child that you

respect them and want to understand their actions. Once this is completed, consequences can

follow in a calm voice. In my classroom, I will have a safe space for every child to use when

they are feeling uncomfortable or need to take a break and bring themselves back to the moment.

I will promote meditation as a resource instead of ineffective time-outs and help kids understand

their behavior rather than behave out of fear of consequences.

Management Through Engagement

There is often an understanding that the teacher does not hold responsibility for

misbehavior or disruption. The blame or need to change is normally placed on the student. This

thought process prevents teachers from taking ownership for their own behavior. If a child is

refusing to write in their journal, there is normally a reason for this behavior. It is not a child’s

responsibility to figure everything out on their own. A teacher needs to adapt to each child’s

individual needs because that is what teaching is all about. Without engagement, children who

need a helping hand will likely give up, become frustrated, resent the teacher, etc. As future

educators, we have heard that teachers wear many different ‘hats’ and need to adjust to suit the

children, not the other way around. Being a teacher is a selfless occupation and there is no other

way to do it.

Consequences and Rewards

When a child does not follow a known classroom rule, the teacher must follow up to the

consequences that are set out at the beginning of the year. The consequence must be stated to the
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child beforehand and the teacher needs to clarify that the student understands why the student’s

behavior is unacceptable. Although the teacher must follow through with the consequences, there

needs to a minimum set of rules/consequences in the elementary classroom. One cannot expect a

child to fully comprehend and remember a long a list of elaborate rules. As stated in the

Beginning of the Year section, rules are limited but flexibility is necessary to a certain extent and

need to be enforced from the beginning: “Expecting that students will change long-standing

maladaptive behavior on demand causes more problems than it solves” (Curwin, 2008, pg. 29).

Some children will have maladaptive behavior that the teacher will have to assist with. Because

the behavior has been ongoing for most of their life, becoming aggressive with the student will

not benefit anyone in the situation. It is important to work with the child instead of demand

change.

Independent Learning

As previously stated, if students understand and are generally aware of the class format, they will

feel a sense of responsibility and will likely focus on the task. If a child loses focus, a simple tap

on their desk as you walk past, a note dropped on their desk or a calm reminder that you need

their attention will help them regain focus. If this does not work, asking the child if there is

something going on will potentially inform you and demonstrates that you care. After explaining

why they are not listening, a reminder of the consequences may be said, followed by the

consequence if the child continues to misbehave. Remaining firm and just in the approach to

engage students and promote independent learning will provide them with the skills they need as

they continue through school. Allowing the children to be involved in classroom decisions, given

specific tasks to help out and the use of a suggestion box will promote unity. The children will be
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in my classroom for the majority of their day; therefore, their thoughts, feelings, and desires are

respected, encouraged to express, and will be taken seriously.

Conclusion

I hope that my classroom management plan has properly demonstrated the values I hold as a

future teacher. Having the opportunity to teach children and guide them through their learning is

an honorable, difficult, but rewarding profession. All children should be respected, encouraged

and should feel safe in the classroom. For children who might not receive the attention they

deserve at home, in my classroom, they will. It is important to me to ensure that my students are

excited to come to school, not for academics, but because they can be their entire selves in my

room. It will certainly be challenging at times and it would be naive to not assume this; however,

it is a challenge I am willing and devoted to pursuing because children deserve a safe space to

thrive.
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References

Curwin, R. (2008). Discipline With Dignity: New Challenges, New Solutions. Association for
Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Marzano, R. (2005). A Handbook for Classroom Management that Works. Association for
Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Seigel, D. (2014). No-Drama Discipline.