Management Plan

Management Plan Bryanna Fenton University of Virginia

Management Plan Abstract I believe that every student is capable of succeeding in a classroom that encourages students to work hard and improve themselves. With this growth mindset I believe that students do differ in intelligence, but intelligence can be changed through sustained hard work (Willingham, 2009, pg. 170). A classroom that caters to students individual needs and gives them the opportunity to demonstrate their interests and knowledge in a variety of forms is the best environment for success. Through the use of routines, procedures and explicit rules and consequences I will maximize instructional time and help develop my students sense of responsibility. This management plan is a comprehensive discussion of the physical and social

environment of my classroom and the management style I will use to keep my classroom running smoothly. It is a proactive and strategic plan that will help me anticipate problems in the classroom and prevent them as well as alleviate problems that arise. The procedures, routines, rules and consequences outlined in this management plan have been thoughtfully developed to help reach curriculum and developmental goals of my Spanish classroom.

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Management Plan Proactive Strategies: Classroom Environment The physical setup of the room will be the first thing that students notice upon entering my room. I want the setup to be inviting and engaging while not being distracting. One wall will be covered in student created posters with words that they are learning in their chosen reading circles. This word wall will also include words that we are learning at the time to help students use them in the classroom. Above the white board in the front of the room there will be posters clearly stating the agreed upon rules and phrases that students should know in Spanish. In addition, there will be important Spanish phrases necessary to complete tasks and procedures in Spanish including Can I go to the bathroom? and I dont understand. On the white board there will be a section taped off to the right with the agenda and the homework. Finally, around the room hint cards will strategically be in places that help students work more independently and thus preserve teacher time to work with individuals and small groups (Tomlinson & Imbeau, 2010, p. 95). Hint cards will contain grammatical structures, rules, language tips and other helpful information that will help students complete their work without having to ask the teacher for assistance. This will help optimize my time by allowing me to help students that need extra attention and will also help with management because students will not be distracted or frustrated waiting for me to come to them. These wall decorations will be supplemented with many bookshelves lining the walls. One bookshelf will be full of different reading material and will be organized by reading level. There will be English and Spanish language books and novels from or

Management Plan about Spain and Latin America. Topics will include art, history, poetry, folklore, short stories, biographies and cultural phenomenon. There will be a bookshelf upon entrance with all materials needed for the class, bins of dialogue journals for each class and the homework and absent binders. Desks will be in groups of four the majority of the time to create base groups (familias) and allow for student interaction. This interaction promotes [language] acquisition because students help to manage the input (Van Patten, 2003, p. 108). Transition to circles will be explicitly taught the first time that it is necessary in order to have Socratic seminars or full class discussions. Another transition will be taught to change desks into two sets of rows facing each other for whole class debates or when students are presenting projects. Students will know where their specific desk is to go

during the transition so the class can move into the new configuration quickly. A table in the back of the room will be an area for independent study with comfortable chairs and lamps. This will also be a safe space for struggling students who would benefit from working on their own for an activity. This will help with management because students that could cause a distraction will be removed without having to leave the classroom. This physical set up of the room will tend to adolescent needs because it allows student movement and interaction in a productive way. Proactive Strategies: Attending Social Needs of Students I will attend to my students social needs by making sure that as a teacher I am accessible, approachable, non-judgmental and sensitive. I will be constantly walking around the room and engaged with the students, never behind my desk, which will help me develop relationships with my students. Further, I will help students with perspective

Management Plan taking to make them more socially aware and increase their self efficacy as well as responsible decision making skills (Social and Emotional Learning). These skills will help them become better students and citizens in society as well as in the classroom. Proactive Strategies: Relationships The relationships formed in the classroom, both teacher-student and student-

student, are crucial for developing trust and community. I will provide emotional support to my students in order to form teacher-student relationships through dialogue journals. Students will have the opportunity to write their feelings, concerns, and critiques to me in their journal during the para empezar (Do Now) and I will respond with feedback, to help them improve language skills, and show interest in the students concerns by addressing them both in the journal and through discussion. I will use the journals to gauge student interest by asking questions such as what did you do this weekend? or what is your favorite sport and why? I can later work that knowledge into lessons in order to encourage students to succeed. In addition, I will be able to address any concerns that may keep a student from succeeding by asking questions such as how do you feel about the coming exam? or what is one thing you would change about this class. These journals will meet adolescent needs because they are able to provide feedback without having to do so publicly in front of their peers. To help students become collaborative and supportive of each other many lessons will include jigsaw and graffiti activities. These activities will teach students to be responsible for their learning and will help groups learn to work together. There will also be weekly peer-editing activities that will help students learn from and trust each other. Cooperative learning groups will be part of the daily procedure because they can

Management Plan facilitate interaction and friendship among students who differ and increase positive attitudes toward class (Weinstein & Novodvorsky, 2011, p.76). Collaborative learning is also an important factor in learning a language (Van Patten, 2003). The learning groups are important to develop relationships and encourage students to learn from each other and build community as well as build their language skills. Proactive Strategies: Procedures and Routines The first procedure necessary for the class to function is how to enter and begin the class, because it is necessary to start the class off right just like we have to start the day off right (Ferlazzo, 2013). Students will enter the room and greet the teacher. They will grab their agenda sheet and their journal. They will be seated in their assigned seat and working on their para empezar in their journals when the bell rings. When they

finish the para empezar they are to write any concerns or questions to the teacher in the journal and take out their binder. The agenda sheet that they collected when entering the classroom will also be printed on the board. After discussing the para empezar we will discuss the agenda for the day. The para empezar is a version of everybody writes now a technique used by Lemov (2010), because it allows students to prepare for more ambitious thinking and discussion by reflecting in writing for a short interval(139). The second procedure involves how to work in groups. I will place students in base groups each quarter by a seating chart. Students will understand that working in a group means everyone is responsible for each other. Each member will be a different member of the familia. This will show community and will help reinforce the Spanish language. I will call different members to be responsible for different tasks, such as collecting material, reporting to the class, recording information, etc. Students will be

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taught the following necessary skills for working in groups: call group members by name, encourage everyone to participate, speak quietly, take turns, paraphrase contributions of others, criticize ideas and not people, add on to others ideas and seek elaboration (Johnson, Johnson and Holubec, 1994). These procedures of working in a group will make collaborative learning worthwhile. The third procedure necessary is what to do when finished early. I will create anchor activities that are designed to be interesting, accessible, and able to increase [students] sense of competence (Tomlinson & Imbeau, 2010, p. 129). On the agenda board will be a set of activities that students can work on when they finish early: starting on the homework, doing some practice grammar sheets to study, choice reading from books on the shelf, working on continuous projects, etc. These activities will cut down on talking between students when others are working and the procedure is important so students do not need to find the teacher in order to move to another activity. Students will also be taught how to turn in homework. Students will be encouraged to leave their binders in the classroom and have a homework folder where they take home the necessary notes and assignment (CITATION). This will be possible because students will have a contents page in their notebook and each handout will be numbered so they can easily find and return sheets in their binder. Homework will be assigned in some form each night. The next day the teacher will pick a popsicle stick to decide how the homework will be checked. The homework will either be turned in for completion, turned in for correctness, corrected by a by a peer, spot checked, or not checked. Homework will always be discussed the day it is due so students have immediate feedback. On an online forum keys will be available for students to check

Management Plan their work. Because of this late work will not be turned in for a grade but it will be necessary for students to still do the work in order to get a complete grade on their notebook check at the end of the unit. If students do not do the homework they must fill out an explanation form called the dog ate my homework found in the homework binder. They will do this during the para empezar and set it out on their desk in place of their homework. This form will be signed and go in the homework binder for

documentation (Wong, 2009). These procedures will keep the class running efficiently at the beginning and avoid wasted time on homework. Another important procedure is what to do after an unexcused absence. On the bookshelf at the entrance of the classroom there will be a binder with all extra copies of the papers the students have. If they ever lose a sheet or were absent they can retrieve their missing papers from this binder. Because there will be a notebook check at the end of the unit each student will have a table of contents in their binder. An equivalent agenda sheet will be posted on the whiteboard to help students keep track of their papers. Students that are absent will have a note from me in the extra sheets/absent binder and the note will tell them what they missed in class, what sheets they need and what they need to turn in. If they were absent when a homework assignment was collected they are expected to have that homework because they were in class the day it was assigned. Absent students will have the number of days that they were absent to do the work that they missed such as quizzes or turning in homework assigned when they were absent. For example, if a student were absent for 4 days, when they return they will have 4 days to make up what they missed, including all tests.

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Organizing classroom binders is also an important procedure. Students will have a table of contents given to them that they will fill out, as the teacher fills the class copy out on the board. Students will keep their binder in that order with agendas preceding the days notes and activity sheets. Binders will be turned in during the test as a participation grade and all assignments need to be completed and in the correct order. Students will be able to leave their binder in the classroom if they would like and take home a folder with only the necessary items for the homework. The seventh procedure is how students should say the following phrases in Spanish so they can stay in the target language and meet their needs: I want to use the restroom, I want a drink of water, I need a pen, I need paper, I am confused, I need help, please and thank you. This procedure is specific to the Spanish classroom because students need to stay in the target language at all times. It is important for me to explicitly teach the students these words and to have them on the walls so they know exactly what to say and do not feel uncomfortable having to ask for any of those items. The final procedure necessary for the class to run smoothly is how to end the class and exit the room. First I will make it clear that I dismiss the class, not the bell (Wong, 2009). Students will be asked to return to their seats five minutes before the bell to copy down the homework and begin the exit slip in their journal. When they finish they can raise their hand and tell me one thing they learned in class and I will dismiss them one by one until I know they will be late in which case I will ask them to tell me as they walk out the door. Students will return their journals to the bin as they leave.

Management Plan Reactive Strategies: Responding to Misbehavior

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In my management style routine is crucial in order to maximize instructional time. The procedures will be explicitly taught and practiced the first week of school and there will be room for improvement plans before consequences are enacted because todays practice is tomorrows procedure (Charles, 2010, p. 86). I will also employ cooperative management techniques, involving parents and administrators in the management process, as Kagan suggests (Charles, 2010). This combination of strategies will help me work with the students to teach them how to be behaving members of an academic society and it will keep the classroom running smoothly. There are six rules or guidelines in my class: respect yourselves, one another and the teacher; always be prepared for class (includes being in your seat doing work when the bell rings); follow directions; Speak Spanish as much as you can (depends on the level); keep on task and avoid distractions; and take responsibility for your learning. The rules will be explicit on the first day of school and they will be written in the syllabus. On the first day base groups will be assigned one of the six rules. They will answer a few questions and work as a group to determine what the rule will look like in practice. They will then present this information to the class. After all students are aware and have agreed upon the rules and exactly what they mean the class will make a contract on a poster that will hang in the room (Charles, 2010). According to Glasser, this will give the students a say in the classroom and makes them invested in the rules because they helped define them (Charles, 2010). If a group of students or the class is getting off task I will direct them to the contract that they signed. If this warning does not stop the behavior there will be

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consequences. The consequences for breaking any of the rules are four pronged. The first consequence serves as an individual warning but also asks students to take responsibility. The student will receive an infraction notice that will be given in the form of a card immediately after they break a rule (Wong, 2009). They will turn the card back into the teacher after class with a written plan for improving behavior. Both parties will sign the card for documentation. The second infraction will result in a call home that will be documented. The third consequence is a written note home asking the parent and child to discuss options for improvement of the behavior and 30 minutes extra in the classroom after school, or whatever detention policy is in place in the school. The fourth consequence is the involvement of an administrator in the form of a referral. This will be consequence number one if there is violence involved or students are causing a safety issue. This involves both parents, who also need to sign the syllabus with the student contract and the rules explicitly written and explained. This plan also involves administrators, though I give many options for students to correct their behavior before elevating the consequences. This plan will be modified to fit whatever school policies for discipline are already in place. These management decisions address adolescent needs for structure and stability. These rules and consequences will be consistent so students know what to expect and are aware of my high expectations. My management plan also helps my students meet the curriculum goals because they will be speaking Spanish entirely, will be on task and will take responsibility for learning the material. I will collect evidence about how my plan is working through the documentation that will take place throughout the discipline process. I will be able to see from this

Management Plan documentation whether students are improving their behavior or if there is a common

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problem in the classroom, which could suggest to me that I need another specific rule or procedure. Conclusion My management plan is designed to create a comfortable classroom where students feel safe to take academic risks, ask questions, collaborate with each other and acquire language. I believe that every one of my students is capable of succeeding and my plan reflects that by giving students opportunities to improve. My procedures allow students to feel safe and secure by knowing my expectations. With this management plan in place my students will be able to focus on learning instead of worrying about my expectations.

Management Plan APPENDIX A: The Dog Ate My Homework Slip

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THE DOG ATE MY HOMEWORK

Name: ________________________________________ Date: _________________________ Please write an explanation for why you do not have your homework today: _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________

Signature of student _____________________________________________________ Signature of teacher______________________________________________________

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APPENDIX B: Leyes Fundamentales de la Clase (Class Constitution) Activity

Leyes Fundamentales de la Clase Class Constitution Your group is assigned the following rule:

ALWAYS BE PREPARED FOR CLASS

Please discuss as a group the following questions and prepare a 2-minute presentation where every member speaks and explains the rule to the class. Which of the following would mean a student is prepared? Discuss these 10 scenarios and decide whether they define a student to be prepared. 1. The student is in the desk when the bell rings 2. The student is in the room 3. The student is talking to a friend 4. The student is working on the Do Now/Para Empezar 5. The student is walking in the door 6. The student has all of their materials 7. The student has their binder and needs a pencil 8. The student forgot their homework 9. The student is late with a slip 10. The student was absent and did not do the homework Thinking about the scenarios about and your thoughts on them define the rule: Always be Prepared for Class. Paint me a picture of what this rule looks like in action and what it means for the class.

Draw a picture to represent this rule

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References Charles, C. M. (2010). Building Classroom Discipline. Prentice Hall.

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Estes, T.H., Mintz. S. L. & Gunter, M. A. (2011). Instruction: A Models Approach (6th ed.). Boston: Pearson Education. Ferlazzo, L. (2013, February 26). Cultivating a Positive Environment for Students. Education Week. Johnson, D. W., Johnson, R. T., & Holubec, E. J. (1994). New circles of learning; Cooperation in the classroom and school, the. Alexandria , VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Lemov, D. (2010). Teach Like a Champion: 49 Techniques That Put Students on the Path to College. San Francisco: Joseey-Bass. Social emotional learning. [Class handout, EDIS 5030, E. Andrei, University of Virginia, 2012]. Tomlinson, C.A. & Imbeau, M. B. (2010). Leading and Managing A Differentiated Classroom. Alexandria, VA: ASCD. Van Patten, B. (2003). From Input to Output: A Teachers Guide to Second Language Acquisition. McGraw Hill. Weinstein, C.S. & Novodvorsky, I. (2011). Middle and Secondary Classroom Management: Lessons from Research and Practice (4th ed.). New York: McGraw Hill. Willingham, D. T. (2009). Why Dont Students Like School? A Cognitive Scientist Answers Questions About How the Mind Works and What it Means for the Classroom. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Wong, H. K. (Producer). (2009). Using the First Days of School [Motion Picture]