Stephen Melish Dr.

Lynch
EDU 510
Personal Plan for Promoting Appropriate Student Behavior
Clarity of Terminology
Classroom management, as defined by H. Jerome Freiberg and Amy Driscoll, is the way
in which a teacher establishes routines and organizes the classroom and materials of instruction
in order to create a comfortable learning environment and promote self discipline (pg. 148 and
165). Discipline, however, is a teachers efforts to maintain decorum and enlist student
cooperation, as defined by C.M. Charles and Gail W. Senter (pg. 148). Discipline usually
follows misbehaviors, whereas classroom management comes before. Classroom management is
the guideline to appropriate behavior, and is thus in place to prevent disciplinary action.
Classroom management goes far beyond discipline.
Designation of Organizational Level
My certification for teaching will be grades 7-12 for social studies. I would like to teach
at any high school grade level, more specifically 11
th
grade American History. However, I
would gladly teach any grade within the spectrum of my certification. This classroom
management plan is geared toward high school students, but could work for middle school
grades as well.
Classroom Management Plane Components and Linked Strategies
1) In my classroom, teachers and students will respect their peers, teachers, belongings, and
themselves. This concept is a rule that applies not only to the students, but to me as well, and
anyone who enters my classroom. In this way, this respect will be modeled and demonstrated
from not only the teacher to the students, but from the teacher to the faculty as well, so that
Stephen Melish Dr. Lynch
EDU 510
students will have a good example to follow. This falls into Albert Banduras theory of social
learning, and that teachers are the biggest role models in a childs life. The rule also follows
Rudolf Dreikurs idea that students have a compelling desire to be valued members of the class.
In students giving and receiving respect from their teacher and one another, they will feel a sense
of belonging, which will lead to a comfortable learning environment. This shall set the standard
for the classroom management rules that follow.
2) All students in my classroom will be free from discrimination of any kind. As part of respect,
and Dreikurs idea of students need to belong, all students will be welcomed by myself as the
teacher, and their peers. This includes discrimination of race, religion, creed, ethnicity, sex,
gender, physical appearance, etc, as well as any form of discrimination, whether it be verbal,
physical, cyber. To put it another way, my classroom will be a bully free zone. Part of a
comfortable learning environment is more than just respect and belonging; in this case, it entails
freedom from fear. A student should be able to enter a classroom without having to worry about
which student is going to pick on him or her throughout the day. It is my job as a teacher to
model this behavior, and praise students behavior when it is accepting of the aforementioned
differences amongst students.
3) All students will be entitles to their own appropriate ideas and opinions, and are encouraged to
share them. William Glasser discusses our five basic needs, and one of them being freedom. In
this way, students should feel free to have and express their own opinions. Part of being in a
social studies class is learning and exercising our civil liberties as American citizens. These civil
liberties include having differing and ideas and opinions, as well as the right to express them. As
a teacher of social studies, it is my job to model these civil liberties and to get students to
develop and share their own opinions concerning issues discussed in class. Included in students
Stephen Melish Dr. Lynch
EDU 510
having their own opinion, it is also encouraged that students respectfully argue differing
opinions, as it is also our civil liberty to do so. There is a fine line here between the latter
statement and the previous rule that must not be crossed. Arguing does not always entail a fight,
just as disagreement does not entail disrespect or discrimination. Students can freely argue
differing opinions openly and respectfully, as it is our civic right, and it can still remain
appropriat
4) In my classroom, all will listen attentively while another person is speaking. It is imperative
to Glassers idea of belonging that students feel that their voices are being heard. To be
inattentive while another person is speaking is rude and demeaning to whomever is speaking. I,
as the teacher, will always listen to what a student has to say, whether it be in a classroom
setting, in a group, or in private. I will also ensure that others in the classroom are listening to
whomever it is that is speaking. This goes along with the previous rule of respecting the
opinions of others. To respect others opinions requires listening to those opinions. Also, in
order to properly argue with another person, both parties must listen to what the other has to say.
Students deserve respect to be heard in a classroom setting, and I will ensure that respect is given
to all in my classroom.
5) Positive reinforcement shall be given by the teacher for appropriate behavior. There are more
ways than just modeling to encourage appropriate behavior. Use of positive reinforcement is
also an avenue to keeping a class in check and avoiding the use of discipline. For example, the
best indicator of a class that is engaged is class participation. In my experience, the teachers
with the most enthusiasm and used the most positive reinforcement yielded the most class
participation. All students who participate in my class will receive positive reinforcement. Most
students are fearful of volunteering in a classroom setting. A comfortable learning environment
Stephen Melish Dr. Lynch
EDU 510
entails removing, or at the very least lessening, this barrier. Haim Ginotts idea of appreciative
praise when responding to effort or improvement will be applied here.
6) Rewards will be given for accomplishing group short term goals set by the teacher. Glasser
spoke of teachers using responsible consequences following student behavior, be it good or bad.
Too much do we see consequences only being handed out for misbehavior. In this case, I intend
to emphasize the good behaviors. Through my past experiences, I have seen teachers reward
their classes for the entire class completing homework consecutively, or go without using cell
phones, over the course of a week, month, or semester. In every case, it yielded the desired
behavior, more so in other classes. I intend to do the same in my classes to encourage desired
behavior. Rewards can come in the form of points on tests or quizzes or fun review activities,
for example. In my classroom, students will receive rewards for accomplishing group short term
rewards.
Rationale for Selection of Component Elements
The overriding theme of all of these expectations is respect, as well as creating a positive
learning environment, and each one builds off of the next. The majority of the expectations are
standard to any classroom, but I also included elements to fit a free, creative, and proper social
studies environment and appropriate teacher to student relationships. A goal of any social
studies classroom should be to educate and foster our civic rights, such as our rights to
expression, speech, and differing opinions. The elements of my classroom management plan
help foster that idea. It is also important to ensure that respect goes from the teacher to the
students, as one is not above the other. The elements of my plan ensure the respect of the teacher
Stephen Melish Dr. Lynch
EDU 510
to student relationship, as well as giving appropriate rewards and reinforcement when desired
behavior is present.
Timeline and Strategies for the Review of the Classroom Management Plan
As a beginning teacher my classroom management plan is very much subject to change
and scrutiny. It is imperative that I review my plan periodically. I would review my plan at
landmark times during the school year, such as the beginning and end of the year, and the
beginning of each semester as well. When being observed by a colleague, faculty, or
administrative officials, I would review the plan before being observed. If my expectations are
not met and the rules established are broken chronically, it would be time to review my plan as it
should be subject to change. Changes to my plan would be done democratically with the class,
and it would be my job to ensure that the changes made are appropriate.

Stephen Melish Dr. Lynch
EDU 510
References
Lynch, P.K. ed. (2013). Pearson custom education: Effective Classroom Strategies (2
nd
Edition).
Boston, MA. Pearson Learning Company.
Lynch, P.K. (2013). Learning packet: Promotin positive student behaviors.