Classroom Management Plan

EDUC 4454M
Dr Rob Graham
PJ Section 1
Desirea Cookson
February 5, 2015

My Philosophy of Classroom Management:

I believe myself to be a proactive and organized teacher who
believes in open communication with my students and parents and
who sees the importance of allowing my students the chance to
voice their opinions and problems in a collaborative democratic
setting. I believe that my students deserve the chance to be heard
and I also believe that our class needs to work as a community in
order for all of us to learn to the best of our ability. I believe in a
collaborative approach to learning and that my students can benefit
from learning things with one another as opposed to on their own. I
also believe that organization is a key factor in being able to
organize and teach effective lessons within the classroom which will
allow for this collaboration to happen. In conjunction with that
students also need to have an opportunity to learn in the type of
environment that works best for them which is why I feel a
democratic approach is necessary in setting up the classroom
atmosphere as well as dealing with problem behaviours within the
classroom. Classroom management encompasses a wide variety of
areas but three important strategies for my classroom management
is the open communications with students and parents, the
classroom democratic vote and finally the proactive transitions that
make classes run smoother.
Open Communications

I believe in maintaining a positive and encouraging

communications with my students as well as their parents. During
the first week of school I believe it is essential in calling all the
parents in my class to tell them some positive things that I have
learned about their students. (Rob Graham Sept. 19th 2014) This
strategy will set the year off right but also maintain open
communications between the parent and myself. I also feel that it is
important to have a class website where I can post things that we
are learning in the classroom and links to helpful resources for my
students and the parents so that the parents know how to help their
children with their homework.
I also understand how hectic peoples lives can get and how
sometimes things get misplaced and having a place to download
permission forms and money orders for things like pizza and
popcorn are essential for parents. IF possible I would love to find a
way to set up a link where parents can type in an individualized
password to see what things their student has not brought back yet
or what days their children are receiving things like pizza or popcorn
so that these children do not come to school without lunches
because the parents or guardians misunderstand or forget that they
havent paid this week or this month for these items.
By having open communications with parents those hard
phone calls of telling a parent that their student is not following
classroom rules or they are struggling in a particular area become
less difficult because there is now a repoire between the parent and

the teacher and the parent understands that it is not their child that
the teacher has a problem with it is simply a behavior that is being
exhibited. Parents can be put off guard and become defensive when
the teacher calls to discuss negative behaviours especially if there is
no relationship in place first between the teacher and the parent.
This is why having open communication between parents and
teachers are so important.
Having open communications between the teacher and the
student is just as important this is why having a few minutes a day
to check in with individuals in your class is so important. At the end
of the day each of these students have a story and they all deserve
the chance to be seen as individuals not simply as a unit in a
community. I plan to have meetings with my students once a week
where I touch base with them for a minute or two to see how they
are doing and what they are struggling with.
Democratic Classroom:
I also believe in having a democratic classroom. One where
my students have the opportunity to not only voices their concerns
but have an opportunity to change things that they do not like. For
example I feel it is important during the first week of school to
discuss as a class what classroom rules we want to abide by
throughout the year and the consequences for breaking these rules.
(Stan Shapiro and Karen Skinulis Classrooms that work page 81) I
feel that by having the students participate in creating the rules
they will be more likely to honour them because they have

ownership of them. By giving students the chance to vote on rules

they essentially are deciding how they want their classroom to be in
terms of noise level, lighting and other things in the classroom that
may come up. Through having a Democratic classroom I not only
allow my students a say in their environment but I also am giving
the opportunity to teach them what a democracy is and how it
works. Some students may not agree to the rules but by being part
of our classroom community they have to abide by them the same
way that we have to abide by rules in our own society that we do
not agree with. The peer group has a lot of influence on these
students and make them want to follow the rules so that they do not
feel ostrazied. (Stan Shapiro and Karen Skinulis Classrooms that
work page 14)
One strategy I will use to create a community within our
classroom is to hold weekly or monthly meetings where all members
of our community can voice their opinions on things that are
troubling and try as a community to come up with solutions to our
problems. (Stan Shapiro and Karen Skinulis Classrooms that work
page 97) This strategy will help build our community but it will also
allow my students a chance to problem solve and be compassionate
and understanding to other students issues. It will provide a loving
and open community where everyone is treated as equals. By
allowing everyone a chance to speak at meetings it allows for all
students an opportunity to be heard.
Proactive Transitions

I plan to have proactive Transitions and as suggested in many of our

Classroom management classes I Intend to meet my students
outside the class before they walk into it. (Rob Graham January26th
2015) I plan on addressing positive behavior to promote the desired
behavior out of my students who are currently not doing the desired
behavior I expect from them. During transitions I will have
designated students everyday who know in advance what materials
they are to hand out when I tell them to go this way the transition
for the lesson into the activity run smoothly. I will also have the
instructions and a timer on the board so that the students can refer
back to it so they know how much time they have to complete an
activity and how much time they have left before they need to
transition into another one. This will help my students stay on task.
My Classroom Setup
If I were able to design my own classroom (figure A) it would have
hexagonal tables so that my students could have their own space
but still be in a collaborative environment where they would be able
to discuss assignments and questions with their peers at their table.
I would have a huge area with a carpet surrounded by bookshelves
where my students could go to read and work on assignments. I
would also have an area in my classroom where my students could
sit in comfortable beanbag chairs or couches or other comfortable
seating so that there were working in their ideal environment. I
believe that students will all work better if they are comfortable and
for some students that means sitting at a desk for others that

means standing at their desk, others laying down on the carpet and
finally others sitting in comfortable chairs. I believe in allowing my
students to make a choice of where they sit providing that they do
not fight over the different seating options because I feel that my
students will produce better work if they are comfortable and
enjoying the task at hand.
Conclusion
IN conclusion three main areas sum up my philosophy of education.
Being approachable, democratic and proactive. I believe in the
importance of being approachable to my students and allowing
them the opportunity to talk to me about their problems and things
that are bothering them. Being open to discuss deadlines and
helping them with things that they do not understand. My main
strategy for maintaining my approachableness within the classroom
is to keep open communications between my students and their
parent or guardians either by having meetings or by setting up a
website where they can contact me or simply see what we are doing
in the classroom. I believe maintain a democratic classroom is also
essential to having a fulfilled classroom where students are happy
and comfortable voicing their concerns about things occurring within
the classroom. Finally I believe in being proactive and making my
transitions and things in the classroom run as smoothly as possible
so that my students are not waiting on me to move onto the next
activity. All three of these strategies are great strategies to
incorporate into the classroom

Bibliography
Robert Graham Classroom Management Sept to Feburary 20142015.
Shapiro, S., & Skinulis, K. (2000). Classrooms that work: A teachers
guide to discipline without stress. Toronto: Practical Parenting
Inc.