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Head: EED 521 CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT PLAN

EED 521 Instructional Planning and Management in the Inclusive Classroom

Signature Assignment
Classroom Management Plan
Clare Maynard

Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College

Arizona State University

April 2016

EED 521 CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT PLAN

Table of Contents
Title Page

Table of Contents

Part 1: Philosophy of Education Statement

Part 2: School-Wide Management Plan

Part 3: Classroom Management Plan

Responsibilities

Classroom Procedures

11

Consequences

15

Part 4: Classroom Narrative and Layout

17

Part 5: Communication with Families

22

Part 6: Reflection

25

Managing Student Behavior and Respectful Culture

25

Technology Integration

27

References

29

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Part 1: Philosophy of Education Statement

Education promotes equality and lifts people out of poverty. It teaches
children how to become good citizens. Education is not just for a
privileged few, it is for everyone. It is a fundamental human right.
Ban Ki-moon

My Philosophy of Education is based on the principle that every child has the right to a
good education, regardless of their situation or start in life. Each and every child should have the
opportunity and encouragement to fulfill their potential, and one of the best ways for a child to
start this journey is to get the best possible education. This means that the teacher has a
responsibility to see each child as an individual, and to adjust their teaching to accommodate
both the childs strengths and needs in order to maximize their possibilities for success
(Tomlinson n.d.).
This will require a differentiated classroom (appropriate learning activities for all
children, teaching up and respectful tasks), based in the environment of a positive community.
There should be strong relationships between teacher and students. Students need to feel safe,
have a sense of belonging and identify with other members of the class. There needs to be a
strong sense of community and teamwork, with everyone working to support the success of
everyone else. All children need to believe they can succeed, and that their role in the classroom
will affect the success of everyone around them. The teacher needs to develop a strong
relationship with every student, which includes a sense of trust, affiliation, care and respect.
In the classroom this will exhibit itself in several different ways - through teaching highquality curriculum, ensuring the children are working on respectful tasks, teaching up so that

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each child is gently challenged, flexible grouping so that children with similar or different
abilities work together depending on the nature of the assignment, continual assessment and
building community. These are all aspects of Tomlinsons Differentiation Model (Puckett,
2013. p.27). Planning for differentiation will require me to understand where each of my students
is in terms of their learning so far, their learning styles, their interests, readiness for future tasks
and motivation. I will need to create lesson plans that take each of these important aspects into
account.
Building a strong sense of community in the classroom is very important. Children
urgently need a nurturing environment where they know they belong, where tasks are appropriate
and where they can see their own progress. I plan to create a highly caring and motivated
community of learners so that children have a secure foot on the path to fulfilling their potential.
This is an idyllic view of a classroom. Im also aware that children are children, and have
a long way to go to become responsible, self-monitoring individuals. There are two groups of
discipline theorists with whom I identify. Kagan, Kyle and Scott suggest some foundational
theories for behavior management in the classroom, but I also appreciate the pragmatic approach
of Wong and Wong (2009). Kagan, Kyle and Scott (2002) outline three pillars for their WinWin approach to behavior management; firstly that teachers and students need to be on the same
side. The teacher genuinely cares about and is concerned for the student. They are working
together towards the same end the student fulfilling their potential, and growing towards
autonomous responsibility. Secondly, they ask the teacher to look past unwanted behavior and
identify the cause behind it. This could be attention seeking, avoiding failure, anger, seeking
control, an abundance of energy, boredom or being uninformed about what is expected or what
appropriate behavior entails. Genuine care for a child is a great help in doing this effectively. It is

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also useful for the teacher in responding appropriately (and more calmly) in the moment. Kagan
et al (2002) then ask the teacher to deal with the disruption while validating the cause behind the
behavior, maintaining the students dignity and helping the student towards responsible behavior.
The teacher and student should then collaborate to find workable solutions to behavioral
problems, and take steps towards learned responsibility. Kagan, Kyle and Scott (2002) also
emphasize that behavioral issues are minimized when the curriculum is challenging, the teacher
is stimulating and classroom activities are cooperative.
The strength of Wong and Wongs (2009) approach is that their theories are based on
eliminating unwanted behaviors before they begin. They advocate the use of excellent classroom
organization and management techniques. These include the consideration of table/seating
arrangements, being highly organized and prepared for each day, having clear behavioral and
procedural expectations. They suggest the teacher spends the first week of school explaining,
rehearsing and reinforcing the expectations / routines associated with behavior and classroom
procedures. I believe that Wong and Wongs theories will be hard work, but will pay dividends
throughout the rest of the year. Finally, I should add that they believe that school should be
challenging, exciting, engrossing and thought provoking, but that the basic structures of
classroom organization and management are needed for success.
Having taught middle and high school in the past, I know the benefits of managing
student behavior appropriately and effectively. It makes all the difference in terms of student
learning, and your own survival in the classroom. All of these strategies will become part of my
Classroom Management and Discipline Plan.

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Part 2 School-Wide Management Plan

A School-Wide Behavioral Management Plan needs to be focused in two areas; the
promotion and reward of good behavior for all students, and the management of poor choices by
a few. The Arizona Department of Education (n.d.) has developed a set of Guiding Principles for
managing unacceptable behavior in each school district. They form the Multi-Tiered System of
Support/Response to Intervention (MTSS/RTI). The vision for these guiding principles is to
accelerate and maximize academic and behavioral outcomes for all students through the
application of collaborative data-based problem-solving utilized by effective leadership at all
levels of the educational system (Arizona Department of Education, n.d.). MTSS/RTI is based
on the belief that all students will learn and achieve academic success as a result of effective
teaching, early intervention when there are problems, and ongoing support. It is designed so that
all those involved become part of the intervention process, which includes effective problem
solving using evidence-based decisions. This multi-tiered system is designed to address the full
range of student behaviors, which are labeled as universal, targeted and intensive.
In order to see the way MTSS/RTI works in Osborn School District, Im going to review
it from the classroom upwards. The school-wide behavioral management plan for Solano School
is based on a version of 1-2-3 Magic (Phelan and Schonour, 2004). Ive seen it in use in several
classrooms, which provides great consistency for the children as they move between teachers for
ELA/math (in the upper grades) and specials, as well as through the school as they move from
grade to grade. The TAP indicator Managing Student Behavior indicates that teachers should
overlook inconsequential behavior. For example, if youre in the middle of teaching and a
student stands up for some reason, but it is not disrupting your teaching or the learning of other

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students, theres no need to stop, pause or correct. The measures used at Solano are for when a
student is disrupting learning.
Suppose a student begins talking loudly to their neighbor while youre explaining
something to the class. Hes disturbing the kids around him and theyre unable to listen to what
youre saying. The teacher looks at the student and says, without anger or annoyance, Thats 1.
You give the student a few seconds to respond to what youve said, and if he continues to talk
you say Thats 2, in the same calm tone of voice. At Solano, if the student persists with the
behavior, you say Thats 3, please move to the back of the room. Some teachers have a
specific thinking chair and give students a sheet of questions to help them reflect on their
behavior. A sheet of questions I was given recently at Encanto School included the following
questions:
1. Who or what did you disrespect?
2. What did you do?
3. Why did you do it?
4. What would have been a better choice?
5. How did it make you feel?
6. How do you think it made the other person feel
(if you disrespected someone else or their property)?
7. What can you do to try and make it better?
On the back of the sheet is a template for a letter of apology if needed. If a student refuses to
attempt the questions on the sheet or persists in disrupting the class from the back of the room,
theyre sent to a buddy room. If things get this far, the teacher also sends the principle a referral
for the child, and makes a call to parents. The referral includes basic information such as the

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childs name, when and where the problem occurred, what the problem was, and any other
explanations needed.
If the principle receives a number of referrals for the same child, the childs name is
passed on to the Behavioral Intervention Team. This team is Osborn School Districts version of
Arizonas Multi-Tiered System of Support/Response to Intervention. The BI team consists of a
small group of staff who have volunteered to be part of the team. The first step in the process is
for the class teacher to collect data using the BIT process packet. This data may be information
from recent referrals. It may also come from other teachers who have the child for specials or
other subjects. When the data is complete, the BI team and class teacher evaluate the
information and create short-term goals for the student. These are shared with the student and
their parent, and if needed the student is then provided with a behavior chart or other tool to help
him/her behave more appropriately. After the allowed time (usually around 6 weeks) the team
reviews the progress of the student, and determines future goals based on the childs response. If,
after trying various strategies over a number of months, the team concludes that additional
services are needed, the school psychologist does her own evaluation, and additional services are
provided as needed.
Behavioral management is not only about inappropriate or disruptive behavior, it also
refers to promoting and rewarding appropriate behavior. On placement at Longview School, I
observed several school-wide strategies to promote and reward good behavior. This included
paper tokens (called Pride Points), with a picture of a Longview Lancer on them. These were
given for good behavior, walking quietly in the hallway, helping a teacher or another student,
and behaving respectfully. Each class collects as many tokens as they can, and then once a month
the winning class at each grade level gets some sort of reward, such as extra recess or a treat.

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Longview also has student of the month in each class, which encourages children to behave
well and do their best. Kids who win student of the month have their picture taken and displayed
in the atrium at the front of the school. They also win a small prize, such as a gift certificate for a
personal pizza.
As a new teacher I will follow the behavioral management policies of the school at which
I finally teach. At Solano, Ive seen very clearly that a strong school-wide policy, used in every
classroom, provides real consistency for the children in terms of behavioral expectations. The
use of buddy rooms also gives a real sense that the teachers are working as a team and supporting
each other as children learn to behave well in class and make the most of their learning
opportunities.

Responsibilities

Part 3 Classroom Management Plan

The goal of my Classroom Management Plan is to support the positive learning

environment in the classroom. Tomlinson (n.d.) highlights the fact that building a strong sense of
community in the classroom enables all children to do better. She says,
All children need that sense of belonging, an important place to be an
important part of a really significant thing. It gives kids another motivation
to show up and creates partners for learning. They think I matter here. Im
accepted. Ill be challenged but Ill be supported.
I plan to foster an atmosphere of caring and teamwork within the classroom, where everyone is
part of the team, and everyone is working for the good of everyone else. We will work together
to grow our knowledge and learning. This will be set out in the classroom responsibilities, which
we will work on as a class in the first few days of the year. Well discuss what we want our

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community to be like, how everyone is part of the team, and how we would like to be treated.
The children will come up with specific ideas, which we will then put into meaningful bullet
points to create our Classroom Responsibilities. I will provide some guidance if there are areas
the children dont consider. Here is a likely final product:
Our Classroom Responsibilities
Work as a team
Be responsible
Be respectful to everyone
Be kind and helpful
Do your best!
We will review our responsibilities as a class on a regular basis, especially to begin with, and
when something arises which shows that the children need to be reminded.
My overall goal when it comes to managing student behavior will be to minimize the
opportunities for children to misbehave. I believe in structure rather than rules. In my previous
teaching experience, backed up by Wong and Wongs teacher-directed discipline theories, I
discovered that being organized in your lesson planning and preparation of materials, and having
clear procedural expectations made a huge difference to the behavior of the class. If you know
exactly what youre doing, if you have everything ready to go for a lesson, if youve tested your
technology in advance, then the lesson flows smoothly and there is far less time and opportunity
for unwanted behaviors. I see this in my current placement in 3rd grade at Encanto School. My
mentor knows exactly what shes planning for the day. She has the schedule up on the wall. The
paper sheets for the day are in order in the caddies that sit on each group of desks. There is no
down time as she gives out sheets because theyre all right there on each set of tables already.

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The sheets have to be placed in the caddies at the end of the previous day, and there is some
training involved in teaching the children to pull sheets from the caddy in the correct order, but
now they know to work from front to back, and distributing a worksheet takes seconds. I plan to
use these organizational techniques in my own classroom.
Ive seen several classrooms during clinical rotations that are beautifully designed and
organized to minimize disruption from kids having to get up to get supplies. Ive seen supplies
on small bookshelves that are part of each group of desks. Ive seen classes where the textbooks
and personal whiteboards are tucked in wire baskets under individual chairs. Ive seen rooms
where the textbooks and math supplies are in each childs desk. These are all successful ways of
minimizing opportunities for children to be out of their seats, and they save useful instruction
time during the day. I will ensure that supplies are organized and easily accessed in my
classroom, as close to each childs desk as possible.

Classroom Procedures
Wong and Wong (2009) advocate practicing each classroom procedure in the first few
days of the school year. I plan to do this in my classroom, including procedures such as lining up
to go to lunch or specials, moving to the mat for direct instruction, what to do when you get to
the classroom first thing in the morning, and cleaning up before going home. For example in
the morning Ill greet the children at the door. They will get out permission slips (or similar) and
homework before hanging up their backpacks and putting lunches in the bin provided. I will have
labeled trays for homework and other sheets. Children who have morning responsibilities, like
updating the date on the whiteboard or moving the behavior clips, will do their tasks. Then they
will sit down and get on with their morning work until attendance, notices and the pledge of

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allegiance. I will also develop the expectation that children will read if theyve finished what
theyre doing. Rather than talking to a friend or sitting doing nothing, I will encourage them to
make use of the time to read a good book.

I will also have procedures for minimizing disruption relating to areas such as using the
restroom or sharpening a pencil. The basic understanding will be that children cannot use the
restroom or get a drink during direct instruction or when working with me in a small group. The
rest of the time the children will use hand signals to indicate their need without disturbing the
rest of the class (See Figure 1).

Figure 1

My classroom will also include procedures / responsibilities for working in small groups, as
follows.
G Get along
R Respect others
O On-task behavior
U Use quiet voices
P Participate
S Stay in your group

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I believe in helping children to know teacher expectations, so I will also have information about
acceptable noise levels (See Figure 2).

Figure 2
Expectations will extend to behavior while moving about the building. Solano School uses
HALLS to great effect:
H Hands behind back
A All eyes forward
L Lips are closed
L Legs are moving forward
S Success depends on following all of the above

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Procedures for using the classroom computers will also be posted and taught in the first few days
of the school year:

Make sure your hands are clean

Log on with YOUR username and password
Use only the programs you have been asked to work on
Ask for help if you need it
Log off when you have finished

Each child will have some sort of classroom duty to perform each week. The goal of this
is to devolve some responsibility to each child so that they learn to be dependable in completing
their task, and so that they feel part of our class team. These will rotate so that each child has the
chance to do each role, and will include jobs such as giving out hand-sanitizer, being the table
captain for their table, being the line leader or caboose, collecting the class library books and
taking them to the library - whatever needs to be done to support our learning community. We
will share responsibilities for making sure the chairs are stacked and the room is tidy at the end
of the day. The goal will be to work together to creative a positive, safe, clean and friendly
learning environment.
Everything in my Classroom Management Plan so far suggests that the children will have
their noses to the grindstone throughout the day. The beauty of a structured classroom is that you
can also structure downtime. I love Go Noodle (www.GoNoodle.com), and intend to use it in my
classroom. Well also have brain breaks and water/snack breaks. I might even try some yoga!

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Consequences
I will however, have a plan for dealing with unwanted behavior, which the children will
also learn right at the beginning of the school year. Ive already mentioned the system used at
Solano School where children are given warnings before being moved to the back of the class. I
like this system because Ive seen it working effectively, and I like the fact that there is no
apparent anger or annoyance on the part of the teacher. It gives the impression that, although
there is unwanted behavior, there is still a good relationship between the student and teacher.
Respect remains intact on both sides. I plan to provide a named clothespin for each child.
Somewhere in the room will be circles (about 12 inches in diameter) made of green, amber and
red construction paper - think traffic lights (See Figure 3). Each morning the children will start
with their clothespins on green. If a child is given a warning (Thats 1) they will move their
clip to amber, another warning (Thats 2), and it will move to red. One of the morning
classroom responsibilities will be to mark the colors of each childs clip on a chart, and then
move them all back to green to begin the new day. I will talk to and contact the parents of
children who a regularly moving to red, and there will be a small prize at the end of the week for
children who manage to stay on green every day. The posted information about consequences
will include:

Thats 1 (clip to amber)

Thats 2 (clip to red)
Thats 3 - Chill Out (Move to the back)
Buddy Room (Call parent)

Figure 3

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As mentioned above, I plan to foster a positive classroom environment. This will include
some group motivation, such as giving table points. I will give points when a table is ready first,
or quiet first, or ready to line up first, or for working well together on a project. I will locate a
small trophy, which will be won each week by the table with the most points. They will get to
keep the trophy on their table for the following week.
I have also seen classes where the teacher provides motivation for good behavior using an
ongoing competition with the children. This creates a fun atmosphere in the classroom,
especially if the children win. I plan to find an area where I can do the same, perhaps a riddle of
the week. The children will have to solve the riddle to get a point. If they havent done it by the
end of the week, I get the point. The prize, when the children or I get to 4 points, would be a few
minutes of extra recess for the class, or I would get the class library tidied.
The overall goal of classroom management is to shape and support a positive learning
environment for the children. This includes everything from Classroom Responsibilities through
positively managing student behavior. I plan to use great organization, explicitly taught
classroom procedures, individual classroom responsibilities, consequences, and positive
behavioral reinforcement to create a place where children are accepted, cared for and can learn.

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Part 4 Classroom Narrative and Layout

Here is the layout of my 3rd grade classroom (See Figure 4).

Classroom Plan created using www.floorplanner.com

Figure 4 (Designed using www.floorplanner.com)
The room is designed to support my goal of a stimulating, cooperative learning
environment where children feel welcome, accepted, appropriately challenged, and motivated to
learn. As the children come through the door in the morning they will take out the things they
need for the day and hang their backpacks on the coat hooks just inside the door. They will put
their lunch in the bin provided and place homework and permission slips (or similar) in the trays

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next to the coat hooks. If they have morning jobs, they will complete them and then go to their
assigned seats to begin their morning work.
The desks are arranged in groups of 5, with the children organized in heterogeneous
groups. Groups of five works well for co-operative learning. There is a clear view of the
SmartBoard from each desk - no children have their back towards the front of the room - and all
the children are observable from everywhere in the room. I also like to have kids in table teams
because it provides another way of motivating students, and its a useful way to get the children
lined up or organized by calling one table at a time. On each table is a caddy of supplies. This is
also where the daily worksheets for each table can be found. The children keep their class folder,
journal, personal whiteboards and individual math supply boxes in their desks. Everything is to
hand in order to maximize instruction time.
Beneath the trays for homework and permission slips are wide drawers for art supplies
such as large construction paper or poster board. On the left-hand wall as you enter the
classroom (the other side of the sink) are storage closets for math, science, craft, snack and
cleaning supplies, such as Clorox wipes.
Coming to the front of the room, there are two whiteboards either side of the SmartBoard.
One of the whiteboards is used for writing during classes. The one closest to the teachers desk
has things such as the traffic lights and clothespins used for managing student behavior, the
agenda for the day, the date, the chart for Table Points, and information about things coming up
(See Figure 5). The Class Responsibilities poster can also be found here.

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Figure 5
On the teachers desk is the computer linked to the SmartBoard and a document camera.
In front of the SmartBoard is a large rug. This is a great space for direct instruction, using
personal whiteboards, or reading to the children at the end of the day. There is also a Share
Chair where the teacher sits for read-alouds, or the children for sharing.
Along the back wall is the computer center. There are enough computers for one small
group at a time to use during Guided Reading Activities, or for pairs to use for research. The
classroom also has a set of iPads enough for children to use in pairs.
The reading corner houses the class library and has another rug for the children to get
comfortable on. The books are color-coded and arranged in plastic containers so that children
can easily find a book at the appropriate level, or something slightly more challenging. Around
the walls of the library are book recommendations (a picture with a written paragraph) from the
children to each other. There is also a stand of large books for the children to explore with a
buddy. Next to the library is the small group table. This table is used to pull out small groups of

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children for Guided Reading, phonics work, or for additional support during the Partner
Practice segment of math lessons, or any other time a small group is useful.
Our classroom learning-environment is greatly enhanced by the anchor charts, posters
and kids work on the walls. Above the art drawers is the math wall where there are anchor
charts for many different math concepts (See Figure 6). The grammar and reading walls are
above the computer center (See Figure 7). There is an alphabet frieze along the top of the

SmartBoard, with information around the clock that provides assistance in telling the time. There
is also a poster explaining the grading system: Exceeds, Meets, Approaches and Falls Below
(See Figure 9). On the cabinets at the back of the room are many common/sight words in
alphabetical order, as well as the words of the week (See Figure 8).

Figure 7

Figure 6

Figure 8

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Figure 9
The class is set up so that student behavior can be monitored from every area of the room. The
Class Responsibilities poster and Behavior Traffic Lights are clearly posted at the front of the
classroom so that expectations are always clear (See Figure 3).
Our classroom includes much to encourage literacy development from class library to
reading posters, to book recommendations and anchor charts. There are spaces for cooperative
learning, and the opportunity to use technology in the classroom. The space is comfortable,
attractive and stimulating, while making behavioral expectations clear. The classroom fosters
learning within a caring, respectful culture.

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Part 5 Communication with Families
Communication with families is an important aspect of teaching. As you can see from the
Popplet below, there are many reasons not only to establish communication with parents at the
beginning of the school year, but also to build a strong relationship with them.

(www.Popplet.com)

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The letter below is an introductory letter to parents. It gives families some background
information about their childs new teacher, highlights the significance of the class reading plan,
and sets up the various methods of communication parents should feel free to use to contact me
during the year.
Dear Parent/Guardian
My name is Clare Maynard, and I will be Alexs teacher for the coming school year. Im
delighted to have Alex in my class, and look forward to getting to know you and your son over
the coming weeks and months.
To give you a little background information about myself this is my first year at the
school, but not my first year as a teacher. Before having my own children, I was a certified
teacher in the UK, teaching both Middle and High School. I recently gained my Masters in
Education from ASU, and am now certified to teach elementary school in the US.
The ability to read well is an important element in each childs success in school, and I
wanted to take a few moments to let you know how I plan to foster your childs reading
development and motivation to read this year. The children will be developing their skills during
whole-class teaching, small group work and with individual support. We will work on all areas
of reading instruction, including phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and
comprehension, and they will use many different strategies for skills like decoding words,
learning new vocabulary, and improving understanding. I will observe and informally assess
your childs reading development throughout the year so that I can identify and support his next
steps in reading. This also means that, should there be a problem, I can identify and address it
without delay.
Above all this year, I will be fostering your childs enjoyment and confidence in reading.
I love childrens literature, and have many exciting books ready to read to the class. Each week
during library time, your child will have the chance to look through the school library and choose
a book to bring home to read. We also have a large classroom library, with a wide range of
interesting and exciting books at all levels, and for children with a wide range of interests. Each
day we will do reading stamina in class. This is an opportunity for the children to read quietly
on their own. They will be able to choose both fiction and non-fiction books to read during this

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time, and we will work on extending stamina while reading. I will also use the opportunity each
day to hear several child read.
In addition to this each week, your child will bring home a book bag containing four
books. One of these will be at your childs current reading level. This is a book for them to enjoy
on their own or with a younger sibling. There will also be two slightly more demanding books
for your child to read with you. Finally, there will be one book to really challenge your child.
Developing solid reading skills takes several years, and I strongly encourage you to take time
every evening to help your child as they work on this skill. Being a great reader gives a child an
advantage in every area of school. Please help your child to make the most of their opportunities
by sharing the joy of reading with them at home.
If you have any questions or concerns about your childs reading development, or any
other area of learning, please feel free to contact me. There are many ways you can contact me
during the day - details are below. Im looking forward to an exciting and busy year of growth
with your child.
Yours truly,
Clare Maynard

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Part 6 Reflection
Managing Student Behavior and Respectful Culture

My Classroom Management Plan is designed around the TAP descriptors for Managing
Student Behavior and Respectful Culture. In fact I believe they are so important to the creation
of a caring and successful learning environment that I prefer to address them at the exemplary
level. My goal is that teacher and students will care for and respect each other. My Classroom
Responsibilities chart (see Part 3) is a perfect example. Well be working as a team, being
responsible, respectful, kind, helpful and doing our best! Positive relationships and
interdependence will characterize the classroom. Ive recently seen examples of classrooms
where the atmosphere is overwhelmingly positive, and another in which the atmosphere is more
negative. The kids in the more negative classroom were trying to live up to teacher expectations,
but the attitude of the teacher had a powerful effect. Seeing the difference was a very useful
experience for my own teaching. As a child, I know which classroom I would prefer to be in.
Part of building respectful relationships will include talking to and getting to know the children.
This also includes their families (See Part 5). Being receptive to the interests and opinions of the
children only fosters respect on both sides.
The obvious goal of a classroom is for students to be well behaved and on task for as
much of the day as possible. This will be achieved by creating a community with a sense of
purpose. As outlined in Part 3 above, I will establish clear rules for learning and behavior, with
respectful and appropriate consequences. I will also manage my classroom efficiently so that
children know the procedures, and have little opportunity to be off-task. One of the things Ive
been developing in recent clinical rotations is the ability to recognize the difference between
consequential and inconsequential behavior, and how to deal with inconsequential behavior

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quickly and firmly so that learning is not disrupted for any length of time. In a respectful
classroom, I see no reason for a teacher to discipline the whole class when just one or two
children have caused a problem.
I believe that creating a classroom with a Respectful Culture that Manages Student
Behavior effectively will make the difference between a successful and an unsuccessful year of
progress. Children who come into a positive community learning environment where they are
cared for and respected, where they are encouraged to work hard and do their best, and where
they are motivated to learn, will always achieve a good year of growth. The same environment
will also enable me to teach to my fullest potential, and be the best teacher I can be for the
children. My recent experience in classrooms with very different atmospheres has enabled me to
see the importance of ensuring my theories about classroom environment become reality. The
stark difference between the two will significantly impact my practice in the classroom. The
positive environment has taught me many practical ways to handle everyday situations with an
optimistic and constructive attitude. I believe that really liking the children and enjoying
spending time with them will be a huge help as well.
My recent research has highlighted two other important areas of teaching - passing on the
joy of learning, and how to motivate students. There are obvious connections between the two.
Ive had the opportunity to consider the importance of using student interests as motivation, as
well as making sure learning is connected to real life. I also now see learning as a collaborative
process. Gone are the days when you only do your own work. I plan to make full use of
opportunities to have children working together as a way of sharing ideas, providing support,
growing leadership qualities, developing language, encouraging higher-level thinking skills, and
motivation.

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Technology Integration
Technology will be infused into every area of the classroom instruction, assessment,
behavioral support, and the general classroom environment. Use of technology as part of
instruction will include use of a SmartBoard and document camera. Technology will be used to
create teaching resources, as well as being available for children to use. A future project about
healthy eating will include opportunities for children to employ classroom computers, iPads, and
their own devices for initial internet research. That research will be organized using Popplet
(www.Popplet.com), and then synthesized to create healthy menus using Canva
(www.Canva.com). This sort of use of technology is becoming standard in the classroom. The
use of technology will also enable different ways of assessing students. For example, it provides
a greater range of options for children to express their final products for a project students may
create their projects using Microsoft Word, adding pictures and diagrams. They may write a
script and record their performance. They may use a particular website to create their product,
such as Storybird (www.Storybird.com) or Zaption (www.Zaption.com). Technology can also be
used for recording assessment information, such as an excel spreadsheet or TeacherKit
(www.TeacherKit.net), which simplifies classroom administration. Technology can also be used
for communicating with parents, and for behavioral support through Class Dojo
(www.classdojo.com) - even texting, emailing, or for creating weekly newsletters. Technology in
the classroom not only adds convenience for the teacher, but also many, many more interesting
ways for children to learn, collaborate, and display their new knowledge and understanding.
Chosen several months ago, my original quotation from Ban Ki-moon is more relevant
than ever. Education promotes equality and lifts people out of poverty. It teaches children how
to become good citizens. Education is not just for a privileged few, it is for everyone. It is a

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fundamental human right. Developing my Classroom Management Plan has put flesh on the
bones of my Philosophy of Education. I now have not only a philosophy, but also a realistic plan
for how to put that philosophy into practice.

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References
Arizona Department of Education (n.d.) Multi-tiered system of supports. Retrieved from
http://www.azed.gov/mtss/
Ban Ki-moon. (n.d.). BrainyQuote.com. Retrieved April 10, 2016, from
http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/b/bankimoon643824.html
Hamill, R. (2016, February 11). Personal interview.
Kagan, S., Kyle, P., Scott, S. (2002) Win-win discipline in building classroom discipline.
Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon
Phelan, T., Schonour, S.J. (2004). 1-2-3 Magic for teachers: Effective classroom discipline pre-k
through grade 8. Naperville, IL: Sourcebooks
Puckett, K. (2013). Differentiating instruction: A practical guide. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint
Education.
Tomlinson, C. (n.d.). Differentiation Central: Reach Every Learner Every Day Through
Differentiated Instruction. Retrieved January 26, 2016, from
http://www.diffcentral.com/Video_Clips.html#community
Wong, H. K., Wong, R. T. (2009). The first days of school: How to be an effective teacher.
Mountainview, CA: Harry K. Wong Publications