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Classroom Management Plan

Bjorn Hansen

National University
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Abstract

This paper is an in depth analysis of my classroom management plan. As you read through the

plan you will read about how I will address specific areas of classroom management. These areas

include rules and procedures, rewards and consequences, intervention and support strategies,

engagement and motivation, social and self-regulating skills, and addressing cultural diversity.

As you read through you may notice that I currently do not have my own classroom but base

some of my procedures and thoughts through my experience substitute teaching and what I have

learned in school. Classroom Management is one of the most important things a teacher needs to

focus on the have success in every aspect of teaching.

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Introduction

As I continue my journey of becoming a teacher I learn something new almost everyday.

Sometimes it a tip or tricks to help a student or something bigger like how to think about

suspensions and expulsions. There is however a reoccurring idea that I hear a lot from successful

teachers that I have talked to and observed. The biggest thing they tell me is to work on my

classroom management skills. They say that if you are able to control your classroom you will be

able to successfully teacher each and every day. As I continued to hear this I started to really

think about how I manage a classroom. I am not a full time teacher but have started substitute

teaching primarily for a local private school. It is here that I get to figure out my style and what

works for me. I get to try different techniques and see what type of responses I get. As I continue

to substitute teacher I find myself incorporating more and more ideas into my teaching.

The purpose of this Classroom Management Project (CMP) is to layout how my

classroom will be run in the future. I am a firm believer that classroom management is the key to

being successful in the classroom. I believe that every teacher is different and needs to find what

works for them in terms of management style and disciplining students. I would describe my

style as authoritative. In this style a teacher is creating an environment for students that has set

guidelines but allows to be molded a bit to fit the classroom. It is a balance between nurture and

control of the classroom (Walker, 2009). The students know what is expected of them without

having strict and aggressive rules. I think this type of setting allows the students to feel relaxed

and open to learning from the teacher as well as their peers. It this type of classroom they do not

need to fear being wrong or speaking up about what they believe in.

Along with classroom management a teacher must also have disciplinary actions in play.

Finding ones disciplinary style comes with experience, whether it is from in-class experience or
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talking to other teachers. It really shapes how you look and react to different situations. Overall

though I think it is best to really think about how we discipline our students by figuring out if we

even have a disciplinary problem. According to Levin and Nolan (Levin and Nolan, 2014, p. 23)

“a discipline problem is one that interferes with the teaching act, interferes with the rights of

others to learn, creates a psychologically unsafe environment, creates an unsafe physical

environment, or destroys property.” When a student is doing something in class I need to figure

out if it is doing any of the above-mentioned actions. This will help guide me to see if I need to

step in and engage the issue and to what level. After I decide on whether or not to intervene I

must go about it the correct way. If I do not I may lose the trust of this student and break the

relationship/communication between the student and teacher. This is why I really want to get to

know my students on as deep of a level as I can. This will help me figure out who they are and

how they will react to different disciplinary styles. If I were to describe my general disciplinary

style I would say that I am one that comes at it with respect and trust and tries to make the

scenario as positive as possible. Disciplining students is part of the job and is one of the hardest

things to do. However, if it is done in a caring, sincere, and positive way we will see a much

more pleasant outcome and better future decisions made by students.

My goals of classroom management and discipline are simple. I want to be the best

teacher I can be for my students. I want to really emphasis the importance of trust and respect in

my classroom. I feel that if you have these two things in the classroom you can do anything. The

students need to trust me that every move and action I made is to better themselves. In order to

gain this trust I need to show every student respect in order to gain theirs. I think one of my

favorite quotes I have heard in my ITL 530 class at National University was said by Professor

Johnson, “ First you need to get the kids to like you. If you can get the kids to like you then you
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can get the kids to love you. If you get the kids to love you, you can get them to do

anything.”(Johnson, 2018). I think this quote is really powerful and really emphasizes the

importance of building relationships with our students.

Rules and Procedures

Rules. When it comes to rules in the classroom I believe that there should be some rules

that I implement for the class and that there should also be rules that the class comes up with.

Doing this will help keep the students accountable for their actions, as they created some of the

rules for themselves (Montoya, 2018). After the rules have been established I will print them out

on a contract that all the students will sign. Them signing the contract means that they have read

the rules and will follow them. The rules along with the procedures will also be posted

somewhere in the room to remind students of the expectations. This is also helpful for guest

teachers who may be taking over my class to get a feel for how the class is run. I think the 5 P’s

with one extra overall rule can sum up a good set of basic classroom rules:

-BE GOOD HUMANS

5 P’s:

1) Be Punctual
-Students need to be on time
-In there seats ready to work when class starts
-Have work done before it’s due

2) Be Prepared
-Bring all necessary items: textbook, notebook, binder, pens, pencils, etc
-Have completed work out to be reviewed
-Be mentally focused and ready to learn

3) Be Productive
-Work on what is being asked of you
-Use your time wisely
-Follow directions
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4) Be Polite
-Wait for the appropriate time to ask questions or add a comment
-Make sure you don’t interrupt someone who is talking
-Say Please and Thank You
-Be respectful of other’s feelings and personal belongings

5) Be Positive
- Use Kind words
-Hold people up, don’t put them down
-Look at failure as a learning opportunity

Procedures. “The basis of classroom management lies in the procedures set in the

management plan (Wong & Wong, 2014, p.6). Procedures let students know how things are to be

done like turning in papers and what the heading should look like on their papers. When it comes

to implementing classroom procedures I will start them on the very first day of school. Getting

the students to understand and efficiently do the procedures will save a lot of time down the road.

I think the best way to do this would be to have the students do the procedures almost all of the

first class along with going over the rules and other expectations. This gets the ball rolling and

lets students know that these procedures are important to follow.

When it comes to running a classroom there are many things to think about on top of

having to teach and control up to 35 students. Having procedures in place helps the class run

smoothly. One of my favorite things to do is to greet students at the door. I think doing this really

starts the class off in a positive direction. It also allows me to gauge how my students are doing,

physically, mentally, and emotionally. Knowing how everyone is doing will help me adjust my

teaching style to fit the mood of my students. Below is a list of procedures and explanations:

Start of class procedures. Students will be given sufficient time, passing period and up to
the first 5 minutes of class, to complete the following actions-

-Students will enter the classroom in a calm matter.

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-Once I greet them at the door they will go to their desks and pull out necessary materials;

homework, notebook, writing utensil, water, etc.

-If pencils need to be sharpened do this now to not distract the entire class later.

-There will be a homework drop-off box either on my desk or in the front of the classroom for

students to drop off their homework.

-After turning in homework students will sit in the seats and look at the board. The daily agenda

will be written on the board everyday for students to see and have an idea of how the class is

going to run that day. This helps with quicker transitions.

-I would like to implement some sort of “brain starter”; these may include fun quotes, science

fun facts, jokes, etc. This will either be written on the board or projected depending on what

technology is provided. Students will write these in their journals/notebooks. This will help

students get in the zone to either start a discussion or just get them thinking about the class.

-When returning assignments I will drop off the graded papers directly to each student. This

helps keep scores private for students who worry about others knowing their scores. It also

allows me a chance to walk the room and make sure everyone is settling in and on task. This is

also a time to talk with students individually if needed.

In Class Procedures.

- If a student needs to get my attention the best way to do so is to calmly raise their hand. If for

some reason I am unable to see them they may either come up to me and ask a question or if not

distracting may nicely call me to get my attention. Yelling out questions across the room doesn’t

help any one, as it will most likely have to be repeated anyways.

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- Leaving the room for water, bathroom, office visit, etc.: Students will ask for permission to

leave the classroom. I will have a hall pass of some sort that the students must take with them. I

am not going to time students, but I do expect students to be quick with whatever they are doing.

- I am a big sports fan and hope to coach baseball at the school I teach. I like the idea of having

my students refer to me as their coach and they are my team. I got this idea after observing Lacey

Califano at Manhattan Beach Middle School. When she needs to get the classes attention she will

say, “Hey Team.” And the students will reply with, “Yes, Coach.” (Califano, 2018).

-If there are papers to pass out I will give a stack to each row or table depending on classroom

seating arrangements. They will take one and pass it until everyone has a paper and I will collect

the extras at the other side.

- I am a big believer in using a timer to keep the students and myself on track. I will announce

the amount of time given for the activity and set the timer on the board. When the timer goes off

I expect students to stop what they are doing and give me their attention so I can tell them what’s

next.

-I enjoy listening to music while I work and others do to. If the class has agreed that music will

not distract them then I will play appropriate music during appropriate times. If it is at all

distracting to the students I will turn it off. I am the DJ and only person who should be

controlling the music. If a song if request I may do so if it is appropriate and not distracting.

- During transitions between activities I give the students a moment (1-2 minutes) to relax and

grab whatever materials are needed for the next activity. When I call on my team that’s when

they know we are starting the next activity and to focus once again.

Lectures.
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- Lecture slides will be projected onto the board. In general, students are to follow along and take

notes, unless otherwise noted in an IEP or other student record. Lectures slides may be posted

later that day or night for students to look back at. This is also helpful for students who may be

absent. However these slides will not have my extra dialog noted on them.

-I will call on students to read sections to help them stay focused and not have to listen to me talk

all the time.

- I will ask questions as we go along so students should be prepared to give answers.

-Certain topics will call for discussions with a partner. Your partner will be the closest person

next to you. This is not the time to get up and discuss with a close friend. We are all friends in

this classroom and should be able to talk with any one of your peers. This is NOT a time to

chitchat and be off topic. Discuss with your partner what is being asked of you. I will give a

designated time limit for the discussion to occur. After we will discuss as a whole class. Students

may volunteer or I may call on students to get the discussion started. I will be a facilitator and

monitor where the discussion goes. If needed, I will throw some information in or ask a question

that will help the discussion.

- If there are any questions please raise your hand and wait until I call on you. Please do not ask

your question while I or another student is talking. Let them finish and acknowledge you before

asking your question or commenting.

Classwork.

-Classwork is to be completed in class.

-Some assignments may be collected and I will check others for completion.

- I will give the students a certain amount of time to complete the assignment.
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-I will let the class know if it is a silent activity or one you can work on with a partner or group.

If it is group or partner work, students should remain on task and talking about the work. If they

are distracted I may separate the group.

- This is the time to ask questions. You may ask a peer or myself.

Labs.

- All students are to contribute to the group.

-I will pick the groups and the will be the same for each lab unless I switch them around.

- During Lab each person will be assigned a position: note taker, reader, organizer, and

experiment conductors. There will be a sheet on the lab table that has the job description and

actions of that job.

- Each lab you will have a different position until everyone has held each position.

- Some labs may require some dangerous materials: chemicals, scalpels, etc. These items are to

be handled with extreme caution. If students are seen mishandling these materials they will be

immediately removed from the lab and other consequences may follow.

- Labs will have a group grade and an individual grade.

- After labs are finished students will do a peer reflection. This is where the students tell me how

each group member contributed and participated.

- Everyone must turn in their own lab report but should work together as a group to complete it.

Participation. Points will be awarded daily to students who are present and on-task.

Grading. The grading policy will be based on the school policy of grade letter/percentage

chart. Assignments will be given a point value with projects and tests having a higher value than

homework, classwork, and participation. There will be NO late work accepted without a valid
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excuse. Please let me know as soon as possible if you are unable to complete an assignment on

time.

Homework. When Homework is assigned it should be done that night and ready to be

turned in when you return into the classroom. Completing work in class before it is do will be

given no credit, turn in what you have to receive partial credit. Partial credit is better than no

credit.

Make up work. Have a friend in the class help you figure out what you missed that day

including notes, handouts, etc. I will have extra handouts for you to complete when you return to

class. Please have it completed within 2 days of receiving it (for most assignments).

Extra Credit. There will be extra credit opportunities. They may take form as an extra

credit question on a test or for doing extra work in the science field outside of class (in your own

free time).

Materials. Bring your materials with you everyday, you never know what we will be

working on. Have your textbook (if no classroom set), notebook or binder, paper, writing

utensils. If it is not being used keep it in your backpack on the floor and out of the walkways.

Absences. If you know you are going to be absent let me know so I can give you the

materials ahead of time. Have a friend in the class who you can refer to when you miss

something like notes and handouts. Unexcused absences will result in loss of points for that

day’s activities. When returning to class come see me for any materials you missed.

If procedures need to be changed or added they will be done in a timely manner. When

the change is made the class will be informed and the change will be posted either in the

classroom, online, or in print. This will help clear up any future issues from arising.
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Rewards

Some schools have begun implementing school wide PBIS frameworks that reward

positive behavior at school. At Manhattan Beach Middle School they have implemented a PBIS

system that rewards and promotes positive behavior. Students get recognized for the things they

do in class and around campus (Montoya, 218). As I implement my own reward and

consequence systems I need to make sure that they aligned with the school that I am teaching at

to be consistent for the students. Below are my reward systems that I would like to implement

into my classroom.

Group reward system. I believe that having a group reward system brings unity and a

sense of belonging to the classroom. When I was growing up I was always on sports team where

we needed to rely on other players to be successful as a group. I want to implement a system that

really brings in the group mentality of keeping each other accountable for their actions.

In each of my classrooms I will split the class up into 4-5 groups. These groups are based

on the lab groups that I have already assigned. They will each get their own sports team name.

One lab group from each of my periods will be put on a Team. For example, The Packers will

consist of a lab group from period 1, period 2, period 3, period 4, and period 5. By setting it up

like this I feel that the students of the whole grade will be a little bit closer with one another as

they have something in common and are pushing each other to achieve a common goal. Points

will be rewarded and taken away during lab times. How to earn points:

-Groups have designated a job to each person in the group

-Individuals are correctly doing their jobs
-Equipment is being used correctly and in a safe manner
-The group is collaborating together to complete the lab

How to lose points:

-Being off-task
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-Not using equipment safely or correctly

-Distracting other groups from their lab
-Lack of participation from all individuals

Each teams’ points will be written on the board and left up for everyone to see. I will also

keep track on my computer just in case the board gets erased. Points will be totaled twice a year,

once per semester. The winning team will receive a lunch of their choosing.

Another group reward system I would like to implement is “Beat the Teacher”. Every 2

week I will create a challenge for the class. If the students are able to complete the challenge

then they will get a reward. Some challenges may be to have the whole class pass a test or give a

sincere compliment to each classmate, etc. Some examples of rewards include extra time to study

for a test or quiz, extra time to socialize, free dress day etc. It’s something fun for the students

and creates a good environment.

Individual Rewards. Individual rewards should be student specific. I don’t believe in

setting students up to fail. For example, if a have a student that struggles on tests I not going to

offer a reward every time he gets a 100% on a test if the student has never gotten above a C. It

lowers their self-esteem and self-worth. With this being said I think a ticket system would work

well. I can have a “treasure chest” with prizes in it. Certain prizes will be worth different

amounts. I can have anything from school supplies to re-test passes. This will help motivate the

students to push themselves and continue to be the best student they can be.

Consequences

Consequences need to be clearly stated and enforced on every student equally. Students

also need to know what type of behaviors or actions will align with what consequence. As

mentioned above participation points will be awarded everyday to students. If students are on
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task and actively participating they will get the full points. However, if students are doing any of

the following they will lose points:

-Late to class
-Talking out of turn
-Using their cell phone during class
-Causing unnecessary noise/distractions
-Being disrespectful

I think having a three strikes framework will be a good starting point for myself. The

above consequences may be considered strike two offenses. Strike one would consist of me

giving the student a warning that if the behavior continues they will lose points. Strike three

consequences would be a call home or lose of privileges in class. After the 3rd strike I may

consider taking the student out of class to talk with another teacher or administration. I really

want to stay away from having to do this so I will try to set up a good intervention system that

will prevent things from getting to this level.

Intervention and Support

The definition of intervention is when a teacher steps in or intervenes to solve a problem

(Wong & Wong, 2014, p. 10). Intervention works best before a problem arises or as it is starting.

Students will begin to act out when they have an internal issue that they may be dealing with.

They act out to get someone’s attention as they lack this attention in other aspects of their lives.

The first thing to do is to be able to recognize when there could be a potential behavioral issue.

One quick and easy strategy is to use a High-p request. This strategy calls for the teacher asking

a student to complete a task where they have a high probability of completing it. Some examples

include passing out papers or having a student come to your desk. (The IRIS Center, 2018, p.3).

A lot of the time this strategy will get the student to focus on a task and discontinue the
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undesired behavior. If this solves the issue then we may continue as normal. The student could

just be having an off day and it is not a reoccurring issue.

When a behavior is reoccurring a next step is to provide the student with choices. These

choices can be behaviorally based or academically based. Give the student the option to choose

which behavior or activity they want to complete. This will give the student a sense of power in

what they are doing and possibly help boost their self-esteem. At this point we may want to pull

the student aside and try and figure out what is going on. I want to try and find out what may be

causing this behavior. Hopefully I can gather this information and support the student by

providing to their needs.

As we get into more severe long-term issues and sudden behavioral issues including

aggressive or violent behavior, more intense intervention will be needed. I think the biggest thing

to do is to react early and separate the student from others. Ask another teacher or faculty

member to watch the class when you are out. This will ensure the students are physically safe

and out of harms way and may continue working. Then it comes down to the teacher student

conversation. This should take place outside of the classroom away from other students. This

needs to be approach with extreme care and respect for the student. I need to really be a listener

before a speaker. Let the student vent and listen to gather information. Ask the student questions

that may be a little more private if comfortable to do so. Ensure that the student has trust in you

and that you respect where the student is coming from. Once this happens we can then make the

decision on what to do with the student. If they are calm let them continue to be outside to

unwind a little more. Consequences should be enforced if necessary.

If a call home is needed I will make that call. Students should be told that their caretaker

will be contacted. The phone call should be done outside of class time either between classes,
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lunch, or after school. The conversation needs to be thought out. Address the caretaker with

respect and understanding. Some caretakers may believe that their student can do no wrong and

may be defensive. Assure them that everything is okay but that there was an incident in class that

requires their attention. Make sure after the incident occurs to note down what occurred and try

to be as specific as possible. This will help when talking to the caretaker about the incident. After

telling them, you need to let them know what consequences have been set in place if any. If

none, let the parent know why and let them know that if this type of behavior happens again that

there may be more severe consequences. It is important to have that home-school connection.

Being upfront and straightforward with the guardian is the best way to go about the incident.

The last thing I want to do is get the principle/front office involved. They have many

other issues to deal with and may not take the issue seriously or may just default to an automatic

suspension. Students who are suspended have a much higher risk of dropping out of school

(Wood et all, 2018). If the student is sent to the office to talk with the principle I want to be

present when the conversation happens if possible, or talk with the principle before they meet

with the student. This will allow me to advocate for the student to ensure that proper punishment

is made. I would feel terrible if a student was given a suspension without careful consideration

because the principle doesn’t want to deal with the issue.

After a serious behavioral issue has occurred we need to get the student back into the

classroom. If the student was suspended I would talk to them before they return to the classroom.

I want to reassure them that I still believe in them and that I have not taken the incident

personally. I want the student to know that I am understanding and that sometimes we make bad

decisions, but that we are able to come back from those actions in a positive manner. When they

return to the classroom I want to really be positive with that student and help them have a smooth
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transition back into the classroom. This also goes for when a student returns back in after just

having them step outside.

Before referring a student to be assessed for special education, I need to try and work

with the student. Try different teaching strategies and modifications. Try and really get to know

the student and their style of learning. Document what works and what does not. Gathering and

keeping information will help me figure out other things to try or give professionals information

they may need to make a decision. Communication with the correct faculty is important. They

may be able to help with the process. If the student is identified for an IEP or 504 plan then I will

be fully committed to understanding what I need to do for the student. I think it is best to

continuously communicate with the parents and referral staff to ensure that the student’s needs

are being meet.

Another thing that I think is really important is to be on the student’s side, let them know

that I am there for them. Some times we overlook the student and just focus on the paperwork

and what their IEP or 504 documents say. The student needs to be acknowledged. In an ITL 530

lecture by Professor Nicole Johnson she told about how some of these IEP, 504 meetings go. It

seems that the negatives are a big focus in the room and we seem to forget that the student is

sitting right there in front of us. The student must be feeling so low having caretakers, teachers,

and other school staff talking about all the things they didn’t do. I want to be able to tell the

group the positive things the student has done even if they haven’t meet the goals set in place. It

can be something as little as talking about how they are becoming independent because they

started packing their own lunch everyday. We need to be as positive as possible for our students.
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Engagement and Motivation

Engagement. Sitting in class and being focused for a whole period is difficult and is even

harder to do in a block schedule class lasting almost 2 hours. Teachers need to be able to keep

their students engaged and focused on the material being presented. Students will not be engaged

during an hour-long slideshow presentation with just words written on the slides. To keep

students engaged I will need to vary how content is delivered to students. PowerPoint’s can be

effective if done correctly. Keep the writing short and use pictures and diagrams. When they see

something different on the screen they are more likely to focus on it. Another thing I will do is to

have students read the material out loud. This keeps them alert and participating in the lesson.

Also, breaking up the lecture into smaller chunks by having short partner discussions or have

students write something down that is not in the presentation. The more stimulation the students

get the more interested they will be.

Motivation. There are two ways to motivate students. They include extrinsic and

intrinsic motivation. Extrinsic motivation is when a student is motivated to engage in an activity

to earn a reward or avoid a punishment. Intrinsic motivation is when a student is motivated to

perform an activity for its own sake or personal reward (Cherry, 2018). An example of extrinsic

motivation would be studying for a test to receive a good grade while an intrinsic example would

be reading a science journal because the student finds it enjoyable. Both of these types of

motivation will be used in the classroom. The hardest part is figuring out how and when to use

each.

Extrinsic motivation might best be used with students who dislike an activity. An easy

extrinsic motivation is to make homework count for points. Students may not want to do

homework every night but do not want to lose points off their grade for not completing the work.
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Putting point values on things seem to go a long way. Most students care about their grades

because this idea that academic success will equal future success. Students want to be successful

later in life so they do the work that they need to get done. This can also be helpful for students

who aren’t motivated by grades. For example, I might have a student who really loves to play

baseball. In order to participate on the school team they must have a high enough GPA. I can use

this motivation of wanting to continue to be on the baseball team to help motivate this student to

do the work needed. Extrinsic motivation would best be used when immediate results are needed.

However, continuously rewarding a student for doing something may backfire, as they will only

do activities if they are directly rewarded. Trying to turn an extrinsic motivation into intrinsic

motivation may counteract this.

Intrinsic motivation may be a little bit harder to create. It is a student’s internal

motivation and is harder to be changed. However, when a student is intrinsically motivated we

need to know this and praise them for their actions. Giving praise may reinforce this motivation

the student already possesses and they will continue to do it. It is wise to not give too much

praise as this might change the motivation from intrinsic to extrinsic, because they want to be

praised every time they complete something. It’s up to the teacher to really know their students

and figure out what they enjoy. If a student seems to be disengaged from a topic figure out what

they enjoy and try and incorporate it into the lesson or assessment. For example, if a student is

interested in photography but isn’t interested in the carbon cycle, suggest that for their

assignment or project that they photograph different environments where major steps of the

carbon cycle take place. They are not being given a reward but are being rewarded internally by

doing something they enjoy to get something else done.

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A major key to being able to successfully engage and motivate students is by knowing

their interests. One way to start this process is to have an “All About Me” assignment during the

first day or two of school. I can list questions for the students to answer that will give me some

immediate feedback on their interests. From there I can use what I know to create conversation

points with my students. I like to ask my students question and get to know them on a deeper

level. Some students might not want to share information about them, as they are not

comfortable with me. It helps to be vulnerable and let students know a little bit about yourself as

well. This creates trust and starts a relationship off in a positive way.

Social and Self-Regulating Skills

Social Skills. In our world today we need to know how to behave and respond in certain

situations. A lot of the social skills we need as adults are learned at home from our parents or at

school through our teachers and peers. Having the students be efficient in their social skills will

facilitate a positive learning environment in the classroom (Wong & Wong, 2014, p. 204). Most

of the following skills should not be new to my students in high school but may need to be

refined:

-Effective listening skills

- Being respectful
-Cooperation/collaboration skills
-Being patient
-Participation skills
-Seeking attention appropriately
- Face to face conversation etiquette

I think the best way to teach and refine these skills is to model them with the students. An

example could be me greeting the students at the door with a handshake and making eye contact

as I say hello/ good morning. Also, these skills can be taught as a corrective measure meaning
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT PLAN 21

that if I see a student do something incorrectly I can inform them of the correct way to do it next

time the situation occurs. If the lack of a skill seems to be present among a large portion of my

class I can take the time and have a class discussion and have the students learn from each other.

Self-Regulating Skills. Self-regulation often times gets confused with self-control issues.

They are similar in some senses; however, self-regulation is knowing how to control ones

emotions, behavior, and body movement in a situation that is tough to handle (Morin, 2014). It

can also be used in an academic sense where a student understands what needs to be done to

complete an assignment. These skills may be hard for some students to master especially

students with special needs. One thing that can be helpful is to have the students do a self-

evaluation. They need to know what things make them happy, angry, agitated, sad, etc. Knowing

this information about themselves will give them the awareness to put themselves in comfortable

situations when possible.

Awareness is also important when the student is in a situation where they are

uncomfortable. People must know their own starting point. When a situation changes they need

to be aware of these changes so they know how to respond correctly. When working with a

student with self-regulating issues it may be helpful to create a checklist with the student on what

steps to take. Steps/rules are very helpful for students with certain disabilities. As mentioned

before self-regulation issues aren’t just behavioral but also can be academic. It would also be

helpful to have these students make a list of steps on how they are going to complete their

assignments and projects. Time management skills can also be discussed with the students are

they seem to go hand in hand at times. It may seem like an easy task but for a lot of people with

and without disabilities; however, it is a hard skill to learn, as it is a slower more gradual learning

process. As our students start to become proficient at these skills we need to acknowledge their
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT PLAN 22

progress with positive comments and praise. If they have this feeling that they are getting closer

to mastery they will continue to work on these skills.

Culturally Responsive Teaching

The United States is known for its diversity. This can be seen in most schools across the

country. Being a nation of diverse background we need to embrace this and unify. This can really

be emphasized in the classroom. To be culturally responsive we have to educate ourselves on

different cultures. If we understand the culture a student is coming from, then we can better assist

them in the classroom. In some cultures women are not seen as an authoritative figure and may

not follow orders given to them by women or female classmates (The IRIS Center, 2018, p.2).

Knowing thinks like this can help us make decisions later on.

Cultural understanding not only helps us as teachers, but it can be helpful for the students

as well. When I get a new group of students I would like to take some time in the beginning of

the school to have students share something about their culture or have students do a project

where they briefly present some information about their cultural background. This can be helpful

in creating a feeling of unity and understanding in the classroom. Students may become closer

because they have something in common or they have a changed idea on a previous stereotype or

bias.

There are many holidays that are recognized in the US and I think it is important to

celebrate these holidays or just learn about them. I can have students talk about what the holiday

is and how it is celebrated. It can be done almost as a current event type activity where I will

allow students to sign up for a holiday and on that holiday they will do a brief holiday on it.
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT PLAN 23

Being aware of our cultural similarities and differences will really help me and my students

understand one another.

There may be students in our classes whose second language is English. When it comes

to ELL students we need to provide them with resources and opportunities to succeed at their

level. One thing we can do is to modify our instruction by contextualizing the lesson. This may

include using pictures and videos to explain a process or using hands on activities (Genzuk,

2011). I can partner them with a student who can speak both languages. They can be a secondary

person to ask clarifying questions. This has to been done carefully as we do not want our ELL

student to primarily rely on this other student’s instruction and translation. We want our ELL

students to learn English as best as possible. The bilingual student should be used as a stepping-

stone not a crutch for the ELL student to rely on heavily. If there are resources specifically

available to ELL students through the school, it would be helpful to use them. It could be an aid

or a learning center where a group may meet during the day. It would be helpful to communicate

with this staff to gather helpful tips or techniques that I can use in my classroom to better help

my students. Overall, I need to be educated and aware of what my students needs are and where

they are coming from. This way I will be better able to assist them in being successful in the

classroom and beyond.

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT PLAN 24

Summary

Classroom management is the biggest tool teachers can use in their classrooms. When I

talk about classroom management I am talking about all the areas that contribute to it. It is a

common assumption that classroom management is the same as student disciplining. It is some

much more than that. It includes the rules and procedures that dictate how the class is going to be

run. This sets the classroom expectations. When these expectations are meet students will be

rewarded with good grades, free lunches, etc. The students need to know that if they don’t meet

these expectations that there will be consequences to be had.

When it comes to behavior management it is really important to try and stop something

before it happens. This can be done through simple intervention techniques. When lower levels

of intervention aren’t working then I need to shift to more direct methods. A lot of intervention

deals with supporting the student. In order to support them we need to understand them on a

deeper level. When we do this we can adopt our teaching method to best suit them. It can also

help me to figure out what motivates them and how to use that motivation to get results. These

results can be academic and behavioral. I want my students to be successful in the classroom and

beyond. I want them to be good people and help contribute to the world they live in. By helping

their gain academic knowledge along with social skills I can feel confident that they will be able

to function in real life situations. My main goal of being a teacher is to change lives. I want to

help a student find their passion or help them realize that they achieve unbelievable things if I

provide them with the correct mindset and skill sets. I want to influence children to best the best

versions of them.
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT PLAN 25

References:

Califano, L. (2018, September 20). Classroom Observation and Interview [Personal Interview].

Cherry, K. (2018, September 25). Extrinsic vs. Intrinsic Motivation: What's the Difference?

Retrieved September 28, 2018, from https://www.verywellmind.com/differences-

between-extrinsic-and-intrinsic-motivation-2795384.

Genzuk, M. (2011). Specially designed academic instruction in English (SDAIE) for language

minority students. Center for Multilingual, Multicultural Research Digital Papers Series.

Center for Multilingual, Multicultural Research, University of Southern California.

Retrieved from

http://www.usc.edu/dept/education/CMMR/DigitalPapers/SDAIE_Genzuk.pdf.

Johnson, N., Dr. (2018, September 10). Week 2 Lecture. Lecture presented at ITL 530 Week 2

Lecture in National University, Los Angeles.

Lee, T., Cornell, D., Gregory, A., & Fan, X. (2011). High suspension schools

and dropout rates for Black and White students. Education and Treatment

of Children, 34, 167-192

Levin, J., & Nolan, J. (2014). PRINCIPLES OF CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT: A

professional decision-making model. PEARSON.

Montoya, A. (2018, September 20). Classroom Observation and Interview [Personal interview].

Morin, A. (2014). Trouble With Self-Regulation: What You Need to Know. Retrieved

September 28, 2018, from https://www.understood.org/en/learning-attention-issues/child-

learning-disabilities/sensory-processing-issues/trouble-with-self-regulation-what-you-

need-to-know.
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The IRIS Center. (2018). Addressing Disruptive and Noncompliant Behaviors (Part 2):

Behavioral Interventions. Retrieved September 25, 2018, from

https://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/module/bi2/.

The IRIS Center. (2018). Cultural Influences on Behavior. Retrieved September 25, 2018, from

https://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/module/beh1/cresource/q1/p02/#content.

Walker, J. M. (2009). Authoritative classroom management: How control and nurturance work

together. Theory Into Practice, 48(2), 122-129.

Wong, H. K., & Wong, R. T. (2014). THE CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT BOOK (2nd ed.).

San Francisco, CA: HARRY K WONG PUB.

Wood, J. L., Harris III, F., & Howard, T. C. (2018). Get Out! Black Male Suspensions

in California Public Schools. San Diego, CA: Community College Equity Assessment

Lab and the UCLA Black Male Institute.