Classroom Management Plan

Miles Cowles
Table of Contents
Executive Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 03

Personal Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 04

Community Building . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 07

First Day of School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Visuals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Evaluation of Classroom Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Executive Summary
When I see a classroom with productive students, a positive atmosphere, and students

with a passion for learning, I know I see a great classroom management plan in use. Without

good classroom management, it doesn’t matter how passionate, or well prepared the teacher

may be, they will not be successful. I believe “classroom management overarches everything in

the curriculum” (Harry K. Wong). When students misbehave we need to reflect on their choice,

and discuss why they are misbehaving. A classroom management plan should not only react to

misbehavior, but prevent it as well, to do this I think it is important to build a community. The

more student-centered the classroom becomes, the less authority issues there will be. As

students help to build this community, I will reinforce good behavior with positive

consequences. Each teacher is an individual, and no one management plan can work for

everyone, this is why I’ve drawn from several, including, Classroom Organization and

Management Program, Choice Theory, Love and Logic, and Discipline with Dignity. The next

section will provide an overview of my personal approach to preventing problems and

addressing problems when they occur.

Personal Statement
Preferred Classroom Management Model

Overall the Classroom Organization and Management Program (COMP) aligns with my beliefs,

values, and experiences with students. The COMP is the base to my management plan, which is then

enhanced with strategies from other known management plans (such as Discipline with Dignity). The

COMP model focuses on preparation, structure, student accountability, and momentum. Sun Tzu said,

“Every battle is won or lost before it is ever fought”, the same applies for teachers.

There are several elements that define the COMP model; I will point out a few. The students

will be involved in the process of creating the classroom rules, such as a social contract. The procedures

for the class will promote learning and good behavior. Every lesson will reflect, and use these classroom

rules and procedures, which help students to learn rules and procedure. It is important for me the

teacher to manage the students work, but also to provide student accountability. Lastly, the COMP

model focuses on maintaining the momentum during instruction.

I’ve seen the lack of preparation in a classroom cause havoc. When the students don’t have

direction or purpose, they “zone out” or start talking to a friend. One strategy from COMP that made a

huge difference in my classrooms was the momentum factor. For the last five to ten minutes of class,

most classrooms are unproductive. To change this I’ve implemented “exit slips”, and summary sessions.

By having a plan, no time was wasted, and the students benefit from the structure. As a student I’ve

studied the qualities of good students, and those qualities reflect the strategies of COMP.

From Discipline with Dignity, there are nine principles which address the manner in which a

teacher must behave to carry out management plan. This include the following,

1. Be Consistent
 2. State Rules and Consequences

3. Use the Power of Proximity

4. Make Direct Eye Contact

5. Use a Soft Voice

6. Catch a Student Being Good

7. Don’t Embarrass the Student in Front of His Peers

8. Be Firm and Anger Free

9. Don’t Accept Excuses, Bargaining or Whining

I like to use rules, and strategies that make sense, that almost seem like common sense. Meaning I need

principles that reflect the way that I want to be treated if I was a student. When the student feels

comfortable and responsible, there will not be any behavioral problems.

Prevention

No matter how ideal a classroom management plan may seem, there will always be students

who challenge the rules and procedures. These students can cause distractions, and promote other

students to be off-task. For this reason the COMP model puts the spotlight on maintaining good

behavior. For this a classroom must have consistent rules and procedures. Once again it is important

for the teacher to have a preplanned set of consequences and intervention strategies to aide in the

management of the classroom.

Students need some kind of extrinsic incentives or rewards, to maintain good behavior, the

positive consequences can include incentives and rewards that are emotional, psychological, or

academic. Most of the time students will need corrective consequences, which are specific strategies for

helping students manage their own behavior. Sometimes it is necessary to re-teach a procedure to
ensure that students understand what they are expected to do. Other times, undesired consequences

are needed to decrease the unwanted behavior. A negative consequence can include withholding a

privilege or desired activity, isolating or removing students, or a school-based consequence.

Intervention

When a problem does arise, an intervention strategy needs to be in place. The intervention

strategies needs to stop the misbehavior, and re-involve students in the lesson, while keeping the

climate of the classroom positive and not disrupting the teaching. The intervention strategy used

depends on the situation, but could include eye contact, using proximity control, reminding students of

the rule or procedure, and questioning students about their behavior. Some behaviors should be

ignored, and others cannot be ignored. For those behaviors which cannot be ignored we need a back up

plan, as follows

1st Offense Warning, eye contact [corrective consequence]

2nd Offense Explain to the student what they are doing wrong, and what they could

be doing to be on task [corrective consequence]

3rd Offense A talk in the hall, one on one, trying to understand the behavior of the

student and make a plan for the student. This could involve moving the

student, etc.. [Intervention strategy]

4th Offense A call to the student’s parents [Negative consequence]
th
5 Offense Send the student to the office [Negative consequence]
In combination with these strategies, the community of the classroom will provide the atmosphere to

the classroom, and will be a large influence to a student’s behavior. I will specifically describe ten

strategies that will I will employ to build a community in my classroom.

Community building/climate building activities/practices

 As teachers we want to build classrooms which promote a safe atmosphere and encourage

students to try new ideas. We need a class which thrives on conjectures, and testing those results, even

if we make mistakes along the way. For this to take place students need care about each other, the

school, and their education. A student’s education is a rich experience if they can cooperate and discuss

ideas with their peers in a group effort. This community will promote intellectual growth while students

can a new perspective and analyze/ synthesize another’s view point. With the following ten strategies,

we hope that students will gain an increased altruistic behavior, greater enjoyment of class, motivation

to help others, and an overall liking of school.

Greet students at the door - Greeting the students at the door brings a smile to their faces. I like

to make sure when they walk into the classroom everyday that they know I care about them, and that I

want to know how they are doing. This is a great way to assess students emotional each day.

Study Partners - Having a peer who can help a student stay on task and keep organized will be a

huge benefit to every student. Sometimes the teacher can’t be there for each student, but have

another resource to help with projects, class work, or just someone to discuss ideas.

Discussions and debates - When students are the ones doing the talking, they are the ones doing

the learning. It’s important that students know their views are important and worth sharing with the

class. When the student has a voice, they have responsibility and ownership over the class.

Games – A great way to develop good relationships and to have fun in the classroom. Students

can review material, as well as work as a team.

Classroom Meetings – Classroom meetings can be used for a variety of reason which include,

sharing news, discussing academic issues, or to resolve classroom problems. More importantly this is a
way to include the students in ownership of the problems, news, etc.. They are a part of the class, and

help the teacher make decisions.

Classroom Jobs – In a community, we each have roles to contribute, and the same goes for the

classroom. Once again it is important for students to feel that they are needed in the classroom. This

can be beneficial to the teacher as well, having little assistants running around the classroom.

Cooperative Learning – This strategy is great for building a community. Students who work

together, and share their ideas, provide a richer experience of education. Having a partner during a

challenging work day is wonderful asset.

Rituals and Traditions – The use of rituals and traditions facilitate a sense of structure in the

classroom, and a sense of predictability. Developing rituals and traditions in which everyone

participates helps to foster a feeling of ownership, and belonging.

Student Work – Value student work by hanging it up on the walls, or having a day where each

student looks at everyone else’s work, or presentations. The community needs to have respect for

knowledge and the progress of their fellow students.

Classroom Arrangement – It’s important to rearrange desks in a way that supports a classroom

community. When the desks are aligned in a traditional sense, then student/teacher will act in a

traditional fashion. When the desk are aligned that students can look at each other, and talk with each

other, students will cooperate without thinking about it. An atmosphere of a classroom also determines

it community, we need a classroom which is clean and organized.

By combining these strategies I hope to build a community within the classroom. As the teacher

I need to be passionate about my subject, and about teaching, but as a good teacher I need to let go and

let students take responsibility for their learning. The community of a classroom will support students in
their quest for knowledge! Building the community takes time, and needs modeling. For this reason,

we need to let students know this is not a traditional classroom, and we do not expect traditional

students. The following will provide a glimpse of the first day of school and describe how you build

community from day one.

First Day of School

Working List of Materials

Camera, Syllabus, Name Plates on each desk, student roaster, markers, paper, pencils

“Who is Mr. Cowles” bulletin board. – This will accompany my introduction to the class.

Interview Activity: List of questions students can ask each other during the interview activity.

Classroom Procedures and structure Handout: Students will keep notes on the expectations of each

procedure, and ask any clarifying questions.

First Day Learning Activities

Preparation for the first day

Before the first day begins my room will need to be in order. The desks will need to be arranged

to promote group learning and flow. Each desk will be paired up with another facing the front of the

class, and two pairs of desks will be placed together for easy transitions to larger group work. I will have

the students name plates on each desk so students know where they sit.

The first day

On the first day it is important to introduce myself, and greet each student at the door.

Students may know my name, but they don’t know anything about me. I would like to share my

teaching, schooling, and family background. As I’m trying to build a community, it is important for

students to see me as a person within the community, and not just another authority figure. I will ask

the students in groups of four to write down three expectations from me, and then each group will

share what they came up with, also in the groups students will come up with three questions they want

to ask me. During this time we will fill out the “Who is Mr. Cowles” bulletin board.

Community Building Activity

 To start building a safe atmosphere we will conduct an interview activity. The students will pair

up with a partner and interview each other with specific questions and then share with the class

something interesting they found out about their partner. While the students are interviewing each

other, I will take this time to take pictures of the students take make flash cards to help me remember

names. One of the several objectives for me the teacher is to learn student’s names; this is a priority

when trying to set the tone for the classroom community.

Routines and Procedures and Expectations

Another key piece to starting the year off right is to discuss procedures, class code of conduct,

consequences, and rewards, each will be addressed in the syllabus. We will address the structure of the

class, including bell-ringers, notes, how to show work, exit slips, etc, and students will take notes on

each. After discussing the classroom procedures and expectations for the students, they will in groups

of four write down 3 expectations they have for me, and students will share with the class. This will help

us to create a social contract of expectations in the classroom for the students, and for myself. There

first assignment will be to have their parents read the syllabus and sign it. If there are any field trips that

would be planned for the near future, I would also send home a permission slip for them to sign. The

syllabus would of course share with the parent’s ways to communicate with me if they have any

questions. The following will provide a description of the items that I found necessary for my work

beyond the first day.

Samples/Visuals
 As a student walks into my classroom I want them to see a clean and organized room. Desks will

be arranged to support collaborative learning, and everything will have its place. Students will know

when walking into the room where to place homework, where to get rulers, paper, pencils etc..

Students will know because each location will be labeled with a sign. When the students walk into the

room they will also see student work on the walls with supports the importance of their work in my

classroom. This structure supports the COMP model, and reduces confusion, and wasted time.

As many locations have their place, and are labeled, I will also have the social contract that the

students created clearly present in the classroom, so students will be constantly reminded of the

expectations. Along with the expectations being visible, the consequences also need to be visible. Next

to the classroom social contract, I will place the consequences.

1st Offense Warning, eye contact

2nd Offense Explain to the student what they are doing wrong, and what they could

be doing to be on task

3rd Offense A talk in the hall, one on one, trying to understand the behavior of the

student and make a plan for the student.

4th Offense A call to the student’s parents

5th Offense Send the student to the office

It is also important to have a plan in place when students are done with their work. A part of

the COMP model addresses the need for structured time and momentum, and having a plan in place

gives students direction for continued learning. I also need a plan to assess my classroom management

plans’ effectiveness.

5 things to do when you are done with your work

1. Help a friend
 2. Organize your folder

3. Complete missed assignments

4. Play a game (games are based on the subject area)

5. Complete a puzzle (also based on the subject area)

I will also have the classroom roles/jobs posted every week.

 Supply chief: keeps supplies organized and replenishes them as necessary

 Sweeper: sweeps floor 

 Board eraser/board washer: cleans all boards at the end of the day

 Recycling chief: ensures bins are emptied regularly and reminds students to

recycle whenever possible

 Bits and pieces helper: crawls around under desks at the end of the day, collecting
items that have been dropped

 Paper handler: passes out and/or collects class work, homework, blank paper, and
so forth.

 Alphabetizer: puts stacks of notebooks or papers in alphabetical order so record-

keeping is easier and faster for the teacher

 Messenger: delivers notes to other teachers or to the office

 Ambassador: helps visitors or new students learn their way around and keeps them
company at lunch and recess; explains classroom projects or displays to parents or
visitors with questions

 Current-events reporter: chooses, with teacher and parent approval, a news story

to follow and share with the class throughout the week

Evaluation of Classroom Management

 Self reflection is important in all aspects of teaching, and promotes development and growth.

When evaluating my classroom management plan, I need to see what works, and what needs to be

refined. To determine if my classroom management is effective I will focus on my objectives for

classroom management. Some of the objectives I will focus on are as follows.

 Students will be on time to class and ready to work.

 Students will turn work in on time when it is due.
 Students will take responsibility for cleaning up their own and assigned areas.
 Students will show respect by not talking while others are speaking.
 Students will put their best effort into every assignment, no matter how small, or how large.
 Students will be attentive in class, and actively participate in classroom procedures.

For each objective, I will ask myself what am I doing to meet this objective?, why am I doing this?, and is

it working?

While determining if these objectives have been met, I must rely on the students who are

directly related to my classroom management plan. I value student thoughts and will hold classroom

meetings to discuss why something is not working, and what we can do to fix it. This would look like a

“social contract amendment”, as students discuss how to fix this problem.

Collaboration with my colleagues and the administration is also important to me. I know that

my colleagues will be a wealth of resources to me, and their experience will be very helpful. I would

love to take aspects of their classroom management, and adapt them to work in my classroom. I would

also invite other teachers or the principal in to observe my classroom to give advice based on what they

see in my classroom. To have another perspective on the issue, can help me to see something that I

couldn’t see. We could then take time afterschool to have a dialogue, or they could simply take notes

on my strengths and weaknesses, followed by suggestions from their experience.