Classroom

Management
Plan for Action
Sarah Jarnagin

2016

1. Management Style and Philosophical Beliefs:

All children, no matter how they behave, deserve to feel safe, secure, and
cared about, even if for only a few minutes every day (Curwin, A. Mendler, and B.
Mendler, 2008). This quote exemplifies why I believe it is important to have strong
classroom management skills. Our job as teachers is to provide students with an
environment that they can feel safe, secure, and cared about within. Without strong
classroom management skills, this environment is not possible.

My philosophical beliefs are drawn from many models including Canters
Assertive Discipline Model, Dreikurs/Albert Model, Ginnotts Model, and Glassers
Model. Canters model shows the teacher as one who establishes clear expectations,
justifies why these expectations are needed, and lists the consequences for
misbehaving (Larson & Keiper, 2013). The Dreikurs/Albert model extends this by
engaging students in this process of establishing expectations, which, fosters a
sense of self-discipline among the students(Larson & Keiper, 2013). In this model,
students are continuously striving toward goals, one of which is a sense of
belonging to the classroom community (Larson & Keiper, 2013). I believe that this
would be very beneficial for the classroom as a whole. This also allows for an open
line of communication as displayed in Ginnotts model and enables the teacher to
change the attitude and beliefs of students, not merely their behavior (Larson &
Keiper, 2013). When it comes to student work, Glassers model displays a classroom
where the teacher and students agree on activities that are worthwhile and the
teacher has high expectations for quality work (Larson & Keiper, 2013). Based on
these four models, I have developed my beliefs on managing a positive classroom
and a plan to do so. My goal is to provide a secure environment for my students that
will foster as much learning and creativity as possible. I will hold my students to the
expectations that they can assist me in making this environment possible by being
positive people themselves.

My classroom management style is strongly authoritative based on the
classroom management profile survey provided in class. The authoritative teacher is
one who disciplines with dignity. She explains the reasons behind certain rules,
fosters independence while still maintaining control, communicates with her
students, and shows love toward her students. The authoritative teacher also gives
student such a safe and secure environment that they are comfortable with
interrupting her if they believe their question is relevant. This style of classroom is
one that I will implement throughout my career as a teacher.

2. Establishing a Positive Classroom Culture:

I plan to develop a positive student-teacher relationship by being a positive
person every single day. I plan on getting to know my students as much as they will
allow by opening my door to them whenever they may want or need to talk. I would
also love to attend some extracurricular events for my students, as long as I will
have time to attend at least one of each students events. If I am not able to do so, I
plan to ask students about their events the class after they have one. In general, I
will take five minutes at the beginning of each class to ask students about their day
and allow them to share something if they so choose. If they do not, I will share
something from my life to keep the tradition going and to show them that they are
important enough in my eyes for me to share my life with them as well. I will also
attempt to greet my students at the door each day with a smile to hopefully share
my positivity with them. I have included a student survey that I created and plan on
implementing in my classroom in the future. This survey includes ten fun questions
to help me get to know my students on a more personal level. My goal is that this
survey will help them also get to know their neighbor as they giggle and discuss
what to put down for their adjective with the first letter of their first name. Overall, I
will promote a loving and fun learning atmosphere where students will feel
comfortable coming to me when they run into problems.

NAME:

CLASS:

Welcome to Ms. Jarnagins Mathematics Class!!

Answer these short questions about your wonderful self so I can get to know
you better!

1. Write the adjective that best describes you. You must use the first letter of
your first name!

2. What is your favorite color? Why?


3. What is your favorite number? Why?


4. Who do you look up to? Why?



5. Tell me something about you that I wont be able to figure out in class.



6. Ask me something about myself that you wont be able to find out in class.



7. What extracurricular activities do you take part in? (Be careful, I will
probably attend an event if you tell me about it!) :)


8. Tell me a goal you would like to accomplish this semester (as a student or as
a person).



9. Tell me something you would like me to accomplish this semester as your
teacher.



10. ARE YOU GOING TO HAVE FUN IN THIS CLASS??!?!?!?! (Extra credit for
the correct answer)

3. Developing Classroom Rules and Procedures:

I will establish my classroom rules and consequences with my students. This
will ensure that they know the rules and why they are rules in the first place. They
will also know ahead of time what consequence they will receive if they choose to
break those rules. This will allow me to more easily keep a firm hand when giving
those consequences. It will also allow me to hold my students to a higher
expectation. I assume these rules will include respecting another during lecture and
group work alike. However, the classroom list of rules will be separate. For example,
I will allow food and drink within the classroom, so long as my students do not eat
the food in a distracting way (i.e. loud chip bags). I will also allow students to use the
bathroom or get a drink during class as long as they give me the respective
laminated pass that I will pass out at the beginning of the semester. These passes
will have their names on them so I will know who is where if they were to leave the
classroom. In regards to tardiness, I will not be as lenient. At the beginning of the
semester, I will stress that tardiness is not only disrespectful to me as a teacher, but
to all of my students as well. That being said, I will understand if it is an extenuating
circumstance; however, normal tardiness will result in bringing the student to the
front of the class to do something slightly embarrassing at the end of class. This will
show that I am serious, but not overly serious. I will have a table for work missed
due to an absence and I will open my door to any student who wants to work
through the concepts but I will not bug them about it. They will understand that I
expect them to take charge of their own learning and I will also provide lecture
notes on the website that I will create to further assist my students in general. I will
accept late work from all students. However, I will not allow them to retake any
exam if they have any outstanding assignments from the material covered on the
exam they want to retake. With this method in place, extra credit will not be
necessary. However, I may throw in a couple points here and there for
miscellaneous things. As I previously stated, my students will know that I am a
flexible person that they can communicate with to assist in their understanding of
concepts so I will have a zero tolerance policy for academic dishonesty. Any
infraction will result on a zero for the homework assignment itself, and for the
corresponding exam.

My classroom will be a very positive atmosphere on a daily basis. I will greet
my students at the door before class with a smile. I will also take five minutes before
I start any activity to ask my students how their week is going and allow them to
chit-chat with each other as well. This will allow them to settle in to the classroom
and will also foster a sense of community within the classroom. I will then go over
our learning objectives or agenda for the day so they are informed and can properly
prepare themselves. Throughout the lesson or activity, I will walk around the room
to ensure student understanding. I will attempt to leave some time at the end of
class to allow my students to cool down before moving on to the next class. This
cooling down time allows students to talk quietly if they wish, work on homework,
or ask me questions about anything that they may need. Students will formulate a
rule for this cool down time to ensure that every student feels like it is a good
environment to be productive in. I will expect every student to follow the rule set
6

whether that is complete silence or quiet talking. Usually, there will be some sort of
exit slip that takes what we learned that day and applies it to a real world scenario.
Each student will complete this on their own and I will use these to gauge their
understanding of the concept. This will help me form a plan for the next days
instruction.

Classroom Rules!

1.
2.
3.
4.

BE ON TIME. Please and thank you.

BE PREPARED! I cannot teach you if you are not ready!
BE RESPECTFUL. Treat others as you wish to be treated.
Food and drinks are allowed in the classroom so long as you are not
distracting others. Make sure nothing could be spilled!
5. Cell phones are also allowed as long as you are respecting the time we take
for learning. Make sure it is on silent!
6. Refer to the list of rules you created with your class for any other questions!

4. Classroom Layout:


My classroom will probably be arranged in a similar way throughout the
year. I will position student tables in groups of vertical lines where students will sit
facing each other. This allows for discussion when necessary as well as a sense of
community within the whole class instead of just between groups of four. There will
also be two u-shaped desks where students can stand if they need to during
instruction. The teachers desk will be placed in the back of the room facing the
opposite side of the classroom, not the front. This will hopefully foster the idea that I
am not the leader of the classroom, but one who is there to assist them when
necessary. I will have shelves along the back wall that will display any recent
worksheets I have assigned so students who were absent can pick those up. These
shelves will also house sections where students will turn in their completed work.
When students have completed something they would like me to display, I will
display it on the wall right next to my desk on the side by the student desks.
Students will be able to work independently around the shelf area on a comfortable
rug if they so choose. There will also be an easel in that corner that I can bring out to
help differentiate for visual learners or students with disabilities. This independent
area will also include a computer for students who would like to utilize this
technology. Group work will be conducted at the student desks since they are
already set up for this function. If students would like to work with me, I have a
round table that I can utilize. This can accommodate multiple students as well in
case more than one missed the same day and they both would like my assistance.
Overall, this set up will foster communication and positivity. It will also hold my
students to the expectation that they are taking learning into their own hands
because there will be many distracting aspects that will only work if they do.

5. Monitoring the Classroom and Responding to Student Misbehavior:

In general, I will monitor student behavior by being alert and focused on my
students throughout the day. I will clearly post all rules for the classroom and rules
for the class that the students created around the room. I will expect my students to
follow these rules and be respectful to other students as well as myself. If students
get off task during any part of the day, I will utilize the previously established hand
signal. If this fails, I will attempt to stand in the front of the room and stare at my
students to hopefully make them uncomfortable. My goal is not to yell at them to be
quiet, but to have my students tell each other that they need to quiet down. This will
hopefully build that sense of community and respect within the classroom by
allowing students to take charge of themselves.

These strategies will not always work. One type of misbehavior that I will not
tolerate is disruptive behavior. If a student is disruptive, I will go stand right next to
the student and continue with the lesson. If the disruptive behavior continues, I will
say the students name and look at them. If it still continues after that I will have the
student stand up so the class can tell him/her why the disruptive behavior is
unacceptable. I am assuming that this type of misbehavior will be included in the set
of class rules that the students designed so it will be a class effort to correct it. My
goal is to only allow this to happen a few times. If there is a specific student who
continually disrupts class after this action is taken, I will have them come talk to me
after class. I will discuss why the students behavior was disrespectful and why
he/she is not only causing suffering in the classroom, but within themselves because
they are missing out on learning opportunities. If the student still does not stop
disrupting class, I will call home to their parents. I will follow a similar protocol for
other types of misbehavior such as this. Each time I have to address a student who is
misbehaving, I will have them sign a sheet similar to the one provided. There are
exceptions to this general protocol. For example, if a student calls another by a
degrading name the student will immediately receive a detention and a talk with me
after class explaining how disrespectful that is and how they can improve their
behavior. Any time a student speaks with me after class, we will work out a plan of
action to improve behavior that I will monitor to ensure success. If the plan we place
does not work, I will give the student one more chance with a different plan to
improve behavior. If that still does not work, I will call home or speak with a
counselor to gather more resources in assisting the student to become a better
person. My goal as a teacher is not to reprimand at every chance I get, but to help
shape my students into mature adults. My hope is that they will assist me in this
endeavor.

10


6. Parents as Partners:


I will involve parents in my classroom by sending out a monthly newsletter
covering the basic concepts that I will teach in the upcoming month. This will also
include a calendar of major due dates and exams so that parents can assist in the
process of getting those in if they so choose. I will also create a website for my
classes that will display lecture notes and worksheets from class so parents can see
the progression of concepts throughout the year. I will display my email address on
this website in case parents ever need to get a hold of me. I have also created a
survey for parents to complete at the beginning of the year that asks for their input.
I may also have a potluck with parents and other teachers depending on the school
district. This would allow parents to get to know one another and hopefully instill a
sense of community not just within the classroom, but also throughout the school
community.

I will contact parents by means displayed on their responses to the family
survey. Unless their student misbehaves past the extent of my abilities to control, I
will not contact them for misbehavior. I may contact parents to let them know that
their student is falling behind if I have exhausted all of my efforts with the student in
that situation as well. Other than that, I will not contact parents unless they contact
me first. I will conduct parent-teacher conferences in a relaxed manner. I will set out
the comfiest chairs I can find and sit across from them with nothing in between us. I
will then tell them everything their student has accomplished and how their grade
is. If there is something that the student and I are working on together in regards to
behavior or grades, I may bring it up just to let them know that their student is
responsible enough to come up with and implement a plan for success with me. If a
parent is overly involved in their students life, I will try to emphasize that it is their
students learning that they are discussing any chance I get. I may also give them a
job of their own to do outside of school to help the classroom. This could include
setting up the potluck or even just distributing the newsletter for me. Anything that
may work to attempt to keep them busy without hovering too much will be
acceptable. If I believe a parent is not involved enough in their students school
work, I may email them to ask how they think their student is doing in my class and
if there is anything they suggest I should do to continue this chain of success. If this
does not work, I may invite them to participate in something involving the school
such as a function or assisting in a field trip. Overall, I will try to keep all parents at
arms length; close but not too close. This will ensure that students have an extra
layer of support if they need it, but can be independent and responsible in the
process.

11

FAMILY SURVEY

Directions: Please respond to the following questions to the best of your ability. I
would like to know as much as I can about your child so that I can be the best
possible teacher for him/her! You can return this form to me by email, at Meet the
Teacher Night, or have your child bring it to class. Thank you for your time!

STUDENT NAME









STUDENT BIRTHDATE









PARENT/GUARDIAN NAME








PARENT/GUARDIAN PREFERRED CONTACT INFORMATION:

EMAIL







PHONE






(Please star which you would prefer out of the two)

Questions:

1. What is your childs favorite subject or aspect of school? Why?


2. What is your childs least favorite subject or aspect of school? Why?


3. If your child participates in extracurricular activities, what are they?



4. What is your childs favorite thing to do outside of school?


5. Does your child have any allergies or other health issues that I should be
aware of? If so, please explain.



6. Is there anything else you would like me to know about your child? If so,
what? (This can be anything and everything. I would love to know as much as
possible!)


12

7. What is your favorite thing to do?

8. Would you be interested in attending a pot luck to get to know the other
teachers and parents of students within the school?



9. What ideas do you have for me to better help your child?



10. If you ever need to contact me my email is:
I have also set up a website for this course. The URL has been emailed to you
along with the first newsletter!

If you ever need anything or have any concerns please email me and I will be
glad to help in any way I can! Thanks again!

13