Mrs.

Parkin’s Classroom Management Plans

I believe that school should be a place of structure, learning, comfort, safety, and

enjoyment. I believe that each of these things can be achieved through a clear classroom

management plan. This document includes our school and classroom management plans, helping

to ensure that we create a positive environment for students to succeed.

School Rules:

• Be safe

• Be respectful

• Be productive

• Be responsible

• KYFHOOTY (Keep your feet, hands, and other objects to yourself)

Class Rules:

• Keep ourselves safe

• Keep our friends safe

• Keep our things safe

The Big Eight have guided my classroom management plan. This includes:

Expectations:

Setting clear explicit expectations for students helps them to feel confident and sets them

up for success. I find it extremely helpful to give clear and simple directions and then to model

the directions for my students. For example, my students were really struggling with getting their

chrome books and headphones and putting them away in an organized way that took care of their
materials. After rethinking the procedure, I retaught it to my students and modeled for them

exactly what they should do, and then had them practice it a few times. I have learned that it is

not good to expect that my students already know certain things, but to always explicitly teach

everything I expect.

One tool I have found extremely useful for my students is my “soundometor.” It is an app

on my phone that I use for sound measurement. I put it underneath the dot camera so that

everyone can see it. I set the noise expectations and quickly explain to my students how loud or

soft I expect them to be. If they are too noisy the soundometer will crack, letting them know they

need to quiet down. This has really helped them to stay quiet during quiet time, and keepttheir

voices to an inside level.

Attention prompts:

It is important to have a wide variety of attention prompts that I can use in my classroom in

order for them to be effective. I have seen that if I use the same attention prompts over and over

again it begins to lose its effect. Some of the attention prompts I use include;

• Teacher: “waterfall”… Students: “sshhhhh,”

• Teacher: “macaroni and cheese”… Students: “everybody freeze!”

• Teacher: “1, 2, 3, eyes on me!”… Students: “1, 2, eyes on you!”

• Teacher: “here ye, here ye”… Students: “the queen is about to speak!”

• Teacher: “Holy Moly!”… Students: “Guacemole!!”

I also have a train whistle and water stick. I have been working to train my kids that specific

calls mean specific things. For example, I have a triangle that is used only for rotations. It lets
 us know that rotations are starting, that we move on to the next rotation, and that rotations are

over.

Proximity:

Proximity, though simple, works like magic most of the time. It is very helpful when I am

closer to my student, specifically those who may be struggling to stay quiet or stay focused.

Walking around while giving directions is helpful, specifically if there are students who are not

paying attention or staying on task, it holds them more accountable. I believe that simply

standing by someone or giving them direct eye contact can do more than verbally telling them to

do or not do something, and it isn’t as obvious and embarrassing to them.

I also use proximity between my students. I try to switch up their desks once every three

weeks or so, and switch up their spots on the carpet too. This is obvious, but it is very helpful to

put certain students by other students and keep certain students away from other certain students.

Cueing:

I have a clip chart, a “bubble gum brain” chart, and I have a whole class marble and jar

incentive. I have a couple individual contracts with some of my more difficult students. I try to

meet with these difficult students twice a day to discuss their behavior and have them fill in their

contract. I work to always compliment a few of my students before I point out anything negative.

I have found that when I am more positive with my students I feel like a better and more

effective teacher.
Signals:

I try to use signals when we are doing whole group instruction. I have students show me

specific signals to indicate they are done, ready to move on, or are still working. I always use

signals for self checks; I have students show me with their thumbs how they think they are doing

personally, either with the work or with following directions. These signals help me to better

gage student understanding as well as reminding students to work harder or follow directions. As

I positively point out students who are signaling correctly, it helps other students to do it as well.

Time limits:

I have found that time limits are so crucial for my young kids. I am sure it is important

for older grades as well, but they really need some sort of accountability for getting places on

time and completing certain tasks on time. I use timing as much as any of the Big Eight. I use it

when I ask the kids to transition from carpet to desk and vice versa, to clean up or get out

supplies, to line up for lunch or recess, or to finish some sort of simple task. We practiced this

procedure a lot at the beginning of the year, and I try to be strict with it—if I notice someone

isn’t actively trying to get to carpet before I get to zero I have them move their clip down.

Tasking:

Tasking has definitely been a learning curve for me this year. I have had to find a balance

of time and explaining the directions. It is true that first graders have a hard time paying attention
for longer than about six minutes, but they also need very specific directions, or they are very

confused. I have had to figure out how to explain things very simply and carefully. It is also

helpful to have students repeat back to me the directions. For example, “We will pick the paper

out of the red basket. Which paper will we pick the paper out of?” It is also important to figure

out exactly what I expect from students, such as what they should do when they complete an

assignment early. Being consistent is so important so I have had to figure out exactly what I do

expect from my students. For example, they are allowed to make comments while I’m reading

and showing them the pictures, but they aren’t allowed to make comments while I am reading.

This helps me be more consistent.

Voice:

it is helpful when I use a different variety of voices, tones, and noise levels when I am giving

directions. I find that when I am talking louder my students talk louder. If I am able to get

student attention and talk quietly, they pay better attention and are more interested in what I am

saying. It also helps to have them talk in different voices; whispers, baby voices, etc.