Classroom Management Plan

Hilary Dingman
EDUC 5903E
Professor Anne Hewson
October 6, 2017
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Introduction

I strongly believe that classroom management is essential in creating a safe and productive

learning environment. My management plan will be student centered and will always have the

best interest of the students in mind. I intend to prevent behavior problems by setting clear

expectations, creating engaging curriculum, and addressing each student’s individual needs

within the classroom. It is my hope that these interventions will assist in creating a safe place

where all students are able to reach their full potential.

Building Relationships

The effectiveness of my classroom management will be largely dependent on my ability to

foster positive relationships with my students. At the most basic level, students want to know

that their teachers “understand them, appreciate them, and recognize their unique qualities, skills,

interests, needs, and personalities” (Marzano, 2005, p.59). I intend to make a conscious effort to

make sure each of my students feels as if I am genuinely interested in whom they are as

individuals. A good start would be to learn the names of my students before the first day of

school (Marzano, 2005). A simple gesture such as this one shows your students that you know

who they are, and that you care. This relationship can further be developed by showing interest

in the student’s extracurricular activities, and in any other events that takes place outside of

school.

It will also be important that as a teacher, I acknowledge that students come from very

diverse backgrounds. Students will have had very different experiences depending on their

family, culture, language, and race. I hope to both embrace and celebrate these differences, as

that is what makes an inclusive learning environment. On the topic of diversity, it will also be
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important that I consider outside factors that may affect a student’s classroom behavior (Curwin,

2009). While I might not know the intimate details of their home life, I can do my part by

maintaining a caring and compassionate approach when dealing with my students. As educators,

we must remain cognizant of the fact that “somewhere between 70 and 90 percent of discipline

problems have their root causes in places outside school” (Curwin, 2009, p.8).

A student’s success in the classroom is also dependent on how engaging they find the

material. Rather than solely developing assignments to suit my own strengths, I will try to cater

my assignments to my students’ interests. By creating a meaningful and relevant curriculum,

students will become more invested in the course work I assign (Marzano, 2005). In addition to

knowing my student’s interests, it will also be crucial that identify each student’s strengths and

weaknesses. As a teacher it will be my job to ensure that every student is learning to their full

potential.

Rules and Procedures

I intend to use a combination of both rules and procedures in my classroom. At the

beginning of a school year, especially as a new teacher, I think it is important to set clear

expectations for general classroom behavior. I can see myself implementing a class pledge or

promise, which would outline the classroom rules and procedures. A class pledge will help to

develop a sense of “responsibility for the classroom, respect for self and others, and an overall

culture of learning” (Marzano, 2005, p.9). The class pledge will be a collaborative project, as the

students will share their opinions on what rules and procedures they want to include. By allowing

students to have a say, they will be more inclined to follow the rules and procedures, and if

broken they will also be more accepting of the consequences that will follow.
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The need for consistency and communication in the classroom is also essential to classroom

management. In order for me to be a successful teacher, I must effectively communicate what I

expect of my students in the different settings, and I must also remain consistent with these

expectations. When these rules are constantly being reinforced, students will have little room to

argue or complain when a consequence is given. With procedures and routines, repetition and

consistency are just as important. In order to eliminate misbehavior and confusion I will make

sure to establish a set of procedures that my students will be familiar with. For example, for

transitions I will make sure that my students know how they are expected to line up and where

this should take place (Marzano, 2005). Eventually I will have a procedure for every aspect of

the school day. Foreseeing and planning for potential problems is essential to having a day

school day and year run as smoothly as possible.

Consequences and Rewards

On the topic of disciplinary interventions, as a future educator I will not punish my students

for poor behavior; instead, there will be appropriate consequences for their actions. While

punishments force a student into obedience, consequences help students to make the right choice

all on their own (Curwin, 2009). Similarly to classroom rules, I believe it is important that

students have a say in their consequences. When a consequence is required, I will respect the

student’s dignity. I will hold myself accountable to this standard, by always first reflecting on

how it would make me feel if I was on the receiving end.

With that perspective in mind, I will use overcorrection as a class consequence, instead of

having a timeout chair in the room (Marzano, 2005). When done correctly, overcorrection can

help teach students important lessons on responsibility, without having to publicly humiliate

them. Unlike other common consequences, students will be given an opportunity to rectify the
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situation by righting their wrong. While the students may not be receptive to this immediately,

once they calm down they can see the direct results of their actions, and from there hopefully

make better choices in the future.

On the topic of consequences, I also believe that fair might not always be equal (Curwin,

2009). Since no two students are alike, it will be important that my use of discipline in the

classroom reflects this degree of individuality. Students are often doing the best that they can

under the circumstances they are given, so it is our job as teachers to be a positive guiding force

in their life. Instead of using the obedience model, I hope to teach my students to take

responsibility for their actions as I mentioned earlier. This responsibility model will work

especially well with students who feel like they need to have some control in their life. By giving

my students more responsibility, I will be able to work with my students and not against them.

While I did mention the goal was for students to do the right thing without receiving a

reward, sometimes a positive reinforcement can be a useful tool when managing a class. A

classroom reward, such as a Class Poster, will be helpful in keeping students motivated

(Marzano, 2005). For this particular reward system students are put into groups and are

encouraged to work together towards a common goal. With this particular approach no one is

singled out, and it creates an environment where students can help bring one another up.

Students who often act out in the classroom may also begin to model the behavior of their

teammates in the hopes they will get a ‘touchdown.’ I believe that this strategy could be

extremely effective if explained and implemented correctly.

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Conclusion

Classroom management is essential in creating a safe learning environment. I hope to create

an environment that is conclusive to learning, which also involves setting high expectations for

all of my students. I hope this will help to limit behavioral issues from the very beginning. While

I feel as if I have touched on many preventive steps, my classroom management plan is

constantly growing and evolving.

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References

Curwin, R. L., Mendler, A. N., & Mendler, B. D. (2009). Discipline With Dignity: New

Challenges, New Solutions. Moorabbin, Vic.: Hawker Brownlow Education.

Marzano, R.J. (2005). A Handbook For Classroom Manmagment That Works. Alexandria,

VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.