PLP Reflection

This year I focused on classroom culture and classroom management in my professional

learning plan. During the year, I attended a variety of professional development sessions and

implemented strategies from the sessions to strengthen my teaching practice. My goal for the

year included creating leaders and fostering independence by increasing student ownership of

classroom responsibilities.

Creating a classroom culture where all students are valued, respected, and celebrated was

strengthened through the Leader in Me program. During the summer, my school started the

process of becoming a Leader in Me school. A school mission statement and vision statement

were created by the faculty that aligned with Stephen Covey’s Seven Habits.Throughout the

school year I have utilized Leader in Me lessons to promote the seven habits in the classroom. I

collaborated with my grade level to implement new strategies to engage students in a positive

classroom climate. This year the fourth grade team implemented classroom “shout outs” and

“T-Mail.” The shout outs allow students to recognize other students for positive behaviors or

accomplishments. Shout outs are read each morning, starting the day in a positive way and

reinforcing positive classroom culture. T-Mail encourages students to communicate with the

teacher by writing letters. This has been an especially helpful tool for students who are shy or

those who do not frequently share.

I chose to work on classroom management because I wanted the focus of my classroom

to shift from a teacher led to student led environment. Each student has a classroom job, and they

change at the beginning of each nine weeks. By allowing all students to have a role in the

classroom, they take ownership of the responsibilities that need to be accomplished. I

implemented Dojo this year as a classroom management system. The points are awarded based

on the seven habits. When students are exhibiting a leadership habit, they receive a point.

Students who are not following the seven habits lose a point. At the end of the week, students

may cash in their points for rewards or save them. Dojo has been very effective in encouraging

students to take ownership of their behavior. I encouraged parents to enroll in Dojo to monitor

their child’s progress and communicate through the messaging system. In addition to using Dojo

as a classroom management system, I use Dojo to communicate reminders of upcoming events.

Classroom culture and classroom management go hand in hand in creating leaders. By

giving students more opportunities to be leaders in the classroom, the classroom culture and

behavior has improved. Self-efficacy plays a critical role in how students think, feel, and behave.

This foundation builds confidence and serves a a base upon which students can build on as they

continue through their educational journey and beyond.