Rachael Bakker

Management Plan

Rationale: Effective classroom management is a difficult task and takes a lot of trial and error,

but when I am able to find strategies that work with my unique group of learners; my classroom

will be a better place. I believe an effective learning environment is when there is reciprocal

respect between students and teacher. I will accomplish this by sticking to the management

strategies Leslie has in her classroom and talking about expected behaviour with the whole

class when necessary. Something I have learned over the years is, when you say something to a

student you need to follow through. I keep this in the back of my mind when talking about

consequences for unexpected behaviour with the students such as sitting at their desk during

carpet time. During my class experience so far I have been conscious of how the teacher

manages her classroom because I know I will have the most success if I use the management

strategies that are already in place. During my time spent with this class, I see a need for self-

regulation strategies and so I plan on implementing some during my practicum.

Classroom Set-up:

 Student and teacher seating area: the students sit at their own desks. Every month the

seating arrangement changes. The last time I was in the classroom they were in pods of

5. The teacher and I strategically placed students together who would work well

together and keep each other on track. The teacher’s desk is tucked into a corner of the

classroom beside the whiteboard and beside the rainbow table. Students do not go into

the teacher’s desk area, but they will meet with her at the rainbow table.
Rachael Bakker

 Carpet area: there is no assigned seating at the carpet. There is a couch at the back of

the carpet area where certain students get to sit depending if it their couch day.

 Visual supports: schedule is posted on the whiteboard. There are posters all around the

walls with sound families (eg. ‘ch’, ‘th’). There are two bulletin boards in the classroom

and one in the hallway where student work is displayed. The window is also a place

where work is displayed or information is posted for parents to see when they drop off

and pick up their kids. There are two big whiteboards and an Elmo that can project what

I am writing on a piece of paper onto one of the whiteboards.

 Material storage: there is plenty of cupboard storage above and below the sink. There is

also storage above the students’ cubby area for big Tupperware containers. The shelf

that runs the wall between the outside door and teacher’s is full of books, inside games,

and centers.

Classroom routines:

 How students arrive to the classroom: students line up outside and wait for the teacher

to walk them to their classroom. She picks one student with their hand up to hold the

door open. Students enter the cubby area to change their shoes, and hang up their

coats and backpacks.

 How students leave the classroom: about 10 minutes before the bell Leslie tells them

it’s time to clean up. Each student has a specific job to do which changes every week.

Once they’ve finished their clean up job they get ready to go home and line up at the

door.
Rachael Bakker

 Student helpers: each day is a new student helper. They are picked in order of the

attendance list. Student helper helps with calendar time and line leader.

 Lunch and recess expectations: students are expected to stay on school property, listen

to the teachers on duty, and include their peers.

 Moving through the halls: students walk quietly in a line through the halls.

 Washrooms: students ask before going to the washroom. There is no sign out sheet.

 Distributing materials: I usually ask a helper or two to hand out materials. One helper is

usually our ‘special helper’ of the day and someone who is showing me ‘whole body

listening’.

 Routines for calendar time: calendar time usually occurs during the morning either right

after recess or before lunch. Students sit at the carpet and follow along with the

different elements of calendar. Sharing also occurs at this time which is based on whose

couch day it is. The helper of the day helps lead with the teacher. Students are expected

to listen and participate during this time.

Expectations:

Sangster Elementary School Code of Conduct: http://sangster.web.sd62.bc.ca/students/code-

of-conduct/

 Direct instructions/class discussions: my expectation for students during direct

instructions and class discussion is whole body listening. This means their ears are

listening to what the speaker is saying, their eyes are watching the speaker, their mouth

is quiet, their body is still, and their brain is thinking about what the speaker is saying.
Rachael Bakker

 Seat work: my expectations during seat work are: students are staying on task and the

noise volume is not too high. I think desk work is a great time for students to chat with

their peers, but if the noise level becomes too loud it’s distracting and hard for me to

help other students because I have to keep reminding kids to talk quieter.

 Gym: students are expected to participate in the activity safely (this means no rough

play or screaming), and quietly listen to instructions.

 Digital devices: all digital devices must remain in their backpacks. When we are using the

Google Chrome Books students use carefully, quietly, and always use two hands when

they are carrying them.

Management strategies:

 How will I get students’ attention: in the classroom I will use Leslie’s chime As soon as

the chime is rung, students freeze. Another way I can get their attention is to say, “1, 2,

3 eyes on me.” The students reply, “1, 2 eyes on you.” In the gym I will use a whistle,

when students hear the whistle they freeze and sit down where they are. Outside I will

also use a whistle to get their attention. Once the whistle is blown students know to

head back to the classroom, we have a access to the playground from our classroom so

students can enter directly without lining up.

 Disruptive students: if students are being disruptive during lessons I will say cues such

as: ‘body check’, ‘please bring yourself back to the green zone’, ‘self-check, are you

showing me the expected behaviour we talked about?’, visual cues that display what

they should be doing, or I will just stop what I’m saying and wait for their attention. If
Rachael Bakker

students are being disrespectful to me or other students I will remind them that in this

classroom we treat each other with respect and I will ask them if their behaviour is

showing respect. If a student is having a hard time after being asked to stop the

unexpected behaviour I will ask them to sit in the ‘mindful corner’ so they can self-

regulate themselves back to the green zone. In extreme cases I will ask them to leave

the room and talk with them privately in the hall.

Classroom management is still a new aspect of teaching for me and I know it needs a lot of

work and patience for each class I teach, but I am excited and determined to learn new

techniques from this practicum and implement a few of my own strategies to see what works

for this class and my own personal style.