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RUNNING HEAD: Signature Assignment

Signature Assignment

Tayler Flanders

TESP 501

Azusa Pacific University

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RUNNING HEAD: Signature Assignment

Classroom Management & Grading Policies

Introduction

As so flawlessly explained by Wong, et al., classroom management is the ability to

establish sets of rules, procedures, and policies that give a teacher the ability to facilitate student

learning in an optimal atmosphere (Wong, et al., 2018). By providing students with these

guidelines for behavior in the classroom, daily routines, transitions, and activity can move

smoothly throughout a day with little to no distractions. Students in a managed environment can

be better engaged and learning can become more effective overall (Wong, et al., 2018).

In order to create an effective plan, teachers must create appropriate rules and procedures

for all students, following a universal design for learning. A universal design for learning in

regard to classroom management allows for an equitable classroom and keeps students from

being singled out by certain policies. Considerations like age, gender, learning style, and student

needs should be acquired to formulate a plan before the beginning of the school year.

My Classroom Management Plan & Grading Policies

Arrangement of Classroom:

1. Students will sit in groups, but have some freedom to sit in bean bags, on the floor, or by

themselves in other arrangements when appropriate.

2. There will be multiple white boards or bulletin boards to display activities throughout

the classroom.

3. Teacher will be able to walk around the room easily to monitor students.

Rules:
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4. Keep the noise level appropriate for projects, assignments, lessons, & group or

independent work, as decided by the teacher.

5. Use hand signals to express questions, answers, restroom breaks, & other needs.

6. Come to class prepared with appropriate supplies & homework.

7. Respect one another and the teacher at all times.

8. Express any concerns with the teacher separately.

Procedures:

1. Hand signals

a. Fist: Need to use the restroom

b. One finger: Question

c. Two fingers: Answer

d. Raise full hand: Other

2. Turn in homework in folders to the appropriate bucket at the start of class.

3. Line up at the beginning of class and unpack backpacks.

Policies:

1. Use appropriate language inside the classroom and on school campus.

2. Grading:

a. Note: All students learn differently and deserve to succeed in this classroom. If a

student is struggling with a subject, an alternative assessment, assignment or

additional help can be given.

b. General A – F grading scale will be used.

c. Extra credit may be assigned as appropriate.

d. Percentages are rounded up to the closest percentage point.

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e. Late homework or assignments will result in a point deduction per day until

received.

Consequences:

1. A marble jar will be used for classroom behavior

a. If the class is behaving well they will get a marble added, if not one will be

removed

b. 50 marbles gets the class a pizza and movie party

2. Individual sticker charts will be used and points will be given for positive classroom

behaviors.

a. 50 stickers allows the student an array of prizes from homework passes to the

treasure chest

3. Progress reports will go home monthly for parents and students to discuss

4. If misbehaving…

a. Removal of marbles or stickers

b. Talk to teacher

c. Note home from student

d. Call or conference with parents

Explanation of Strategies

The procedures and rules that I came up with are flexible enough to mold to student

needs as appropriate. Wong et al. explain that when a teacher anticipates all potential situations,

they are able to better adapt to unexpected occurrences (Wong et al., 2018). The way I wrote my

classroom management plan allows for general enough expectations that they can fit most

situations, even when something unexpected occurs. These rules also are great for all student
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learning, helping promote different ways to arrange the classroom, various noise levels and

instructional methods, and any changes throughout the year. The procedures I chose establish a

routine for students, which McCormick and Scherer describe as an essential part of the

atmosphere to help with organization and transitions during a day (McCormick and Scherer,

2018). Lastly, I chose mostly positive consequences for student reinforcement, encouraging and

acknowledging good behavior, rather than focusing on negative students. Those that do

misbehave however, will go through the progression of negative consequences as appropriate for

their action. The Vanderbilt IRIS Center Classroom Management Part 1 Module described

consequences as a balancing act, making sure to reinforce positive behavior and use negative

consequences to decrease certain behaviors (Vanderbilt University, 2019).

Explanation of Grading Policies

As mentioned in my grading policies, students all learn in different styles, therefore

cannot be expected to accel in the same testing style. I personally believe that all students can

achieve high expectations, just in different forms. By adding the notes that I will accommodate

other testing strategies or understanding methods, it gives me the flexibility to change my styles

for each student’s needs. As Wong et al. explains, students should be given guidelines to the time

for the tests, environment, and schedule (Wong et al., 2018). As planned, some tests will be the

same for all students, and those will be directly explained, with expectations set for all. Since all

students do have the ability to succeed, test grades will be monitored to watch for what

McCormick and Scherer explain as reliability and validity (2018). Students will have multiple

ways to show understanding throughout modules, instead of just considering test grades, and

grades will be adjusted to reflect that. Otherwise, general grading scales will be used to show

completion of subjects but point values will be monitored to adjust for all student success.
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Additionally, point deduction will be used as negative consequence for incomplete or missing

assignments.

Conclusion

While student success and happiness in the classroom is a main goal, this can only be

achieved by maintaining explicitly outlined guidelines or plans for all students. The plans I have

made are generic enough to be adjusted for all needs, while setting expectations for all students.

Research has shown that setting these plans well in advanced can help make the first day and all

succeeding days of school easy and focused for everyone. I plan to adjust accordingly to fit all

my students’ needs in the future.

Classroom Discipline Plan

Introduction

As mentioned by Wong and Wong (2018), a plan for discipline should be made as a way

to be prepared and plan for future classroom incidences, mainly behavioral problems. It is

important to detail discipline in the classroom with procedures, policies, both positive and

negative consequences, and any other additional interventions. After observing in an array of

classrooms, including kindergarten, first grade, third grade, and eighth grade, I feel confident that

I can create a classroom discipline plan that can be adapted for my future classroom.

My Discipline Plan

Policies & Responsibilities:

As your teacher I…

1. Will make myself, my directions, and my expectations clear for all events and activities.

2. Will make this an environment that all students will be comfortable learning in.

3. Will listen, respect, and encourage each and every student.

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4. Will help each student succeed and meet their own personal learning goals.

As a student you…

1. Will be expected to follow classroom rules and teacher instructions.

2. Will respect other students’ learning.

3. Will help each other, respect the teacher, and work together.

4. Will continue to do your work efficiently & timely.

Discipline Procedures:

If the classroom policies are not followed, students will be disciplined using one of the

following procedures, given negative consequences. These procedures follow a progression if

disruptive behaviors continue and students will be made aware of the next consequence if their

behavior continues. All students will be disciplined equally depending on the number of

occurrences and the behavior presented. Parents will be included after their warning and second

chance.

1. INITIAL CONTACT: Student behavior will be addressed when presented, silently with

hand gestures or potentially with words if needed. This is the least disruptive to the entire

class. Most behaviors can be addressed this way if they are small and not too disruptive.

2. WARNING: Individual discussion with the teacher during or after class time if needed.

3. SECOND CHANCE: Individual will be reminded about the previous conversation and

warned for the next consequence.

4. LETTER HOME: Letter home to parents, written by the student. Student will be

responsible for explaining why the behavior happened and why they were in trouble, with

a follow-up email from the teacher.

5. FREE TIME: Loss of free time during class (not recess, classroom free time).
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6. LOSS OF PRIVELAGE/STUDENT & TEACHER CONFERENCES: Loss of additional

privileges (beanbags, classroom jobs, group work, etc.) and student, teacher, and parent

conference with behavior card for parent and teacher contacts.

Positive consequences:

Students will be rewarded for being well behaved and setting good behavior examples in the

classroom. Those that set a great example will be positively rewarded in the hopes that they

encourage other students or continue the behavior. Students will get dojo points and stickers as

rewards. Once they build up enough points, they will receive additional rewards, examples of

which are listed below. If the entire class is behaving, they will receive individual points and a

marble for their classroom jar. The classroom jar will build up to a classroom movie time or class

party.

1. Treasure chest

2. Free time

3. Borrow pillows and bean bag chairs for silent reading time

4. Teacher provided snack

5. Lunch with the teacher

6. Classroom party

7. Movie time

Conflict Resolution:

If there are any conflicts between classmates or other students, the students will be

disciplined accordingly. Students will be expected to talk to one another with the teacher or other

adult present, in a clam and level-headed manner. Students will be expected to apologize to one

another and work together to resolve the issue. Parents will only be notified in the case that no
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resolution was made, it reoccurs, students had to be separated, or administration had to step in.

Students will risk losing their stickers or dojo points if the behaviors continue or at the teacher’s

discretion.

Positive & Safe Learning Environment

The previously mentioned classroom behavior and discipline plan is set to make sure

students have a positive and safe learning environment. It is necessary to have a plan set in place

because it provides students with organizational, instructional, and emotional support (Wong &

Wong, 2018). Students will know that they are loved, cared for, and heavily supported with this

plan set in place and it creates a safe space for students to express themselves without self-doubt

or self-consciousness. This ensures that learning and teaching will be maximized for both teacher

and student benefit.

Additional aspects of creating this space for students will include identification forms for

student dietary restrictions/needs, disabilities, and even learning styles. The students will be

given a short assignment on the first day to identify the best way they learn (visual, kinesthetic,

and auditory), and then sent home with a dietary form and supplies sheet for parents. As the

teacher, I will then be able to identify students learning and how affective a lesson is. I plan to

take these into consideration for all lessons and activities, hoping to engage everyone. The

dietary forms will be used for classroom parties, meal times, snacks, and any other food related

activities that occur. This will help to make sure all students can be involved and no reactions

occur. Lastly, the supplies list will help for parents to stock the classroom with supplies so that

students are prepared and always have extra supplies in the classroom so that they don’t miss out

on any instructional time.

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Lastly, the classroom will be arranged in table groups, with sections for bean bag chairs,

pillows, rugs, and other seating arrangements. These will be used mostly for free time and

individual work, but students can sit or stand as needed as long as it is not disruptive to other

students. Students will have enough space to move around, stretch, and keep an organized desk,

which will be cleaned out weekly with additional procedures and arrangements as mentioned by

Wong and Wong (2018), and space between desks will be large enough to accommodate

wheelchairs or other equipment if needed.

Conclusion

With all of these policies and procedures set in place, students should have a sense of

safety and positivity in the room. If problems can be extinguished quickly and quietly, without

disruption of other students, class will run smoothly. Additional positive and negative

consequences have been identified to ensure that students will get the most out of their

classroom, even if disruptions occur. I feel this behavior plan is best for kindergarten through

third grade classrooms but can be adjusted as needed for older students as well.

My Classroom Engagement Plan

Introduction

As mentioned by McCormick and Sherer (2018), some of the best student-teacher

connections happen when students are well engaged in the classroom setting, which leads them

to success. Some ways to do this, as previously mentioned in Wong and Wong’s (2018) text are

through policies, procedures, reward systems, and overall classroom management. After

observation in my host classrooms, I feel that I have been provided with a tool box of knowledge

to better foster student engagement through lesson planning, learning strategies, classroom

environment, positivity, and diversity (culture, gender, ELL, special education, gifted, etc.).
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Creating a Classroom Engagement Plan

Lesson Planning. To start, I will make sure my lesson plans are comprehensive for all

students. To me this means understanding that some learners may need more time than others,

while others may breeze through a subject with ease, or even making sure to consider the need

for more challenges in others. For this, I plan to include different learning styles, instructed time,

guided practice, and individual practice for students, which will offer them the flexibility to

make it more or less challenging or time consuming, depending on their needs. Students will be

challenged appropriately, and adjustments will be made as needed to accommodate students. I

feel this can also be done by providing options for some assignments, giving them choices on

how they feel comfortable completing them, which will allow them to succeed in the classroom

and not become discouraged.

Another part of lesson planning will be the assessment and the follow-up education. I

plan to incorporate technology in either of these portions as a way to show the subject

differently, but also see how the students work with technology. One way to incorporate this

would be through a computer coding program that allows the teacher to make a lesson in it,

assign it to students, and then turn it into the teacher, while being completely interactive. This

will keep things diverse, catering to all different students.

Lastly, my lessons will incorporate some portion of student-led instruction, meaning the

students will be expected to either lead discussion, teach some portion to the class, or work in

groups to research the answers. This will help with a critical thinking component and will be

beneficial for levels of learning.

Learning Styles. One of the most important things to consider is student learning styles.

Students cannot be successful if they are not given the right tools to help facilitate their learning.
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By taking into consideration whether a student is auditory, visual, or kinesthetic, activities can be

created to better suit each individual student. I plan to learn each student’s style in the first week

of my class, by providing a short learning style quiz. This will help me create groups, lesson

plans, activities, and better suit the needs of my students. This will also help keep them engaged

because they will in turn know what is happening within the classroom and it will make it easier

for them to understand.

Environment & Positivity. Third, the environment of the classroom, some of which are

noise level, tone, set up, comfort level, technology, and encouragement, will be deeply

considered to make sure each student can feel comfortable and confident in their class and in

their fellow students. Creating an environment that accentuates respect, companionship, and a

strong team are very important to me and I feel will help my students be excited to come to

school each day.

As mentioned previously, students will have high expectations in the classroom, with a

variety of positive and negative consequences. Personally, I believe in second chances in most

situations, so this is something I want my students to understand. I want to provide them the

opportunity to change their behaviors and realize their mistakes before using negative

consequences, but the consequences will be in place if they are needed. I will use mostly positive

consequences, encouraging my students to do well and feel loved. This correlates well with the

idea brought up in Vanderbilt University Classroom Management Part 1 (2019), providing

students with thorough expectations and a progression of consequences, both negative and

positive.

I plan to come to school each and every day in my best attitude possible, leaving person

life behind so that I can give my students my full, undivided attention. This hopefully will make
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the tone of the classroom feel uplifting, with encouragement and comfort for everyone. I want

students to feel comfortable talking to me, so I will provide them the opportunity to write notes

to me or put their name in a jar if they want to talk more privately. I overall just want them to

feel like I am someone they can trust, even if things at home may be difficult.

Of course, my classroom will be set up in a way that accommodates all students, giving

them opportunity to experience different seating arrangements, group work, and comfort. I will

give ample opportunity to use different technology sources in projects, activities, follow-up, and

homework. I will make sure that they are seated in groups, sometimes with students of the same

learning style and others with opposing styles. Students will still be expected to work in a way

that is respectful of all students, keeping voices down, but giving them freedom to talk while

they work. I will create groups that are diverse in gender, learning abilities, and culture to get

them to challenge their thinking styles.

Diversity. I am prepared to work with all students, no matter their differences from one

another or their needs. My ELL, special education, general education, and gifted students will be

expected to work together in some situations and in others I will work with them in groups or

rotations to adjust the challenge level of some assignments. I feel prepared to provide them with

extra help, resources, learning styles, or any other accommodations in order to meet their

learning needs.

Conclusion

Overall, I feel prepared to create an engaging environment where students respect

students and myself. I feel like this environment will give students the comfort level to ask for

help, ask questions, talk, and make long lasting friendships. I hope to be the most positive and

encouraging teacher I can be to all of my students, no matter their challenges.

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References

McCormick, C.B. & Scherer, D.G. (2018).  Child and adolescent development for educators

(2nd ed). New York: Guilford Press, Inc.

Vanderbilt University. (2019). Classroom Management (Part 1). Retrieved January 20, 2019,

from https://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/module/beh1/cresource/q2/p11/#content

Wong, H. K., Wong, R. T., Jondahl, S. F., & Ferguson, O. F. (2018). The Classroom

Management Book. Mountain View, CA: Harry K. Wong Publications.