Paige Shaw Discipline and Management plan Discipline is always an issue in a classroom setting because there are always

multiple students and many times only one teacher. There are also other factors that will have an impact on the general characteristics of the community because that many times has an effect on the approach a teacher should take with their disciplinary actions. In a classroom setting, teachers should expect that sometimes there will be discipline issues no matter where they are and how good of a school system they are in. There are some general guidelines that I can implement no matter where I am to minimize the discipline problems. As a teacher, I need to be prepared and know what to do in specific situations before they ever happen so that I can prevent, or at least keep a discipline problem from getting too out of hand. I can do this by implementing a preventative, supportive and corrective discipline management plan as seen in Colombia Interactives online resource about self-evaluating your types of discipline (Charles, 1999). I will target the higher education bracket in my plan. Any teacher would probably prefer to prevent a discipline problem before it starts but that means they have to understand why it might start. According to Mendler (1992), there are 5 basic needs that all students need. They are: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. To feel and believe they are capable and successful To know they are cared about by others To realize that they are able to influence people and events To remember others and practice helping them through their own generosity Fun and stimulation

A teacher should also make sure that the students are aware of his/ her disciplinary actions and procedures so that they have no excuse if and when they do get into trouble. This could consist of a short list of classroom rules followed by an order of disciplinary action for breaking these procedures. The rules can be very general and basic so that there are not too many for the students to keep in mind. Some examples are: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Come prepared to class Raise your hand before you speak Be courteous and respectful of your classmates and teacher It is your responsibility to keep up with make-up work Participate regularly

These concepts can be applied no matter the age. Therefore if the teacher supplies these things to his/her students, then the discipline problems can be kept to a minimum, however there will still be some attention problems and resistance to the normal flow of the class. When these

types of issues occur, it is best for the teacher to implement a type of supportive discipline plan (Cangelosi, 1988). A supportive discipline plan is characterized by using subtle corrections such as looks and head nodding to signify to the student that they should get back on task without causing a scene or embarrassing the student (Charles, 1999). Sometimes whole classes need a bit of supportive discipline when the lesson becomes tiring and they become inattentive and uncomfortable. Sometimes just asking the students questions about the work they are supposed to be doing will turn their attention back to their work or sometimes giving hints or clues when they are not understanding a concept (Mendler, 1992). Sometimes an activity where the students have to move around will bring their attention back and sometimes just a simple joke can do the trick. For the students who just need to act out or misbehave, a corrective discipline plan is necessary (Charles, 1999). For the post-secondary level I am a believer in the 3 strike policy (Cangelosi, 1988). This should usually start out with a warning in a normal tone to get back on task. The next warning is a bit more serious and the student is reminded that on the next strike, theyre out. If the student continues to misbehave or disturb the class he or she will be asked to leave the classroom. On a larger scale, if the student gets 3 strikes more than twice, they will be asked to drop the entire class. I feel that the 3 strike policy is a very simple and easy to remember policy that will keep the control of the students while still implementing a bit of mercy. If I were to teach in a secondary education environment I would have a list of consequences starting with an oral warning, next a warning that is written in a discipline notebook, and then moving to detention, followed by a phone call to parents and finally a referral to the principal. I would also make the student sign and date by his/her name each time one of these disciplinary actions had to be implemented so that I could keep a record of the discipline problems I had. It is also important to include rewards for the students who do not act out or misbehave. As positive reinforcement for the students that behave and participate in class, I will have some type of reward every month that could vary depending on the subject matter in the classroom and the subject level that I teach. I think being rewarded now and again for having the right attitude is just as important as being punished for not behaving in order to maintain balance in the classroom and give students a motivation to behave properly.

Resources Cangelosi, J.S. (1988).Classroom management strategies: Gaining and maintaining students cooperation. New York: Longman Inc. Mendler, A.N. (1992). What do I do when? How to achieve discipline with dignity in the classroom. Bloomington, Indiana: National Educational Service. Charles, C.M. (1999). Self-evaluation. Building Classroom Discipline, Sixth Edition. Colombia Interactive. Retrieved October 4, 2012,from http://ci.columbia.edu/ci/tools/0511/index.html