Running Head: CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT MODEL

Classroom Management Model for a Lower Elementary Classroom Insight into My Classroom Management Plan Caitlyn Mauck Bridgewater College

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT MODEL As a classroom teacher, management is a vital component to hold a class together and make it run smoothly. The effective classroom runs like a clock only when all of its gears are

properly aligned teachers, students, administration, lesson planning, and management. Schools need to set forth a general behavior policy so that all students and teachers have similar expectations, consequences, and support systems. Teachers need the support of administration, and other teachers, to effectively manage their classroom. A well-managed classroom lends itself to a classroom that is appropriate for learning, building relationships, and growth in maturity as students internalize positive behavior. Conversely, a poorly-managed classroom lends itself to chaos, immaturity, and a disinterest in learning. Students who are a part of a well-managed classroom often feel nurtured and encouraged to learn and grow. Classroom management plans should include teachers, students, schools, and administrators, but also parents. All of these groups play an important role in the development of the child, and thus in their behavior. Schools, teachers, and administrators work throughout the day to ensure students are safe and engaged in the classroom by modeling good behavior for students to follow. The best managed classrooms, though, require support from parents as well. For instance, classrooms with parents who are involved in student learning, encourage positive behavior traits, and set clear expectations for their children are often easier to manage because students are held to consistent expectations. In my own classroom, I will need support from administration and other teachers in order to establish an effective classroom. I also need to have a classroom with order and clear expectations of student behavior and consequences. Since I am a fairly calm person, I would prefer to have a classroom with little chaos. If I cant think clearly in my own classroom, there is no way I can effectively teach lessons and help students. On the other hand, I do want students to

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT MODEL feel that they belong in the classroom and can express themselves, so I do not want complete order to the extent that makes my students seem like drones who just systematically move from task to task. It is important to me that students find our classroom interesting and engaging and

that they know they will have safety from judgment while in my classroom. I also believe that all students in my classroom should know that their voices and perspectives will be heard and respected by their peers so that I can encourage a diverse classroom environment. Rules in my classroom will be determined in a joint effort between the students and me. Just like Jane Nelson (1985), I believe it is important to include students in the process of determining classroom expectations during a class meeting. I also feel it is necessary to have a short list of expectations that are determined by the teacher. On my list of mandatory expectations is respect for themselves, other students, teachers, staff members, and the school and materials they use. My other major rule is to always be prepared, both with needed supplies and an active mind that is ready to learn. Another rule that I believe is important is that safety always comes first. Whenever students make a behavior decision, I would like them to first think, Is this a safe choice? I also agree with Ronald Morrishs (1997) Twelve Keys of Real Discipline. For instance, limits are not optional, and students cannot have the choice to act outside of what the set limits permit. Also, if a limit it set, it needs to be enforced, or else it is pointless. Limits need to be set by a teacher to ensure safety and should not be left as choices to students who are still developing their responsibility. I am also a major advocator of modeling appropriate behavior and repetitive training because it will eventually become a habit and students will act without thinking. Students also cannot be expected to behave a certain way without explicit guidance and consistent practice before students need to use the practiced behavior. A big part of discipline is

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT MODEL always acting out of care for students and working towards the goal of their own independence and responsibility. It takes a great deal of commitment to achieve a great management plan. The most important way to manage classroom behavior is to prevent it all together

through repetitive modeling and practice and setting clear expectations from the very beginning. Students are far from mind readers, so they need to be explicitly taught what is expected and exactly what it looks like to behave within those expectations. This behavior instruction, according to Harry Wong (1998) needs to take place starting the very first moments of the first day of school so that students know the expectations are consistent and that they are not optional. Also from the very beginning of the school year, it is vital to create a positive environment in which students feel a sense of safety, responsibility, and belonging. Those feelings will make students feel more accountable to practice good behavior because they will care about their peers and classroom. As a teacher, I will also rely on skills such as withitness, overlapping, smoothness, and high-participation lessons to keep students engaged and focused and to limit the amount of distraction that leads to misbehavior (Evertson, 2013, p. 116). My focus for lessons will be that they are highly engaging and interesting so that students want to pay attention and participate on their own. Naturally, misbehaviors will happen in my classroom because children are not perfect and they are learning. In my future classroom, I will use a clip chart to track student behavior. I see behavior as an opportunity for learning and improvement that is fluid and not finite. It is only natural for students to have times throughout the day when it is harder for them to focus and behave or times when they are right on target with following and exceeding expectations. The clip chart allows all students to start each day on a clean slate and they all have opportunities to move their clip up and down the chart depending on their behavior. There are several spaces on

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT MODEL the clip chart, such as parent contact, teachers choice, think about it, ready to learn (where

students begin each day), good choices, great job, and super student that all use positive language to encourage students to use positive behavior. I love this behavior tool because students have an opportunity to make their own day better by choosing their actions and they are responsible for moving their clip when instructed. Also, I will inform parents every day of how their childs behavior was that day through a stamp chart in the students folders. It is also important to note which behaviors need to be addressed. I will use Evertsons (2013) advice to determine which behavior problems to correct. For example, I will mostly ignore nonproblems which are brief and infrequent misbehaviors that do not interfere with classroom proceedings. These problems may be a small amount of chatter during transitions or a little daydreaming here and there. In reality, it would cause more of a distraction to the class to address every single nonproblem than to simply ignore them and move on. If these behaviors become more frequent and begin to interfere with student learning and success, then I will speak with the student individually and separately from the class so that the problem can be solved without causing further distraction to the class. It is very important for me to always be consistent with my approach to problem behavior so that students understand that it really matters how they act. When disagreements and conflicts arise between students, I will use Amstutz and Mullets (2005) techniques of restorative discipline to hold students accountable for their actions out of obligation to make things right for everyone involved. I feel that students should be able to learn from prior behavior problems by responding to behavior infractions with relative consequences that fit the problem rather than a ridged set of consequences that applies to all misbehaviors. Behavior is a learning experience for students and an opportunity for them to develop into cooperative and responsible members of society.

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT MODEL References Amstutz, L. S., & Mullet, J. H. (2005). The little book of restorative discipline for schools: teaching responsibility, creating caring climates. Intercourse, PA: Good Books. Evertson, C. M., & Emmer, E. T. (2013). Classroom management for elementary teachers (9th ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J: Pearson Education, Inc. Morrish, R. (Director) (1997). Real Discipline Live. Real Discipline Live. Lecture conducted from Ronald Morrish. Retrieved October 3, 2013, from <http://www.realdiscipline.com/realdisciplinevideo.php>.

Nelsen, J. (1985). The Three R's of Logical Consequences, the Three R's of Punishment, and the Six Steps for Winning Children Over. Individual Psychology: The Journal of Adlerian Theory, Research & Practice, 41(2), 161. Wong, H. K., & Wong, R. T. (1998).The first days of school: how to be an effective teacher (2nd ed.). Mountainview, CA: Harry K. Wong Publications.