Joel Everett Classroom Management Plan

One of the biggest keys to a long and successful teaching career is the ability to
create and control a safe and inspiring learning environment where students are motivated
everyday. It can become easy for teachers to get caught up in curriculum and content
delivery and forget about the fact they are dealing with fragile and impressionable
students. No matter the age of the students, teachers need to consider a plethora of
variables that will be vital to their success in shaping not only students learning of subject
content, but also student values.
Of the aforementioned variables, perhaps the most important is the physical
environment of the learning space. This needs to be established before students ever enter
the classroom and priority needs to be placed and kept, on cleanliness and order. Dirty
and unorganized classrooms can give the impression to students that it is ok to work that
way and they are likely to model it. I plan to create a positive learning atmosphere by
arranging the desks in a formation that promotes collaboration and does not restrict to
students to looking straight ahead without being able to interact with their peers. Another
key to an inviting physical environment is decorations in the class. I always found it
much more inviting when my teachers had inspiring and positive posters on their
classroom walls. Perhaps the biggest determinant in how students perceive the
environment in the classroom is how the teacher presents themselves. An air of positivity
from the teacher can be contagious in a classroom atmosphere. I think it is important to
greet the students at the door everyday and find a way to relate to each and every student
who walks through that door, on a personal level. I believe in small talk about things that
have nothing do with subject matter because talking about favorite movies, sports or

music with a child who often misbehaves could be the difference that makes them behave
in the classroom and treat the teacher with respect.
The way in which teachers deliver content goes a long way in the overall
effectiveness of classroom management. Finding ways to cater to every students learning
style and learning pace will lead to less attention being paid to controlling issues or
problems. I think it is important to always be prepared with extension or sponge activities
for students who are faster learners so that they do not become bored and distract others.
The implementation of inclusionary practices is one of the things I look forward to most
as I become a teacher. I firmly believe that each child deserves an equal opportunity to
learn, no matter what their race, gender, sexuality or exceptionality may be. If we, as
teachers, can reach more students potential and stop pushing students with
exceptionalities to the side, then perhaps our society will become better as a whole.
One of the biggest challenges that new teachers face is choosing the way in which
they will discipline bad behavior. In my classroom, I will take a preventative approach to
discipline. Establishing clear and effective standards and guidelines at the beginning of
every class of every year is a practice in which I will strive to master. I want students to
feel safe in my classroom, but it is also important for them to know what to expect if they
were ever to disrespect other people in the room. A whole-class discussion on the first
day, about not only students expectations but the teachers expectations as well, could go
a long way in the prevention of bad behavior. I understand, that this will not fully prevent
any possible case of bad behavior or disrespect in my classroom and because of this, I
will always be prepared for individual, isolated outbursts of anger and disputes between
students. When these types of things happen, the best way to approach them is calmly. I

will strive to never let a student see me upset and will always try to be hard on problems,
but not on students. When students feel like you do not like them or you do not care about
them, they are more likely to feel the same way about you and I think it is extremely
difficult to expect good behavior from students who have a reason not to like you. This is
why I never understood teachers who berated and embarrassed students in front of the
whole class. The argument that some teachers take is that students will never understand
that they are behaving in an incorrect manner if you do not make it clear to them. I think
this is a very true statement, but I also think that the best time to do this is when there is
no one else around and once more, it needs to be made clear that it is the behavior that is
unacceptable, not the student.
I am under the impression that some of the ideas and practices I have mentioned
are easier said than done. I think, as a teacher, an important quality is to be able to change
on the fly and be accepting of that change. Not every classroom management strategy is
going to work the same way for every class and some groups of students are going to be
more receptive to certain classroom management strategies than others. The important
thing is to be able to step back and evaluate the situation at hand and determine what is
working and what is not working. Students respect teachers who are willing to admit they
make mistakes and it adds to the comfortable environment when it seems like teachers
are humans, just like students. Being able to find a balance between this comfort and
mutual respect and responsibility will lead to more productive school experiences for the
people who will soon become contributors to our communities and societies. We need to
remember that we are not only teachers of math, science and English but we are also
teachers of students. Human values, like treating each other with dignity and respect,

need to be present in everyday discussions and activities and no student should be ever be
left behind.
References
Curwin, R., Mendler, A. & Mendler, B. (2008). Discipline with Dignity: New Challenges,
New Solutions. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Partin, R. (2009). The classroom teachers survival guide: practical strategies,
management techniques, and reproducibles for new and experienced teachers. San
Francisco, California: Jossey-Bass.