Classroom Management Plan By Brandon Pink

Overview: This document outlines the techniques and preparations I will utilize to establish and maintain the environment of my classroom. These techniques and preparations come in two areas: general management techniques,and a discipline flow chart. The plan is based on two underlying principles. The first is mutual respect. Every student should feel respected; students who feel respected tend to reciprocally respect others, and this creates an atmosphere of mutual respect conducive to positive social interactions and a positive classroom environment in general. The second bedrock principle is an opportunity approach to discipline. An opportunitybased approach places an emphasis on subtle management over direct and overt confrontation. The goal with this approach, as opposed to a punishment-and-consequences approach, is to give students ownership of their own behavior, encouraging intrinsically motivated good behavior, and subtly discouraging misbehavior. The overarching goal is to create a classroom environment in which everyone who enters feels respected and engaged. It is my belief that intrinsic motivation is almost always better than extrinsic. Students who are engaged and feel respected will perform better and have a more positive attitude than students who feel constrained by rules and consequences. General Management Techniques: Focusing Before any effective instruction can take place, students must be locked in and ready to learn. Established expectations are a big part of this - it needs to be made clear that students should arrive to class on time and prepared each day. My actions at the beginning of class also play a big part. Greeting and talking to students can ease anticipatory anxiety, settling the class down before beginning lessens distractions, and including a focusing or pre-learning activity before the lesson helps prepare students for the days material. Lesson Overview The days topic, general schedule, and any relevant homework/due dates will be posted on a board during each class. This will decrease students uncertainty and help them understand what they are doing and what is expected of them. Monitoring Walking amongst students during individual work time is an subtle yet effective management technique. My proximity ensures focus on the task at hand. It also allows me to connect with students individually. This one-on-one interaction is an important component of respect - giving them my undivided attention lets a student know that he or she is respected, and can also make me more approachable. Modeling

When it comes to behavior, practicing what you preach is a great way to demonstrate the types of behavior that are expected. If I am kind, courteous, respectful, prepared, engaged, focused, and responsive, my students should cue off this behavior and act accordingly. Environmental Control This technique refers to the management of physical space. The classroom decor should direct students attention to general academic topics, subjects, etc. It should also be a reflection of myself, including my personality and interests (this is a great way to generate personal-level relationships with students - a picture of my hobbies is a great conversation starter). The default arrangement of desks will be in rows, and students will be given the choice of where to sit. Interacting and social learning is a big part of my methodology, however, so the desks will often be rearranged to accommodate individual lessons. Non-Verbal Cuing and Low-Profile Intervention Overtly and directly confronting misbehavior is time consuming, emotionally taxing, and distracting. Subtle cuing and intervention, on the other hand, can discourage and/or mitigate most misbehavior while allowing a lesson to flow with relative uninterruption. Facial expressions, body postures, and hand signals are often enough to communicate to students that their behavior is unacceptable. For example, a disapproving stare is often enough to quiet a disruptive student. In cases where non-verbal cuing is not enough, a low-profile intervention (pulling a student aside to discuss their misbehavior) is still better than an outright and public confrontation. Positive Expectations Instead of providing students with a list of donts, my classroom rules are framed as a descriptive list of behaviors. For example, Be respectful of others opinions is a better wording than Dont disrespect the opinions of others. The first wording is open-ended and challenges students to behave positively, while the second is constraining and provides students with a limit. The difference is subtle but important when establishing a broader environment. Choices and Consequences When all other subtle strategies fail and direct intervention becomes necessary, I still like to do so in a manner that provides students with an opportunity to take ownership of their behavior, rather than constraining them by giving them another dont. They are given a choice - they can behave in an appropriate manner, or they can accept a consequence to their misbehavior (in the form of an after-class discussion, loss of participation points, etc.). In doing so, I am redirecting the impetus of the interaction back onto the student while still maintaining my control of the situation. Reinforcement In the heat of the moment it is hard to make a confrontation constructive. Emotions are high, and it is incredibly easy to create misunderstandings and hurt feelings. Reviewing the confrontation with the misbehaving student after a short period of time (usually the next day or two) is a good way to clarify and reinforce expectations after emotions have settled down. It is

critical not to conduct these meetings as a second round of confrontation. Rather, they should be conducted with mutual respect and with a clear understanding that I want to see the student succeed in my classroom. Discipline Flow Chart 1. Facial Expressions: A quick disapproving glance; The Look 2. A Gesture: Shake of the head or hand movement 3. Physical Proximity: Walk over to where the student is and stand close to them 4. Phrase: I say the students name and what I expect them to do 5. Choice with Consequence: Add a consequence if the stated expectation continues to not be met 6. Pull the Student Aside: talk to the student in class or remove them and talk to them after class - in both cases, the expectation needs to be reemphasized 7. Conference with the Student: If the problem continues, I will set up a conference time with that student again. We will come up with a plan that will ensure the success of every party involved. 8. Call Parents: Inform the parents of the situation and the agreement that has been set up to solve the problem. 9. Conference with Student and Principal: At this stage I have no choice but to involve the office. I may have to send them to the office or set up a meeting for all parties involved. 10. Follow-up Discussion: I will talk with the student again a day or two after the conflict to let them know how they are doing and rebuild the fact that I am trying to give them every opportunity to be successful.