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It is my believe that classioom management is a cential tenant to successful
teaching. Cuiient ieseaich suggests that lack of classioom management is the
numbei 1 ieason new teacheis lose theii job (Belbowitsh 2uu7). Auuitionally,
inability to effectively manage the classioom can leau to stiess, exhaustion, anu
negative feelings about teaching (Bavies & Yates 1998). Bence, the impoitance of a
classioom management plan to facilitate an enviionment wheie leaining is cential
anu behavioial actions uo not hinuei leaining objectives.
Cential to my philosophical believe is my uefinition of classioom management
in accoiuance with that philosophy. Classic euucational theoiist }ohn Bewey
infoims my philosophical belief system. "Leaining is not the passive acceptance of
knowleuge which exists 'out theie' but that leaining involves the leainei s engaging
with the woilu" (Bewey 1917). Instiuction is then stuuent-centeieu wheie I am the
facilitatoi anu give uiiection to each stuuent who is ueveloping his oi hei own
acauemic skills. In this enviionment each teaching situation is uiffeient anu
stuuents must have an unueistanuing of the classioom as a community wheie we,
stuuents anu teachei, woik togethei to help each leainei stiive towaius acauemic
success as uefineu inuiviuually. Theiefoie, classioom management is the facilitation
of a ielationship uiiven enviionment that influences all stuuents to unueistanu
themselves as both inuiviuuals anu as a membei of a community in a cultuie of
leaining.
To uevelop this community centeieu enviionment with a cultuie of leaining it
is the iole of the teachei to stiuctuie the classioom accoiuingly. To uo so I have
some classioom management piincipals that will guiue the uiiection of my actions.
Stuuents must consistently be actively mentally engageu. Expectations will be
cleaily stateu anu auministeieu with a uaily ioutine. Bevelop positive stuuent-
teachei ielationships to fostei an atmospheie of mutual iespect. Anu, uelivei a
cuiiiculum stiuctuieu so stuuents unueistanu the impoitance anu ielation to ieal-
woilu situations to enhance stuuent motivation.
Theie aie foui ciucial components to classioom management. Positive
stuuent-teachei ielationships, setting cleai paiameteis foi acceptable behavioi,
teachei monitoiing skills, anu ueliveiing consequences (Boynton & Boynton 2uuS).
It is my iole to effectively contiol these components. The following stiategies will
help guiue classioom management to achieve my iueal classioom. Stuuents leain
fiom theii own actions. Theiefoie, consequences must be ueliveieu in way that
stuuents iealize theii actions cieateu the consequences. Pioviuing choices anu
setting enfoiceable limits allow this to happen (Fay anu Funk 199S). Stuuents must
unueistanu that theii actions aie theii own. As a teachei I must state the options
that stuuents have anu set paiameteis that aie enfoiceable. When stuuents
inevitably make uecisions that will huit theii acauemic achievement oi be
uetiimental to the classioom enviionment they must feel the impact of a
consequence. These consequences will be then ueliveieu with empathy to maintain
stuuent uignity, anu ieinfoice the atmospheie of iespect that is stiiveu foi (Fay anu
Funk 199S).
By applying these piincipals anu stiategies I'm setting the stage foi my iueal
vision of a classioom enviionment shapeu by my philosophical beliefs. By cieating
this fiamewoik I have pioviueu myself with the necessaiy tools to make this vision
become a ieality.

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In accoiuance with my euucational philosophy anu iueal classioom
enviionment, ueveloping positive stuuent-teachei ielationships is of the utmost
impoitance. To uo this I intenu to make a commitment to establishing positive
ielationships with eveiy stuuent iegaiuless of the obstacles that make that
ielationship uifficult. 0ne of my guiuing piincipals of classioom management is
ueveloping an atmospheie of mutual iespect. This means that stuuent-teachei
ielationships aie giounueu iespect not fiienuship. The ielationship is fiienuly but
not necessaiily being fiienus. To accomplish this goal I have seveial stiategies that I
will employ.
Fiist, let stuuents know that I caie. In a ielationship centeieu classioom it's
impoitant to woik towaius positive ielationships. To uo this, little things mattei.
I'm committeu to leaining stuuent names as soon as possible, gieeting stuuents as
they entei the ioom, making attempts to leain peisonal inteiests, anu attenuing
stuuents' extiacuiiiculai activities. By making a commitment to be an active
membei of the school community I'm showing my level of caie towaius stuuents.
Next, I will make an attempt to unueistanu how the stuuents feel anu why.
Stuuents must know that I uo caie about theii thoughts anu feelings. Stuuents must
be comfoitable communicating to me how they feel about elements of the class.
This can incluue, woik loau, uiscussion topics, assignments, etc. In oiuei to establish
this two-way communication it's impoitant that I open the lines of communication.
Asking about stuuent inteiests anu home life is one way of uoing this (see aitifact
#1).
Also, asking the stuuents foi input is impoitant. I cannot assume that
stuuents will be comfoitable expiessing theii feelings. It's impoitant that I make a
commitment to asking stuuents foi input. Auuitionally, It's impoitant to iesponu to
stuuent input accoiuingly. When stuuents make ieasonable iequests I will honoi
them when possible.
I also believe it's impoitant to gain an unueistanuing of the stuuents
backgiounu that may influence leaining. I believe that eveiy stuuent is a unique
leainei anu only by iuentifying the obstacles that each stuuent faces can we uevelop
a plan to oveicome them. In oiuei to fostei an atmospheie of mutual iespect it is
appiopiiate seek out these obstacles so stuuents see that we caie about them as
inuiviuuals. In this same sense it's impoitant foi stuuents to know that any piioi
thoughts, unueistanuings, oi philosophical beliefs will not be uetiimental to theii
success in the classioom. This is of paiticulai impoitance in the Social Stuuies
classioom. Social Stuuies teaching can iaiely be completely sepaiateu fiom politics.
Theiefoie, stuuents must unueistanu that theii thinking, as well as theii peeis, is
encouiageu. No political iueology will be uisciiminateu against. Nost stuuents will
be shapeu by the atmospheie that they aie iaiseu in, so we must seek out anu
unueistanu these factois to continue to fostei a positive stuuent-teachei
ielationship.
Lastly, I believe I must tieat each stuuent faiily. By that I mean pioviuing
eveiy stuuent the necessaiy tools to succeeu. As establisheu pieviously eveiy
stuuent is unique. I believe it is necessaiy to stiuctuie cuiiiculum so eveiy stuuent
has an oppoitunity to stiive towaiu theii inuepenuent acauemic success. To
achieve this enu we must pioviue eveiy stuuent with a faii chance achieve that
acauemic success. I believe that stuuents will iealize this piocess in action anu will
only fuithei uevelop the positive stuuent teachei ielationship.

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0ne of my guiuing piincipals to classioom management was, expectations
will be cleaily stateu anu auministeieu with a uaily ioutine. Establishing what those
expectations aie is impoitant to this piocess. ueneially, I'm not one to get too stuck
up on little iules. I think it is moie impoitant to establish expectations about what
will happen in the classioom, insteau of setting up a uetaileu list of actions anu
consequences. In-line with my teaching anu classioom management philosophy I
will establish a list of expectations that will help uevelop my intenueu enviionment
of mutual iespect anu piomote a cultuie of leaining.
With that being saiu, I uo have some non-negotiable iules that must be
followeu (Aitifact #2). This list of iules aie things that must be followeu by eveiy
stuuent at all times. The ieason a list like this is neeueu is that by violating these
iules will saciifice the enviionment I'm woiking haiu to cieate. These elements
incluue. No peisonal attacks, veibal oi physical. Nevei insult anothei's thinking.
Stuuents will show iespect towaius otheis anu themselves. 0se appiopiiate
Language anu behavioi. Come to class piepaieu. Engage youi minu. If the stuuents
follow these non-negotiable iules we have set the stage to cieate oui iueal
enviionment.
The expectations that I have will again aiu in cieating a cultuie of leaining
anu fostei an enviionment of iespect. Befoie cieating a peisonal list of
expectations, I believe it's impoitant to ask stuuents about theii expectations. By
uoing so I'm helping establish an enviionment of iespect. If stuuents unueistanu
they hau a say in cieating the expectations they will be moie likely to follow them.
Buiing this step I hope to establish basic iules like going to the iestioom anu
giauing of late woik. These aie aieas wheie I'm flexible anu I'm willing to listen to
stuuent input.
Conuuct youiself in a mannei that is socially acceptable. Stuuents shoulu be
piepaiing foi life in a post-seconuaiy woilu thioughout theii high school
expeiience. Beie it is the euucatoi's iole to mouel anu teach appiopiiate behavioi.
I will not have haiu anu fast consequences foi violating this because stuuents aie
not fully intellectually uevelopeu. Stuuents must begin to leain the impoitance of
woiking collaboiatively with theii peeis anu communicating in a matuie mannei.
These aie impoitant functions of the Social Stuuies beyonu leaining content.
The next expectation is stuuents own theii own thinking. By this I mean
stuuents must engage in the content anu woik to uevelop theii own unueistanuings.
If I want to uevelop a cultuie of thinking I must show that stuuent thinking is valueu.
I'm committeu to talking about leaining. Baving stuuents openly uiscuss what they
think anu feel about impoitant social questions. Bemonstiate to the stuuents that I
as well am a leainei. Naking the content meaningful anu ueliveieu with a passion
that shows the stuuents that it is impoitant. I believe these aie the elements to
cieate a successful cultuie of leaining.
The final expectation is to follow the establisheu ioutines. I intenu to plan
objectives foi eveiy class peiiou. Stuuents must expect that upon entiy to the class
they will know what oui objective is anu how they can begin thinking about it
immeuiately. While the uaily teaching methous will uiffei, stuuents must anticipate
that I will be fully piepaieu uaily, as they must be as well.

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Attacheu you will finu my iueal classioom setup. This setup is uesigneu to
encouiage classioom uiscussion, make the stuuents feel comfoitable, pioviue space
foi collaboiation, anu suppoit my classioom management philosophies.
The uesks aie aligneu in the miuule of the classioom in a "0" shape. This is
so stuuents aie facing each othei so they can bettei heai the thoughts of theii peeis.
The uesks aie sepaiateu enough so the teachei can walk thiough all aieas at any
time. Also, behinu the uesks aie stiategically placeu tables anu couches. These aie
uesigneu to make the ioom feel moie comfoitable anu pioviue aieas to paiticipate
in collaboiative woik.
The classioom alignment will change often but with these elements I can
piomote the enviionment I want. 0ne aiea of impoitance foi me is making suie that
the classioom, iegaiuless of how it is setup to align with that uay's instiuctional
methou, looks oiueily anu piepaieu. This senus the message that I'm piepaieu foi
the uay, as shoulu the stuuents.
In an iueal classioom I woulu have one laptop computei foi each stuuent. In
this iueal situation, stuuent woik woulu be submitteu uigitally anu I woulun't neeu a
place to hanu in woik. I woulun't want the computeis at the uesk because many
uays we woulu not use them.

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The ways that I monitoi anu iesponu to stuuent misbehavioi must align with
my classioom management philosophies. Since I uon't have an establisheu list of
each unacceptable anu coiiesponuing consequence it's impoitant that my piesence
keeps most inciuents fiom spiialing out of contiol. To uo this puiposefully it is
impoitant to uevelop a sense of 'withitness'. This is the iuea that the teachei has a
cleai iuea of what is going on in the classioom at all times. This sense allows the
teachei to see pioblems builuing anu stops them befoie they become majoi issues.
The majoiity of pioblems can then be halteu with non-veibal anu then veibal
iesponses (Aitifact #S).
When these actions uon't stop the unwanteu behavioi it is impoitant I give
uemanus anu then apply consequences. Consequences must be ueliveieu in way
that stuuents iealize theii actions cieateu the consequences. To achieve this enu I
must be puiposeful in stiuctuiing the uemanu anu ueliveiing the consequences.
Bemanus will not be stiuctuieu like "stop talking now oi else you'ie out of heie".
Insteau the uemanu will be stiuctuieu so the stuuent takes contiol of the action. Foi
instance, "Stuuents who choose to continue to uisiupt the class can woik on the
pioject inuiviuually, away fiom the iest of us auults who aie choosing to uo things
coiiectly". In this mannei the stuuent who continues to uisiupt is choosing his own
exit fiom the gioup.
I also believe it's impoitant to apply the consequence with empathy. Let the
stuuents know you uo feel bau foi theii situations anu you hope they uon't get into
them again in the futuie. It's still impoitant the stuuent feels the natuial
consequence of the action. Stuuents must nevei be publically chastiseu oi
embaiiasseu by me. Beliveiing consequences must be uone non-emotionally anu in
a piivate setting.
0nce stuuents have gotten into tiouble I'll allow them to escape fiom the
pioblem aftei it is concluueu. By holuing giuuges anu continuing to make life
unfaiily uifficult foi the stuuent I'm letting the act uefine the stuuent. Each uay the
stuuent will ieceive a fiesh stait. I iealize they aie still chiluien anu they will have
goou uays anu bau ones. It's impoitant I play the iole of auult anu continue o builu
an atmospheie of iespect.

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It is my belief that paients can play a ciitical iole in stuuent success in school.
In oiuei foi paients to play this iole it's ciitical that we as teacheis communicate
with paients. In oiuei foi this to happen the teachei must open up the
communication chain with the paients. If paients uo not heai fiom the teachei they
might feel less inteiesteu in being a paitnei in success. Theiefoie the paients must
unueistanu that theii help is wanteu anu neeueu.
Fiom the beginning of the semestei the communication shoulu begin. 0ne
way to stait this communication is with a intiouuctoiy lettei. This lettei shoulu
pioviue the paient with infoimation about you anu the couise anu a tentative
scheuule foi the yeai. The lettei shoulu inuicate that you caie foi about theii chilu's
success anu woulu appieciate theii help. This is a peifect oppoitunity to get youi
infoimation into the paients' hanus anu open the communication. This also shows
youi oiganization anu commitment to success. Any majoi pioject shoulu be
incluueu so paients awaie, anu can help the stuuent piepaie.
Paients shoulu also have a chance to meet you face-to-face. If schools have a
schools have a scheuuleu open house this is a goou chance to uo that. If not the
teachei coulu inuiviuually plan one. It's impoitant to tieat these events with
impoitance anu show youi commitment.
If you still have hau no uiiect contact with the paients it coulu be necessaiy
to gathei paient infoimation so you can contact them. A simple infoimation sheet
sent home piesents an oppoitunity to gathei impoitant infoimation anu again
shows youi commitment to communication (Aitifact #S). By gatheiing this
infoimation eaily it piepaies you foi situations latei when you might neeu to
contact the paients.
0nce you have the paients' infoimation use it to contact them occasionally. If
a majoi test is appioaching, a quick e-mail is a goou way to inuicate that to paients.
Also, paients shoulu be contacteu about stuuent successes. Paients ueseive to see
that you caie about theii stuuent anu aie genuinely exciteu by theii chilu's piogiess.
If the stuuent is stiuggling ask foi paient help. Bo so iespectfully, anu with a plan of
action in minu. Nevei make peisonal attacks on the stuuent's chaiactei, just use the
conveisation as a way to show you aie conceineu anu want to inteivene befoie the
situation spiials out of contiol.
When stuuent teachei confeiences come aiounu, be auequately piepaieu. If
you have constiuctive ciiticism of the stuuent piesent a conciete iepiesentation
that pioves youi point. Nake you point cleaily anu concisely with non-euucational
lingo. Show you aie oiganizeu anu caie. Nake suie stuuent successes aie well
balanceu with any ciiticisms you uo uelivei.
Finally, ask paients to get involveu. This is veiy possible in social stuuies
couises. When you aie appioaching a Woilu Wai unit, e-mail the paients anu ask if
they know of anyone who coulu help auu to the uiscussion. If you aie stuuying
woilu histoiy ask paients to look into family heiitages with the stuuents. Nost of all
make the paients feel like you value theii input. By employing these stiategies I
hope to uevelop a classioom wheie paients aie paitneis.