Running head: CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT AND COMMUNICATION PLAN

Classroom Management and Communication Plan:

Planning for a Positive and Productive Environment
Gabe Parker
Drake University

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT AND COMMUNICATION PLAN

Management Style and Philosophical Beliefs:

It is common knowledge that classroom management is a critical component of the teaching
profession. Argument can be made that classroom management is indeed, the foundational
component of teaching. This is not to say that teachers are first and foremost babysitters, but
rather that in order for learning to happen, the classroom climate must be intentionally developed
and maintained. In support of this claim, from lecture in Dr. Hodgkinsons class, over 25%
percent of teachers cite student misbehavior as the primary reason for leaving the profession
(Ingersoll, 2002). Not only is classroom management an issue for educators, but also for
administration. Lack of classroom management is the number one reason why new teachers are
fired or their contracts not renewed (Helbowitsh, 2010). These considerations alone are enough
to lead me to critically reflect upon how I manage my classroom.
The management style survey adapted by those at Indiana State University (Bosworth, et
al., 1996) indicates that I have an authoritative management style. I affirm this evaluation. I very
much value student independence, and thus offer choice and freedom to students, all within
limits which I ultimately set, in accordance with suggestions from Fay and Funk (1995, pp. 142145). In addition, I see tremendous value in including students in decision-making processes
which directly affect them. I do this by honoring student input and also by explaining the reasons
behind my expectations. My management style is directly aligned to my premier objective as an
educator; to construct a positive and productive environment in which students develop as
learners and as people. Construction of such an environment demands two things: respect and
hard work, and this must come from both me and from students. These expectations are the
foundational elements of my approach to classroom management; every policy, procedure and
decision should work towards these goals.
Working from the assumption that to receive respect, one must give respect, I am
respectful of my students. There are enumerable ways which respect is communicated and this
varies from student to student. However, in my classroom, purposeful curriculum and activities
will serve as the universal language of respect. As Kounin (1977) suggests, an engaging and
active curriculum is the best form of classroom management. There are few theories in
education, if any, which I agree with more strongly. This entails intentional planning and ongoing focus on students and the climate of the classroom. Larson and Keiper (2013) reference
Charless (1996, pp. 45-46) term withitness to describe this process of continually being aware
of what is going on in the classroom. Withit teachers are continually engaged and genuinely
interested in what is happening with and amongst their students. These aspects are essential to
effective classroom management.
As much as one might hope that being pro-active about classroom management will
avoid all issues, it is nave to think that issues will not arise. It is very important that student
misbehavior is quickly and effectively addressed. I am beginning to adopt the mindset that
discipline should not be focused on punishment, but rather upon consequences. This is not my
idea, but one I am borrowing from Jim Fay and David Funk (1995). The following quote
explains well, the difference between consequences and punishment.
The difference between consequences and punishment is where we interpret the pain
emanating from. Consequences result in pain from the inside; punishment results in pain
coming from the outside. (Fay & Funk, 1995, p. 164)

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT AND COMMUNICATION PLAN

I think this is an important idea because it allows for the pain which students experience
to be very real and sometimes severe, which is often how we learn. However, the pain is not
inflicted upon them externally by an authority figure, rather the pain which students experience
as a result of their misbehavior is a natural and internal consequence. Along with this approach
to discipline I believe that consequences must be applied with empathy (Fay & Funk, 1995).
Genuine empathy, communicated as students are experiencing the consequences of their actions,
not only increases the power of the consequence but also works to maintain, and even build, the
relationship between student and teacher. Discipline, as the alternative, allows students to blame
their hurt on something or someone else and necessarily pits the student against the teacher,
damaging the relationship. At the basis of any application of discipline lies a relationship,
between student and teacher, which is of utmost importance.

Establishing a Positive Classroom Culture:

I believe the key to creating a positive classroom culture is to communicate in multiple ways,
that everyone who walks through the door is valuable for who they are and also for what they
know. This starts at the door, when students walk into my room, I greet them. I tell them hello
and ask how their days is going. Students need to know that I am genuinely glad to see them and
excited to work with them, which is entirely true. The key is to communicate that I care. I can
also communicate this through environmental print. Alongside the posters about order of
operations and geometric shapes, I hang posters and signs which remind them that their culture
and background are great starting points for learning; that respect is expected and will be given
in return; and that my premier goal is to develop a positive a productive environment. These are
the more explicit messages which I send to communicate to students that I care about them and
that I value their personality and their knowledge.
There are many other things which I do on a more implicit level, covertly, if you may. As
I talked about already, I dont discipline, I apply consequences with empathy. Even through hurt,
students will feel that I still care. In addition, I will respect their time and their energy by
implementing intentional and engaging curriculum and activities. In my opinion, a persons time
is their greatest resource. For me to force students to do boring work, meaningless activities, or
to not engage them, is a waste of their time. While they are in my class, we will have work to do,
and though they may not always enjoy it, the importance will be communicated. This will be
done through feedback, direct life application, and direct connection to test material, for
example.
Finally, I plan to offer my students a good deal of control. As teachers, We either give
control on our terms, or the kids will take it on theirs. (Fay & Funk, 1995, p. 139). In tangible
ways this looks like options as to how they will be assessed; choices about the order of events
during class; interest surveys to focus my instruction; and relative freedom about taking care of
their personal needs. For example, as a high school teacher, I do not feel that I need to have
control over their bodily functions, like going to the bathroom. Of course, with privilege comes
responsibility, but if students choose to abuse the choices they are given, then they simply suffer
the consequences of their actions (i.e. as an 18-year-old, having to ask permission to go to the
restroom).

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT AND COMMUNICATION PLAN

Policies & Procedures

Classroom policies and procedures are developed in three ways. There are some things which I
simply must dictate. I describe to students that I have found that certain things are effective to
creating a positive and productive climate and I need them to happen in order for me to be
successful as an educator. Other things are negotiated and established as a class. Finally, there
are policies which develop as need arises.
Those things which I dictate are also included in my course syllabus, so they are always
accessible to students and there is never argument as to whether or not they were communicated.
Policies which land in this category include: appropriate language, use of electronics, test
procedures, respect, academic honesty, and expectations with substitutes. Policies which are
developed as a class tend to include: signing out, late work, tardiness and truancy, speaking
procedures, and participation.
As you may notice, I offer a great deal of flexibility. This is intentional and important, in
my opinion. However, in all of these things, students are subject to the consequences of their
decisions and their actions, so even these things which we decide upon as a class can change if
the privileges are abused.
Daily procedure in my classroom typically goes something like this:
As students walk in the door, they are greeted and there are occasional conversations about extracurricular activities and/or home life. When the second bell rings, students immediately find their
seats and begin the introductory problems on the board or wait for other instructions from me.
After the introductory problems or recap of the previous lesson, the days goals and objectives
are introduced and they are related to past and future lessons. Students are always included in the
process of their learning. At the beginning of the semester, students chose that when they have
down time, they will work on work for other classes or read something (this tends to be books,
magazines, and online articles). My addition to this procedure is that if they have missing work
for me it is first priority. Also, if I know they are missing work for another class that is second
priority. Again, failure to abide by their own policies has consequences. I have an open door
policy. I am in my room a half hour early and a half hour late every day of the week (except
during baseball season, then I am not available after school). In addition, students are encouraged
to come see me during my prep period, when it is appropriate to be gone from another class. I
will use these times to monitor student progress and also to inform my instruction. For the large
majority of the class which does not utilize these times, we individually work problems at the
white board nearly every day and I observe as students work out the problems and write down
who seems to be struggling on which problems. This gives me a good idea of what concepts need
to be re-taught or which problems students need more practice at.

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT AND COMMUNICATION PLAN

Classroom Layout
The layout of my ideal classroom is relatively simple, but intentional at the same time. As I will
likely teach math, my classes will inevitably include a lot of lecture (in the form of example
problems) and students will do a lot of individual and group practice during class. For this
reason, desks are oriented such that students can see not only the smart board, but also the
whiteboards on either side of the room. The smart board is used for lecture so that notes can be
saved and uploaded to the class website for students to refer back to. White boards are used for
whole group practice where each student has space on the board and everyone works out sample
problems together.
I like the large tables because it allows each student plenty of space for independent
work, but also supports group work very well. The round tables mixed in are ideal for ability
grouping or for splitting off into pairs or small groups. Both the rectangular and circular tables
also allow for students to easily move their seats so as to see a different board or to interact with
each other. The kidney tables right next to the teachers desk are used for intensive help or oneon-one work with the teacher or an associate.
In this diagram, you cannot see the walls of environmental print which students have
helped create throughout the year. However, there is also supportive material on the floors. The
shapes which extend along the floor in front of the door are created using tape. Students create
these as we work through geometrical units. The construction is not only an effective
instructional activity, but also supports student memory, as they see them and walk over them
every day of class.

Monitoring the Classroom and Responding to Student Misbehavior

It is my belief that the best way to monitor behavior and to respond to misbehavior, is to be
proactive. Also, I think it is important to not make mountains out of mole hills; by over-reacting
to situations we merely give them more power and exacerbate the situation. My strategy for
monitoring behavior goes back to the idea of withitness (Larson & Keiper, 2013). As an
educator, I am always engaged and this means I am continually paying attention to not only my
students educational needs, but also their behaviors. Tangibly, this looks like walking around
the room, asking students how they are doing, engaging students who are struggling or complete
things early, and offering input and asking questions during group work, for example.
In substitute teaching, something I struggle with is getting students attention as a whole
class. This typically is not an issue at the start of class, except for select groups, however,
bringing them back together from an activity or to add a direction, can be very difficult. I am
vehemently opposed to yelling, not only because I cannot yell very loud, but it feels undignified
in a sense. Not only am I self-conscious about yelling to get their attention, but I also cannot
imagine that they appreciate being yelled at. To remedy this, at the 6th and 7th grade levels I have
tried turning out the lights, raising my hand, getting the attention of select individuals, and just
waiting. I have been less than satisfied with any of these strategies. What I hope to implement in
my own classroom is one, or both of the following strategies.

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT AND COMMUNICATION PLAN

The first, and preferred, is to beginning writing on the board my reason for needing their
attention. For example, the class is getting too loud and I want to ask them to quite down so I
write, Ladies and gentlemen, were getting too loud, I need you to stop and listen for a moment,
please, Ideally, this could become normative, so that when students see me writing they get
quite and I likely wont even finish writing before they are quite for me. This seems like an
idealistic approach, but I think it is worth a try. The other strategy is to ask the closest student to
pass on the message that I need everyones attention. Another option I have considered is a
music clip which is used specifically when I need their attention.
There are really very few behaviors which are absolutely unacceptable to me, which will
be communicated to students verbally and in their syllabus at the onset of the term. They are
inappropriate (disrespectful) language, bullying or harassment, wasting time (i.e.: playing games,
texting, sleeping, etc.), and cheating or plagiarism. Consequences for these misbehaviors will
follow directly from the hierarchy which is included as the artifact for this section. For lesser
misbehaviors or those for which I do not have a specified consequence, I will work from the
same hierarchy, but the entrance point will be dependent upon the infraction and the unique
situation.

Parents as Partners
The idea of parents as partners makes a lot of sense to me. It is quite often that I hear teachers
complain about lack of parental support or overly-involved parents, but quite rarely do I hear
teachers talk about parents as valuable resources. Students lives are comprised almost entirely
by time at school and time at home. The power in an effective teacher-parent nexus is
tremendous.
The primary two ways which I involve parents is through continual posting to my school
web page and through parent-teacher conference. The web page gives information about what
was done in class, homework, and upcoming events so that parents have all the necessary
information to reinforce students at home. For those parents that are not able to use the internet, I
copy and paste these posts into a printable document to be sent home with students. Parentteacher conferences are of utmost important. These conferences are used to address parents
questions and concerns and to raise my own. At the middle-school level, I like the idea of
student-led conferences. At the high school level, Im not so sure. In addition to these two
strategies, I include parents as audience members in some way each semester. This tends to be
through presentations or exhibits.
I think it is important to stay in regular contact with parents. This does not have to mean
weekly, or even monthly, but something dependable and regular. My regular communication
happens through the web page and conferences. There are times when additional communication
is necessary. This communication is in special circumstances when student behavior or
performance is extraordinary, good or bad. This communication happens through email or
phone, whichever is preferable to the parent.
As I alluded to previously, I enjoy student-led conferences. During these experiences,
students have pre-prepared a short list of things which they would like to highlight or discuss

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT AND COMMUNICATION PLAN

about themselves as a student. We prepare this in class the week of conferences. During these
conferences I often need to interject comments here and there, but generally, the students do a
very nice job of including their parents in on both their successes and struggles in the classroom.
As I said previous, these work well with junior high students, but I doubt their feasibility with
high school students, for two reasons. First, high school students are incredible busy with
extracurricular activities and scheduling a time for them and their parents to get together may be
very difficult. In addition, I do not think high school students would buy in like the middle
school students do. For these conferences to work and to be valuable the students really have to
play the part and I think high schoolers may have outgrown the willingness to play along.
I have found that the conversations I have about parents, particularly those focused upon
partnering with parents rather than battling them, tend to focus on two things. Most importantly
parents must know that you care for their child (which means that you actually need to care
about their child). Parents will not trust someone, or respect someone, whom they do not believe
has their childs best interest at heart. Secondly, without communication, a partnership cannot
exist. Genuine interest in the child and good communication are crucial for establishing parents
as partners.

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT AND COMMUNICATION PLAN

Our Classroom Environment: Positive and Productive

Do your part.
Every day.

-Respect your students in everything you

say, do, and ask them to do.
- Expect respect.
- Relationships must be developed and
actively maintained. Always maintain the
relationship.

- Empathize. Dont rescue students from

life, but support them through the
experience.
- Students are individuals and need to be
treated as such.
Artifact 1: This sign will be
posted on the top of my desk as
a daily reminder for myself.

- Students thrive on independence. Allow

them to thrive.

Artifact 2: At the beginning of the term students are asked about their learning style and
academic strengths. This survey can be administered again later in the term to re-evaluate. This
survey is used to develop instructional activities and assessments, and also to implicitly
communicate a focus on students as individuals with specific learning needs.
Name
Date:
1. What classroom activities do you most enjoy? Think about any class, teacher or subject.

2. How do you remember things best? When information is told to you, shown to you, read to
you, written for you to read, or when you re-write it? Why do you think that is?

3. How long are you typically able to focus on an activity? What activities tend to lose your
interest more quickly? Which things are you able to really keep after?

4. Think of a time when you have done really well on a test or think of a test which you really
enjoyed. Explain the test?

5. What kinds of tests do you really worry about or think you struggle with?

6. What else is important for me to know about how you work and learn?

Artifact 3: This sign will be posted in the classroom to reinforce the importance of class time.

I am committed to our time together,

join me in that commitment!

20/20
Be here for the beginning and final 20
minutes of every day.

Student
Desk

X
Desk

HW
Table

Student
Desk

Cabinets and Shelf Space

Student
Desk

Smartboard

Whiteboard

Bookshelf

Whiteboard

Desk

r
O

Artifact 5: This is the general hierarchy for discipline progression with some specific behaviors
aligned to their disciplines.

Severe (levels V & VI):

After class conversation, call home, letter
of apology/intentions to right the wrong,
office referral

Active (levels III & IV):

Verbal chastisement, change of
environment or movement, loss of
privilege(s), loss of participation points

Routine (levels I & II):

Looks, body language, proximity, verbal
redirection, non-disciplinary choices to
aid in making better decisions

Level I: Looks, body language, proximity

Level II: Verbal redirection, non-disciplinary choices for help make better decisions

Level III: Verbal chastisement, change of environment or movement

Level IV: Loss of privilege(s), loss of participation points

Language, disrespectful talk, or time wasting (in addition to change of
environment and potentially a conversation after class).

Level V: Post class conversation, call home, apology letter/intentions to right the wrong
Bullying or harassment (in addition to verbal chastisement and loss of privilege(s)
and points.

Level VI: Office referral

Cheating or plagiarism (in addition to conversation, call home, and loss of points)

Artifact 6: This is an example of how I might communicate with parents via a web page
supported by the school district.