Classroom Management

This classroom management plan is framed in Marzanos (2003) work that details
different critical areas that should be considered when setting up a classroom.
Rules and Procedures:
As I begin the school year, I will be fairly structured until I have a strong understanding
of how well-behaved the students are. Keiper and Larson (2007) have found that by establishing
clear routines, students are able to focus more on the learning and less on the logistics (p. 34).
Clear routines in my classroom will be taught throughout the first week of school; this way,
students will know exactly what is expected of them. I will review the procedures orally, give
students a copy of them, and will post them in my room. As the beginning of the school year
progresses, I will remind students of classroom rules when people seem to be forgetting. I have
no problem giving more privileges if I see that my classes can follow procedures well. However,
when I am speaking, giving directions, guiding the class, or lecturing, students should have their
eyes on me and no one should be talking. If students have questions, they can raise their hand
and I will address concerns as they arise. Phones should never be present unless I give the class
permission to pull out their phones and listen to music. If I begin talking as students are listening
to music, headphones should be taken out of ears immediately. I will not tolerate texting or social
media applications being used in class. Students should always sit in assigned seats unless
otherwise designated.
After coming into class, students should be seated in their desks by the time the bell
rings. Whenever announcements begin or a speaker begins talking through the intercom, all
students should quiet down. A warm up or directions for what to get ready for the period will be

posted on a screen or whiteboard. Students should read these directions and be ready to work
once the bell has rang.
I anticipate using a whiteboard to write down critical due dates and a daily agenda as well
as a reference to the learning goal or objective. I would like to have a projector with screen in my
classroom for showing videos, websites, directions for different activities, and whatever else I
see fit to show the class. If my class is fortunate to have use of laptops or iPads, I would
encourage them to complete writing assignments in documents to aid with revision strategies,
receiving feedback, and giving peer feedback.
I will always instruct students on how their group or partner work is structured; I will
either assign groups and partners, section off students according to who is sitting near them, or
allow them to choose their own partners. During group and partner work every student should be
participating in the activity. Although students may be working on something together, everyone
should be responsible for their own accountability piece or section of the project. When students
work at their seats, they should work individually and stay quite unless otherwise directed.
Students will sometimes be able to talk as they complete assignments as long as they stay on
task. When working independently or in groups, students may move around the classroom to sit
on the floor or in a different position as long as they are being productive and not disruptive.
During teacher-led activities, students should remain in their assigned seats.
Disciplinary Actions:
Student disruptions in class, inability to complete school work, aggression, and any
inappropriate behavior by students will be handled immediately. I do not believe in arguing with
students, so if I have a problem with something they are doing, I will do my best to stay calm and
make them aware of the issue at hand. If needed, I will allow a student to leave the classroom to

calm down; in urgent matters, I will send students to the front office. Rebecca Alber (2012)
suggests that teachers don't accuse the child of anything. Act as if you do care, even if you have
the opposite feeling at that moment (Address behavior issues quickly and wisely section, para.
2). To uphold this advice, I will ask students how I can help them, if anything important is
bothering them, or ask them if they need anything from me in that moment.
To alert parents of a students behavior, I will send an immediate email home. The student
will read the email before I send it so they can be aware of what was said. In order to avoid as
many confrontations with parents as possible, I will have already sent more positive emails and
letters home. I believe positive interactions before negative ones will help develop my
relationship with parents and will help them understand how my goal is to do what is best for
their children. As students present negative behavior, they may be at risk to lose privileges.
Music privileges while working may be revoked as well as eating in class and sitting near
friends. For support, I will discuss matters with the students other teachers to see if student
behavior is problematic in other courses. If needed, I would like to call parent-teacher meetings
in which all of the students teachers meet with a parent to discuss how to solve the students
current issues.
Teacher-Student Relationships:
As a young and new teacher, I expect to begin the school year being very structured and
assertive in terms of classroom behavior and work policies. However, I will be demanding of
student obedience and excellence in the classroom while remaining warm and caring toward
them. I will make sure a clear line is drawn between students and teacher by accepting no social
media follow requests, dressing professionally, and holding conversations with students that are
light and humorous, yet grounded in a professional relationship. I aim to have a personal

relationship with students that allows me to understand their backgrounds culturally, their family
structure, their hobbies, and their learning styles. It has been found that many conflicts and
problems can be avoided if teachers try to build appropriate relationships with their students. The
term we use for this is relational teaching (Keiper & Larson, 2007, p.28). Relational teaching
ensures that a mutual respect is built between students and teacher. Developing an individual
relationship with each student will help me develop my curriculum as well as individual lessons;
I can cater my classroom to fit my student dynamic and interests.
My classroom will be comfortable and safe for students of all races, ethnicities, genders,
religions, and sexualities. I also aim to create a positive learning environment for students who
have disabilities, problems interacting with others, and who may require extra attention. I have a
no tolerance policy for bullying or being disrespectful to others. I will teach my students to
respect each others differences and comments in class so that everyone feels willing to take
risks with their learning and try new things. When students answer incorrectly to questions in
class, I will remain encouraging by thanking them for their response. I will then lead them in the
direction of a more correct response and ensure that my facial expressions do not come across as
disappointed, angry, or annoyed. When grouping students into pairs or small groups, I will be
mindful of the students who require more attention or who typically struggle getting along with
others. I can pair students together who are supportive of one another, patient, motivating, and
can help teach partners new information. Circulating around the classroom and providing more
specialized help will also help support and challenge specific students.
In order to establish a learning goal for my classes, I will take into account their grade in
school, reading and writing levels, interests, standards, personal goals, and my own expectations.
Creating a combination of these ideas will help please my students, the state, and myself. It is

especially critical that students have a say in what they are learning in order to motivate them
and gain respect. Alber (2012) suggests that if [a] lesson is poorly planned, there is often way
too much talking and telling from the teacher and not enough hands-on learning and discovery
by the students (Always have a well-designed, engaging lesson section, para. 2). By creating
engaging and well-crafted lesson plans, I hope to avoid extra distractions, restlessness, and extra
talking from students. This will help my classroom stay under control.
Mental Set:
Although it is difficult to keep eyes on almost 30 students at once, I will try to be aware
of what each student is doing throughout my whole class. As soon as I see disruptions arising, I
will walk over to the student or group and ask them to put their phone away, begin working, stop
talking, or whatever the issue may be. I will address these concerns as soon as they arise. I will
anticipate which students will not work well together and which students will talk with one
another and become a distraction. Observing multiple teachers before I put my own plan into use
will help me understand how to handle situations like these.
It is extremely important for me as a teacher to get plenty of rest and preparation time the
day before teaching. Both my students and I will benefit from me being well-rested and
prepared. I will not dwell over class or student issues when I am in my own home, otherwise I
will get overwhelmed and not perform my best. I will always make sure that my students know I
am human: I make mistakes, am always learning, get sick, and have emotions. Having the
students see me as another person will help them be able to approach me and see me as someone
who wants to help them succeed.
Relationship with Guardians:

Parents and guardians of my students are encouraged to email me whenever they have
questions or concerns about what is happening with their children in my classroom. I will send
out weekly emails to parents that summarize what readings and activities we worked on in class.
I plan on highlighting an excellent student each week in these emails; I will explain what this
student did that was positive. I will not only award students who earn high grades, but any
student who did something behaviorally or academically well. This interaction with parents is
important, as Keiper and Larson (2007) suggest that people see teaching as a collaborative
effort among many constituent groups (p. 29). Rather than isolating myself as a teacher, I want
to work with students and their guardians in order to provide the best learning experience
possible. Although I encourage parent emails, I will not respond to any emails after 5 p.m on
weekdays. I will answer any emails sent over the weekend on the following Monday.

References
Alber, R. (2012, March 13). 5 quick classroom-management tips for novice teachers. Retrieved
from http://www.edutopia.org/blog/classroom-management-tips-novice-teachers-rebeccaalber
Keiper, T.A., & Larson, B. E. (2007). Instructional strategies for middle and high school. New
York, NY: Routledge.
Marzano, R. J. (2003). Classroom management that works: Research-based strategies for every
teacher. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.