Ms.
Comitos
rd
3 Grade
Classroom
Management Plan
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Part One: Classroom Organization
Physical Environment..4
Teacher Record Keeping.6
New Students6
Keeping The Classroom Organized..7
Displaying Student Work.7
Keeping Kids Desks Clean.8
Part Two: Disciplinary Policies and Professional Ethics
Establishing Initial Group Rules and Expectations..9
Consequences for Breaking Rules9
Student Disrespect...9
Student Conflict on Playground10
Student Inattentiveness10
Student Lack of Motivation10
Student Tardiness..11
Students Disrupting or Offending Other Students.11
Students Not Getting Work Done.11
Cheating...11
When To Involve Parents or Principal12
Teacher Behavior as a School Professional..12
Lounge Gossip12
Not Getting Along with Colleagues.13
Disagreement with Leadership Strategies.13
Part Three: Classroom Routines and Procedures
Student Sharing..13
Room Helpers.14
Use of Free Time14
Field Trips14
Handing in Papers..15
Activities for Students when Finished with Work...15
Passing Out Papers...16
Announcements..16
Dismissal for Recess, Lunch, Specials, End of Day16
Bathroom Procedures16
Getting a Drink17
Assisting Students Who Dont Understand Directions or Tasks17
Challenges for Gifted Students18
Regular Communication with Parents18
Conferences19
Resources20
Part One: Classroom Organization
Physical Environment:
As students enter my third grade classroom they will notice a bulletin board
posted on the wall to their left. On this bulletin board I will focus on the areas of study
we are currently covering. For example, if we are working on multiplication I might
alternate multiplication tables on that board just to get students immediately thinking
about some of the things we will be working on that day. If we are beginning a new unit
of study I will use it to post clues about what our next topic might be and allow the
students to guess what it is. A bit further down the same wall there will be a white board.
I chose to arrange the desks in a horseshoe type shape around the white board, which
facilitates group discussions and allows each student to see the teacher and the board
without view obstruction. The desks ideally would be easily moved so that students can
form clusters for small group discussions as needed. There are two larger tables as well
where students can get together in groups. I have also placed a large area rug on the
floor in front of the white board between the desks. This not only brings a more
comfortable feel to the room, but also allows for a more close knit group discussion
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when the topic calls for it. On the other side of the white board there will be a large shelf
divided into separate spaces, on which there will be supplies that students will need to
complete their assignments and projects.
Students will go to the right of the door to hang their coats, backpacks, and other
belongings on the hooks provided. In the far right corner there will be a quiet reading
area designated by a triangle rug. There will be soft seating including a couch and
chairs. There will also be pillows for students to lean against. The book shelves will be
filled with books varying in topic and reading levels so that all students will be able to
find something they are interested in and capable of reading for pleasure. On the walls
in the book areas I plan to have inspirational quotes from famous authors as well as
vocabulary from books we have read in class. If it is possible I would like to separate the
reading area with a curtain. Next to that will be a writing area. I chose to put them close
together because both are quiet activities, so therefore the students in those areas will
not interrupt each other. In the writing area there will be materials available for students
to work on penmanship and cursive, as well as other writings of their choice. On the wall
in front of that will be a calendar and ideas for sentence and story starters. On that
same wall there will be a large cabinet or shelf used for teacher material storage. That
corner will also house the teachers desk and computer. It is facing student desks so the
teacher can keep an eye on the class while they are working, and it is out of the way so
it wont distract students.
The far wall has two windows to let in as much natural light as possible. Between
the windows are computers that students will be able to use for research purposes and
educational games when they have free time. Ideally I would like to have living plants
and animals in my room, so I have included areas designated for these things. I know
my ability to do this will vary from school to school. I recently saw in the news a story
about a classroom that is fostering animals from the Animal Rescue League of Iowa.
The kids seemed very engaged in learning the requirements of taking care of the
animals. I think this is something that is very important and rewarding for students.
Operational Procedures:
Teacher Record KeepingOur guest speaker, Sue Jones, gave some good ideas for record keeping. She
suggested becoming very familiar with Microsoft Excel. I am somewhat familiar with this
program, but plan to become even more so to make my record keeping as organized
and accurate as possible. Any data entered into this program will be saved on my hard
drive as well as a thumb drive so no information will be lost if something were to go
wrong with the technology, which so often can happen.
I will also have a clipboard handy at all times that has sticky labels where I can jot down
notes about an individual student. At the end of the day I will stick all of my notes
together on a piece of paper for each student. This will then go into a notebook file,
which will be kept for each student. May things will go into the file, such as notes about
performance, details about any contact with families, and anything else that I want to
make sure to remember about that child to share with parents at conferences. This will
help us know exactly where a student currently is academically and socially, and what
goals we should set to help the student continue to move forward. If allowed by my
school, I would like the file to travel with the child to their next years classroom. This
gives the teacher a glimpse into their previous year and some examples of the work
they are capable of.
New StudentsBefore the year begins I plan to send a postcard to my students at their homes. There
will be a quick note to let them know I am excited to meet them and have them in my
class. It will also have a list of items that I would like them to have with them on the first
day. Finally, it will contain my contact information for parents and a little bit about me, so
parents know who their child will be spending the year with. Whenever possible I would
also like to have a quick pre-conference with parents to get to know a little about their
child before they even enter my room. This will be done with a phone call as parents are
able to be reached. When students transfer into the school or my classroom at a later
time in the year, I will use the same procedure. They will also have the opportunity to
introduce themselves to the class and give some details about themselves. I will take
time to have the other students in the class go around the room and introduce
themselves to the new student and tell something that they are interested in to help
students learn similarities they may have and become friends.
Keeping the Classroom OrganizedI am a well-organized person by nature, so I will ask my students to maintain an orderly
environment by putting materials back in their places when they are finished. The
shelves will have baskets that are labeled to hold things such as academic games, extra
paper, etc. I will have an organizer to hold materials that students may need to complete
projects.
Displaying Student WorkStudents work will be displayed throughout the classroom on the walls and bulletin
boards. I plan to have three large empty frames hanging on the wall that will feature the
work of three students. I will alternate those three students weekly so that everyone has
a chance to have their work featured as space is often limited in the classroom. If
hallway space is available, students will see their work hanging up in those areas as
well. I think it is very important for the things they create to be displayed to give them a
sense of pride and let others know how talented my students really are.
Keeping Kids Desks CleanEach student will have their own file on a shelf located in the front of the room. Students
will be able to keep papers and books that they need in this file that will be labeled with
their name and picture. They will look something like this:
They will also be required to clean out their desks once a week at the end of the day on
Fridays. During this time I will help them organize papers into pocket folders marked
with each subject. If there are things that should have gone home they will find them
then and take them home. They can use this opportunity to get organized and see if
there is anything they need to do to prepare for the next week. Being organized and
ready to go on a Monday morning always helps me stay motivated. Hopefully this will
work for my students as well. I will have this poster hanging in the room as an example
of what an organized space should look like:
Part Two: Disciplinary Policies and Professional Ethics
Establishing Initial Group Rules and ExpectationsI will have my rules posted in my classroom as well as sending a copy home with the
students and a copy to the office, as suggested by Wong. I will go over them with the
students on the first day of class to make sure they are clearly defined and understood.
I plan to have three general rules: Be Kind, Be Safe, and Be Responsible. I will have the
students tell me what these terms mean to them, then go over some examples that fall
under each category and what my expectations are in each situation. For example, I will
explain that being responsible to me means that they will complete their own work and
turn it in on time, so that will be my expectation for them in my class. Once students
understand the rules, I will have them sign the following poster, which I will also have
signed. I will hang it in the classroom as a reminder.
In Our Classroom We Will:
Be Kind
Be Safe
Be Responsible
As Wong also suggests, I will teach, rehearse, and reinforce. I will model the proper
behaviors daily and be sure to notice and recognize students who are practicing these
behaviors correctly with the hope that this will become second nature to them. When
behaviors do not match expectations I will reteach my expectations and give feedback.
Consequences for Breaking Class RulesOnce the rules are clearly established, students will understand that they will receive
one warning for breaking minor rules such as disrupting the class. After that they will
receive a consequence that is proportionate to the action. For example they may need
to be sent out of the room to work on an assignment when they are being disruptive.
They may need to stay after school or stay in during recess time. In extreme cases I
may need to work with parents or administration to solve the problem, but I will avoid
this as much as possible and make all efforts to handle these situations on my own.
Student DisrespectStudents will be told on the first day of class that respect is an expectation in my
classroom. I will always show them respect as well. Disrespect will not be tolerated.
Students who do so will be asked to leave my classroom until they are ready to
apologize and stop the disrespectful behavior. At that time they will have another
chance to join the class activities.
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Student Conflict on PlaygroundI will do my best to avoid this issue by teaching the rules of the playground in the same
way that I teach the rules for my classroom. I will have students practice proper social
interactions for the playground as well. Certainly there will still be an infraction from time
to time, in which case I will give one warning for a minor incident and after that they
have their recess time taken away for a period of time in proportion to the severity of the
incident. Students involved in the incident will have to talk it out with me and tell me
what they did wrong and why it is unacceptable. If an apology is necessary to another
student they will need to do that as well before they will regain their playground
privileges.
Student InattentivenessI will always try to keep my lessons as engaging as possible, however I realize that
there will be times when students are not engaged. Sometimes this may be due to
things that are out of my control. I will try different ways of teaching when I see that
students are not paying attention, but if this does not work I will talk to individual
students to find out what is going on that is distracting them. Perhaps it is a lack of sleep
or something going on at home. I will try to help the students develop a plan to fix the
problem when possible.
Student Lack of MotivationTo increase motivation in my classroom I will always tell my students of my positive
expectations for them. I will consistently give them feedback and encourage them to
keep moving in the right direction. I will make sure that the tasks I am assigning to
students are appropriate so they will not become bored when they are too easy or
frustrated when they are too hard. I will also try to keep the material as relatable to their
personal lives as possible. If they are able to apply the information to their own
situations, they may be more motivated to gain that knowledge.
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Student TardinessLate policies are generally determined by the individual school, so of course I will follow
those guidelines. I will also do my best to instill in my students the importance of being
on time. I am a very prompt person, so I will expect them to do the same when in my
class. If they do not have an excuse for being late I will have an extra short assignment
for them to complete. I will try to tailor this to a topic in which the student may need
some extra practice. For example, they may have to complete four multiplication
problems.
Students Disrupting or Offending Other StudentsThis falls under the category of our rule Be Kind. The consequences for breaking rules
will be followed in this situation. Students will be asked to leave the classroom, and an
apology will need to be given before they are allowed to rejoin class activities.
Students Not Getting Work DoneSince students are still at a fairly early point in their education career I will have a
slightly more lenient policy on late work. I will set a due date after which I will still accept
the assignment with a loss of points for each day that it is late. Students will be told this
policy on the first day of class and reminded of it when work is not turned in. Toward the
end of the year, the length of extra time will continue to get shorter as their teachers in
later grades will most likely have stricter policies for late work. I will do my best to
communicate this to the students and instill in them the importance of turning things in
on time.
CheatingAny students caught cheating on an assignment will receive no points for that
assignment. They will also be required to complete a new and different assignment on
the same topic, for which they may earn back a maximum of half of the points available
from the previous assignment. I will also contact the parent of the student(s) involved so
that they are aware of the situation and let them know that I am sending a new
assignment home with which their child may need assistance. If my school has any
specific policies regarding this situation, I will follow those as well.
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When to Involve Parents or PrincipalSetting Limits in the Classroom gives some good things to take into consideration when
I have a student with whom I feel like I have tried everything possible. This is a good
time to try to get parents involved, but the key will be to figure out whether the parents
are going to be supportive or not. I will assess each situation individually and decide
whether involving parents would be effective. If so, I will call them and explain briefly the
issue and set up a time for a conference that is convenient for all of us. I will suggest a
solution to the problem and hope that parents are willing to support that. I will also have
a backup solution incase the first one is not widely accepted.
Involving administration can often be ineffective due to so much going on in the office
and the amount of work a principal has to do, so I will limit the amount of times I send
students to the principals office and only consider it with intensive-level discipline
problems.
Teacher Behavior as a School ProfessionalMy students are going to learn what sorts of behaviors are appropriate in a school
setting by watching what I do. I need to make sure that I am setting a good example of
appropriate behavior, which includes everything from what I wear to how I treat my
colleagues and other students. I will have high expectations not only for my students but
for myself as well. I will take as many opportunities as possible to listen to and learn
from my students so they understand that learning works both ways. They have a great
deal to offer me as well.
Lounge GossipI will always do my best to not get involved with gossip happening in my school
regarding students, families, or colleagues. This can be easier said than done at times,
but I am confident that I will be able to avoid these situations. I understand that anything
I say about someone else may be misinterpreted or hurtful. It will never be my intention
to hurt anothers feelings or offend anyone. Therefore I will keep my words positive
when speaking to others in the lounge. I think this is important to instill in the students
as well so, with permission I will post this sign in the lounge as well as in my room:
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Not Getting Along With ColleaguesI have been in situations previously where I have had to work very closely with someone
with whom I did not get along very well. This has provided me with the knowledge and
experience to look past differences and do my best to compromise and work together
as necessary. I will carry this experience with me to my future teaching job. I realize that
working in a school means I am not just on my own. I will be expected to work and
collaborate with my colleagues on a frequent basis, and I am confident that I will be able
to work well with all of them.
Disagreement with Leadership StrategiesI understand that any school I end up teaching in will have its own set of policies and
leadership strategies. As a teacher I will express my opinion on topics that I feel strongly
about. If there is something that I disagree strongly with and administrators are unwilling
to change, I would no longer be able to work in that district. When I feel strongly that
something is wrong I will not stay around and support it, even if it means losing a job.
Part Three: Classroom Routines and Procedures
Student SharingThere will be some items that students are asked to provide at the beginning of the year
that will be shared such as tissues, Clorox wipes, etc. Other items will be for individual
use, but students will be encouraged to help a classmate out when necessary and
appropriate. For example, if one student cant find a pencil another student may loan
them one. However, things like water bottles may not be shared with one another. I also
do not want any student to become dependent on other students to provide materials
for them, so we will talk about these procedures at the beginning of the year so that
students know what the expectation is for safety and accountability reasons.
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Room HelpersThere will be a variety of jobs to be done around the room that students are able to help
with. I will split them up between students in the class and vary them from week to
week. Students will come in Monday morning and check the chart with the different
duties to see where they have been assigned. They will perform that duty for the whole
week. Some examples of jobs would include line leader, lights, pencil sharpeners,
calendar, animal helper, white board eraser, computer shut off, papers, and other
general helpers. Some jobs may have more than one student assigned to them if there
are more students than jobs.
Use of Free TimeWhen students have completed their assigned task, they will first need to check to see if
they have any missing assignments. If this is the case they will be required to work on
those assignments until they are completed and turned in. If all assignments are
complete there will be other activities for them to choose from. They will be able to play
educational games on the computer or other games that will be on the shelf. They may
also read a book of their choice silently at their desk or in the comfortable reading area.
For further clarification see Activities For Students If Finished With Work.
Field TripsI will use field trips when educationally appropriate and with approval from my
administrators. Visiting different locations can provide so many good opportunities for
students to learn and gain more insight into the topics we are covering. Students will be
required to have a permission slip signed by a parent or guardian in order to participate.
There will also be a spot on the permission slip for parents to check whether or not they
would be interested in coming along as a chaperone and what would be the best way to
contact them if I need their assistance.
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Handing in PapersI will have a file box with a folder for each subject. Students will turn in homework
assignments to these folders at the beginning of the day. If they complete an in class
assignment, they will then place it in the corresponding subject folder. This will make it
easy for me to close the file box and take any items with me that need to be graded. I
will keep the items in the graded folder until they have been entered into my grade
book. I will then hand them back to students during class time. I will also have a folder
labeled For Ms. Comito, where students can place any other items that they may need
to give to me.
Activities for Students if Finished with WorkStudents will be aware of their choices available to them when work is finished. I will tell
them my expectations at the beginning of the year and also have something similar to
this picture posted to remind them of their options. Options may include drawing,
writing, reading a book of their choice, going to the listening center with headphones
where they will not disturb other students, or playing an educational game quietly with a
classmate.
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Passing Out PapersThe students assigned to the papers job for the week will be in charge of helping me
pass out papers and materials that will be used for assignments. Papers that have
already been graded will be passed out by me only to avoid a student seeing other
students grades without their permission.
AnnouncementsAnnouncements, to the extent possible will be taken care of at the start of the day. I will
give any announcements from myself or the school. Students will be able to raise their
hands as well and share any appropriate announcements that they may have.
Dismissal for Recess, Lunch, Specials, End of the DayStudents will be told on the first day of class that I will dismiss them rather than the bell.
They will be expected to stay in their seats until I say you may now go to _____. I will
give them a 2 minute warning after which they will begin to pack away what they are
working on and get ready to make the next transition.
Bathroom ProceduresStudents will check themselves in and out of the classroom. When they arrive they will
move their magnet to In Class. This picture is similar to what I am thinking, only the
magnets would have student pictures on them and the box on the bottom right would
say At Home. When a student needs to use the restroom they may move their magnet
to that box. The same would go for the nurse or getting a drink. This holds students
accountable for their whereabouts and lets me know where they are at all times. We will
discuss this policy in depth on the first day of class to avoid misuse or abuse.
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Getting a Drink
Students will be able to get drinks as they are needed, within reason. They will need to
move their magnet in the same fashion as they do when they need to use the restroom.
Students will be allowed 2 drink breaks per day unless they have a cough or something
of that nature that would require them to take more. I will also allow them to keep a
water bottle at their desk as long as it has a lid that will need to be closed when they are
not drinking to avoid spilling on the floor or other important papers and assignments.
Differentiation Policy:
Assisting Students Who Dont Understand Directions or TasksThe book How to Differentiate in Mixed Ability Classrooms has a great deal of ideas for
helping students who may be at a lower level of learning than some of their peers. One
strategy I would use is varying questions. Using this method I would ask questions
based on each students learning style and ability. Students would get to hear verbal
responses to a variety of levels of questions, which presents the information to them in
various forms and increases their chances of absorbing and learning it.
Another strategy I would use would be learning centers. These would be centers where
students would go to independently explore and practice new skills. Students can be
more successful by working at their own pace and working collaboratively when
appropriate.
I would also like to use the strategy of pairing students with mentors in the school or in
the community. These mentors would be people who share interests and strengths with
the student. They would work together on accomplishing goals for the student. This
could be a challenge for me in finding the appropriate person, but I will do my best to
make sure they are accurately paired and that I am evaluating the pairing and
connecting information to classroom time as much as possible.
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Challenges for Gifted StudentsThe book How to Differentiate in Mixed Ability Classrooms gives many ideas for
accommodating high ability students as well so that they do not become bored with
material that is too easy for them. Some of the strategies listed previously can be
modified to serve these students. Some other strategies I would use would include
compacting which assesses what these students already know so I do not waste their
time or my own trying to teach previously learned material. This will also free up time for
these students to do independent projects on topics that they are interested in, which is
another strategy for differentiating that I would like to implement. I will allow the students
freedom in this area, but provide guidance when necessary and keep track of their
progress.
Once students have shown that they know a topic well, they may work at interest
centers that I will have set up for them. These centers will provide opportunities for
students to learn other topics that may not be included in the regular curriculum studies,
but that are still teaching them valuable inquiry and study skills while tapping into their
interests. This will be motivating for students and help them learn to make connections
between fields of study and life.
Parents:
Regular CommunicationAt the beginning of the year I will let parents know that I am available for them to talk to
on a daily basis. They can contact me before or after school via email or phone call. If
they would like to set up a time to meet in person, I am happy to find a time that works
for both of us. I will also try to communicate regularly with parents not just through
conferences, but also through notes home and phone calls to let them know how their
child is doing in my class whether it is well or not so well.
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ConferencesI will conduct parent teacher conferences at the times required by my school as well as
other times when I may need to connect with parents in regards to the progress or
behavior of their child. Setting Limits in the Classroom gives some guidelines for
conducting parent conferences that I think are good procedures to follow. The first is to
be proactive when scheduling conferences to enlist parent help with issues with a
student. I will try to always schedule the conference as soon as possible to avoid
dragging out the problem.
It is also important to have a time limit for each conference out of respect for everyone
involved. Goals are more likely to be accomplished this way, and I will make sure to
have time to meet with each parent. I will encourage parents to bring their child to the
conference with them. This will hold the student accountable and show them that their
teacher and parents both care about their academic progress.
I think it is important to stay on task with parents and also to stay positive to the extent
possible. If there is an issue that needs to be address I will try to start with something
very positive, then address the issue, and finally conclude on a positive note.
Finally, I will always make sure I am prepared. If there is an issue that needs to be
discussed I will be ready to offer a solution to the parents that will allow us to work
together to try to solve the problem.
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Resources:
Sue Jones, 4th Grade Ames Community Schools
Mackenzie, R. J., & Stanzione, L. (2010). Setting Limits in the Classroom (3rd ed.). New
York, NY: Three
Rivers Press.
Tomlinson, C. (2001). How to Differentiate Instruction in Mixed-Ability Classrooms (2nd
ed.). Upper
Saddle River, NJ: Merrill Education/Prentice Hall, Inc
Wong, H. K., & Wong, R. T. (2009). The FIrst Days of School. Mountain View, CA:
Harry K. Wong
Publications, Inc.
Pictures Courtesy of Pinterest.com and Microsoft Word ClipArt
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