Abbie Manges

EDU 344
Dr. Aiken
February 11, 2021

Classroom Management Plan

1. List of rules
1) Use kind words.
2) Ask a neighbor before me.
3) Raise a quiet hand.
4) Speak in an inside voice.
5) Keep your space clean.

2. List of rewards
Smiley Chart: Each student will be given a folder containing a chart. If students demonstrate
positive behavior through engagement with the lesson or following one of the classroom rules,
the teacher may choose to give the student a stamp on his/her chart. Once the student receives ten
stamps, the student will be permitted to choose an item from the prize box.
Lunch with the Teacher: If a student’s behavior is positive and aligns with the rules set forth in
the classroom, the student may be given the opportunity to have lunch with the teacher. The
teacher lunch will occur on the same day the teacher praises the student. Or if recognition is
given in the afternoon, the teacher may do the lunch on the following school day. In this way,
there is a close attachment to the behavior and the positive reinforcement.

3. List of consequences
Planned Ignoring: Planned ignoring will be used at the discretion of the teacher. If a student
behaves in an inappropriate manner, the teacher may ignore this behavior as long as it does not
jeopardize the safety and wellbeing of the other students. It is assumed that through ignoring, the
student will refrain from engaging in the behavior. The teacher will need to be cognizant of
whether or not this method is successful.
Proximity control: The teacher will use proximity control to manage the behavior of the students
in the classroom. If a student is not following the rules or disturbing the class, the teacher may
stand closer to the student’s desk in order to redirect his/her attention to the present lesson.
Similarly, the teacher may choose to move the student to a desk closer to the front of the room in
order to be able to closely monitor the student’s behavior and engagement with the lesson.

4. List of classroom-wide rewards

Extra recess: At teacher discretion, depending on student readiness and behavior during the
week, the class may earn an extra 5 minutes of recess on Friday.
Cotton Ball Jar: The teacher will use a cotton ball jar to track positive behavior. The jar will not
be used to manage inappropriate behaviors. When the teacher notices a student exemplifying
positive behavior or following one of the classroom rules, the teacher may put a cotton ball in the
jar. Once the jar is filled, or if the number of cotton balls reaches a certain line on the jar, all of
the students will earn a prize or party.

Procedures
1. Quieting a class
Clapping patterns: The teacher will clap a short pattern with her hands. Students will respond by
clapping the same pattern. This serves the purpose of capturing student attention. After clapping,
students are to look at the teacher and remain silent while she speaks.
“Macaroni cheese, everybody freeze”: The teacher will say, “Macaroni cheese.” Students will
respond, “Everybody freeze.” Students are expected to stop what they are doing and silently look
at the teacher.
“Zip it, lock it. Put it in your pocket!”: The teacher will say, “Zip it, lock it.” Students will
respond, “Put it in your pocket!” Students are expected to stop speaking and listen to the teacher.

2. How students should ask for help

Textbook: The student places a textbook or workbook in an upright position on their desk. This
would be done during a period of independent or quiet work. The teacher would know that the
child had a question or needed assistance if the textbook was sitting on his or her desk.
Ask a neighbor: If a student needs assistance or has a question, the teacher grants the student
permission to ask a neighbor for help prior to asking the teacher. This is not only suggested, it is
expected that students would do this first. The student may ask a classmate in front of, behind, or
beside their desk. The student is not permitted to stand up out of their desk to ask a friend.
Hand signals: The teacher will use hand signals for student to quietly show if they need the
teacher’s attention. One finger represents the student has something to say – this is not to be
confused with raising a hand to ask a question. Two fingers represent the student wishes to leave
his or her seat. Three fingers represent the student needs the teacher’s help. This should be used
after the student has asked a neighbor. These signals may be used during a teacher’s lesson or
during a quiet work period.

3. How students should pass in papers

Personal Cubby: Each student will be provided a cubby for storing and organizing papers that are
returned. Once the papers are received, excluding activity papers for use during the class, the
student will place the papers in his or her cubby.
Teacher Helpers: The student in the front of each row will be responsible for collecting
classmates’ papers in his or her specific row. The student will walk to each classmates’ desk and
pick up the paper. Then, the student will walk the papers to a bin in the front of the room. In this
way, there should only be about four students standing and collecting papers.

4. A few ways to transition

Line order: Students will be taught how to organize themselves in line order based on a number
designated to each of them by the teacher. When transitioning to a different room or part of the
building, students will be expected to stand in line order.
Bell: When the students are completing independent work or working at learning centers, the
teacher will tap a bell to signal that the students will be transitioning to another activity. When
the bell is heard, students are expected to begin cleaning up the activity and returning to their
original seats.
Song break: In between subjects, the teacher may choose to play a song. The students may talk
with their friends or take a brain break for a minute at their desks. The teacher may wish to use
this time to prepare for the next lesson by collecting and organizing materials. When the teacher
is ready to begin, she may count down from 10. The students are expected to be sitting quietly in
their seats and facing the front of the class. When the teacher reaches 1, she will shut off the
music and begin the next lesson.

5. A few ways to begin the day

Greeting: Each day, the students will begin by doing a greeting activity, in which each student is
greeted. The students may sing a short chant to one another, or the teacher may incorporate
various ways for the students to greet one another.
Poem: The teacher will choose a poem to teach the class. Each morning, the teacher will practice
the poem with the whole class, offering hand motions or other supports to increase the students’
memory. The teacher may choose to review parts of the poem or add additional lines or stanzas
each day.

6. A few ways to end the day

Magic eyes: The teacher chooses one specific item that she/he wants to see cleaned. The teacher
does not tell the students. The teacher will then call out, “Magic Eyes, what do I see?” Students
will respond by cleaning up garbage and items left around their desks. Once the classroom is
clean, the teacher reveals the item she had seen, and whoever cleaned that area or item receives a
choice from the prize box.
Read-aloud: The teacher will read to the students from a chapter book at the end of the day.
When it is time for dismissal, the teacher will leave the students on a cliffhanger, saying, “You
have to come back tomorrow to see what happens!”
 Although numerous classroom teachers utilize clip charts, I will not incorporate one in
my classroom because I do not believe they are a beneficial way to monitor student behavior. For
instance, as identified in the article, clip charts serve the purpose of behavior tracking more than
behavior management. Understanding that it is my role to train the students in my class in how to
behave appropriately, I believe there need to be more hands-on, intentional ways of
communicating positive behavior techniques to my students. This is not to say I would not track
behavior because I see a strong importance in that aspect of behavior management. However, my
behavior tracking will be done privately and on an individual basis. I do not see how it is
necessary to post an individual student’s performance for the whole class.
Because students are active participants in their learning, I believe the student-teacher
control should be balanced. This balance, however, is heavily dependent on the student’s
understanding of and adherence to the procedures set forth in the classroom (Wong, 158). If
students are unable to abide by the procedures explicitly taught by the teacher, then the students
are unable to manage their own autonomy in their learning. Therefore, I believe the control
between the teacher and the student will be more heavily reliant on the teacher at the beginning
of the school year (Wong, 149). As students begin to demonstrate their competency with self-
regulation and self-management strategies, the teacher will release aspects of control to the
students. I believe the teacher should be intentional about training students in such regulatory
and management strategies in order for students to ultimately be able to independently monitor
their work.
My philosophy of classroom management finds its foundation on Proverbs 22:6. The
proverb states, “Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart
from it” (Proverbs 22:6). With this understanding, I recognize that the student has a role in
managing his or her own behavior. At the same time, however, I believe that the teacher has an
arguably more significant role in managing the students in the classroom. It is the role of the
teacher to train behavior rather than simply track it. It is the role of the teacher to, through
training, model the expected behavior for the students. It is the role of the teacher to be
intentional in his or her delivery of consequences, providing reasoning to help students
understand why their behavior resulted in a certain way. Ultimately, it is the role of the teacher to
acknowledge that student performance in the classroom is heavily dependent on their behavior in
the classroom. As a result, classroom management cannot be a by-product of teaching, it must be
thoughtful and intentional.
 References

Wong, H. K., & Wong, R. T. (2018). The first days of school: How to be an effective teacher.
Mountain View, CA: Harry K. Wong Publications.