Brittany Flaherty

ED 217
March 17th, 2015
Classroom Management Plan

Context
While I do not have my teacher certification or a job teaching
yet, I do have a clear plan for the type of teacher I want to become and
so will be using my envisioned situation for my classroom management
plan. For my Practicum course this term I volunteered at a Portland
elementary school in an ESL classroom and will be using that
experience to inform my understanding of what my classroom will
likely be like. The ESL classroom in which I volunteer now is made up of
students from kindergarten to fifth grade, each age group spending 45
minutes to an hour in the ESL classroom. This amount of time is
determined by what their homeroom class schedule looks like for the
day. For example, we often have to send certain students back to their
homeroom for a test or if that class has library day. Once the students
arrive, they are expected to read the schedule for the day, which is
listed on the board. This schedule usually allows students to work on
projects or assignments that werent finished the day before, and then
has them begin their projects or assignments for that day. Because the
groups of students that arrive from each grade are so small, usually

about 5-6 students, they are broken into two groups of two or three
students that work closely with either the teacher or myself. We sit in a
half circle around a table and work together on the assignment or
project throughout the day. Each student is given a small whiteboard
on which they can practice writing their words before writing them on
their assignments. This greatly reduces the amount of paper wasted
and is a great tool for ESL students. About 10 minutes before their time
is up, we wrap up whatever we are working on and begin to clean up.
Students wipe their whiteboards, put away any materials they were
using (such as crayons, scissors, paper) and put the work they have
completed in their grades designed area, which has a cubby for each
student. Either the teacher or myself then walk them back to their
homeroom class, making sure we return to the ESL classroom to get
materials ready for the next grade and write their schedule on the
board.
Philosophy
I would describe my attitude towards classroom management as
being student centric. I believe that classrooms are more peaceful and
effective if students are given respect and know their voices will be
heard. In addition to being given support and respect, my students will
also benefit from a classroom in which there are clear procedures that
minimize distractions and disruptions and contribute to successful
learning. Learning is the most valuable asset in a classroom. A

classroom that has a well-developed community and is smoothly run

will minimize conflict and distraction and allow learning to take center
stage.
I most identify with Alfie Kohns theories regarding classroom
management. As Kohn argues, behavioral manipulation such as praise,
punishment, and privileges might change the students behavior, but
will not change the student. As soon as the manipulator disappears,
the student will return to their disruptive behavior. Therefore, my goal
will be to promote positive behaviors that are already natural to
students rather than focusing on curbing or preventing negative ones.
While I trust that all students are inherently good, I do not deny
that conflict takes place. Therefore I also plan to implement Crawford
and Bodines approach to conflict resolution, which is to treat conflict
as a learning opportunity rather than focusing on punishment. I believe
that given the tools, students will learn from their conflict and use
those skills throughout life, as well as contribute to a positive and
healthy classroom environment. Rather than spend time on punishing
my students, I will instead focus my energy towards preventing the
issues in the first place.
While this is my main classroom management philosophy, I
acknowledge that this philosophy may be more effective with older
students and less effective with younger students. In the classroom I
volunteer at now, students range from kindergarten to fifth grade.

Because of the wide age range of students throughout the day and the
constant flow of students in and out, it may be impractical and/or
impossible to use my main philosophy to develop a classroom
management plan for this unique situation. The limited amount of time
I have with each student, the age of the student, and the English
proficiency level of the student all present unique challenges to making
a student centric classroom management plan a reality. Because this
paper isnt long enough for me to explore two different classroom
management philosophies, I will be focusing on an envisioned work
situation in this paper that has me teaching a more permanent
classroom of middle school age students.
Classroom Procedures:

Entering the Classroom:

o The schedule for the day will be posted on the board, in
clear view of all students. Each student will be expected to
read the schedule for the day.
o Be seated in your pod, with proper materials and
assignments ready to begin when the bell rings.
o Students that arrive early will be discouraged from
socializing upon entering the classroom. Bell work will be
available to work on until all other students arrive and/or

the bell rings.

Classroom Arrangment:

o Students will be seated in groups of 3-4 students known as

pods. Each pod will have a name voted on by members
of the group.
o Each pod will be arranged in such a way that I will be able
to reach them quickly and efficiently to assist them, as well
as monitor behavior.
o The classroom will be divided into different stations that
students will be able to use while working on projects or
assignments. There will be a library station, computer
station, and art materials station.
o Class time will be organized so that lectures and teaching
of new material will happen at the beginning of class. After
this period, pods will then be assigned assignments or
projects to work on with their team members.
o If a project requires the use of art supplies or research
materials, each pod will be given equal time to work at the
art supply station and computer/library station in a rotation
system.
o No more than one pod at a time is allowed at any given
station.
o Students are encouraged to ask their pod members for
help if they have a question before asking the teacher.
o Students are allowed to talk quietly to one another while
the teacher is talking for translation purposes only.
Students may only ask their neighbors, and must talk

quietly enough so that neighboring pods or the teacher

wont be distracted.

Pod Procedures
o Each pod will be given a group color, which will help alert
pod members to station changes.
o Each pod will know which station theyre supposed to be at
by the color that is displayed above the station. For
example, the green pod will work at the art station when
the green flag is hung above that station. After the allotted
time is up, a red flag will be hung above the art station to
signal that it is the red pods turn to work at the art station.
o Not all stations will be used for every project/assignment.
Students will know which stations are being used that day

according to the daily schedule.

Group Work
o Pod members will be expected to work together on group
assignments/projects.
o Students will be assigned specific tasks within their pods
that will be reflected in their grades, as well as an overall
group grade. This will encourage all members to
contribute.
o Pod members will treat each other with dignity and
respect. Each pod member will have the chance to lead the
group project. No single pod member will be allowed to

boss other members around.

Individual Work

o Students will be expected to join their pod members at

assigned stations even while working on individual projects
or assignments.
o While students are not required to work with their pod
members on individual work, they are encouraged to ask

their pod for help before they ask me.

End of Day
o The last pod to use a station will be expected to tidy it up
at the end of the day. Pod members will initial a checklist to
verify they have performed all cleaning duties needed at
each station.
o When all stations and pods are tidied up, students will
check the board to see what homework/assignments are
due the next day.
o Students will then be allowed to leave the classroom or
stay and ask me questions/get help on homework or
assignments.
o I will make sure to say goodbye to each of my students and
wish them a good day, as well as verbally remind them of
any homework/assignments that will be due the next day.

Classroom Rules
The main goal of my classroom rules is to teach students positive
behavior. As I want to promote a classroom where students help
develop a rule system, I will emphasize that the main goals of the

classroom are to treat each other and myself with respect, minimize
distractions and conflict, and create a safe place where learning is
paramount. With the focus of my classroom management plan being to
create a classroom environment where students feel respected as well
as able to contribute to coming up with classroom rules, I feel it will be
key to set aside time in the first few classes to come up with the rules
of the classroom and to revisit them regularly/as needed.
Reinforcement
I will follow Kohns guidelines regarding the use of praise and
rewards for good behavior in my classroom plan. Students can get
hooked on material rewards and praise and any positive effects of
rewards and praise do not last and may actually be detrimental.
Therefore I will use Ginotts method of appreciative praise rather than
evaluative. My praise will be limited to a students work, actions, or
accomplishments rather than praise surrounding their character or
personality. Using this type of praise will help guide my students
towards following rules and procedures because they want to and know
it will create a safe, learning centric environment, not because they are
afraid of punishment or want a reward.
Consequences
The goal of my plan is to focus on preventing misbehavior and
conflict rather than punishing it. However, as conflict is inevitable, I will
follow Crawford and Bodines conflict resolution outline. Crawford and

Bodine claim that all misbehavior has its root in conflict. Simply
punishing the misbehavior without addressing its root causes in conflict
does not put an end to the misbehavior. Therefore when conflict occurs
I will:

Sit students involved in conflict down, preferably after school

and away from other students.

Emphasize the importance of resolving the conflict and how

resolution contributes to the overall harmony of the classroom.

Ask students to express their opinions and perspectives of what

happened in the conflict. Give each student equal time to talk.

Ask participants to think about what they want from the process,

as well as what they think the other participants want.

Brainstorm options to resolving conflict and meeting interests

equally.
Evaluate options.
Work with participants to come to an agreement that they both
think is fair.

The only instance when conflict resolution would not be appropriate

is for students that have major behavioral problems or threaten the
safety of the classroom and disrupt learning. In this case I would
follow the Positive Behavior Support third-tier approach, and spend
time in intense, individualized functional based interventions, with
the support of parents and the administration.
Implementation

As I mentioned earlier in this plan, I will spend most of the first

week of school reviewing my philosophy with the classroom and giving
students the chance to come up with rules and procedures that they
think would best fit our goal of a positive, learning centric classroom. I
would prefer the classroom management plan to be unique to each
class, however with the same foundation. If rules or procedures arent
working or seem to be out of step with my philosophy, I would like to
encourage students to speak up and suggest a class discussion.
Once we have agreed on what rules and procedures would best
work in our classroom, we will review them as a class. ]We will go
through a dry run the first few days so students know how the pod
system works, and how to move from station to station. Each student
will sign a contract with the rules and procedures and we will take a
quiz on them to make sure everyone understands them. I will sit down
with any new student to personally make sure they understand our
classroom rules and procedures.