Classroom Management Plan

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Welcome to 2nd Grade!

Classroom Management Plan
Lindsey Pallas

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Table of Contents
Classroom Design3
Physical Classroom Organization....4
Seating and Carpet4
Writing Center.4
Organization.4
Art4

Operational Classroom Organization5

Record Keeping5
Displaying Student Work..5
New Student Procedures..6
Keeping Classroom Orderly.7

Disciplinary Policies7
Classroom Expectations.7
Minor Infractions8
Cheating in the Classroom9
Principal Involvement.9
Student Motivation.10

Classroom Procedures10
Attendance.10
Morning Routine.11
Classroom Jobs.11
Homework..12
Bathroom Pass.12
Substitute Teacher.12

Professional Ethics.13
Communication with Parents.13
Discussing Students13
Overall Professionalism..13

Resources.14

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Physical Classroom Organization

Seating and Carpet
I designed this classroom to be most functional as a 2nd grade classroom, although many
of the components would be similar in all classrooms. I estimated a class of 24, and have 6
tables in the middle of the classroom with 4 students at each table. Each of the table groups
will be named as a continent with the work table acting as the seventh continent. I want to
foster a sense of community within the classroom both as a whole and in small groups. The
carpet area in the top right corner has many things going on. Aside from being used in the
morning routine, this area can be used for instructional time, read alouds, and individual
reading time. It will also be used as an open space to incorporate music, movement, and
something Ive developed called the News Room. At the beginning of the day, one student will
take position behind the T.V. in the news room to talk about the weather, share school events
for the day, and share something they are looking forward to in the week. This area is also
where the classroom library is located.
Writing Center
It is important to me to have an area of the classroom designated to writing. This area
has three different sections. The first is a station with magazines, newspapers, scissors, and
paper. I want students to be able to see writing both as a formal process and as a creative
outlet. The second section contains computers. During station time, these computers will be
used for writing and for accessing the internet or using technology based graphic organizers.
However, during free time I would allow these computers to be used for limited games and
other activities under supervision. The third section of the writing station is for writers
workshop. I want writing to be a social experience and a process for students. There will be
paper, pencils, pens, high lighters, and sticky notes available for students.
Organization
Along the bottom wall there are student mail boxes, the teachers desk, and an ELMO
machine. In the front of the classroom, on the left side, is the white board. In this location, all
students can sit facing the same way and easily see the white board for instruction and
modeling. Likewise, there is another carpet area in front of the white board that will be utilized
more for instruction and modeling.
Art
In the top left corner, there is a special area designated to art and projects. There is a
large table and supply cart with markers, pencils, glue, scissors, paper, and other specific items
that may correspond with each project. There is also an easel to the right of the table for
students to use. Along the top wall there is an area to display student art and other student

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work chosen by the students. It will also be a learning tool as many projects will also be content
based. Finally, there is a table in front of the student work that will be utilized in small group
instruction and assessment. This is also the table known as the seventh continent.

Operational Classroom Organization

Record Keeping
Keeping track of student work and assessments is a vital aspect of classroom
organization. While most schools or districts have their own gradebook software, I would also
use a paper gradebook for my own organizational use. This generic layout is separated by week
and would be one months worth of grades. Even
after submitting grades online or into the
gradebook software, a paper gradebook would be
readily available to me at all times and would allow
me to see scores and results from each specific
assignment or assessment. I would use a different
sheet for each subject being taught. Additionally, I
will use a file folder system to keep track of each
students work. Every student will have a folder
with their name on it for me to store assessments
or specific examples of students work. This will help
me track their progress, develop instruction based
off of assessment, and have readily available
examples to share with parents. The file folder will
be kept in the teacher storage area of the
classroom.

Displaying Student Work

Displaying student work plays a big role in fostering a positive atmosphere in the
classroom. It gives students the opportunity to feel proud of themselves, share their talents
with others, and helps each student feel a sense of belonging in the classroom. To help foster
this sense of community and ownership within the classroom, there is an entire wall designated
to sharing student work. On the back wall of the classroom, near the instruction table, there
will be cork board and hangers to display work. It is important to not only share artwork, but
also writing projects or any well-done assignments. I also believe that students should get to
choose which work of theirs they would like to share. It is something that the whole class will
be seeing so it should be something that they are personally proud of. To highlight the
importance of this process, I will rotate the sharing wall every two weeks with new pieces.

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Every other Friday, I will have three options for each student to choose from. Whichever piece
they choose, they will place in the Sharing bin which will be located on top of the student
mailboxes. At the end of the school day, I will hang all of the items in the Sharing bin so that
the students will see their work on the wall when they return on Monday.
New Student Procedures
It is important that new students fell welcomed into the classroom as school transitions can be
very difficult on children. If I am informed of the new student ahead of time, there are several steps that
will be taken to prepare and welcome the student. First, it is crucial that seating arrangements are
reorganized so that the student is in the same seating environment as all other students. Next, I would
make a name tag for the students desk to match the rest of the class. On the first day, I would take a
photo of the new student to add to their passport name tag.
During the morning work period, I would ask the student to fill
out an All About Me sheet and ask the student if they would
like to share it to the class at carpet time or if they would like to
have it posted on the sharing wall. On the students first day,
we will use our carpet time to review all of our classroom rules.
This will be beneficial to all students and will assure that the
new student is aware of our rules. For the first week, we will
also play a name game at carpet time to help the new student
learn everyones names and feel included in the classroom environment. I will choose two kind and
mature students in the classroom to be the new students buddy. These students will be asked to help
the new student feel comfortable, whether that may be sitting by them at lunch or playing with them at
recess. The new student will hopefully feel comfortable to ask these students any questions they may
have throughout the school day. A file folder will be added for the new student and assessments will be
given as soon as possible to best inform instruction needs. As the teacher, I will check-in with the
student regularly to make sure they are feeling comfortable in their new environment. Lastly, I will send
home a letter to the parents of the new student which reads as follows:
Dear parent of new student,
I am so happy to have new student joining us in our class! Please know that I am doing
all that I can to make this transition go well. Our class is full of great kids who are helping new student
learn new routines. I will be doing assessments this week to make sure I am giving appropriate
instruction to your child. I have worked hard to build a community within our classroom, and I want you
to know that you are always welcome within our community. If you would ever like to help in our
classroom or have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
Lindsey Pallas
(email contact)
(Phone Number)

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Keeping Classroom Orderly

As part of our learned classroom routines, making sure all students know where
everything belongs in the classroom is also important. As the desks are designed, each table
group or continent will be responsible for the tidiness of their work space. This includes
materials in individual desks and the floor surrounding the continent. As part of our disciplinary
and reward system which will be explained in detail, each table continent will receive 1 globe
point if their area is clean at the end of the day. We will also play a game at the end of each day
called Mystery Scrap. I will choose a scrap on the floor before the game begins, and the
students will pick up and throw away as many scraps as they can in hopes that they pick up the
mystery scrap. The student who picked up the mystery scrap will earn a trip to the grab bag,
which is full of small rewards.

Disciplinary Policies
While every school may have their own specific behavior and intervention policies, my
hope is that some of these procedures help lessen the need to seek outside help. Behavior
infractions are inevitable to some extent, but according to Wong (2009), clear procedures with
consistent follow through will help lessen these problems or even eliminate some before they
begin.
Classroom Expectations
On the very first day of school, I will have the students help me develop our classroom
expectations. I will explain that these expectations should be the way that you want to be
treated by everyone else. Assuming that we develop a list including things such as respect, treat
others the way you want to be treated, walking, try your best, etc., I will make posters to hang
in the classroom on these hot air balloon
templates. I think it is important to have the
students participate in the development of
TRY
classroom expectations because it adds to their
YOUR
ownership of the classroom. They will feel more
responsible for upholding the expectations if they
BEST!
took part in developing them. Adding to the
ownership aspect of the expectations, I would also
have students color and decorate the hot air
balloon posters.

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Minor Infractions
Even with the best management plan and classroom control, there will come times
when students choose not to follow the rules. In alignment with Mackenzie and Stanzione
(2010), I believe that one of the most important aspects of discipline is to have logical and
consistent consequences. I would like to note that there will not be a visible behavior chart in
the classroom. I feel that by asking students to write their name on the board or move a close
pin, it begins to make the situation about the student rather than the behavior. It can often
become a shaming process which is not beneficial for the classroom atmosphere. Additionally,
many students who act out in the classroom seeking attention, so asking them to leave their
seats in front of the class may actually be fulfilling their attention needs.
Rather, I will use a 5 step system shown in
the diagram. The students will be shown this diagram and
1. Verbal
made aware of what exactly will happen in each step. This
warning
is not to scare them, but rather to give them all of the
information necessary for them to make their own
behavior choices. On any first offense,
besides physical contact, I will give a
5. Conference
2. Complete
verbal warning to the student.
with Parent
Think Sheet
I might say, You need to stay in your
seat during the lesson. When you are
out of your seat you are not being
respectful to your classmates or me. I think
is important to always connect the misbehavior
with the classroom expectations that each
student helped develop. If the behavior
continues, the student will need to fill out a
4. Meet with
3. Recess
Think Sheet before returning to desired
Administrator
Academy
activities. The Think Sheet will also be connected
to the class expectations and will look like this:

Think Sheet
Name: _______________
1. I misbehaved by ____________________________________________________________.
2. When I did this, I broke the classroom expectation of ________________________________.
3. This hurt myself, my classmates, or my teacher because ______________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________.

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4. I can do better by ____________________________________________________________ .

Student Signature __________________
The Think Sheet requires that the student take a moment away from the situation, cool
down, and ultimately take responsibility for their actions. It is an opportunity to think through
the process rather than continue to act out of frustration. If the behavior still continues, I would
implement Recess Academy, also found in Mackenzie & Stanzione (2010). This is a time where I
would ask the student(s) to stay in from recess in order to have a more direct conversation and
allow them to practice the correct way to behave. For example, if a student was having
difficulty walking to centers in the classroom respectfully, they would practice walking to each
center respectfully a few times before they could join their class at recess. I would only use
Recess Academy for true instructional and correction purposes because I feel that often times
the students who misbehave in the classroom are the ones that need recess time the most. I
would never keep a student inside from an entire recess period.
Cheating in the Classroom
Cheating is a common occurrence in younger grades before they realize the
repercussions of it. At the beginning of the year, I will have a discussion with the class about the
importance of doing your own work. I will explain that in order to learn the best that you can,
you need to do work yourself. I believe that in lower elementary, understanding the
seriousness of cheating coexists with learning about character. Because of this, the first
infraction will be a personal conversation with the student in which I also ask them to complete
a Think Sheet. I will monitor the student and make sure they are able to correct the behavior. It
is also important to realize that cheating is a result of an insecurity. I would then need to figure
out what part of the content the student is insecure about and possibly provide more direct
instruction to this student to prevent further cheating. If the cheating continues, I will tell the
student that I cannot give them credit for the work because it is not their own. If the issue
continues, I will involve the principal for further action.
Principal Involvement
It is important to note that every school may suggest different procedures for
administrative involvement. As shown in the 5 step behavior diagram, reaching out to the
principal for assistance in the classroom is the 4th step. If the issue is still present in the
classroom, I will come to my principal before school or during another meeting time, and calmly
explain the misbehavior and what has already been done to try to resolve it. I will ask if the
principal may have any time to meet with the student to discuss the behavior.
In the event that the misbehavior is physical such as kicking, hitting, punching another
student, I would contact the principal as soon as the issue is resolved and all students are safe.
Many schools have predetermined procedures for physical misbehavior, often times immediate
reporting. Lastly, if there were a situation in the classroom where a student became harmful to
themselves or other students and I could not secure a safe environment, I would contact the

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principal immediately. In this case, it is much more effective to remove the rest of the class
from the unsafe environment than it is to attempt to remove the student acting out. These
scenarios are exempt from working through the 5 step behavior diagram.

Student Motivation
I have learned that student motivation is one of the most important ingredients in
effective education. It is my job as the teacher
to find ways to motivate each and every
student to learn. I will do this by tailoring
instruction toward student interests. At the
beginning of the year, the students will
complete this reading inventory which also has
large spaces for students to express their
favorite T.V. show, toy, game, or place to go.
Then, I will be able to tailor instruction using
things that the student is passionate about.
For example, if a student really loves football, I
can write his word problems about football for
math. If a student really likes ballet and is not
motivated to read, I will offer a book choice
about ballet. Once learning becomes
individualized, students will become more
motivated.

Classroom Procedures
Attendance
Attendance will be taken at the very beginning of each day. Instead of doing this orally
and taking up time at the beginning of the day, I will have a laminated close pin chart with three
sections written in dry erase marker. Each student will have a close pin with their name written
on it. One section of the chart will say Absent which will be where all students close pins
start the day. The next two sections will be lunch options, either school lunch or cold lunch.
When the students enter the classroom, the very first thing they will do is choose their lunch

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option. This way, when all the students are in their seats and ready to start the day, I can
quickly record lunch count which will also show me which students are not here.

Morning Routine
After choosing their lunch option, students will usually have around 15 minutes in the
classroom before the official school day begins and all students have arrived. This time needs to
be organized or the school day will begin in chaos. I would like to start each day with a journal
entry. I will have a question written on the board, and students will be able to write their
answers in their personal journals and/or draw a picture answering the question based on their
writing development. If they still have time after this, they will be able to read independently,
listen to audio books on the computer or iPad, do word finds, or draw. These activities should
be engaging, but not strenuous. It is a way to begin the day on a good note and start learning as
soon as the students enter the room. When it is time to start the school day, I will play a song
to notify students to join me on the carpet to start our daily routine as a class which includes
talking about the weather in the News Room, discussing our schedule, and reminding each
other of classroom expectations.
Classroom Jobs
Classroom jobs are a way to help the classroom run
more smoothly while also granting the students some
ownership and responsibility. Another close pin chart will be
present in the carpet area of the classroom which contains all
of the classroom jobs. The jobs will rotate each week so that
every student gets to do every job at least once.
Line Leader: This student will be at the front of every line that leaves our classroom and any
other room where I am present.
Door Holder: This student will hold the door for the entire line that leaves our classroom and
any other room where I am present.
Light Duty: This student will be in charge of turning off the lights whenever we leave the
classroom.
News Room: This student will stand in our T.V. during carpet time to tell us about the weather
for the day and share any news about what is going on in the school.
Absent Student Helper: This student will record all of the assignments from the day on a piece
of paper to give to any student who is missing.
Mail Carrier: This student will deliver any papers or communication from our classroom to
other teachers or the office.

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Substitute: This student will be in charge of any job where the original job holder is absent.

Homework
All homework will be turned into a tray above the student mailboxes. I think it is
important to teach students the responsibility of turning in their own work at a young age
rather than collecting it. I also know that quick and constructive feedback is very important for
students. For small assignments, I plan to have them graded within 2 days so that I can either
return them to students or simply discuss their strengths and areas of improvement with them.
If there is homework that is sent home throughout the week, it will always be expected back at
school by Friday. In lower elementary classrooms, homework is not often sent home anymore,
but if it is I want the students to know exactly when to have it back at school.
Bathroom Pass
Bathroom usage can be a difficult thing to monitor in the classroom because it often
interrupts instruction or individual conversations. To help eliminate this, I will implement a
bathroom slip chart right by the door. There will be one girls pass, one boys pass, and one
drink pass. The slip chart will be laminated and accompanied by a dry erase marker. When a
student needs to use the bathroom or get a drink, they
will simply go to the chart and see if there is a pass
available. If the pass for their need is taken, they will put
their name on the wait list category and return to their
seat until the previous student returns. If the pass is
available, they will write their name down and the time,
and quietly leave the room without disrupting anyone.
When they return, they will erase their name and time
and return to their seat. This is also helpful for the
teacher to see how long students are staying in the bathroom. If they are abusing their privilege
or responsibility, different modifications may need to be made.
Substitute Teacher
Materials and procedures need to be clearly labeled and easily found for the substitute
teacher. This will require an extent of planning prior to an absent day. However, sometimes sick
days or emergencies are unplanned. To help avoid chaos, I will leave the school each day with
my lesson plans and materials readily available on my desk. I will also keep a folder titled
Substitute Materials which will contain several procedures to help the day run smoothly.
Things such as attendance and morning routine will be explained, along with general guidelines
such as bathroom use and class expectations. I will also provide a list of games/activities that
the students are familiar with that can help reduce chaos during free time or if the lessons run

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short. Additionally, all lesson plans and materials will be available for the teacher on my desk. If
I am able to plan ahead for the substitute teacher, very direct instructions will be provided to
help the lesson run smoothly.

Professional Ethics
Communication with Parents
I will start the year by sending home a parent letter very similar to that of the new
student letter. Additionally, I have learned that parents should never hear about a classroom
issue for the first time at conferences. This means that I need to be in communication with
parents throughout the school year. If a parent needs to be aware of their childs classroom
conduct, I will first call them and find a time to discuss over the phone. While much of todays
communication is done through E-mail, I would rather communicate by phone if possible
because words can be misinterpreted or misunderstood through reading. Likewise, if a student
is doing something exceptionally well in the classroom, I would also like to notify the parents.
Each month I will develop a class newsletter and calendar for the students to take home
to their parents. This will help the parents become aware of any field trips, special days at
school, parties, or early dismissals ahead of time. I would also like to send home a parent
communication every Monday simply explaining our goals for the week and how they can get
involved in their students work. I will work very hard to include parents in student learning
because I know there needs to be a bridge in the gap between school and home.
Discussing Students
A level of confidentiality is necessary when dealing with student behavior and
achievement. Students place a high amount of trust in teachers, and that bond can be broken
easily. Thus, I believe it is incredibly important to never discuss students openly in areas such as
a teachers lounge, the front office, or hallways. It seems to be very easy for teachers to begin
gossiping about students in a way that is more hurtful than helpful. Rather, discussion of
student behavior or achievement should be done in a professional way which clearly seeks
advice on how to better help the student or in sharing information with other teachers whom
the student also sees for help. An easy question to ask myself before discussing any student is,
Does this conversation benefit the student?
Overall Professionalism
In all actions and conversations, it is important to be reminded that as a teacher, I act as
a role model to young children as they form their actions from watching me. This means that
any discrepancy between another student, teacher, administrator, or parent must be handled
with the upmost level of professionalism. I live by life by the motto that you must give respect
in order to earn respect.

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Resources
Mackenzie, R. J., & Stanzione, L. (2010). Setting Limits in the Classroom: A Complete
Guide to Effective Classroom Management with a School-Wide Discipline Plan
(3rd Ed.). New York: Three Rivers Press.
Wong, H. K., & Wong, R. T. (2009). The First Days of School: How to Be an Effective
Teacher. Mountain View, CA: Harry K. Wong Publications, Inc.
www.pinterest.com/bathroom_pass
www.teacherspayteachers.com
www.EdUtopia.com