SpecEd 358.

05: Methods of Instruction for Individuals with Disabilities

Classroom Management
Plan


Meagan Beekler & Julie Roberts
5/6/2013




I) Description of grade level, ages, course content, school and community including issues of
diversity (e.g. economic racial, disability). This initial section should be (about) two
paragraphs in length.
We are co-teaching a ninth grade science class. The students ages range from
fourteen and fifteen years old. The students are being taught basic biology concepts such
as: evolution, genetics, DNA, and cells. We have a total of 30 students in our class and
the school has a total of 2,000 students grades 9-12. The school is located in a suburban
area right outside of a major city. The students come from the suburban part of the area as
well as parts of the city.
There are many diversity issues affecting our school. As a result of students coming
from both the suburbs and the city there is a wide range of ethnicities and cultures. The
school has a large African American population as well as a large English Language
Learner population. Many of the students that come from the city live in poverty and
receive free or reduced lunch from the school. Our school is identified as inclusive where
students have been identified as needing physical, cognitive, or emotion assistance,
having a speech and/or communication disorder, and/or gifted/talented. Our school has a
very serious stance on bullying and we have a nationally recognized anti-bullying
campaign that employs a zero-tolerance stance school wide.

Commented [JNR1]: INTASC Standard: 10: School and
community involvement: The teacher fosters relationships with
school colleagues, parents, and agencies in the larger community to
support students learning and well-being
Commented [JNR2R1]: This classroom management plan was
created with a partner. We had to collaborate together to come up
with a plan we both agreed would be most effective for our
classroom.
II) Description of how you will physically arrange your classroom:
In our science classroom, students are sat in partners at large experiment tables (black top
tables). All students face the front of the room. There is a black board in the front of the
room as well as a smart board. The smart board provides many benefits to all of our
students that include: increased motivation, student engagement, supports diverse
learners, promotes interaction with students and integrates technology into the classroom.
Set up throughout the room are diagrams that aid students in comprehending main ideas
through the use of concrete objects. Diagrams include a 3D model of DNA, a model of
the inside of a cell, and evolutionary models of different animals. Our rules and
expectations are clearly stated next to the smart board so students can be reminded of
them daily. In the back of the room there is the teachers desk and an activity table for
small group experiments. In front of the smart board there is a modeling table that we can
use to model experiments for students. There is a materials cabinet filled with things such
as goggles and lab coats as well as a safety cabinet with a first aid kit, fire extinguisher,
and eye flushing liquid. (diagram attached)
The way that we have chosen to set up our room minimizes congestion by having clear
traffic lanes so students and teachers can move around the room safely and with ease.
Group stations are positioned away from windows and facing the front of the room to
minimize distractions. This set-up also allows for clear-lines of visions for all students.
Our instructional displays are strategically placed so that every student can see them if
needed and not overbearing for those with ADD/ADHD. We have positioned our
behavioral expectations in the front of the room near the smart board so students know
what is expected of them. All students are sat in reach of both of us incase problems or
question arise. All of our students with sensory challenges are placed in the front of the
room so that they can hear and see everything that is happening. Students were seated
based on compatibility with the partner. Action zones, such as activity tables, are free of
clutter to ensure safety. We have a material cabinet in the back that students can access as
needed to promote self-sufficient learning as well as the first-aid cabinet to promote
safety at all times.

III) Description of your classroom behavior expectations:
Our expectations include: being respectful, staying focused and on task, safety first, be
responsible. Being respectful includes: treating others how you want to be treated,
keeping your hands to yourself, respecting others property, personal space, and ideas,
laughing with anyone but at no one, and listening when others are speaking. Staying
focused and on task includes: following directions, sitting up straight, paying attention,
and participating. Safety first includes: always walk, no food or beverages, use proper
safety equipment e.g. goggles or lab coat. Being responsible includes: come to class on
time and prepared, complete assignments neatly and on time, and take accountability for
your actions.
We will engage, teach, and initially introduce the four main expectations to our students
by having a class discussion about the expectations. Once the main expectations are read
the students will be asked to define what they believe each expectation entails. Once the
students are clear on all the expectations a chart will be made and hung on the wall.
Short-term positive reinforcement will be used by implementing the 4-to-1 ratio
(described in detail in VII) as well as giving out homework passes to students who are
following expectations. We will combine short-term and long-term positive
reinforcement by handing out tickets that students can enter into a drawing to win two
free movie tickets. The short-term reinforcement will come from the initial excitement of
receiving a ticket for good behavior and the long-term reinforcement will come from
when the monthly winner is picked. We will also hand out extra credit points to students
demonstrating exculpatory behavior. This would be long-term reinforcement because
they will see how much their positive behavior helped them achieve a higher grade. The
use of positive reinforcement will encourage students with negative behaviors to meet
expectations.

Commented [JNR3]: NCATE/NCTE Standards: 2.1: Create
inclusive environment
Commented [JNR4R3]: Our behavior expectations were
formed around the fact that our most important goal was having a
classroom environment were children always felt safe and
respected.
IV) Describe how you will establish rapport and build positive behavior with your students
Rapport is a close and harmonious relationship in which the teacher and students
understand each other's feelings or ideas and communicate well. It is important to
establish rapport because it is a primary principle of prevention in classroom
management. Rapport allows to students to feel like you listen to them which will in turn
allow them to listen to your expectations, advice, and guidance. The closer you are to
your students the greater influence you can have on them. When you build rapport with
students they will increasingly care about what you have to say and be concerned about
your approval. We will build rapport by showing appropriate facial expressions and body
language, listening when students are speaking, asking open ended questions, ignoring
junk behavior, and showing empathy.
Tool 1 is staying close. We will stay close with our students by demonstrating close
proximity and appropriate body language within 15 seconds, demonstrating appropriate
touch, facial expressions, and tone of voice, asking open ended questions, listening when
the child speaks, using empathy statements, ignoring junk behavior, and staying cool
throughout the process. We will implement this tool to establish rapport in a student-
specific instructional settings by reading students the book Alexander and the Terrible,
Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day and explaining that it is okay to have bad days
sometimes. We will then have a box of pins in the back of the class with Alexanders face
on them that they can wear if they are having a bad day. If we notice a student wearing a
pin or if we notice the student seems distant we will pull them aside and have a one-on-
one talk with them. While we are talking we will be sure to listen to their problems while
showing empathy. We will implement this tool to establish rapport in group non-
instructional settings by inviting a small group of students to join us for lunch once a
week. Each student will be invited to join us for lunch throughout the school year and we
will take this time to get to know each student and build rapport with them.
Tool 2 is giving positive consequences. We will give positive consequences by telling the
child what appropriate behavior he/she demonstrated, implementing the stay close
components, proving a positive consequence that fits the behaviors within three seconds
of recognizing the appropriate behavior, and staying cool throughout the process. Positive
consequences that fit appropriate behavior include: verbal praise, appropriate touch,
tangible items, and appropriate privileges. By acknowledging specific student behavior
and communicating with them that we are pleased with them it helps strengthen the
rapport we have already built we each student. The rapport we have and the positive
consequences we give will make our students concerned with our approval and motivate
them to want to follow expectations.
We will implement tool 1 and tool 2 with students who seem at risk for chronic
behavioral problems to motivate them to become better learners. By giving verbal praise
for small achievements these students will increase their positive behavior in order to
receive more praise. By using tool 1 (staying close) students will be more concerned with
Commented [JNR5]: INTASC Standards: 2: Student
Development- The teacher understand how children learn and
develop, and can provide learning opportunities that support a
childs intellectual, social, and personal development.
Commented [JNR6R5]: We recognize how important it is to
establish good rapport with students in order to help foster their
personal development.
our approval and want to meet our expectations more often which will lead to an increase
in positive behavior and a decrease in negative problem behavior. We will implement
tool 2 (giving positive consequences) for students who appear at risk to develop chronic
problem behavior by motivating them with both verbal praise and tangible items when
they are caught meeting expectations. This will cause them to work harder for positive
consequences.

V) Describe how you will structure the learning process in your classroom:
Throughout the school year our students will participate in a variety of group and
individual work. For experiments the students will be asked to work in groups to help
scaffold each other which will promote collaboration among their peers. After they
complete the experiment and everyone has a general understanding of the experiment
students will be asked to work individually to fill out a lab report. Individually students
will also be required to fill out worksheets and create 3-D projects that can be used to
assess each individuals understanding of the material. For lecture the students will be
taught in a whole-class setting that promotes participation and open discussion.
Experiments will be performed first by the teacher then by the students. Through use of
the smart board, lectures will be hands-on and always keeps the interest of the students.
Active learning activities will be used a lot in our classroom. The students will be able to
interact hands-on with the smart board on a daily basis. Students will also perform
hands-on experiments to help them create a mental visualization of the concept being
taught. At the end of each unit a science fair will be held in the classroom where students
will be asked to bring in projects they have created using manipulatives such as tri-folds,
posters, or power point presentations that they will present to the class. They will be
encouraged to use art supplies such as pipe cleaners, markers, glue, and ext.
We will promote a productive classroom environment where there is little down-time.
Students will always know what is expected of them and will never be aimlessly
wondering around the classroom. This will eliminate problem behaviors associated with
boredom and lack of direction/instruction. Students will be kept in partners to eliminate
the distractions that come along with working with a group. There will be less people
around them that could potentially distract them.

Commented [JNR7]: INTASC Standards: Reflective practice:
professional development: the teacher is a reflective practitioner
who continually evaluates the effects of his or her choices and
actions on others and who actively seeks out opportunities to grow
professionally.
Commented [JNR8R7]: Here, we reflected on previous ways
we structured the learning process and tried to only include the
most successful ways
VI) Describe how you will respond to inappropriate behavior:
The two types of inappropriate behavior are junk/nuisance behavior and problem
behavior. Junk/nuisance behavior can be defined as any behavior that is age typical and
annoying but is not harmful to the child, others, or property. Examples of junk behavior
may include tapping pencil, playing with hair, tapping foot, and ext. Problem behavior is
any behavior deemed inappropriate due to frequency, situation or location. Example of
problem behavior may include acting out, aggression, property damage, tantrums,
wandering, and ext.
We will response to junk behavior by implementing tool 3. We implement it by ignoring
the junk behavior of one child and giving positive consequences for the appropriate
behavior of another child. We will give the positive consequence for the appropriate
behavior of another child within three seconds, loudly in a public manner so that the child
demonstrating junk behavior will recognize their junk behavior and correct it in order to
receive the same positive consequence. An example of this method would be if a child
was slouching in their seat and twilling their hair we would provide a movie ticket to a
student who is sitting up straight, participating, and paying attention. When the junk
behavior of the other child stops we will reward them with the same positive consequence
within three seconds.
We will respond to problem behavior by implementing tool 4. We will stop, redirect, and
give positive consequences to the student demonstrating bad behavior. We will do this by
getting within arms reach of the child, telling them to stop the behavior verbally, making
sure the child stops the behavior and if they dont we will use gentle physical guidance,
telling the child to do something else, giving positive consequences for doing appropriate
behavior within three seconds, ignoring junk behavior throughout the process, and
staying cool. An example of this process would be if a student gets up during a class
discussion and starts to wander around the classroom we will get in arms reach of the
child and ask them to sit down. If they do not return to their seat we will use gentle
physical guidance and provide them with a scientific crossword puzzle to complete.
Within three seconds of them sitting down and working on the crossword we will
reinforce their positive behavior with verbal praise and a homework pass.
A behavioral contract will come into play when a student continues a particular problem
behavior over time and we find ourselves increasingly using one of the four tools. A
behavioral contract represents the second level of intervention to further individualize our
approach with the problem student. A behavioral contract is a student-centered way of
defining behavioral expectations and increasing the likelihood of being able to catch
students doing things the correct way. The behavioral contract will focus on
reinforcement procedures rather than negative consequences. We will work with the
student to create a contract that we will be able to see sufficient improvement in behavior
so that we can wean the student off the contract within a reasonable amount of time.
Commented [JNR9]: INTASC Standards: Motivation and
management: the teachers uses an understanding of individual/
group motivation and behaviors create a learning environment that
encourages positive social interaction, active engagement in
learning, and self-motivation
Commented [JNR10R9]: We can up with a pre-established
plan to handle the two different types of inappropriate behavior so
our expectations were clear to the class from day 1
A student in our classroom is constantly getting caught sleeping during our lectures. This
behavior has become pretty consistent and is starting to occur 2-3 times during the week.
We have talked to the student privately about the behavior as well as contacted his
parents to make sure there is not anything at home may be causing this behavior. His
parents stated that he is getting enough sleep and they are not sure why this is becoming a
problem. We have gone through all four of the tools to try and correct his problem
behavior to no avail. This students problem behavior has reached a point at which it is
increasingly clear that continuing the exact same approach that has been employed to
date will likely only result in the same types of problems. Therefore we have decided that
a behavioral contract will work best with this student. We sit down with the student to
create a plan that will work with the student in a way that is also compatible with our
system of classroom management. Example of behavioral contract attached.

VII) Describe self-monitoring of your distribution of positives (tool 2) vs. corrective feedback
(tool 4):
The 4- to-1 ratio is four positive reinforcements for every corrective feedback for
problem behavior. It is important because without being conscious of the ratio we may
start focusing too much effort on correcting problem behavior and neglect providing
positive reinforcement. Positive reinforcement also promotes a better learning
environment for children and motivates them to be better learners. The 4-to-1 ratio is
important for teacher and student control and also shows that the teacher wants to stay
positive.
The time interval for which the 4-to-1 ratio is achieved is different from student-to-
student on the basis of each students needs. Some students in our classroom who show
limited problem behavior will not need the 4-to-1 ratio as frequently as a student who
shows frequent problem behavior. Student who show low or nonexistent problem
behavior grants us more time to provide reinforcement for expected behavior. On the
other hand students who show daily rates of problem behavior suggests that we may have
up to no more than a full day to catch the student doing things the right way on at least
four occasions.
We will periodically self-monitor ourselves by loosely wrapping a piece of masking tape
around your right and left wrist and by keeping a marker handy. Place one slash mark on
the tape on your right wrist every time we provide positive reinforcement (catch a kid
being good). We will place one slash mark on the tape on our right wrists when we
provide behavioral correction. At the end of the day we will tally how many slashes we
have on both of our wrists and calculate a ratio based on our count. Individually we will
replicate this process by focusing on a given child if needed. We will monitor ourselves
as teachers by making sure we always have a 4-to-1 ratio and if we find ourselves giving
out too much behavioral corrections we will increase the amount of positive
reinforcement we provide. In order to monitor our correct use of tools 1-4 we will have a
check list of the appropriate steps to follow and make sure we are following all of the
steps for each tool. We will self-monitor our distribution of positives (tool 2) versus our
distribution of corrective feedback (tool 4) and increase or decrease them as needed. Data
collection sheet attached.

Commented [JNR11]: INTASC Standards: Motivation and
management: the teachers uses an understanding of individual/
group motivation and behaviors create a learning environment that
encourages positive social interaction, active engagement in
learning, and self-motivation

VIII) Describe how you will screen for given students who are in need of 1) a behavioral
contract and 2) a functional behavioral assessment (FBA) and 3) a person-centered
behavioral intervention and support plan:
We will use an RtI approach to monitor our students responses to our prevention and
intervention techniques by first allowing the student to monitor their own behavior and in
turn allow them to provide themselves with the appropriate positive reinforcement.
Second, if the problem behavior does not decrease and the student cannot properly
monitor them we will monitor the student behavior along with the student while still
allowing them to provide them with the appropriate positive reinforcement. Finally, if the
problem behavior still is not being corrected we will take full control of monitoring the
students behavior and providing them with the appropriate positive reinforcement.
Student response will influence our decision making in numerous ways. If the students
respond well to our first approach then there will be no need to move on to the second
approach. However, if the students problem behavior increases we will move through
the three tiers more quickly.
Increasing problem behavior will impact our use of tool 2 because we will have to use
tool 4 more often. Instead of giving positive consequences to a well-behaved student in
hopes to correct another students problem behavior we will have to go immediately to
tool 4 and stop-redirect- and give consequences if the problem behavior is increasing.
The more problem behavior the student has the less time we will be able to devote to tool
2 because the likelihood of the problem behavior stopping is doubtful. Tool 4 deals
directly with the student with the increasing problem behavior and will most likely stop
that behavior faster than using tool 2 which deals indirectly with that student. Taking the
more direct approach will stop the problem behavior sooner. Increasing problem behavior
will impact our use of the 4-to-1 ratio as well. The more times a problem behavior occurs
the less time we will have to notice positive behavior and provide positive consequences.
We will be giving more negative comments than positive consequences as the likelihood
of the problem behavior increases. If the student is demonstrating problem behavior more
than once a day it will becoming nearly impossible for us to find four or more positive
behavior between each occurrence of problem behavior.

Commented [JNR12]: INTASC Standards: 3: Diverse learnings-
the teacher understands how students differ in their approaches to
learning and creates instructional opportunities that support a
childs intellectual, social, and personal development
Commented [JNR13R12]: Here, we identified ways we would
cater to the learner with diverse needs
Attached:
o Classroom arrangement diagram
o 3-5 classroom expectations chart
o Example of behavior contract
o Self-monitoring data collection sheet