Running Head: PERSONAL CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT PLAN

Jennille A. Love
Personal Classroom Management Plan
Antioch University Midwest

Section 1
Life is full of contradictions and double-standards. Unfortunately, the classroom is no
exception; on every turn, we as teachers say one thing, but require something totally different.
One contradiction is how most teachers set up their desks in rows which offer the perception of
individuality, yet the room is crowded with nearly thirty students. We as teachers ask students to
walk around throughout the day as if they are alone or in a state of solitude, but they are
completely surrounded by other people for nearly eight or nine hours, five days a week. Along
with being totally surrounded, and being forced to exist in a false state of solitude, middle and
secondary teachers often blindly pair students together for assignments or discussions without
considering whether they even know or like one another. As teachers, all too often we repeat
practices and scenarios that we were subjected to in middle and secondary school without
strongly considering the purpose for the practice. Weinstein (2011) offers this unique view of the
contradictions that are present in schools for educators to assess and evaluate how these
situations impact the learning environment, and how they affect ones classroom management.
Classroom Rules
Fred Jones notes, in Positive Classroom Discipline, (1987) that classroom rules should be
both general and specific. The general rules should be few in number and generic, while the
specific rules should outline how the processes and procedures of the classroom are to be
performed. Jones notes that in order for students to become proficient in following these rules,
they must be rehearsed on a consistent and regular basis. He suggests using the first two weeks
of school to practice these rules and procedures. The following is a list of my potential general
rules:
1. Come to class prepared

2.
3.
4.
5.

Follow all classroom procedures

Maintain a positive attitude
Respect everyone and everything
Always do your best

Consequences
Along with setting general and specific rules, Jones admits that there will still be times when
teachers will have to have backup plans in place to help manage misbehaving students that
refuse to comply with the class rules. Below is a list of possible backup plans or consequences
that I plan to use in my classroom.
1. Verbal Warning- The student will be reprimanded once, and told that this is their verbal
warning to stop their current misbehavior.
2. Isolation or Writing Assignment- Depending on the severity of the infraction, the
student will either be put in isolation or given a writing assignment. Isolation will include
being removed from the rest of the class, and forced to work alone. A writing assignment
will likely be a Think-it-Over sheet. This is an activity that directs the student to reflect
on their misbehavior, the impact of their actions, and an opportunity to write out
strategies they will enact to avoid repeating the same offense.
3. Lunch detention & call home- If the misbehavior persists, the student will be made to
serve a lunch detention, and I will also call the parent to inform them of the incident(s)
that led to the specific consequence.
4. Parent conference- If no improvement has been shown in the students behavior, or if
the isolated incident exceeds the previous consequences, I will call to schedule a
conference with the student and parent.
Rewards/Positive Reinforcement

Positive Discipline in the Classroom (2000) experts Nelson, Lott, and Glenn outline
strategies that teachers can use to build positive relationships with students. One section entitled
Relationship Barriers and Builders outlines five pairs of certain behaviors that teachers may
demonstrate that can either be a barrier or help build a relationship with their students.
Expecting versus Celebrating is one aspect that teachers must be mindful of. Although it is
important that teachers have high expectations for their students, it is equally paramount that
they make a concerted effort to encourage them. As a teacher, I will do my very best to reward
positive behavior in the class. I will use a system known as the Love Bug Slips. When I notice
a student doing something good, without being prompted, such as: picking up trash, contributing
to class discussions, working well within a group, or helping a fellow student, I will give them a
Love Bug Slip. I will continue to emphasize to the students that I fully expect to see these actions
from them on a regular and consistent basis, and I desire for them to grow to demonstrating
exceptionally great behaviors in class.
In addition to receiving a Love Bug Slips, I will have each student complete two
postcards in the beginning of the school year. I will select two students a week, and send these
positive postcards to the students home, to share their great behavior with their parents. I believe
this will intrinsically motivate the students to continue demonstrating positive behaviors.
Finally, along with the aforementioned positive reinforcement methods, I will use
intermittent celebrations and positive feedback to recognize when students have done something
well. I will work with the students to develop celebration routines and quick cheers that we can
perform to recognize a job well done. I believe gaining their feedback and support will ensure
they are excited about this form of reinforcement, and will secure their participation. I will also
encourage the students by offering specific, positive feedback. I will go beyond the standard

good job by offering encouragement that is not a judgment of their academic performance. I
want the students to know that several good actions can garner positive feedback, not just getting
a good grade.
Section 2

i.

Culture/ethnicity
Managing todays diverse classrooms requires the knowledge, skills, and predispositions

to work with students from diverse racial, ethnic, language, and social class backgrounds. In
other words, teachers must become culturally responsive managers (Weinstein, 2011). I must
be cognizant of students race, ethnicity, and language differences. It is also crucial not to
assume that they all have similar backgrounds and experiences. I must look at each student as an
individual, and take their personal life story into account. I plan to model acceptance and
tolerance of each students differences, while being conscientious not to bring my biases into the
classroom. Demonstrating empathy toward my students and how they are being socialized
outside of the classroom will be essential to our success.

ii.

Language (variable vocabulary strengths, non-English mother tongue, dialects,

speech disabilities)
Weinstein (2011) notes that for English Language Learners or, ELLs, unequal

participation can be problem; she states that, While ELLs can become proficient in
conversations with their peers after about two years of exposure to English, it can take five to
seven years for them to acquire grade-level proficiency in academic discourse, (p.298). Within
my class, I must be conscientious that each student gets an opportunity to share or attempt to

answer a question. I plan to use the Post-it Note method of discussions. For this particular
group, I believe that it can have a few key benefits. First, it will be a welcome change to the way
that most students are accustomed to holding discussions. Secondly, the playing field will be
equal; each student will have to communicate the same way, and this will give each of them a
chance to write out their thoughts and feelings without spelling or mechanics counting against
them, and will help the ELL students participate in the discussion.

iii.

Special needs (gifted, various disabilities)

Learning disabilities can be defined as, difficulty in acquiring and using reading,

writing, reasoning, listening, or mathematical abilities (Eggen & Kauchak, 2010, p.138). As an
educator that will make every effort to ensure that students with learning disabilities receive a
free and appropriate public education, I will have an inclusive learning environment. Realizing
that many schools are mainstreaming students with exceptionalities, I will modify my lessons for
these students to ensure that they receive an appropriate education. Weinstein (2011) asserts that,
all students can thrive when teachers are fair, encouraging, and willing to listen and when they
provide opportunities for independence along with needed support (p. 118). I will make it my
professional objective to provide a safe and caring environment for all of my students, especially
those with exceptionalities.

iv.

Learning styles
Eggen and Kauchak (2010) define learning styles as, students personal approaches to

learning and problem solving, and processing information (p.131). There are various
perspectives on the validity of learning styles, and whether teachers should alter the learning
environment to match the students learning styles or not. Experts on both sides of the

conversation make legitimate arguments to support their stance for or against the importance of
student learning styles or preferences. In terms of instructional approach, I plan to follow the
logic of assessing my students learning styles to help structure and direct my teaching methods.
I believe that most students, especially those in middle and secondary school, have a basic
understanding of how they prefer to learn information. I also believe that teachers must
differentiate their instruction to give each student the opportunity to learn and understand the
concepts being presented.

v.

Socioeconomic status
Tama Laventhal explores the effects of neighborhoods on child development in her

article, The Neighborhoods They Live In: The Effects of Neighborhood Residence on Child and
Adolescent Outcomes (2000). The author contends that there are a great deal of factors that play
into the growth and development of a child. Extensive research reveals how different
circumstances and socioeconomic factors play a role in a childs development, specifically the
effects of neighborhood residence on child and adolescent well-being.
The study also analyzes school readiness and achievement, behavioral and emotional
problems, sexuality, and childbearing. Not surprisingly, according to the study, having neighbors
with high socioeconomic status has a positive effect on school readiness and achievement,
especially for European American students. Across all demographics, high socioeconomic status
has a positive effect on readiness and achievement. The Gautreaux Study (Rosenbaum, et al.,
1988) sampled 342 African American and Latino families from public housing. It showed that,
Youth who moved to more affluent suburbs were more likely to graduate high school, take
college prep classes, and go to college than youth who remained in the city. In the studies

dealing with behavioral problems, sexuality, and childbearing (premarital sex and teen
pregnancy), the results were almost identical; high socioeconomic status has a positive effect on
those issues, while low socioeconomic status produces a negative effect in every scenario.
Knowing that there is a strong possibility that I will have students that are at-risk, I plan to
keep essential items on hand to guarantee that each student has what they need while at school to
continue to foster and cultivate a safe, secure, environment. I will purchase multiple supplies
such as pencils, pens, filler paper, spiral notebooks, and folders, as well as keep healthy food in
the class that can be used both as incentives and as a quick snack to curb their hunger until their
next meal, to help them stay focused throughout the day. In addition, I will keep toiletry items in
a special location within the classroom so that students needing them can privately groom and
clean themselves if they are unable to do so prior to arriving at school. I will make the
commitment to do what I can at school to remove barriers, and to support their academic
success.

vi.

Types of adult caregivers (e.g., parents, relatives, social agencies)

Building a strong partnership with families is an essential component to helping the students

successfully achieve in the classroom and in school. However, working with families becomes a
much more difficult task once students enter secondary school. According to Weinstein, there are
several factors for why this phenomenon occurs. First, teachers are often reluctant to work with
families because of the extra time and energy that are required (Weinstein, 2011, p. 159).
Working with families is also difficult because parents are not enthusiastic about getting
involved with their childs education because it causes them to reflect on a traumatic experience
they may have endured while in school. They may also be unfamiliar with the content, or they

believe they are simply allowing the professionals to do their job while they stay out of the way.
Even with all of these different viewpoints, the fact remains that teachers and parents must work
together to give their children the best opportunity to attain academic success.
One of the methods that I plan to use to build a partnership with my students and their
parents is to host a Family Matters picnic at my home shortly after the school year has started.
I will also use the picnic as an opportunity to let the parents know about the goals that I have set
for the year, my teaching style, my class routines, and the support that I will need from them as
the school year progresses. The picnic will also serve as a forum to allow parents/caregivers to
ask any questions and gain clarification on information that I have presented.

vii.

Ability levels (variable in every classroom)

Curwin and Mendler assert that is it imperative to treat students with dignity in Discipline
with Dignity. They define dignity as, respect for life and oneself (2001, p. 131). This will be
critical when determining whether to group students based on their ability level. Although ability
grouping is quite popular in elementary school, it must be considered carefully when determining
whether to do the same in middle and secondary schools. The notion of grouping or tracking is
very controversial, where students demonstrating high levels of intelligence are placed in college
preparatory classes, while low ability students are enrolled in vocational or work-related courses.
I currently struggle with the idea of placing certain students in specific courses because I often
believe that it can unfairly label students that may actually have the desire and aptitude to
succeed in college, but are not permitted to take classes that will actually prepare them for what
they will encounter as an undergraduate student. Therefore, I simply plan to offer every student
that enters my classroom the best opportunity to be successful, while presenting an

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interdisciplinary approach to my instruction. Along with differentiating my instruction, I will

embed social and work force preparation skills within my academic content area. I believe
students must have a blend of both life and academic skills to be successful in their professional
life.
Conclusion
Functioning as a teacher has several benefits, but it also presents many challenges that must
be addressed prior to entering the classroom. It is imperative that before the first bell on the first
day of school rings, you walk in with a plan in place of how your classroom will function, what
your expectations are, and how you plan to react in a myriad of situations. As a teacher, it is not
only our job to teach students specific subject matter, but it is also our responsibility to ensure
that they are entering a safe, caring environment, and that requires developing and implementing
a comprehensive classroom management plan. As one notable individual states, Failure to plan
is a plan to fail, therefore, it is a requirement that every teacher enter into the classroom with an
outline of how to manage their classroom to support and foster every students academic growth
and success.

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References
Curwin, R.,and Mendler, A. (1988). Discipline with dignity. Upper Saddle, NJ: Merrill.
Eggen, P., and Kauchak, D. (2010). Educational psychology. Upper Saddle, NJ: Merrill.

Jones, Fred. (1987). Positive Classroom Discipline. New York, NY: McGraw Hill.
Leventhal, T. (2000). The neighborhoods they live in: The effects of residence on child and
adolescent outcomes. Psychological Bulletin, 126(2), 309-37. Retrieved from
http://www.gxe2010.org/Speakers/pubs/Brooks-Gunn_2000a.pdf
Nelson, J., Lott, L., and Glenn, H., (2000). Positive discipline in the classroom. Rocklin, CA:
Prima.
Rosenbaum, J., Kulieke, & Rubinowitz, L. (1988). White suburban schools' responses to lowincome black children: Sources of successes and problems. The Urban Review 20(1): 2841.
Weinstein, C. S., and Novodvorsky, I. (2011). Middle and secondary classroom management:
Lessons from research and practice. New York, NY: McGraw Hill.