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

Classroom Management Plan

Physical Classroom Organization

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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

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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
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

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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. 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

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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)

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

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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 classroom expectations
because
it adds to their ownership of the
TRY
classroom. They will feel more
responsible for upholding the expectations
if
YOUR
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.
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 w
their attention needs.
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Rather, I will use a 5 step
system shown in
the diagram. The students will
be shown this diagram and
made aware of what exactly will
happen in each step. This
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 verbal warning to the
student.
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

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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 Think
Sheet before returning to desired 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
______________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________.
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

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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 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

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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 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

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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.
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

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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 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

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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