Classroom Management Plan

Connor Wiley
ED327
Theoretical Introduction:
Mathematics curriculum is imperative in the cognitive development of many adolescents.

Mathematics teaches very specific content knowledge that will become useful in further

advanced math classes as well as in every day use. The curriculum of mathematics also teaches

softer skills like abstract reasoning, problem solving, persistence, curiosity, and spatial

reasoning. All of which are important skills for any career path or college major.

In the text Becoming a Middle Level Teacher: Student-Focused Teaching of Early

Adolescents, Vatterott defines the seven needs of young adolescents as the need for: diversity,

self-exploration and self-definition, positive social interaction with both peers and adults,

physical activity, competence and achievement, structure and clear limits. (Vatterott, 2016) Thus,

an effective mathematics classroom would form surrounding these needs of students. The only

effective way to fulfill these needs and teach content and underlying skills is to have a well-

managed classroom. Factors to help induce a well-managed classroom include student-centered

learning, classroom climate, student-teacher relationships, and student empowerment through

engagement in material and classroom culture. With a well-managed classroom, and by

extension these factors, a class spends less time on discipline and review and more time learning

new material and finding relevance in real-life models. Thus, there is much more overall

learning, which makes for an ineffective classroom.

Marzano, Pickering, and Pollock have identified nine factors in a classroom that are

proven through empirical data to improve classroom management. Those factors are: identifying

similarities and differences, summarizing and note taking, reinforcing effort and providing

recognition, homework and practice, nonlinguistic representations, cooperative learning, setting

objectives and providing feedback, generating and testing hypotheses, and questions, cues and
advance organizers. (Marzano, 7) When these factors are put in place effectively in a classroom,

the students will benefit by learning more effectively and the teacher will benefit by having a

well-managed classroom that learns at an increased rate.

Dr. Allen Mendler is one of the founders of the behavior management strategy aptly

named Discipline with Dignity. His findings conclude that when teachers create an environment

where the curriculum seems relevant to the students, the teacher has constructed and bolsters a

positive relationship with each student, and the students feel safe to take risks. (McCormick,

2018) Through building these positive relationships with students, students begin to take

ownership of their learning and their classroom. This is done by creating a common classroom

culture that all students can agree upon. For example, constructing and drafting a classroom

contract at the beginning of the year that holds both students and the teacher responsible to their

respective responsibilities. This in result will increase students’ self-esteem and engagement in

material and classroom activities.

Jacob Kounin studied how teachers could use different techniques in a classroom so as to

improve classroom behavior, effectiveness, and overall production. Through his studies he

concluded that the more important factor in classroom management is the behavior of the

teacher, not their demeanor. He also concluded that the following are ways positive behavioral

strategies for teachers: ripple effect, withitness, overlapping, effective transitions, momentum,

and smoothness. (Teacher's Column, 2016)

Ripple effect is the idea that when a teacher identifies a misbehavior, specifically states

the misbehavior and why it was inappropriate. This will deter surrounding students from also

behaving in that manner. Thus, creating a ripple effect of well-behaved students. Withitness is

the concept of teachers always being aware of what is happening in their classroom. Students
should know that the teacher is aware at all times. It is similar to the concept of the teacher

having eyes in the back of their head. Overlapping is exactly as it seems, where the teacher is

completing two monitoring tasks at one time. So for example as a teacher is giving feedback to

an individual student they are also scanning the entire classroom. Effective transitions is mostly

found in the lesson planning stage of creating lessons that flow well, and there are no abrupt

changes in activities. Kounin believes that the smoother a lesson is, the less likely students will

be to act out. Momentum refers to the flow and pace of a lesson. Lessons with a brisk pace can

pull students to engage and give them a sense of urgency that will keep them from acting out.

Finally, smoothness refers to the idea that a lesson should not be derailed by irrelevant issues.

The most vulnerable time for the lesson to be derailed is during transition periods, and so it is

imperative for teachers to eliminate and possible barriers to keeping a smooth lesson. (Teacher's

Column, 2016)

Harry Wong’s books called The First Days of School: How to be an Effective Teacher

tells the importance of setting expectations within the first few weeks. These first few weeks are

imperative because when the teacher spends the beginning of the year setting expectations,

organizing and structuring their room and class so that students know what to do for the

remainder of the year. (Wong & Wong, 2009) The teacher is minimizing the room for

misbehavior to happen when they have already set clear expectations and hold the students to

them. The important piece to a successful year is consistently reinforcing the expectations and

rules that were set up at the start of the year. (Wong & Wong, 2009) This gives students a safe

and predictable environment where they can learn and grow throughout the year.

Overall classroom management is important for constructing a positive classroom

culture. It helps the teacher to create positive student relationships and allows for increased
student growth. This successful classroom environment successfully meets the needs of

adolescent learners. The goal of my classroom will be to use mathematics to foster a love of life-

long learning through student-centered learning and strong student-teacher relationships.

Expectations, Policies, Rules, and Boundaries:

To help promote the positive classroom environment that will meet the needs of adolescent

learners, there must be well-structured expectations of the students set forth by the teacher. This

will be accompanied by expectations of the teacher, agreed upon by the students. A sample of

the student expectations are:

 Be present and engage in the classroom

 Ask on-topic questions

 Learn from your mistakes, and

 Respect all members of the class

One aspect that will be foundational to my classroom culture will be the concept of

accountability. Students and the teacher, myself, will have to be accountable for their mistakes,

responsibilities, and upholding of expectations. Expectations for the teacher in my classroom,

which are agreed upon by the students, may include:

 Come to class prepared every day

 Communicate effectively and clearly

 Embrace mistakes and understand they are a part of learning, and

 Do your best every day

 With these expectations in mind, there is now a clearer picture of the classroom climate that

is shaped by these expectations. Because these are just a sample of the tone of the expectations

and not set in stone, and still need to be agreed upon by the students, means that students will

have a say in their own learning environment in so that they can take ownership of their

community. Students will also help with the construction of a classroom contract, which will

structure classroom interactions with respect, acceptance, and accountability. (McCormick,

2018) This is purposefully to create a climate where students feel they are a part of a community

that they can be proud of. Large amounts of class work will be group-based work or projects and

students will have the opportunity to take a leadership role in helping the facilitation of learning

in those environments. (Wong & Wong, 2009) This will help to build the community climate as

students will learn to work with diverse members of the classroom.

To help facilitate the above description of the climate in the classroom, students will have

assigned seats until they have earned the privilege of choosing their own seats. These assigned

seats will rotate on a regular basis to ensure that students are continually engaging in a large

majority of the classroom. Desks will be moved so that student-to-student engagement is

emphasized compared to rows of desks facing forward which emphasizes a teacher-focused

classroom.

Classroom procedures will be set in the first two weeks of the year, or semester if new

procedures need to be put into place. These procedures will include various processes of

handing out papers, turning in homework, receiving completed homework with teacher feedback,

and proper small group interactions. It is important to set and stick to these procedures early in

the school year so to fulfill students’ needs as well create a classroom environment conducive to

effective learning.
 Students are expected to enter the classroom on time, pick up the necessary papers and

handouts on the table by the door as they walk in, and begin to work on the Do-Now problem

that will be posted on the board at the front of the class. Students are encouraged to work alone

or together based on what they feel will help them learn the most, however if students are found

to be off task while working together, they will be told to work with other partners or alone.

Students will have a bin to turn in their homework at the beginning of each class. If a student

misses an assignment, it is expected of them to turn it in as soon as they can. The teacher will

give feedback by the next class period. If the teacher deems that a student didn’t complete the

assignment appropriately, the student will be asked to retry the homework for an extra learning

opportunity.

Students will complete an introductory activity at the beginning of each class, most

commonly referred to as a Do Now activity. This is to effectively transition the students into the

classroom setting and get them to begin to engage with the material for the day.

Students will interact with each other based on the aforementioned expectations. They will

communicate with respect and dignity, and each student will have various jobs to keep the group

working effectively. These responsibilities can include: time-keeper, scribe, facilitator,

calculator, question master, and note-checker. All students will be expected to check their notes

and other resources before posing a question to the teacher.

One major concept that I want to teach my students is accountability. Through rules and

expectations set early in the class year, I will be able to promote positive behavior and mitigate

negative. Students should eventually be able to self-regulate as an individual and as a class. That

is why I will construct a classroom contract with my students. It will consist of the basic
foundational rules for all classroom activity. We will write and sign this contract within the first

few days. This is to build ownership of the classroom and actions within the classroom right

away. Rules that could be included in the contract include:

 Respect ourselves, one another, and the classroom environment

 Challenge yourself and one another to do better

 Come to class prepare to engage in material

 Make room for mistakes

Any other rules that are drafted for the contract would be based on students’ past experiences

with classes that they have enjoyed and learned a lot from.

With the expectations and rules in mind, it is important for students to understand what

happens when they or the teacher infringe or disregard the expectations and rules. Consequences

can vary greatly depending on the context of the situation and developmental level of the

students. If it is the act of a single individual and is non-disruptive to the progression of the

class, then the teacher will discuss possible consequences in the door to the hallway while the

rest of the class completes an activity. Possible consequences can range from loss of privilege to

a call or email home, where if the act is especially disrespectful then the student will have to call

home themselves. If a student is being disruptive then the teacher will undergo a routine of

various redirection techniques that start with nonverbal cues, to verbal cues, to a private

conference where the student and teacher come to agreement on fair consequences. This gives

the student an opportunity to correct their own behavior and be accountable. If the teacher is

found to be infringing upon or disregarding the expectations and rules. The teacher will issue a
formal apology and inform the class on how they will make strides to fulfilling those rules and

expectations.

Instructional and Assessment Strategies:

As part of student-focused instruction and student-centered learning. Much of the

instruction will take place in the setting of small group or large group activities. Students will be

encouraged to learn from one another which will help to fulfill some of the need of the

adolescent learner. Broad-based concepts and principles will be the backbone of the curriculum

while students wrestle with the more specific ideas and standards with some direct instruction

when deemed necessary. The teacher will work to create lesson plans with mini-projects and

hands-on and engaging activities so that students can enjoy the learning process and engage with

the material on a more personal level. As discussed earlier, accountability is fundamental to

success in this classroom, and that includes holding your classmates accountable. Thus, during

group work, students will work on completing the activity as well as keeping each other engaged

and on task.

These activities and projects will act as the majority of in-class formative assessments.

The teacher will be able to gauge the class’s progress, as well as the individual student’s

progress. When the teacher deems that a lesson doesn’t have enough formative assessment, they

will implement an exit slip where the students individually, possibly anonymously, complete the

concept, problem, or standard of the day to show how much progress they have made in that day.

The procedure will be similar, and the materials will be included at the beginning of the lesson at

the table by the door.

 Homework will be another way that the teacher can assess the learning that is happening

in, and now outside, of the classroom. The expectation is that the student will complete the

homework to the best of their ability. The expectation for the teacher is that there is homework

every day, unless the teacher feels as though the students are ill-equipped to properly complete

the homework. The students will turn in their homework every day, and if they miss a day the

expectation is that they turn it in as soon as possible. The expectation for the teacher is to give

feedback on the homework and return it to the students by the next class period. Homework will

predominantly be graded on completeness, and the feedback will be to highlight common errors,

or areas that the student should focus in on. The teacher reserves the right to ask students to

recomplete a homework if it is graded not on completion but correctness.

Summative assessments will mostly take form of written examinations. Students will

have 20 minutes for quizzes and the full period for tests, unless the period exceeds 1 hour. The

assessments will be written with the time frames in mind, and most students should finish well

within the parameters. Large summative assessments will be graded and handed back out within

two class periods after all students have completed the assessment. Some summative

assessments will take form in projects or papers where appropriate with the curriculum.

When students act out in class, it is primarily due to lack of engagement. This is

primarily the fault of the teacher for not creating a lesson that engages all students of different

backgrounds, learning styles, and developmental needs. By creating engaging hands-on,

community-based lessons that incorporate large amounts of peer-peer instruction, the teacher

creates a space for students to fulfill their own needs and find the learning process is the most

effective for them.

Motivation
 Motivation is a key aspect of any classroom and keeping students engaged in the

curriculum and material presented in the classroom. As students engage in material and make

deeper connections to previous material that they have learned, either in the mathematics

classroom or other contents, they will want to continue to learn more. To build these

connections, activities and lessons must be built purposefully for student engagement and

through consideration of student interests, possibly with the option for choice.

This motivation can be created through a student-focused curriculum that meets the social

and developmental needs of all students. This will allow for the student to foster a personal

relationship with the curriculum which will help students to see the relevance of the curriculum

as well as fight apathy in the classroom. (Vatterott, 136) When teachers allow students to rise

above the boring and mundane class and explore different connections across disciplines and

previous classes. Student engagement will rise. This will allow them to recognize patterns that

will extend beyond the classroom. This will help to promote meaningful learning experiences

instead of rote memorization. This is supported through differentiation of material and activities

so that students can be their most successful.

There are ways that teachers can impact short-term motivation to complete smaller

everyday tasks. Verbal recognition and rewards in the classroom have are very impactful in

increasing intrinsic motivation for students to complete classroom tasks. (Marzano, 57) These

are also a good way to reward students who are completing the proper behavior such as raising

their hand while other students yell out answers. Teachers who hang up student work also help

to build student confidence and engagement in the classroom community.

Long-term motivation is centered around giving students options and choice in their

learning. When students are given multiple learning options, they are more likely to complete it
to the best of their ability as well as more deeply engage with the material. This will also allow

for the teacher to see patterns in student preferences and better get to know their students.

Building Relationships with Parents/Students

Building relationships with parents can be a large turning point in student success not

only in my class but in the student’s schooling. One of the largest factors in student success and

engagement in school is parent involvement. Starting the school year with a letter home to

parent outlining the classroom policies and procedures will help to start to build a positive

partnership. Parents need to understand their role in their student’s learning.

The largest impact a parent has is during homework time with the student. A parent can

be most impactful by engaging the student with their homework and helping to monitor their

progress. The parent involvement should be kept to a minimum as much as possible. Parents

should act as a facilitator where they should know what homework the student has and if they are

struggling with anything. (Marzano, 63) They should lead with questions not answers.

Telephone calls home will be used sparingly for updates on good and bad behavior. The

main point of contact with parents will be used through email. Parents will receive regular class

updates on various projects, unit plans, and larger assignments. It will also include higher-order

questions that they can engage with their student in. Students will receive a physical copy of this

information as well to bring home.

The most important factor when building relationships with individual students is to treat

them with the same respect that I expect from them. As many students continue to grow closer

to adulthood, they want to be seen more as responsible individuals who are closer to functioning

members of society than children. As students age, teachers must begin to earn the respect of the
students. When this is done correctly, it fulfills the developmental need for positive social

interactions with adults.

As the student and teacher interact with an underlying layer of respect, a mutual trust

begins to build. When students earn the trust of the teacher, they are allowed more freedoms in

the classroom and as the teacher earns the trust of the students, they will find that the classroom

will run smoother. Trust is the glue that will hold together student-teacher relationships.

With positive student-teacher relationships, behavior management will become less of an

issue, and will change in nature. When a student trusts and respects a teacher, they trust and

respect the guidelines set by the teacher. And when a teacher trusts and respects a student then

they allow for students to confess when they make mistakes and trust that the student will make

their best effort to minimize that behavior.

The first day of school, and even the first week, is imperative in setting up the tone of

these relationships. These relationships will determine the effectiveness of the entire school year

and can be determined within a week. Trust and respect are earned in drops and lost in buckets.

It’s imperative that the teacher takes the necessary time to get to know their students and allow

for their students to get to know them.

Vision

At the beginning of each class period I will great each student by name and remind them

to complete the entrance activity, or Do Now, that is posted neatly on the whiteboard. The Do

Now is posted by the lesson objective, agenda, and homework in the same place on the board as

the previous lesson. Students will take 5-7 minutes on this introductory activity and when they

are finished they will write down their homework in their planer.
 Once they have written down the homework due tomorrow, if they have any questions on

the homework from the previous nights, they will write the problem number and any additional

questions in the proper spot on the whiteboard. During this time the teacher will be asking

students who feel comfortable sharing to answer those questions on the board with the correct

answer. The teacher will collect all homework, and handout any previous homework

assignments with feedback.

Lessons will vary in type depending on the objective. There will be many different

activities that engage multiple modalities. Whenever there is direct instruction it will be limited

to 15 minutes of class time and will be broken up by periods for students to engage with each

other and talk over the material. The goal of each lesson will be the completion of the objective,

and for students to begin deeper level thinking about the material covered by the objective. For

example if the objective covers converting decimals to fractions, students will learn the process,

but will then also begin to discover why some values are represented as fractions and why some

are represented as decimals.

With 5 minutes left, there will be some formative assessment for the teacher to assess the

learning of the day. This will mostly take form in an exit slip. This could also be a journal entry,

a visual representation, or verbal exchange on the learning of the day. This will allow the

teacher to gauge the progress of the class and give an idea of where the lesson for tomorrow

should start off.

Upon completion of the final activity, students will double check that they have the

correct homework written in their planner and then pack up all materials, and make sure that

their workspace is clean and ready for the next class to use. Any remaining minutes will be used

to bolster student-teacher relationships through informal conversations. Topics of conversation

could include nightly plans, possible athletic events/performances in the near future, and general

interests and hobbies.

Conclusion

My classroom will focus on student growth and development. This will happen through

the regular use of student-focused practices. School is a place for students to learn a lot of

content knowledge, but also to learn how to be functioning members of society. The impact a

teacher can have on this is not lost on my, and I take that responsibility to heart.
Works Cited
Johnson, A., & Norris, K. (2006). Teaching Today's Mathematics in the Middle Grades. Boston: Pearson
Education, Inc.

Marzano, R. J., Pickering, D. J., & Pollock, J. E. (2001). Classroom Instruction that Works: Reasearch-
Based Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

McCormick, B. (2018). Discipline with Dignity . Retrieved from Stuff4Educators:

http://stuff4educators.com/index.php?p=1_29_Discipline-with-Dignity

Teacher's Column. (2016, October 5). Jacob Kounin's Classroom Management. Retrieved from Teacher's
Column: http://bcerdonio.wixsite.com/teacherscolumn/single-post/2016/10/05/JACOB-
KOUNINS-CLASSROOM-MANAGEMENT

Vatterott. (2016). Becoming a MIddle Level Teacher: Student-Focused Teaching of Early Adolescents.
McGraw Hill Education.

Wong, H. K., & Wong, R. T. (2009). The First Days of School: How to be an Effective Teacher. Singapore:
Harry K. Wong Publications, Inc.