Classroom Management Plan

Students behave best when they are shown respect, when their contributions are
welcome, and when they feel they have clear and manageable expectations. As a teacher, I
hope to foster that sentiment through positivity, trust, and clear structure.

Routines

The first day of class, I will have students line up in the hall while I explain how we will
enter the classroom going forward. If possible, I would like to greet students at the door as
they come in. From there, they will be expected to plug in or put away their phone, collect any
material laid out on a specified table, then head to their seats and begin the do-now activity. I
will always have clear instructions on the do-now for what to do when finished. There will also
be a clear turn-in system organized by period. I intend to establish early on the expectation that
we will be working constantly throughout the class period.

Restroom/Water

Depending on proximity to the water fountain, students will be allowed to get water at
their discretion. Students will be expected to ask to use the restroom and, when doing so, will
need to leave their phone in a box by the door in exchange for the pass.

Classroom Arrangement

I prefer desks arranged in pairs or groups of 3 (in a u-shape), all facing a focal point in
the room. Students will be allowed to sit where they please unless doing so becomes a
distraction, at which point I will create a seating chart.

I believe a well-decorated classroom creates a welcoming and inspiring atmosphere for

students. Doing so also allows me to direct the classroom’s attention to relevant displays. I will
invest in lighting and decoration and take advantage of natural lighting so the room stimulates
students.
 There will be a table or desk in a back part of the classroom where students can go if
they need alone time. They will still be expected to complete work but will have a space to
catch their breath or avoid interaction until they are comfortable returning to their seat.

Electronics Policy

As part of their entry routine, students will be expected to either store their phone in
their backpack or in a shoe-rack by the door where I will provide various chargers. This is a
positive alternative that I have seen many students eagerly take advantage of. Any issues later
with phones will result in confiscation (by providing them a box to turn their phone into) and a
refusal to comply will result in contacting home (or the appropriate level of escalation per
school policy).

Student Participation

Students are encouraged to take an active role in my lessons. I do so by scripting and

improvising questions and activities that encourage students to critically engage with content. I
find asking students to critically consider themselves and their surroundings gives them an
interesting reason to remain productively engaged.

Student-Teacher Feedback

I will implement feedback systems so students can submit anonymous feedback and
mid-semester and mid-year evaluations. I want to customize the class to their liking and make
clear that their engagement and interest is meaningful to me.

Redirection

Generally, I encourage lively debate and discussion, and welcome brief side
conversations if doing so contributes to the lesson at hand. However, repeated disruption
requires redirection. I usually do so positively, by engaging the student at hand with a question
relating to the material, rather than openly criticizing a behavior. Most students respond well to
such redirection. I also find that later engaging with those students directly – perhaps by sitting
with them and discussing the material – prevents those students from feeling called out, and
instead shows them that I am interested in their learning. Likewise, simply moving near
students often ends side discussions without my direct involvement.

I will lay out in the syllabus how I will respond to student misbehavior. On the first day, I
will ask the students “how can we show respect in this classroom?” and I will outline the
consequences of failing to meet that standard. Consequences will follow school policy.

Campus and Community Involvement

Lastly, I believe being seen in the community and on campus is crucial to running a
classroom. Students engage when they see their teachers as people and not just lecturers, and I
want to support my students in and out of the classroom. I intend to live near my school and to
participate in school events, from attending games and concerts to sponsoring clubs. During my
internship, I helped the school facilitate an immigration clinic and helped sponsor the school
LGBTQ-Student Alliance. I would like to do both again. I met several my students at both clubs
and events, and those students grew more invested in my class.