Running head: CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT PLAN 1

Classroom Management Plan

Jessica Wung

UMUC
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Teaching can be one of the most challenging professions as educators have to put on

different hats within the classroom: mentor, manager, and role model. An effective teacher is

able to maintain a positive and structured learning environment for their students, and has the

greatest positive influence on student achievement and learning (Marzano, Marzano, &

Pickering, 2003). On the other hand, a poorly managed classroom is a breeding ground for chaos

and results in an inefficient classroom. With a classroom management plan in place however,

teachers are able to better maintain a structured classroom and handle potential issues.

One aspect of an effective teacher is the ability to recognize and immediately address

disruptive behavior (McIntyre, n.d.). Maintaining a learning environment without disruptions or

distractions is integral to facilitating student learning, and assertive discipline is one classroom

management method that can help teachers create a structured classroom (McIntyre, n.d).

Setting aside the first day of class at the beginning of the school year to go over classroom rules

and policies creates procedures for students and allows them to understand what the expectations

are (McIntyre, n.d.). If off-task behavior is identified, it is important to immediately address it or

at an appropriate time in private. Publicly calling out and humiliating students in front of their

peers as negative reinforcement only seeks to damage the teacher-student relationship and

promote distrust (Bowen, 2017). If the inappropriate behavior continues, the consequences then

escalate from a verbal warning, written warning, calling home, then calling the main office or

security, depending on the severity. It is also important to consistently enforce rules; otherwise,

it can cause confusion for students as they are not sure what consequences to expect.

A syllabus is another useful tool to give to students at the beginning of the year as it

clearly states what the policies are for grading, homework, and late work. For example, all work

(unless explicitly stated otherwise) must be handed in at the beginning of class; otherwise, it will
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be considered late and given a 10% penalty. For every day work is turned in late, it is an

additional 10% penalty, unless excused by the teacher. No work will be accepted three days past

the due date. In anticipation of individuals claiming ignorance of classroom policies, all students

will be required to fill out and turn in a worksheet based on the course syllabus. Students will

then be held accountable for knowing what expectations are.

Good momentum and transitions during lessons are another aspect of an effective teacher

(Robb, 2008). Managing time is a crucial skill to maintain a good flow to the lesson and avoid

moments during class where students have the potential to be off-task. One method is to plan for

an extra ten minutes for an activity in case students have questions or extra explanation is

required. Students will then not feel rushed during the lesson and the teacher is able to

accommodate students who require extra assistance. It is also equally important to account for

all time during class; otherwise, there is a potential for students to be off-task due to the lack of

direction. A solution is to have extra work prepared in case there is extra time so students have a

task to focus on.

Providing variety and challenge in coursework engages students and helps create an

effective learning environment (Robb, 2008). Simply sitting at a desk all day doing worksheets

does little to stimulate student interest in the material. Differentiated instruction is a great

strategy for teachers as it incorporates the diversity of student needs within the classroom (Robb,

2008). A principle of differentiated instruction is the inclusion of diverse learners; each student

has a different learning style and there can be a range of learning levels within the classroom. It

is possible to involve different student needs by incorporating different teaching methods and

activities in lessons and activities. Lectures can include diagrams and charts to accommodate

visual learners and videos can be shown for auditory learners. Assigning students to create a
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parody song of the material they have learned includes students with musical and interpersonal

intelligence. Incorporating interactive and engaging assignments throughout the school year

provides variety in the coursework students do and challenges them to find creative solutions.

Student choice is another principle of differentiated instruction. By providing choice,

students feel that they have control over their own learning and become more engaged in the

material (Robb, 2008). Students also vary in terms of skill level within the classroom; by

making options available, students are able to choose assignments that are appropriate for their

learning level and still fulfill course requirements. Though time consuming, a possible way to

include student choice in assignments is to create a “menu” of assignment options, with

“appetizer”, “main dish”, “side dish”, and “dessert” choices (Black Hills Special Services

Cooperative, 2006). Each category will have different weights on a student’s formative grade;

for example, the “main dish” will be worth more points than an “appetizer”. Although student

choice is a key principle in differentiated instruction, letting students choose their own groups

can lead to unbalanced and ineffective groups. By having the teacher assign groups, the skill

level of each student is taken into account to create more balanced groups. Mixed groups also

have the benefit of having lower level students learning through observing or being scaffolded by

their higher level peers.

Teachers must play a variety of roles in the classroom and still be able to run an effective

and inclusive classroom where the diverse needs of students are met. By having a classroom

management plan in place, educators can mitigate potential problems that may arise and create a

structured and effective learning environment beneficial to both student and teacher.
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References

Black Hills Special Services Cooperative. (2006). Menus. In On target: Strategies that

differentiate instruction (pp. 10-11) Retrieved from

https://education.ky.gov/educational/diff/documents/strategiesthatdifferentiateinstruction

4.12.pdf

Bowen, J. (2017, May 18). Why public shaming is an ineffective behaviour tool. Retrieved from

https://www.tes.com/news/why-public-shaming-ineffective-behaviour-tool

Marzano, R.J., Marzano, J.S., & Pickering, D.J. (2003) The critical role of classroom

management. In Classroom management that works: Research-based strategies for every

teacher (Chapter 1). Retrieved from

http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/103027/chapters/The-Critical-Role-of-

Classroom-Management.aspx

McIntyre, T. (n.d.) Assertive discipline. Retrieved from

http://www.behavioradvisor.com/AssertiveDiscipline.html

Robb, L. (2008) What is differentiated instruction? Retrieved from

https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/articles/teaching-content/what-differentiated-

instruction/