Instructor: Mr.

John Knight Classroom Management Wesley Pace

Classroom Management Plan

Part 1: Classroom Policies and Structure
Intro: An excellent teacher is a great leader; he/she is an exemplar in behavior, a model of respect,
and a cultivator of reverence for truth in the learning process. But even the best leader is hard-
pressed to guide an irreverent gaggle of learners. To avoid being a teacher-tyrant or doormat
walkover, an instructor must set forth classroom policies for his/her students to respect and abide
by. If these policies are too demanding, then students can become despondent or resentful toward
the way class is structured. Similarly, a teacher who does not define his/her classroom boundaries
from the start is likely to experience disrespectful students, disorderliness, and dysfunction in the
classroom. The following expresses my preliminary beliefs on classroom management and
structuring a classroom properly. I am sure that much of this will change as my classroom
experience increases.
Classroom Design: No person enjoys being lectured at, nor is there data-driven evidence to
support the idea that direct instruction alone is the most effective method of teaching. For these
reasons, it is important to build a classroom environment that incorporates inquiry-based
instruction. To facilitate such learning, the classroom design needs to have a focal point where
teacher instruction can happen and at the same time be structured so that learners can engage and
interact with each other. Thus, I am in favor of a classroom where students are grouped at tables
with three/four learners per station (i.e., horseshoe units). During tests/quizzes I will make sure that
students are properly distanced so that the temptation to look at a neighbor's work is eliminated. As
far as the physical layout of the classroom goes, the teacher needs easy access to all parts of the
classroom. This removes congestion and lets the instructor be efficient in helping students.
Structurally, it will be important that clear pathways to the emergency exits are clearly demarcated
and known by all the learners. This, along with teaching effective emergency strategies, will allow our
class to be fully prepared for the worst (e.g., lockouts, fires, etc.).
Classroom Expectations: Call me old-fashioned but setting and modeling behavioral expectations
from the start is key for success in a classroom. Not only do expectations need to be clearly defined
and posted in the classroom, they need to be maintained and enforced. That is, learners need to
know that a teacher cares about the learning process and requires compliance with classroom
policies. I plan on clearly defining my policies and designing them so that they are not excessively
rigid.
Instructional Routines: There are simple instructional routines that promote dynamic learning. I
will go over the most important ones. Learning mathematics can be incredibly challenging and much
attention must be paid to learning the language. I intend to have students turn off their phones and
store their electronic devices away, unless there is a tech-based activity that we are doing. This will
ensure that unneeded attractions are not diverting learners away from the lesson’s focus. Secondly, it
is important that student chatter is at a bare minimum during instruction. One of my FRCC (Front
Range Community College) math teachers had an excellent technique to manage classroom
disruptions, which I will be sure to borrow. Whenever learners were speaking out of turn, even if
their conversation were in context with the lecture, she would call the students by name and ask
them if they had a question. Most of the time students were puzzled by some concept and would
Instructor: Mr. John Knight Classroom Management Wesley Pace

phrase their misunderstanding in question form so that everyone could hear. If not, students quickly
realized their behavior violation and would reform. My instructor implemented this technique for
two important reasons: to make sure students upheld her classroom policy of not talking out of turn
and so that learners would ask questions that many other students were just as confused about.
When group work is taking place learners will have the liberty to engage in meaningful, respectful
discussion.
During instruction it is crucial that students stay engaged in the learning process. For this reason, a
Socratic approach is helpful (i.e., a facilitator that asks students meaningful questions to draw
Instructor: John Knight Classroom Management Plan Wesley Pace out their understanding). This
strategy includes incorporating wait time into my instruction so that students become self-initiated
and have time to think about the mathematical concepts. As a teacher I intend to make participation
a small part of the grade (5% for activities). Thus, I will encourage learners to share their thoughts.
That is, it is important to call on unengaged learners to answer questions and refrain from always
calling on students that frequently offer their input. Randomly calling on students keeps all learners
motivated to pay attention because there is no predicator for who will be chosen next. Also, not
always calling on the “know-it-all(s)" ensures that other students have the chance to participate in
classroom discussion. That is, there needs to be a careful balance between selecting students who
always respond in class and those that are despondent.
Non-Instructional Routines: I will greet my students at the door each day to show them respect
and have a better feel for how their day is progressing. At the first part of class I will assign a warm-
up activity (approx. 5 minutes) and take attendance. During group activities and work time I intend
to circulate around the room and assess how well students are performing/understanding. I will
supplement learners and provide timely feedback when they have questions, and I will make sure
that students are staying on task. When students are off task, I will gently remind them of our
classroom expectations. If disruptions take a turn for the worse, then I will be sure to have one-on-
one discussions with these students to see how we can fix the problem. I will be open to learning
more about what is affecting their learning practice and come to an agreement of how they will
modify their behavior. If students persist in breaking classroom policies, then I will seek help from
administration and set up a parent-teacher-student conference to find a solution.
Behavioral Strategies: I am a firm believer in positive reinforcement through acknowledgement of
work ethic and productive struggle. So, I will be sure to give students the encouragement they need
when they are putting forth their best effort. This will include promoting their curiosity to broaden
their horizons and accentuating the effort they put forward for solving a problem. I will avoid
praising students for innate talents, but applaud them when their actions are virtuous. When
students are not in line with classroom expectations, I will kindly remind them of our agreements. I
intend to have the expectations posted in the room so that all learners are not confused about
policies. Short, prompt disciplinary reminders will work best. That is, to keep my classroom
functioning well it well be my duty to address behavioral infractions quickly and briefly. When
behavioral patterns diverge from classroom expectations, I will not hesitate to mitigate the
circumstances by speaking with individual students (or groups of students) to come to terms of
agreement. In worse case scenarios I will involve the school counselor, principle, parents, etc.
Instructor: Mr. John Knight Classroom Management Wesley Pace

Time/Resource Management: One of the most valuable assets a teacher has is his/her time. For
this reason, I intend to keep a timetable for each class period. This guideline will allow me to stay on
tempo and order my classroom activities productively. When activities go over the allotted time, I
will make necessary adjustments to the next lecture. As an instructor it will be my responsibility to
manage a resource budget. This means making sure to budget my copy charges, supply funds, and
other miscellaneous needs. I will account for these expenditures via Quicken or Excel spreadsheets.
Thus, I will have kept record of my withdrawals and available funds, allowing me to be prudent and
wise in making necessary school purchases. If I am meticulous about these financial details, then
there will no issue understanding how much I can invest in various projects/tools for class.
Ending: Classroom management is part of maintaining a smoothly functioning classroom. As my
experience increases, I will learn how to be most effective at setting classroom expectations and
enforcing them. Until I have reached this experience level, I will follow the guidelines I have
discussed above. Δ