Gretchen Schmidt

Final Classroom
Management Plan
 What is my view of an effective teacher?
“Every child deserves a champion: an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power
of connection and insists they become the best they can possibly be.” -Rita Pierson

The quote above sums up everything that I hope to accomplish as a teacher. Ever since I was a
little girl, I knew that when I grew up, I wanted to be a teacher. And to this day, there has never once
been a doubt in my mind that I wasn’t exactly where I was meant to be on my journey to become a
teacher. I feel strongly that there is so much more that goes into teaching than just teaching the
curriculum. Teaching is so much more than that.
To me, an effective teacher is so much more than just an educator. An effective teacher is a
nurturer, a caregiver, a provider. An effective teacher has a love for her students unlike any other. An
effective teacher has eyes that light up when her students walk into her classroom. An effective teacher
goes above and beyond for her students- both inside and outside of her classroom. I am committed to
providing a classroom environment where all of my students feel safe and welcome. I will ensure that
regardless of my students’ backgrounds, they will be able to succeed and reach their full potential
throughout their time in my classroom. I will be an active part of the community and I will get to know
my students and their families personally. I will dedicate my time to building strong, healthy
relationships with my students.
An effective teacher has the ability to shape a child’s future- and that is exactly what I plan to do
throughout my career as a teacher. I will be an effective teacher and change my students’ lives for the
better, just as I know they will mine. I will not only be a teacher, but I will be a learner. My students will
be world changers and I feel so blessed to be a part of their journey to accomplish everything that they
could have ever dreamed of.
 My Classroom Procedures:
First Day of School:
1. When walking in the hallway, we walk single file with our voices off and our “bubbles” in our mouths.
2. When you have to go to the bathroom, quietly hold up two fingers to signal to the teacher that you need to use the
restroom.
3. When you need to sharpen your pencil, place it in the “please sharpen” bucket at the front of the room. Take one out
of the “sharpened” bucket until I can sharpen yours. Your pencil has your number on it, so when I get yours
sharpened, we will trade pencils back.
4. When students are caught in the act doing something good, you will get a “student shout out” certificate! These will
be shared with the principal and sent home to share with your families.
5. Everyone has a punch card. When you are working quietly and following the rules, I will give you a punch. When
your punch card is full, you can pick a prize from the prize box!
For Students:
1. When the teacher is talking, your voices are off. If you have a question, quietly raise your hand.
2. When you have finished your work, quietly place it in the “DONE” bin at the front of the teacher’s desk.
3. At the beginning of the day, come into the classroom quietly and sit at your desk and begin working on your
morning bell work.
4. At the end of the day when your name is called, quietly empty out your mailbox and put everything inside of it into
your “take home” folder and then put it in your backpack.
5. When we do things together as a class in the front of the room, sit quietly at your designated spot on the carpet and
sit ready (criss cross applesauce with your hands in your lap and voices off).
For the Classroom:
1. When you see garbage on the floor, quickly and quietly pick it up and throw it in the garbage.
2. When you are using my books, take good care of them and put them back where they belong when you are finished
reading.
3. Each week, every student will have a classroom job that they will complete for the week.
4. During “brain breaks” stand up quietly and push in your chair. Follow along and stretch and/or dance to the music!
5. During independent work time, voices are off, and we are sitting in our desks listening to the relaxing music.
For Instruction:
1. We sit quietly and eyes are on the teacher. There will be plenty of time for questions, comments, and stories.
2. There are 3 voice levels that we follow- Voice 0- voices off. Voice 1- whisper. Voice 2- inside voices.
3. When I need to gain your attention, I will ring the classroom doorbell. That means stop what you are doing and eyes
are on me.
4. We have a variety of class call backs for attention getters- (ex. Me- Mac and Cheese! Class- Everybody Freeze!)
5. When it is time for partners, I will usually draw the labeled “lucky ducks” out of the bowl to determine your
partners.
For Teachers:
1. I will have daily check ins to check in with you each morning to see how you are doing.
2. I will grade your papers each day with a sticker or a stamp.
3. I will always answer your questions and provide assistance if/when you are struggling.
4. I will read a story aloud to the class every day after lunch.
5. I will love you and push you to do your best every single day! 
 How will I teach & reinforce these
procedures/Expectations?
My three main forms of reinforcing procedures and expectations of my students are the following:

1. Desk Pets
2. Secret Student
3. Student Shout Outs
What exactly are they?

Desk Pets: This is a form of classroom management that uses positive reinforcement. Students can earn “desk
pets” when they are caught engaging in positive behaviors and following classroom procedures and expectations
without being reminded. These “desk pets” are mini erasers that students can collect and keep at their desk in a
small container. Adoption papers will be given each time a student earns a new desk pet and accessories for their
pets can also be earned.

Secret Student: This is a form of classroom management where the teacher chooses a “secret student” and
watches them throughout the day. The teacher will constantly refer to the “secret student” throughout the day and
make comments about their behavior. If the “secret student” stays on task and follows the classroom rules and
expectations throughout the day, they will be announced to the class and given a “secret student” certificate as
well as the opportunity to choose a prize from the prize box!

Student Shout Outs: When students are caught doing something outstanding (ex. helping a friend or
holding a door open), they receive a student shout out. This student gets a certificate that will hang in
the hallway, a prize, and gets to be the teacher’s helper the following day.
 How will I actively engage my students?
My classroom will consist of the following in order to keep my students actively engaged all year long:

Hands-On Learning Opportunities:

 I believe that providing a classroom environment where students can learn through hands-on
experiences is essential to their academic success. Children learn best through their
environment and have higher success rates when they are actively engaged in the learning
process. Some ways that I will incorporate hands-on learning opportunities in my classroom
consist of:
o think-pair-share, partner activities, small groups, experiments, games, projects, ect.

Student-Centered Classroom Environment:

 Student-centric classrooms are designed with the students’ best interest in mind. In this type
of classroom, the instruction is switched from the teacher to the student. These types of
classrooms provide more opportunities for students to make decisions as well as have more of
a say in what occurs throughout the classroom. The structure of student-centric classrooms
increase motivation in a variety of different ways. Typically, these classrooms are arranged in
ways that foster opportunities for student-to-student interactions. For example, desks are
usually arranged in pods rather than rows. Learning is also self-paced, and the teacher serves
more as a guide while the students are in charge of their learning. This type of instruction is
extremely engaging for students because they have a variety of choices throughout their day-
to-day instruction. 

Differentiated Instruction:

 Differentiated instruction supports student motivation by providing opportunities for students

to learn in a variety of different ways, rather than just one way. Differentiated instruction is
important because it allows students of all ability levels to access the same material and learn
in ways that work the best for them. It is designed specifically to meet the unique needs of
each individual student. This type of instruction is motivating for students because it provides
opportunities for students to actively participate in the learning process through hands-on
experiences. Differentiated instruction provides opportunities for students to collaborate with
their peers at all ability levels in engaging and interactive ways.  
 How will I manage behavior in my
classroom?
 On day one of the school year, we will discuss as a class our classroom rules and expectations.
Not only will we discuss the rules and expectations, but we will also practice them. I will ensure
that the rules are discussed in great detail and that students understand what is expected of them
for the rest of the school year.

 In this classroom, we believe in second chances. Students will have opportunities to fix their
behaviors through the use of the following intervention system:

#1: When disruptive behaviors begin to occur, the teacher and students will simply review the rules and
expectations that were established at the beginning of the school year. There will be a large poster at the
front of the room that students can use as a guide if/when they are struggling to follow the rules.

#2: If behaviors are still not improving after a reminder of expectations, the situation will be analyzed in
greater detail. The teacher and students who are struggling behaviorally will have private conversations
about what they believe is causing them to lose focus and misbehave. The student and teacher will form
an agreement on how the behavior can be avoided. (ex. less teacher-led lectures, more hands-on
activities, more opportunities for group activities, moving desk spots, frequent breaks, positive
reinforcement, etc.).

#3: We will assess and evaluate whether progress is being made throughout the implementation process
decided in step #2 by the teacher, student, and the child’s support team. After reviewing with the
student(s) who are displaying disruptive behavior, teacher and student will discuss together once more
the rules and expectations.

#4: If behavior is still not improving after the third attempt, a functional behavior assessment (a type of
formal assessment that determines what the root of the behavior is) will be conducted. An individualized
plan may also be conducted to change these behaviors if deemed necessary.

** I do not believe in taking time away from recess or specials as a form of punishment for students
engaging in disruptive behaviors. This time is crucial to their education. 

** I will also never call students out by name in front of their peers. Students will never feel shamed or
 How will I establish rapport and
relationships with my students?
I strongly believe that building strong teacher-student relationships with my students is essential to their
success. Some ways that I will establish rapport and build relationships with my students include:

 Engage in ice breaker activities throughout the first week of school to get to know each other

 Take the time to get to know my students’ backgrounds and life outside of my classroom

 Determine how my students learn best as early in the year as possible

 Incorporate my students’ interests into the classroom curriculum

 Allow opportunities for students to show their creativity

 Collaborate with other teachers who know my students

 Be an active part of the community

 Make learning interesting and enjoyable

 Provide a safe learning environment where all of my students feel welcome

 Be a warm and loving teacher

 Establish my classroom as a place where all students will be able to reach their full potential

 Allow opportunities for students to have choices and make decisions

 Believe in my students!
 My philosophy of management and
discipline:
I strongly believe that managing the behavior of children and youth is something that needs to be done with a lot of

thought, research, and dedication. I feel as though the most important step to establishing effective classroom management is

for the teacher to familiarize themselves with their students. Building strong teacher-student relationships is the backbone to

creating efficient classroom management skills. “A significant number of teachers lack skills in effectively implementing

proactive and corrective classroom management strategies, and a recent study reported that “the percentage of challenging

behaviors to which teachers responded appropriately was generally low” (Jones pg. 6). This quote is extremely alarming, but

sadly not very surprising. I am extremely grateful that I feel confident that the time I have spent thus far at Northern State

University has prepared me for the importance of creating a classroom environment that is easily manageable. I have learned

that there are an endless number of ways to go about creating positive classroom management, and it is important that teachers

don’t give up after one failed attempt. One management technique may work great for one student, but not at all for another.

Incorporating effective classroom management is all about the relationships that are built between the teacher and the students.

I am adamant that the most important part about being a teacher is creating a classroom environment where my

students feel safe, welcome, and free to be exactly who they were made to be. Without classroom management, it would be

almost impossible to do so. As a special education major, I feel passionately about students of all levels and abilities being

able to succeed in the general education classroom and spend the most amount of time with their typically developing peers as

possible. “While combining all components of effective classroom management will enhance the learning and behavior of all

students, it seems particularly important when working with students who have historically struggled academically and

behaviorally (Kennedy, 2011) and who have and/or are continuing to experience significant trauma in their lives (Cummings

et al., 2017)” (pg. 9). This quote indicates that students who may have learning disabilities and/or behavioral problems will

succeed far more throughout their time in the general education classroom when introduced to a proper classroom

management routine. 
 References
Jones, Vernon F., and Louise S. Jones. Comprehensive Classroom Management: Creating
Communities of Support and Solving Problems. Pearson, 2021. 

Teachers Pay Teachers. That Sweet Teacher.