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Classroom Management Plan

Hannah Hargrove

Louisiana State University

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Classroom Management Plan

Introduction

Early childhood classrooms are typically full of laughter, but without a classroom

management plan, they can become chaotic and developmentally inappropriate with concern for

safety. Kostelnik (2019) stated that the idea of “teaching” children how to behave - rather than

expecting them to automatically know how or simply pushing them when they do not - is the

hallmark of child guidance in developmentally appropriate classrooms. Guidance is essentially

another word for helping children to manage their behavior, and each child’s development of

self-regulation is one of my primary goals in creating a manageable classroom.

I want to foster a classroom of comfort, love, understanding, respect, dedication, and

unity. My students will be positive members of our classroom by showing regard for the feelings

of others, communicating respectfully with peers and adults, and self-regulating. According to

Kostelnik (2019), “Young children learn potent lessons regarding desirable attitudes and

behaviors as well as how to enact them when they see their teachers treat others with kindness,

tell the truth, use reasoning as a way to solve problems, or assist someone in need.” Knowing

this, I will work my hardest to model the behaviors I expect of my students. The most important

part of my job as a teacher is to form positive relationships with my students. I want each and

every one of them to feel loved, respected, valued, and comfortable in the classroom

environment that we create together. “Children develop best when they have secure, consistent

relationships with responsive adults and opportunities for positive relationships with peers”

(Copple & Bredekamp, 2009, p.13). Children learn better when they feel like their basic needs

are met and the person teaching them cares about them as a holistic individual. Evidence of this

is backed by Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.

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In second and third grade, it’s so important for students to develop an enthusiasm for

learning to carry them into a successful future. It is my responsibility to teach my students in a

way that is engaging to each one of them. Differentiation of instruction will be imperative to

ensure all of my students are learning to the best of their ability. It is at the age of around seven

years old that children begin to compare their personal ability to the abilities of others (Copple &

Bredekamp, 2019, p. 266), so every student needs to be given the opportunity to be successful in

the classroom. There will be times when students feel defeated or less than someone else, but

that is why creating a caring community of learners is so important. My students should feel

comfortable enough to try and fail around their peers, then try again with support from the class,

including me. Three components of my classroom management plan will be discussed in detail

below: proactive strategies, reactive strategies, and family involvement.

Proactive Strategies

Proactive strategies are the framework for creating a caring community of learners who

are supported in their appropriate behavior and contribute to a learning focused classroom.

Something as specific as the classroom layout influences student learning. I plan to have my

second or third grade students seated at tables in groups of four to five. This seating arrangement

is most appropriate for children ages seven to nine, because it supports their developing social

skills by providing opportunity for positive peer interaction. When children sit at tables, they

have a variety of partners that are readily available to them at all times. This means that students

will be able to hear multiple opinions and perspectives on topics discussed in class, but in a more

intimate way. Research shows that students like school better, have more fun, and learn more

when they have opportunities to engage in meaningful interactions with their piers (Smith et al.,
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2015, p. 36). My students will be exposed to more meaningful interactions with their peers by

sitting in table groups.

I believe any classroom management plan would be ineffective if the classroom does not

foster a caring community of learners. Creating a caring community of learners is the foundation

of a successful classroom. It is about forming positive relationships with each and every student,

but also guiding them to bond with one another. According to Better Than Carrots or Sticks,

“Class meetings build connectedness and affiliation within the group, thereby strengthening

relationships that might be tested throughout the year” (Smith et al., 2015, p. 90). To me,

morning meeting is the most effective way to get students comfortable with one another. During

morning meeting every child is addressed by his or her name with a smile and a “good

morning!” to follow. Each child has a life outside of school that has its own struggles, but when

they enter our classroom they will be greeted with positive energy to set the tone for an awesome

school day. Morning meeting activities will vary each day, but the primary objective will stay the

same - for students to have a positive interaction with a peer. Some days students will simply

share a fun fact about themselves, while others will have a review game or problem solving

puzzle. These meetings help students to learn more about their classmates, encourage teamwork

and collaboration, and guide developing relationships that build our community.

At the beginning of the school year I will work with my students to create a collaborative

set of classroom rules and expectations. By second and third grade students have experience with

following rules in a classroom setting and will be familiar with common rules such as, “respect

your neighbor,” or “raise your hand to speak.” These rules will reflect what I expect of them and

what they expect of themselves. I believe that collaborating with my students on this holds them

accountable for their actions when a rule is broken or ignored. I expect my students to actively
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participate in class discussions, to be non-disruptive, to keep a clean area, etc. Every student has

a different personality, ability, common tendencies, and challenges. With this in mind, I will

adjust my expectations when appropriate, depending on the student and/or situation. For

example, I know that not all students are comfortable with sharing out in front of the class, so

conversing with a partner would be an acceptable alternative until he or she has gained the

confidence to share aloud. Every student is responsible for following classroom procedures and

taking care of their classroom job. Each week a new set of students will be assigned jobs that

they have to complete daily. Examples of these are assistant, table manager, door holder, table

wiper, line checker, etc. My students will know the classroom rules, expectations, and

responsibilities through practice and review. Even though we would have collaborated on the

rules, I will review our lists each morning to remind them of our agreement. Giving students

these rules and expectations every day will increase the likelihood of their personal behavioral

success.

No classroom can function without identified procedures. When my students arrive at

school, he or she will hang up their backpack either on a wall or on the back of their chair

(depending on grade level), upon entering the room. They will remove all necessary materials

from their backpack and set it down at their table. This can include their folders, items to turn in,

pencil bag, etc. Once they are seated, they should eat their breakfast and work on their morning

work before morning meeting. Transitions are arguably the most difficult part of classroom

management. I plan to use a timer to keep time spent not learning to a minimum. Students will be

given instruction on what is about to happen and the timer will begin. Everyone is expected to be

where they were told when the time runs out. When students get a little out of control with the

noise, I will use attention getters to regain their focus. For example, “Class, class, yes, yes,” or
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“Eyes on me, eyes on you.” When visitors enter the room, if students are working individually or

in a small group, they will continue working, but if I am teaching whole-class, they will patiently

wait for me to return. I will have finger signals for students to silently communicate their needs

to me. 1 finger will mean they need water, 2 fingers will mean that they need the restroom, 3

means they need a pencil, 4 means they need a tissue, and 5 means they have a question. This

aids them in being a non-disruptive member of the classroom. When students line up to leave the

classroom, they will do so in number order with “fixed hands” and “bubbles”. Finally, during

dismissal students will pack up their things to go home, then sit down in their seats quietly to

listen to the announcements. Each procedure contributes to a functioning and effective classroom

environment.

Reactive Strategies

Whole-class and individual rewards will be implemented into my classroom management

plan. I will use a ticketing system for rewards and consequences. Every student will be given ten

tickets at the beginning of the year. Students will earn tickets for following classroom procedures

and meeting expectations. This will not be solely based on behavior because I know from Better

Than Carrots or Sticks that rewards should not always be contingent on student behavior ((Smith

et al., 2015, p. 10). For example, if a student struggles with endurance in writing, when he or she

shows persistence, a ticket or two can be awarded to them. When students do not meet our

classroom expectations, he or she will owe me a ticket. A part of my personal teaching

philosophy involves respect, so out of respect for my students, we will have a conversation about

why they owe me a ticket and maybe what could have been done instead. If the same expectation

or rule is ignored or broken repeatedly, the student will owe more tickets each time. There will

be multiple opportunities to earn tickets throughout the day, so students can earn back their lot. I
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will use redirection strategies like using an attention getter or hand signal to regain the class’s

focus, or simply give the “teacher look”. Problem-solving can be something that even adults

never master, but it is something my students will have experience with in morning meeting and

throughout the day. “Be a problem solver” is a common phrase heard in many classrooms. When

my students hear this phrase they will pause, consider the situation, identify the problem, then

explore resolutions. This sounds like a long process but will actually occur quite fast with

practice and support. I will use these situations as teachable moments in the beginning to walk

the class through how a problem-solver finds a solution. Throughout the year I will keep a

running record of student behavior to assess the effectiveness of my management plan. If data

shows that there has been an increase in consequences and no real progress concerning behavior,

I will have to redesign. I would start by doing some research on management plans that have

been effectively proven through studies. This would also be a moment when I would utilize the

amazing education community for their input and/or advice. I would combine all of this

information to make appropriate adjustments to my classroom management plan.

Family Involvement

Family involvement is so incredibly important for the success of my students. Parents are

the students' first teachers and they are experts on their child. A strong, positive relationship with

the family can be equally important as the ones we have with the student. My families will be

given the classroom expectations and procedures at “meet the parents” in paper and electronic

form. Each weekly newsletter will also include a summarized version of the expectations. This

will be sent home with the student and emailed to the parent on Monday mornings. Parents will

be notified of their child’s behavior each day through a behavior report that is sent home with the

student. The child will receive a stamp for that day and the color will be explained at the bottom
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of the page. Comments will be made when necessary to communicate positive and negative

behaviors shown in class. I will create a Facebook group for my parents to join where I will

share pictures of their children throughout the school day and make little announcements. Parents

can contact me at any time through the Remind App. I will have access to this app at all times

and parents can always request to call me. I will build relationships with families by being open

and honest with them. I will hear their concerns and work with them to solve any issue. I will

treat their child with love and respect, updating the family on his or her achievements. My

parents will be informed, feel heard and understood, and be in a constant partnership with me.
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References

Copple, C., & Bredekamp, S. (2009). Developmentally appropriate practice in early

childhood programs: serving children from birth through age 8. National

Association for the Education of Young Children.

Kostelnik, M. J. (2019). Developmentally appropriate curriculum: best practices in early

childhood education. Pearson.

Smith, D., Fisher, D., & Frey, N. (2015). Better than carrots or sticks: Restorative

practices for positive classroom management. ASCD.