Classroom Management and SEL Plan

Carleigh Olive

College of Education, Butler Univesity

ED 491: Social, Emotional, Behavioral Learning

Professor Theresa Meyer

April 8, 2023
Statement of Purpose

The emotional well-being, development of self-determination, and positive social

interactions with students cannot be understated. As Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs states,

students cannot learn unless their needs are met. Students must be explicitly taught

social-emotional learning (SEL) to grow and better themselves. Explicitly teaching students the

five core principles of SEL will significantly benefit their social, emotional, and academic lives

(Edutopia, 2013). I also must create opportunities for positive interactions with students will also

make them feel safe in the classroom and at school and directly ties back to the hierarchy of

needs and SEL. Having positive interactions also strengthens students’ confidence and my

relationship with them. Self-determination is vital for students to excel in their academic and

personal lives. My students need a combination of all three to be engaged and effectively learn.

My role as a teacher is to produce these conditions and teach my students to be facilitators of

these conditions. I must guide students in developing their emotional well-being, teach them how

to have positive social interactions, and encourage their determination to grow as students and

individuals.

Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Learning

Having fine-tuned emotional intelligence will help students in all aspects of their lives. It

will allow them to understand themselves and others better. I will develop my students’

emotional intelligence by focusing on High-Leverege Practice (HLP) 9 and 16 by explicitly

incorporating SEL into my teaching and classroom environment and encouraging students to be

open to developing their emotional intelligence and helping others develop theirs (Council for

Exceptional Children, n.d.). I will develop students’ social behaviors and skills by explicitly
teaching them these skills and demonstrating them to serve as a model for my students. There are

five particular areas I want to focus on with my students: self-awareness, self-management,

social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making (Figure 1).

Self-awareness is vital for students to understand themselves and others. It allows them to

identify their feelings and emotions and those of others, teaching students interpersonal and

intrapersonal intelligence, as defined in Gardner’s theory of Multiple Intelligences (Bradberry &

Greaves, 2014; Figure 2). Students must be explicitly taught how to identify their emotions so

they do not develop a fear of them and understand that they are, as Amy Ertle states, neither

good nor bad- they are signals (personal communication, January 31, 2023). A great way to do

this is by providing students with Robert Plutchik's emotion wheel (Figure 3) and having an

in-class discussion about how this resource can be used to identify emotions. It can also be used

to spark discussion on appropriate ways to manage and express certain emotions.

Self-management allows students to learn appropriate ways to react to and manage

complex emotions. Self-management also teaches students self-control, which aids their

behavioral learning and, by extension, their social learning. Building upon tiers two and three of

Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs, safety and love respectively, self-management can be incorporated

into the classroom by encouraging students to participate in breathing exercises or taking a lap

when dysregulated (Figure 4). One of my professors incorporates self-management in every class

this semester by leading a minute-long breathing meditation to help students destress and feel

mentally and physically safe. I think this is a fantastic way to incorporate modeling

self-management to students and plan to incorporate this into my classroom. Teaching students

social awareness promotes diversity and encourages students to have empathy for each other

(Edutopia, 2013). Developing this skill will aid students in developing stage five of Erikson’s
theory of development, Identity vs. Confusion, as they build their social skills and strengthen

their relationships (Figure 5). I will create an assignment in which students research current

events or social events of their choosing and write a reflection explaining the situation and how

they would feel if they were in the individual or group's shoes. This will be a great way to

promote social awareness.

All people, including students, must learn relationship skills to communicate, coexist, and

forge meaningful relationships with others. Relationship skills include cooperating with others

and resolving conflicts (Edutopia, 2013). Stage five of Erik Erikson’s theory of development

(Figure 5) and tier three of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs (Figure 4) directly relate to the need to

acquire relationships, and thus, relationship skills. One of the best ways I can explicitly teach

students these skills is through group projects. Group projects teach students how to work

together, communicate, and resolve conflict. Responsible decision-making is a skill and social

behavior that every individual must develop. Responsible decision-making entails evaluating the

consequences of behaviors or actions and caring about the well-being of oneself and others

(Edutopia, 2013). Learning how to make these types of decisions is an essential part of

development. The importance of this skill can be understood by analyzing Piaget’s Formal

Operational stage of the stage of cognitive development, as students require the ability to think

through the consequences and moral implications of their actions. This social behavior can be

incorporated into my classroom through debates or one-to-one problem-solving.

Figure 1

4 Core Emotional Intelligence Skills

Note. Graphic that divides the four primary emotional intelligence skills into personal

competence and social competence. Adapted from Emotional Intelligence 2.0: An Extensive

Book Summary by Sarah Sotvedt, by T. Bradberry & J. Greaves, (2014).

Figure 2

Gardner’s Theory of Multiple intelligences

Note. Graphic displaying the eight intelligences defined by Gardner. Adapted from 8 Types of

Intelligence: Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences, by Fairborn Digital Academy,

2020 (https://fairborndigital.us/2020/03/11/8-types-of-intelligence-howard-gardners-theory-of-

multiple-intelligences/).

Figure 3

Plutchik's Wheel of Emotion

Note. Graphic of an emotion wheel based on Robert Plutchik’s model of emotion. Adapted from

Emotional Vocabulary, by T. K. Meyer, 2023.

Figure 4

Maslow’s Motivation Model

Note. Diagram of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Adapted from Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, by

S. Mcleod, 2023, Simply Psychology (https://simplypsychology.org/maslow.html).

Figure 5

Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory

Note. A chart describing Erik Erikson’s psychosocial theory of development. Adapted from 8

Stages of Human Development, by S. Kalmmer, (n.d.), Shelly Kalmmer Counseling

(https://www.shelleyklammer.com/post/stages-of-human-development).

Learning Environment, Classroom Culture, and Classroom Engagement

Learning environments must be culturally responsive to promote effective and safe

learning environments. Classrooms and instruction must be inclusive of all cultures and types of

learners. I will use culturally and linguistically responsive teaching and learning (CRTL) to

achieve a culturally responsive environment. CRTL's main goal is to recognize the importance of

incorporating the culture and language of students into all aspects of their education (Validate

Affirm, 2015). I will also make my classroom a trauma and adverse childhood experience (ACE)

safe space. I will do this by being aware of my students’ backgrounds and creating a classroom
environment and community that is understanding and respectful of trauma. Additionally, since

ACEs disproportionately affect women and people of color, there is a greater importance of

establishing a responsive class that respects and understands this intersectionality (Centers for

Disease Control and Prevention, n.d.). It is important to me that all students feel physically,

mentally, and emotionally safe. I will craft a more culturally responsive classroom environment

by getting to know each of my students personally. This can be done in many ways, including

greeting each student at the beginning of every class, involving them in decision-making, asking

about their interests and hobbies, attending school events, and showing them that I care about

their well-being.

I will make every effort to make my classroom a positive, safe, and inclusive

environment for all students. By incorporating SAFE (Sequenced approaches, Active, Focused,

Explicit) and HLP 7– establishing a consistent, organized, and respectful learning environment–,

I will ensure that my classroom is an established safe space for people of all races, orientations,

genders, abilities, and experiences (Council for Exceptional Children, n.d.; INEducation, 2016).

To achieve this, I must incorporate Maslow's hierarchy of needs, especially the basic needs tiers,

create a healthy classroom, normalize basic needs, and provide positive and effective feedback

(Figure 4). Healthy classrooms must include respect—for each other and one’s self—care of

well-being for all, engage students to explore and think critically, create a sense of community,

and provide physical and psychological safety (Rand, 2012). I will normalize meeting basic

needs by creating mental health days where students can focus on what they need to meet their

needs and become regulated. I also want to include what I will call the “Amygdala Corner.” This

would include a cart with snacks and water, tools to fidget with, ice packs, heating packs, stress

balls, plants, and coloring pages. I am very passionate about accessibility. I will always strive to
make the physical and intangible environment completely accessible through Universal Design

for Learning (UDL), a core principle of HLP 19 (Council for Exceptional Children, n.d.).

I will design the physical space of my classroom to reflect the type of environment I

intend to create. The physical environment of my classroom should assist my teaching rather

than working against it (Rand, 2012). I plan to create an amygdala corner where students can

freely access it to achieve their unmet needs. Students have a diverse range of learning styles, as

such, I must have a diverse range of teaching styles. I plan to incorporate many forms of

instructional deliverance of material to meet my students' needs and keep them more engaged.

This can play out in various ways, including doing collaborative group work and working

independently, or activities that provide students with more autonomy, such as free choice and

mixed choice (Rand, 2012).

Feedback to Guide Behavior

I will provide positive and constructive feedback to increase motivation, engagement, and

independence and to guide students' behaviors and learning, as HLP 8 and 22 declares (Council

for Exceptional Children, n.d.). This goal can be achieved by giving students meaningful

feedback beyond “good job” or “excellent work.” Feedback and praise should be specific, so

rather than saying, “good job,” I should say something along the lines of “good job starting on

the warm-up” or “excellent work completing question one!” A guide for creating meaningful

feedback is relating it to the student’s goal, making it constructive and immediate, and ensuring

the feedback is positive and respectful (Council for Exceptional Children, 2019). Having positive

and specific feedback increases student motivation and engagement. It also helps them

understand what they still need to work on mastering.

 Expectations and consequences must promote a safe, inclusive, and culturally responsive

environment where all students are effective, active learners. Classroom expectations can include

not making light of others when they make mistakes or coming prepared to class with all

necessary materials. It is also important that these expectations are co-authored with students,

consistent, and explicitly taught. If expectations are not met, I will first increase proximity and

remind the students what the expectations are and give praise when the expectations are

followed, as it takes time for students to remember and learn what the expectations are (Figure

6).

However, if students persistently do not follow expectations after being reminded

multiple times, there must be strategies in place to guide students to follow the expectations.

Consequences should, first and foremost, rarely, if ever, be punishment; punishment is incredibly

harmful to students’ sense of self and autonomy (Rand, 2012). Consequences should be focused

on helping the student learn why the expectation is necessary and how their actions could disrupt

or harm others. Depending on the severity needed, there are two primary consequences: natural

consequences, or consequences without teacher intervention, and teacher-applied consequences.

Teacher-applied consequences can range from having a one-on-one talk with the student, setting

limits on behavior, and taking away the ability to use certain materials (Rand, 2012; Figure 6). It

is crucial to “never use sarcasm, humiliation, or harm” when giving consequences to students

(Rand, 2012, p. 128).

Figure 6

Teacher Responses to Behavior

Note. Graphic of the intervention response spectrum to challenging behaviors. Adapted from The

Positive Classroom (p. 117), by M. K. Rand, 2012, Princeton Square Press.

Procedures

Procedures are necessary for teaching and maintaining a positive, effective, and efficient

learning environment. According to HLP 16, procedures must be explicitly taught, modeled, and

reinforced for students to learn and apply them (Council for Exceptional Children, n.d.; Rand,

2012). As HLP 7 states, they also must establish a consistent and respectful learning environment

(Council for Exceptional Children, n.d.). I will create a procedure to manage transitions. This

will consist of having a set time for transitions and a bell or chime that plays to signal the end of

the activity. The main way I will teach this procedure is by repeating and explicitly saying the

activity will end when the bell chimes and giving a ten-second warning. Another way I can

ensure the ease of transitions is by intertwining procedures with expectations. I will create the

expectation that transitions should be quick and effective.

I also want to create a procedure that covers keeping the classroom clean and organized

since a “clean, safe, clutter-free environment is a conducive learning environment” (Meyer,

2019, slide 12). This procedure will entail throwing away or recycling trash and returning

materials to their original place. I will once again teach this procedure explicitly and repetitively
by outright telling students this procedure and having posters that explain the procedure on the

walls of my classroom. Another procedure I will implement will be raising one’s hand to answer

questions. This will create a positive environment where they can express their opinions, ideas,

and analysis and know they will not be interrupted. I will teach this procedure through explicit

repetition, using praise when students follow the procedure, and remaining consistent in my

enforcement of the procedure.

When students express challenging behaviors, I will rely on procedures that teach

students positive replacement behaviors. For example, if a student exhibits attention-seeking

behaviors, I will emphasize procedures that teach them how to obtain positive attention in a

non-disruptive manner. This would include procedures such as hand raising or when to seek

attention (Rand, 2012). An MTSS (Multi-Tiered Systems of Support) intervention plan may be

necessary if challenging behaviors persist after implementing and reteaching procedures.

Crisis Plan

When students are at the peak stage of the Acting Out Cycle–yelling, hitting, destruction

of property, or other out-of-control behavior that creates an unface learning environment– I must

respond appropriately to de-escalate the situation (IRIS Center, n.d.; Figures 7 and 9). While in

this stage, dysregulated students fall within the fight stage of the polyvagal model, meaning they

have limited prefrontal cortex control since their sympathetic nervous system is in a fight or

flight mode (Amy Ertle, personal communication, January 31, 2023; Figure 8). The best thing to

do when a student is in the peak stage is to maintain self-control and have a plan. A phrase I

think is necessary to remember during this stage is “when behavior gets big, I get small” (Kris

Baker, personal communication, February 7, 2023). When behaviors become out of control, I
must ensure I am entirely regulated and calm, not presenting myself in any way that may be

interpreted as threatening to the student.

In a situation where a student is throwing chairs and class materials, I will first make

sure that everyone else in that classroom is safe. I would then find an alternative space for these

students to go to ensure the safety of all. I would talk to the student in crisis very calmly, limiting

my use of verbal communication so as not to overwhelm the student (IRIS Center, n.d.). I would

also reference my school’s or district’s crisis plan to ensure I am addressing the situation in the

best way possible. The strategies I anticipate are getting administrative help, doing my best to

help the student regulate and decompress, and notifying the caregivers of the incident. If there is

no FBA (Functional Behavioral Assessment) or BIP (Behavior Intervention Plan) during the time

of this incident, I would urge administrators, caregiver(s), counselors and school psychologists,

special educators, and the student’s other general educators to work together to create these

plans, using HLP 10 as a guideline (Council for Exceptional Children, n.d.; Figure 10). If there is

already an established FBA or BIP for the student, I would follow the interventions these plans

layout and record the data from this event to add to the plans.

In the event of a fire, I must remain calm and follow the necessary procedures to ensure

the safety of all my students. Every school and district has a set of procedures to follow during

crisis events, including fires. During a fire, students will likely become dysregulated from shock,

fear, or confusion, and fall into a flight, fight, or freeze state (Figure 8). I must model remaining

calm so that my students understand that the situation is under control. Since this is a highly

time-sensitive situation, it is critical that I am clear and explicit with my instruction, and that set

expectations are known and followed. I must make sure students know where to go, what exit(s)

to use, and are quiet so that if an individual needs help or first responders are trying to
communicate, I can respond appropriately and swiftly. My first priority is getting all my students

safely away from the fire, ensuring everyone is together and accounted for.

In the event of a student mental health crisis, such as a suicide attempt, the most

important thing I can do is ensure that the student cannot harm themselves. I must react fast;

however, reacting fast does not mean acting recklessly. The first thing I need to do is get the

student to safety. Once the student’s safety is secured, I need to recenter them by being a calming

and supportive presence. The student must know you care about their physical, emotional, and

mental well-being. That being said, I must also remember to limit verbal communication since

too much information can cause the already dysregulated and panicked prefrontal cortex to

become overwhelmed (Meyer, 2016, slide 13). I should never leave the student alone, and seek

help from other faculty and staff, ideally counselors, school psychologists, and administrators.

The caregiver(s) of the student must also be contacted and have the situation explained to them.

Figure 7

The Acting Out Cycle

Note. Model of the Acting-Out Cycle defined by the IRIS Center. Adapted from The Positive

Classroom (p. 138), by M. K. Rand, 2012, Princeton Square Press.

Figure 8

Polyvagal Theory

Note. Graphic of the attributes related to each stage in the Polyvagal Theory. Adapted from

Midura, S. (2022.) ANE Presentation [PowerPoint slides]. Slide 8.

Figure 9

Triage Chart Example

Adapted from “Developing Behavior Intervention Plans,” by IEP TA Center (https://padlet.com/

IEPTA/developing-behavior-intervention-plans-on9a70bx7xylbrzb/wish/1713677658)

Figure 10

Common Case Conference Committee Roles for Behavioral Problem-Solving

Adapted from “Developing Behavior Intervention Plans,” by IEP TA Center (https://padlet.com/

IEPTA/developing-behavior-intervention-plans-on9a70bx7xylbrzb/wish/2484020207).

Collaboration

There are many people involved when creating FBAs and BIPs. Alisa Stovall notes that

these individuals can include, but are not limited to, caregiver(s), administrators, general

educators, special educators, counselors, social workers, or bus drivers (personal communication,

March 14, 2023; Figure 10). When creating these plans, having as many perspectives as possible

is incredibly helpful, providing insight into situations or conditions I might have been unaware

of. During these collaborations, I will rely heavily on the expertise of the special educators, since

they are trained to write these plans and have extensive knowledge about them, and caregiver(s).

I am knowledgeable on the processes of FBAs and BIPs, and I will bring that knowledge and the

experiences I have had with said student. By having people from various backgrounds and

expertise, I can learn more about the student’s behavior and co-create a successful intervention

plan(s).

Learning how to collaborate with paraeducators and co-teachers will greatly benefit my

students. There are many benefits to working with paraeducators and having co-teachers, the

main one being that “you can draw on each other’s strengths, learning techniques from each

other” (Rand, 2012, p. 236). Working with others always allows one to gain insight to a variety

of perspectives and different ways to organize and share responsibilities (Figure 11). I must

master effective communication, plan with collaborators, be flexible and willing to compromise,

and create a shared language to obtain successful co-teaching (Meyer, 2023).

 Communicating with caregivers is an essential part of teaching. Having a mutual

relationship with caregivers is known to improve students' grades, attendance, persistence, and

motivation (Kaufman, n.d.). Collaborating with caregivers provides insight into home life, assists

in identifying appropriate accommodations or supports, develops consistent methods for

addressing challenging behaviors, and can help with learning the student’s culture, background

knowledge, and interests (Kaufman, n.d.). Often caregivers may be unaware of how to become

involved in their student’s education; to counteract this, I will point out various ways they can be

involved. I will encourage them to attend family and community nights at the school, send

newsletters, reach out to caregivers when the student does something well, and engage in open

communication (Rand, 2012; Morin, n.d.). I think caregivers must be made aware that their

expectations have the most significant impact on students academically; in other words, “nothing

matters more than how much they believe in their [student’s] ability to succeed” (Kaufman, n.d.).

Figure 11

Responsibility and Role Chart

Note. Chart outlining the division of responsibilities between teachers, assistant teachers, and

one-on-one aids. Adapted from The Positive Classroom (p. 230), by M. K. Rand, 2012,

Princeton Square Press.

Action Plan

Writing a paper that explains how I will incorporate social, emotional, and behavioral

learning proves that I have learned all the required material. However, it is only meaningful if I

can apply it into my teaching. I must actively apply my knowledge to my (pre)professional

career. When creating lesson plans, I should always think of how it connects to SEL and the

established or establishing expectations and procedures. I will inevitably come face-to-face with

challenging behaviors, and when that happens, I will ensure that I rely on the knowledge I have

gained and respond to the situation appropriately based on in-place intervention plans and the

Acting Out Cycle. In the coming semesters, I will be in classrooms for most of my classes, so I

will have many opportunities to apply this knowledge. Being able to experience SEL and

behavioral learning first-hand will help me learn what does and does not work. After all, “the

best learning environments are ones where everyone can try, fail, and then try again safely”

(Karly Keiper, personal communication, February 21, 2023), and I intend to do just that.
 References

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Summary by Sarah Sotvedt.

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