Running Head: TEACHER INDUCTION: CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT PLANNING 1

Teacher Induction and the Importance of Having a Classroom Management Plan

University of Arkansas

Kent Wire

Running Head: TEACHER INDUCTION: CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT PLANNING 2

This section will look at the importance of having a classroom management plan in place

prior to the beginning of school. The classroom management plan is related to, if not a major

piece of any comprehensive start-of-school-checklist as discussed in a previous paper. In fact,

many of the start-of-school-year-checklist tasks mesh and intertwine with one another and cannot

stand alone independent of the others. For example, in lesson one the primary focus was on

classroom routines and procedures. How the teacher teaches and practices these will play a

major role in the successful management of the classroom and student discipline. The facets of a

successful classroom management plan may not be accurately or appropriately represented in a

short paper such as this one. For that reason this paper will focus on a few general practices or

foundations from which to build a positive classroom environment.

Firstly, the teacher must maintain a consistent demeanor in front of students, parents, and

colleagues; one in which the teacher seems to be in control of the situation and his or her own

personal emotions. Some students like to “push your buttons” in an attempt to gain the attention

of the class. There is likely to be one or more of these personalities in each classroom setting.

There may even be times when a student is successful in finding one or more of these “buttons”.

It is alright if they find a trigger which elicits a negative emotion, it is not alright to show them

when they have done so. Teachers show students they have earned the classroom’s attention

when the teacher responds to them outwardly by yelling or raising their voice, or less subtly by

responding to them with gritted teeth or an unpleasant leer. Regardless of the situation, remain

in control, composed, and be professional at all times. When students appear to be out of control,

the teacher must appear to be more in control (Breaux, 2003).

A second generalization which will lead to positive and successful classroom

management is to be “engaging”. This paper will address the term “engaging” from two vantage

Running Head: TEACHER INDUCTION: CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT PLANNING 3

points; 1) To be personally engaging, that is to bring a pleasant demeanor to the entire school

day, to be professional, caring, and approachable and, 2) To be academically or instructionally

engaging, that is to assure that lessons provide meaning and relevance to students while at the

same time invoke critical thinking, interaction, and problem solving. Hopefully it is already a

part of the teacher’s nature to be pleasant, caring and approachable. The author sees these traits

as requisite characteristics for all teachers. There is some question as to whether or not these are

acquirable or “learnable” traits. Recent research about desirable traits for workers in various

occupations indicates that people don’t change much, that if specific character traits are not

there, they will not likely be acquired (Buckingham and Coffman, 1999). If the teacher does not

already possess the aforementioned strengths, classroom management may be cause for concern.

Instructional strategies and teaching skills that highly engage students are acquirable. A

trend in modern education is to move the learning environment away from passive activities such

as silent reading, filling out worksheets and answering questions at the end of the chapter, toward

active engagements activities such as working in pairs or groups, initiating movement and/or

creative response.

The final generalization strategy for classroom management is tightly related to the start

of-school-years-checklist and the establishment of classroom procedures. Prior to the start of

school, each teacher needs to review scenarios that will take place in class and be able to provide

a consistent and precise response to them. Some examples are answers to simple questions of

daily routine; may I go to my locker, the restroom, sharpen my pencil? Can I sit by Mary today?

The scenarios and events to be addressed must be as comprehensive as possible. This is

important to classroom management because students generally do what is expected of them.

Running Head: TEACHER INDUCTION: CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT PLANNING 4

Teachers can avoid what they may deem discipline problems by firmly establishing and

practicing classroom procedures (Wong, H. K., and Wong, R. T., 1998).

References

Buckingham, M., & Coffman, C. (1999). First, break all the rules: what the world's greatest

managers do differently. New York, NY.: Simon & Schuster.

Breaux, A. L. (2003). 101 "answers" for new teachers & their mentors: effective teaching tips

for daily classroom use. Larchmont, NY: Eye On Education.

Wong, H. K., & Wong, R. T. (1998). The first days of school: how to be an effective teacher

([2nd ed.). Mountainview, CA: Harry K. Wong Publications.