Angela Carty

Classroom Management Plan

Philosophy for Classroom Management

An elementary school classroom becomes a haven and driving force for learning and

growing when clear, understandable, and relatable rules, routines and attitudes are established

within the first week of school. Students are capable of acting appropriately and succeeding in

school, so teachers much approach them and interact with them in a way that fosters that kind of

behavior and effort. More important than technical skills, are guidelines relating to relationships

and acceptance. When students feel safe and free to be vulnerable and true to themselves, they

are more likely to endeavor without the fear of failure or judgment. That being said, I hope to

create a learning environment that promotes acceptance, respect, generosity, smiles, and

communication. Not only do I want each and every student to feel important and loved, but also,

I want individuals to acknowledge and appreciate others’ perspectives. Children need to be

taught that it is their responsibility to make appropriate choices and that they will be held

accountable for their actions. With a variety of learning styles, backgrounds, families, ethnicities,

cultures and genders, a classroom can feel like an isolating, unfamiliar place. My goal is to

construct an atmosphere that recognizes the unique beauty and grace in every aspect of every

student present in the classroom. The classroom is a starting line for the race of life, and students

need to be equipped with the tools and qualities to venture out into the vast world in a

productive, proactive, tolerant manner.

Rules and routines aid in transforming an unpredictable, sometimes scary, place to a

consistent, recognizable atmosphere, where classroom disruptions are limited and children are

encouraged to self-regulate and make good decision. However, I do want students to have a

choice in matters, so that they are creatively motivated and moved to cooperate and perform. By

allowing students to feel as if they have some power, they will further be held responsible and

accountable for their actions. When students are encouraged to behave in a particular way, there

is more room for learning, connecting and expanding as a community of learners. Rather than

wasting time to deal with issues as they arise, teachers are able to exercise every miniscule

moment as an opportunity to enhance the learning process and meet students’ social, emotional,

and mental needs. Not only with the experience be more enjoyable for students, but also,

teachers will view education and instruction through an enlightened, refreshed set of eyes.

I plan to run my classroom as if we are participants of a dance recital. The show is made

up of various styles of dance and music, just like the classroom is made up of a diverse set of

students, learning styles, and personalities. There are solo routines, duets, and group numbers. In

each situation, dancers need to be aware of their space, surroundings, and fellow dancers, if

present. During group numbers, dancers need to communicate with fellow performers so that the

dance runs smoothly and cooperatively. I will ask my students use the same techniques when

working in my classroom. Certain dance numbers call for close observation and attention, as

ballerinas gracefully float across the stage. In the same way, there are times in the classroom

when students need to be careful listeners. Other dance numbers, like a lively hip hop piece, may

move audience members to hoot and holler, and clap along to the beat. In any good classroom,

there are opportunities for students to actively engage. As informed audience members,

individuals are conscious and respectful of the code of conduct. Students, too, need to have a

grasp of their expectations. In Miss Carty’s room, students will acknowledge that their only

audience is the teacher and their peers. In our safe, loving, accepting classroom, there is

absolutely no need for stage fright, because students will feel comfortable enough to be

vulnerable and completely themselves. Everyone makes mistakes, and it is part of the learning

process!

First Day(s) of School

1. I plan to generate an enticing, warm, personal physical environment that draws

students, captures their attention, promotes listening and engaging, and sets up a

specific tone and attitude.

a. Clusters of two desks facing the front of the classroom. In each row, there

will be three or four pairs.

________________ (front board)

XX XX XX (desks with two students each)

XX XX XX XX

XX XX XX

XX XX XX XX

b. Students’ names will be up in the room so that students feel that they

personally belong.

c. “Show Your Character!” poster on the wall

i. Identify and post important character traits

ii. In performances, dancers take on a variety of personalities and

characters. They are asked to reveal this character through facial

expressions and attitude. In life, we need to be equipped with

essential qualities and character traits to lead a meaningful life. Be

aware of how our body language, facial expressions, tone of voice,

and interaction skills affect those around us.

2. I will create a welcoming atmosphere so that some fear and anxiety is

relinquished at the door.

a. Greet students at the door

b. Welcome sign on the door

c. Communicate that it is okay to feel nervous—even the teacher woke up

with a funny feeling in her tummy!

d. Get to know students’ names and interests

3. I will use a respectful tone when speaking to my students and expect them to

reciprocate that respect.

a. I will stress the importance of manners and respect to success in my

classroom.

b. I will not speak to my students as if they are inferior, yet I will maintain a

voice of authority.

4. I will intentionally address learning goals with a positive tone.

a. I will use positive vocabulary and encouragement to support students in

their learning processes.

b. I will communicate the important of learning through one’s lifetime, and

how valuable new information is to growing, maturing and accomplishing

dreams and goals.

c. I will intrinsically motivate students to learn by avoiding the use of a

negative tone when introducing certain subjects. I will refrain from using

phrases like, “If you finish your work early, you can…(do something

‘fun’)”.

5. I will determine and set up clear and understandable classroom rules and

expectations.

a. I will go over the rules in detail, and continue to remind students and

reinforce my expectations on a regular basis.

b. I will give students some involvement in rule making to ensure that their

goals and expectations for the classroom are addressed.

c. I will communicate that rules are nonnegotiable, and that I trust my

students to follow through (rules are NOT the place for flexibility in my

classroom).

6. I will establish reasonable and effective consequences for misbehavior.

a. I will promote good behavior through a positive consequence system.

b. I will communicate WHY certain behavior is unacceptable, and I will

provide students with appropriate actions to take with they fail to follow

the rules.

c. I will not allow misbehavior be an excuse to get out of class (time out

outside the classroom, suspension, etc.). Instead, I will keep use

consequences that allow students to learn, but in unfavorable

circumstances.

7. I will set up essential routines so that time is maximized, instruction and activity

time flows, and students are aware of how the classroom runs during different

events.

a. Assign specific roles/jobs to students.

b. Specific method and movement for group work.

c. Shortcut hand motions of gestures to minimize time when asking non-

class related questions.

d. Formula for turning in homework at the beginning of the take and picking

up homework at the end of the day.

8. I will assign students individual responsibilities so that each student participates

in the development of an organized, cooperative, interactive classroom.

a. I will have multiple classroom jobs posted on the classroom wall. Each

week, I will assign a new student to each role.

b. I will encourage students to hold themselves and others accountable for

their actions.

9. I will actively engage students with my lessons and instruction.

a. I will use an upbeat voice and attitude to attract my students.

b. I will teach to a variety of learning styles so that each student can be

reached and included. I will utilize visual, kinesthetic, auditory, sensory,

experiential, etc. teaching methods so that learning is memorable and

students are intrinsically motivated to learn.

10. I will assume a confident, loving and energetic presence as a teacher.

a. I will follow through with my directions and expectations.

b. I will speak to my students in a compassionate, loving manner.

c. I will listen to students’ needs.

d. I will communicate interest and energy through my instruction so that

students can clearly recognize its importance.

Prevention Strategies

If teachers are proactive with their teaching, setting up clear guidelines to avoid disruption, there

is more time for learning and creativity.

Classroom Rules:

S hare

P lease and thank you—MANNERS!

A lways try your best

R espect and responsibility

K ind words, caring hearts

L ook and listen

E very student counts!

**CLASS GENERATED MOTTO**

Classroom Routines/Procedures:

Class-Running Routines:

1. At the beginning of the day, each student put a specific color stick in his or

her pocket up on the wall to show if he or she will be getting a hot lunch or

not. During attendance, students can pick a word from the “Fancy Word Wall”

that they can say instead of “here” or “present” each week.

2. When students need to use the restroom, they will cross their index and

middle finger. If I give the student permission, I will point to the door. If not, I

will hold my hand up to communicate that they need to wait.

3. When students need to sharpen their pencils, they will grab a pencil from the

new pencil jar and place their dull or broken pencils in the used pencil jar.

During breaks or specific moments of downtime, students can sharpen their

pencils from the used pencil jar.

4. When it is time for recess, lunch, or a transition to a new activity, students will

remain at their desks until there are given permission to move. I will hold

students accountable by asking for a “ticket to the next activity”. This might

be a piece of information or an answer to a review question or a question

related to the topic of the previous lesson. For lunch, students who brought

their lunches from home will be asked to get their lunches from their

backpacks and line up. Afterwards, students who are receiving a hot lunch

will line up behind the others. I will guide the students in a single-file time to

the cafeteria. At the end of the day, students will go through a similar process,

where the students with rides line up first and then the students riding the bus

or staying for an afterschool program will follow. The teacher will direct the

groups to specific locations.

5. The students will hang their backpacks up (or place them in a designated

location) at the back or outside of the classroom. They will place only the

materials they will need throughout the class day in their cubbies. They can

only take out specific materials when I direct them to do so. Otherwise, their

desks should remain clear.

Lesson-Running Routines:

1. If there was homework the previous night, they will place the assignment in

the homework bin by the front door. They will take a seat at their desks and

begin working on the question(s) that are written on the front board.

2. There will be a bin of supplies for each table group during stations/group

work. When students are at their paired desks, each pair will have a supply

box. One student will get up to pick up and return the bin for their table.

3. When moving to the next table/station during stations, students will be given a

couple of minutes to clean up and get organized. When I say, “Lights,” the

students will stand up, tuck in their chairs and stand behind them. When I say,

“Camera,” the students will direct their eyes and point their finger to the

station they will travel to next. When I say, “Action,” the students will walk to

the next location and take a seat.

4. If students are confused about directions, they are to first ask two neighbors. If

they do not receive a clear answer, they can raise their hand and the teacher

will give further direction. Chances are, there is a sense of confusion amongst

the whole class.

5. When students finish an assignment early, they can choose to pick out a

preferred activity (word game, math puzzle, etc.) from the “EXTRA, EXTRA,

Read All About It” file or they can read silently at their desks.

Interaction Routines:

1. To get students attention when they begin to talk during whole class

instruction, I will speak quietly and ask students to “touch their nose, touch

their ears,” etc. until I have everyone’s attention. During group work, I will

yell out “Zipper!” Students will pretend to zipper their mouths and give me

their undivided attention. When they can resume talking and working, I will

say “Un-zipper.”

2. When students need my attention to answer a class-related question that

applies to all students, they will raise their hands. When it’s a personal

question or a “report” of another student’s poor behavior, they will hold up

two fingers like a peace sign.

3. When I want the students to direct their attention to a certain person who is

speaking or an object in the classroom, I will ask them to “track” the desired

focus of attention.

4. Students will look to the stop light for volume control. A red light represents

“no talking,” a yellow light means “quiet voices,” and a green light lets

students know that talking is okay.

5. To identify when students should work independently, in pairs, or in a group, I

will place either “Solo,” “Duet”, or “Ensemble” on the activity stage on the

front board.

Effective Teacher Praise/Discourse:

1. “I appreciate your eyes and your attention.”

2. “I can tell that you worked very hard and carefully on this assignment. You

colored inside the lines and used a lot of different colors. Thank you for your

great effort.”

3. “That was a really nice way to talk to Nikki, Ariona. You used such kind

words.”

4. “Wow! Great use of adjectives. I can almost feel your dog’s soft fur and his

slimy slobber.”

5. “What a creative way to solve the math problem! I can see how you worked

through the question to find the answer.”

Relieving Energy:

1. Head, Should, Knees and Toes (change speeds)

2. Chaos Countdown: Students can do whatever they want (within guidelines) as

the teacher counts down from ten.

3. Put on music and tell the students to “improvise.” During the song, students

are allowed dance around in their space bubbles. When the song stops, they

need to stop moving and return to their seats.

4. “I feel the beat in the knees”

5. Three minutes of socializing to get out chatters and giggles

Intervention Strategies

Even with rules and routines, problems and interruptions might still arise. When they do,

teachers need quick and effective tools for dealing with the quickly and efficiently.

General Guidelines for Responding to Misbehavior:

I will first address students nonverbally. If misbehavior continues, I will move

closer to where they are sitting, so that they are aware that I am conscious of them. If

appropriate, I will place a hand on their shoulder. I will address the issue quietly and

privately if they remain disruptive. If I choose to address them publicly, it will sound

something like “Caity, can you please give me your eyes?” where I reinforce and remind

students of more positive behavior.

Responses:

Minor Behaviors (chewing gum, passing notes, daydreaming, etc): I will use

non-verbal responses, verbal cues, or consider ignoring if it seems like student’s

behavior is to receive attention.

More Serious Behaviors (consistently not turning in homework, moaning when

assignments are made, never participating, etc.): I will establish a new routine, use

a problem solving process, help students increase awareness and responsibility for

misbehavior, or try reframing.

Chronic Behaviors (hitting or fighting, cheating, stealing, etc): I will plan

consequences ahead of misbehavior, give appropriate/logical consequences, offer

choices, or re-establish a positive relationship.

General Consequences for Misbehavior:

To promote positive behavior, I will implement a scale system. Students will start the day

with their stars in the middle at “Ready to Learn!” If I catch them in putting in an honest effort

and working hard, or being kind to a classmate they can move up on the scale. The step above is

“Shining Bright.” Above that is the highest level, “SPARKLE Star”. If students are at the highest

level at the end of the school day, their names will be added to “Miss Carty’s SPARKLE Stars.”

If students are added to this list every day of the week, they get to choose a book for the class to

read on Friday. Students can move down on the scale even after they’ve moved up. Below

“Ready to Learn!” is “Losing Your Shine.” This is the first consequence for misbehavior, and

students will be asked to remind themselves of the rules so that they can “re-polish” their stars.

Below is “Falling Star.” Students at this level have to sit in the time-out zone in the back of the

class, away from other students. They will fill out a behavior contract, which will need to be

signed by parents, the teacher, and the student. The lowest level is “SPARKLE-less.” These

students will have to visit the principal’s office.

Behavior Contract: (see attached contracts)

Family-School Relationships

Student success requires a combined three-prong effort of teachers/faculty, students and

families. There needs to be open lines of communication, where each prong possesses the

tools and willingness to express needs. By collaborating, everyone involved will have a more

pleasant, fulfilling experience.

Communication Strategies:

1. I will send home a letter during the first week of school that gives parents my

contact information. I will also ask them to provide me when a few options for

getting a hold of them.

2. I will have an opportunity (either at Back-to-School Night or through writing) for

parents to express their concerns and questions.

3. I will send home postcards with students to inform their parents of what children

are doing well. Hopefully these will encourage parents to continue supporting

their children to build on these qualities.

4. Parents stress the importance of being kept up-to-date on what their child is doing

in school and the progress he or she is making. Classroom newsletters are an

excellent way of communicating this information to parents.

5. Make sure parents read and sign behavior contracts when their children

misbehave. By recognizing the problem and seeing their children’s goals, parents

can aid in working towards growth and positive behavior.