Integrated Thematic UnitClick the hyperlink below to access my Integrated Thematic Unit
Classroom Management Plan |
Level 1 Community
- Building a caring community is in my opinion the most important piece of classroom management. If students do not feel safe or respected then they won’t cooperate.
- The first day of school should and will be celebrated! I will treat it as the most important day of the year. I will prepare a script for the first day of school. Writing a script will allow me time to think about the key topics I would like to discuss. Being prepared for the first day of school is important because it sets the tone for the year. As Harry Wong so eloquently said, “your success during the school year will be determined by what you do on the first days of school” (Wong & Wong)
- As students enter the classroom every day, I will stand at the door and greet each student by name and with a smile on my face. This lets my students know they are a valued member of our learning community. This practice is adapted from The First days of School with regard to “The Five Significant Concepts That Enhance Positive Expectations” (Wong & Wong)
- The learning objective will always be written on the whiteboard in the same location everyday. I will create a space on the board specifically for the learning objectives. Before beginning instruction, I will read the objective at to inform students what they will be learning. According to Harry Wong, “objectives help students anticipate, focus, and understand the purpose of a lesson.” Students crave consistency so establishing a daily routine like this is important. Again, “if students know what they are to learn, you increase the chances that they will learn” (Wong & Wong).
- Students need structure to see that they are capable of success. Agendas help structure the day. I will post the daily agenda on the board everyday and keep a calendar on my class website so students know what is expected of them and proceed accordingly. (Charles)
- Throughout the year, I will practice encouragement over praise. Encouragement is more effective because it builds self-esteem and empowerment (Nelson & Lott).
- I will also recognize positive behavior. Punishment may work in the short term, but it won’t suffice for long-term classroom management. As a result, punishment will only be utilized as a last resort (Nelson & Lott).
- Establishing trust is important. If students trust their teacher, they will be more cooperative. Then the teacher can look for the cause of misbehavior and attempt to correct. (Charles)
- As a teacher I will “hold high expectations of students and believe in their potential” (Nelson & Lott).
- During the first few weeks of school my goal is not only to learn each student’s name, but to find out an interest of theirs. I will do this by creating a student survey, which will include a question about their hobbies/interests. I will probably use Google forms to create the survey. This will help me build a caring community. (ARTIFACT #1)
Level 2 Recovery
- At the beginning of the school year, the entire class will work together to create a respect agreement (ARTIFACT #2). This is a set of class rules and expectations for behavior. Our agreement will be written on poster paper and attached to the wall. This is a contract between students and I so we will all sign it. If a student acts up, I will tap on the part of the poster they are violating as a reminder to follow the agreement. (Claassen & Claassen)
- I realize that there will be occasions in which my students break the respect agreement. Perfection is not realistic. One way I can remind students to follow the agreement is through proximity. I will walk nearest the student acting up as a constructive reminder. (Claassen & Claassen)
- If the student does not respond to proximity, another action I can implement is eye-contact. By making direct eye-contact with a student I let them know that I am noticing their behavior. (Claassen & Claassen)
- Another strategy I can implement when a student is off task is to tap on their desk when I notice the problem behavior. I can also pause during the lecture to gain attention.
- If I notice a student that seems disengaged, I will refer that student to their peers to help for understanding. This will hold them accountable for their actions (Lederach)
- Students in high school are growing into their own person and becoming more independent with each day. They are learning to think outside of the box and try new things. However, as a teacher it is my job to hold them accountable for their actions. They need to realize that all actions have consequences. Some behaviors have positive consequences and some behaviors have negative consequences. Holding my students accountable will help them become independent and responsible adults. (Lederach)
- Getting to know yourself is important to individuating. I want my students to understand what inspires them. I really want them to know their own learning style. Understanding how you learn best allows you to utilize your time and resources in the most appropriate fashion.
- The ability to identify emotions is a valuable lifelong skill that I wish I had known sooner. In my classroom I will introduce the “mood meter”. This is a tool that helps students identify their feelings and recognize how emotion influences behavior. Early in the year I will host a class discussion specifically addressing emotional literacy. I will have a large copy of the "Mood Meter" Poster (ARTIFACT #3) on the wall to help students identify their feelings throughout the year (Brackett, Kremenitzer, & Maurer). During this discussion I will also need to teach emotional vocabulary. This will help students express what they feel.
- Since students will be participating in collaborative group work in my class, I need to teach them proper social skills such as how to deal with conflict and appropriate expression/reaction. This where the “Emotional Literacy Blueprint” comes into action. During the class discussion mentioned previously, I will use the “Emotional Literacy Blueprint” (ARTIFACT #4) to teach the class how to solve problems in effectively (Brackett, Kremenitzer, & Maurer). Each student will get a copy of the blueprint to keep to help them deal with conflict. If I notice conflict among some students, I will ask them to fill out the Blueprint and see if it helps them work it out.
Level 4 Somewhere Else - Sometimes, a student will not respond to levels 1-3, so further action needs to be taken. In instances of conflict or defiance I will send the student to the Thinkery. This concept was discussed in Discipline That Restores by Ron and Roxanne Claassen. The Thinkery is a place where the student goes to cool-down and think about their behavior. The Thinkery is a place outside of the classroom so the student stops disturbing the class. The student will fill out a "Thinkery Form" (ARTIFACT #5), which requires the student to reflect on his/her behavior. One question from the "Thinkery Form" is “how did my behavior affect my teacher/other students” and “what could I do differently to prevent this referral?” (Claassen & Claassen).
- If the student has thoughtfully filled out the "Thinkery Form" and is willing to be cooperative, they will be invited back into the class. At this point I will establish a follow up meeting for the two of us.
- During the student/teacher follow up meeting, I will ask the student what they reflected on while writing the "Thinkery Form". If the student is not willing to be cooperative then I will proceed with a family conference.
Level 5 Wrap around Support - In order to change the problem behavior, the root of the problem must be identified and addressed. Most students act out for attention, power, revenge or avoidance-of-failure (Albert). Each of these goals should be addressed individually. For example, a strategy for dealing with attention-seeking behavior is to catch the student being good. Dealing with the source of the problem is the best method for extinguishing the problem behavior.
- If a student needs some extra support then we will develop an individual signal to remind the student to behave (Linda Albert).
- A family conference will be held in the event that a student refuses to cooperate. During the family conference, the parents will encourage the student to resolve the problem behavior (Claassen & Claassen).The family conference is a last resort and hopefully the previous steps will have proven effective.
Sources:
Brackett, Marc A., Janet Pickard. Kremenitzer, and Marvin Maurer. Creating Emotionally Literate Classrooms: An
Introduction to the RULER Approach to Social and Emotional Learning. Port Chester, NY: Dude Pub., 2011. Print.
Charles, C. M., Gail W. Senter, and Karen B. Barr. Building Classroom Discipline. New York: Longman, 1999.
Claassen, Ron, and Roxanne Claassen. Discipline That Restores: Strategies to Create Respect, Cooperation, and
Responsibility in the Classroom. 2008. Print.
Lederach, John Paul. The Little Book of Conflict Transformation. Intercourse, PA: Good, 2003. Print.
Nelsen, Jane, Lynn Lott, and H. Stephen. Glenn. Positive Discipline in the Classroom: Developing Mutual Respect,
Cooperation, and Responsibility in Your Classroom. Roseville, CA: Prima Pub., 2000. Print.
Wong, Harry K., and Rosemary T. Wong. The First Days of School: How to Be an Effective Teacher. Print.
ARTIFACTS:
Artifact #1
Artifact #2
Click this link to see the template for the Classroom Agreement Poster
Artifact #3
Artifact #4
Click on this link to see the template for the Emotional Literacy Blueprint.
Artifact #5
The Thinkery Form comes from disciplinethatrestores.org