Disciplinary plan to ensure consistency with positive/negative consequences It is important for teachers to have a systematic discipline plan that

explains exactly what will happen when students misbehave or to behave. At the beginning of the school year the teacher must explain and clearly establish the rules and procedures of the classroom so that the students know what to expect in the classroom. It is not effective for a teacher to react to situations when the students are unclear of classroom expectations and then the teacher must stop, think, react, and choose a consequence during the middle of a lesson. In order for the teacher to be consistent they must have a plan. Inconsistent teachers may ignore behaviors one day and then discipline them for the same behavior the next day and they may have biases towards certain groups of students. Teachers respond differently to diverse socioeconomic groups, ethnic groups and racial backgrounds. At our school there are obvious biases in the hallway when groups of students meet to talk depending on whether the students are black, Hispanic or white. Teachers feel uncomfortable when challenged about their biases but they do exist. If there is a disciplinary plan in place for the classroom or the school then all students will be treated consistently over all behavioral situations. Every student who breaks the rules receives the same consequence and the expectations and clearly defined. It is also important to communicate the rules and consequences to parents. If the plan is sent home to parents there are no surprises when a conference is requested in a phone call home. Teacher managed behaviors in my classroom would include: 1. 2. 3. Academic Dishonesty Class Disruption/Off-Task Defiance/Disrespect/Non-Compliance Electronic Technology (cell, Ipod, MP3) Inappropriate Language (Verbal/Nonverbal) Unprepared for Class/Missing Homework Public Display of Affection Sleeping in Class

First offence: The student receives a warning Second offence: Teacher/student conference Third offence: technology bagged and sent to safe in main office/other requires time out with written reflection 4. Phone call home to parent/contact coach or counselor 5. Deans referral

Any behaviors that involve bullying, threatening, abusive language directly to another person, repeated disruption, property damage, fighting or aggression where injury occurs, or hostile challenge of authority, weapons, drug possession, or tobacco will be reported immediately to the Deans office in the form of a behavioral referral with the student(s) escorted to the Deans office by security. All behavioral plans should be in the best interest of the student and the teacher and should be aligned to the school/district policy as set out by the school handbook and school board policy. Students should never be ridiculed or degraded nor should the teacher use corporal punishment. As part of the plan the teacher should also establish a balanced system by incorporating positive acknowledgement of adherence to rules and procedures. These behaviors should be clearly identified: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Students must be in their seats when the bell rings Students are not allowed to eat or drink in the science classroom. All backpacks must be placed on the floor with cell phones turned off and out of sight. Students must speak with good purpose. Students must follow the 3 Bs: Be responsible, be respectful and be positive. Students will not disrupt the classroom environment by talking, making jokes or touching other students.

Specific behaviors need to be modeled, restated, practiced and reviewed for the students. Afterwards the teacher should give positive rewards and recognition to students who follow the rules. Teachers should also state and reinforce why the student received the positive recognition. I follow the 3:1 rule by reinforcing three students for every one student who receives a disciplinary consequence for adherence or non-adherence to the rules and procedures in the classroom. I also think that students should have choice. If students are given clear and consistent choices to behave or not to behave they will learn self-discipline, they will own their choices and they will learn that they control the consequences. In my classroom I have a very diverse student population and there are definitely cultural differences. I have problems with boys acting out and looking for attention in negative ways. So in order to reward the students for doing the right behaviors I have developed a system of cues/hand signals that the boys respond to and they can earn privileges such as verbal praise, the right to choose their own partners for the next assignment, more time to work on an assignment, computer time, positive phone calls home, charger pride coupons for the charger store, nomination for student of the term, leave for lunch three minutes early, allowed to use I-pods, binder pass or an open note quiz pass (allowed to use notes on quiz). Teaching and learning must take place so using contingency plans can also help maintain classroom management. The home contingency is important by involving the parents in correcting and rewarding behavior choices. Peer pressure in group contingency is another strategy that teachers can us as interdependent or dependent measures in order to succeed as a whole group or to modify individual behaviors. I am currently implementing a group contingency of getting the students to all turn in homework and missing work. If they all meet this requirement they will earn a cook-out and Harlem shake. As a dependent group contingency I expect all members of every group to be successful in order

for individual groups to move on with their learning goals. They cannot leave any member behind and I assess this formatively using many quick assessment tools. When groups are successful at working collaboratively and pushing each other to success on the first try they earn a smiley eraser for their pencils as a team. This motivates all members of the group to participate and to achieve their goals. Regarding my relationships with students, I have worked hard to identify my low and high expectancy students and I take measures to reduce teacher bias by using close proximity, making eye content, connecting on a personal level, engaging in what interests students and making curriculum connections based on their interests. I also stick with students and ask questions of all students and I tally my student contact so that I give all students attention and feedback. I tend to spend less time with shy and quiet students but I have been very attentive and aware of my own behaviors that could affect a students achievement. The students that I work with are in the middle, with medium to high test scores, they come from low-income single family homes. All of the students are required to participate in the school clubs, teams or extracurricular activities and they must all work 12 community service hours per year in order to give back to the community. They sign a contract at the beginning of the school year to clearly identify expectations and this is signed by the parents, student, and AVID staff. Most behavior interventions involve off-task behaviors, inappropriate student interactions and missing homework and assignments. Occasionally, I deal with rude or defiant belligerent responses to requests but this is rare.

I have reduced my distracters in the classroom in order to scan and pay attention to the students at all times so that they perceive me as knowing and hearing everything in the classroom. Some students even believe that I can speak Spanish which is false. It is easy to understand the language of the classroom from the content and body language of the students by being in all quadrants of the room, scanning the room for problems and using the look as a non-verbal message. During high-intensity situations I remain calm, reduce confrontation and conflict, put distance between myself and the student, talk the student down from their emotion and reaction. If conflict continues call for help and ensure the protection of other students and myself until the situation is resolved. A plan is only as effective as the teacher using it and over time effective teachers will develop a good fair and consistent plan for positive and negative adherence to classroom rules and procedures. If they do not then it will affect their ability to learn and teach in the classroom, students will be upset from the successful with classroom management leave the profession due to frustration, and lack of success with the students. If the classroom is not a calm learning environment the teacher and the students suffer. Students complain to their counselors, their deans, and to their parents. The teacher struggles loses control, often displays emotional responses rather than a calm professional appearance, and more time is spent controlling havoc rather than learning and progressing. I have spent some time reflecting on this learning log because it is the one area where I can identify weakness in my abilities as an effective teacher. I need to follow this reflection to improve for next year

because I have been inconsistent in my administration of negative and positive consequences. Although I am very good with identifying student relationships, contingency plans, parent involvement and other forms of acknowledgement, I have been weak in the area of giving parents positive feedback and inconsistent with giving students acknowledgement for non-adherence to rules. There needs to be a plan in place for those situations when the relationship breaks down, positive reinforcement is not working and the student makes bad choices. I will focus on this as an area for improvement for next year. I recognize the need for a more structured consistent plan as I strive for excellence.