Aaron Shaw

Behavior Management Plan

October 30th, 2014

As a teacher, having a detailed classroom and behavior management plan is extremely

important to maintaining a positive learning and working environment. Within this plan, several
topics should be discussed and accounted for. Rules and routines should be planned with the
students so that they feel as much a part of the decision- making process as the teacher and feel
empowered to continue learning. Creating relationships with students is also a great way to gain
respect from the students and they will enjoy the class and subject as much as possible which
will cut down on behavior issues in the classroom. When these issues do arise, however, it is
critical to have a plan in place and aim to get to the root of the problem so that preventative
measures can be put into practice. Finally, discipline is a make-or-break area in teaching, so
having a plan in effect for discipline and being able to monitor the discipline as a teacher is
especially important.
Rules and routines in the classroom are the first steps in ensuring positive behavior in our
schools. Rules should be created and agreed upon by the students in collaboration with the
teacher so that everyone feels involved in the process. Students are also more likely to follow the
rules when they created them, which helps us as teachers to maintain a positive learning
environment. Routines are equally as important in the classroom, and can be agreed upon by the
class as well. Topics like generic class schedules and homework policies can remain constant
throughout a school year to create a sense of structure for the students that crave an organized
framework, but can be open to change for students enjoy choices and options. In fact, a strategy

that I have witnessed and would like to employ is to require students to only do homework for a
certain amount of time at home. Parents can sign the homework and prove that the students have
spent the allotted time attempting to complete it, which allows the students to take a break from
the stressful activity (when they do not understand the material) and allows the teacher to know
that students are having trouble with the concepts as opposed to being lazy or negligent. A
balance of structure and choice is optimal for students on both sides of the spectrum to succeed.
Within the first few weeks of teaching a new class, I would try my best to get to know the
students as well as I can. To do this, I would have questionnaires made up to learn about their
interests in hobbies. These forms would also include their expectations of me as a teacher and
what they believe I should expect out of them. I would use this info when thinking of routines, as
outlined in the paragraph above. I would also attempt to connect with the students by playing
music as they enter the classroom. The music would come from the questionnaire of their likes,
but would clearly not include songs that are not school appropriate. This could also be used as a
technique to start the class when the music is turned off, that means the students should be
listening and ready to start the lesson. I would also use the input from students when decorating
the class. Obviously, the class would be partially filled with materials pertaining to the given
subject (i.e. posters of Einstein for physics classes), but opinions from the students about the
physical outline of the classroom (i.e. blinds open or closed) would be taken into consideration.
A seating plan could be discussed with students, but my preferred plan would be to have groups
of students together so that productive discussions could happen within the groups.
My primary form of action in terms of behavior problems is to deal with the problem
head-on. This means that I would be sure to handle problems in the classroom before they fester
and become out of control. In doing so, I would address the inappropriate behavior of the

student, but I would not dwell on the problem in front of the class or make a big deal out of it
immediately. Rather, I would allow time for the student to reflect on what theyve done and
speak to them privately and calmly after class. It is beneficial for the student to come up with his
or her own reasons for why their behavior was inappropriate and allow them to come up with
their own repercussions. That way, students can learn from themselves that their behavior is
wrong and they still feel like they have adequate control when they can come up with
consequences. Some scenarios, however, require immediate action for the safety of the student(s)
and those around. For example, a physical confrontation between two students would necessitate
an immediate response to keep students from getting hurt. If this were to occur, a good strategy
to deal with the problem would be to separate the students and allow their emotions to cool
down. After a significant amount of time, contact between the two students could be made with
the help of a mediator, who could help the students come to a solution to their problems.
Getting to the root of the students behavior can also help students overcome issues in
their lives and prevent headaches for teachers. In the book Emotional Literacy: The Heard of
Classroom Management by Patricia Sherwood, the author discusses the case of a student whom
she nicknamed Tiger Tim. Tiger Tim was an angry child who had attempted to strangle other
children and threatened teachers. Although he was labeled as uncontrollable, the author worked
with him to find out what caused him to be so angry. Eventually, he revealed that his mother had
died and he was afraid of being alone. By understanding where the anger came from, the author
was able to aid Tim in turning his life around. Being caring and understanding of the problems of
students and children while getting to know where they come from can be the best way to avoid
disputes in the classroom.

When it comes to discipline, it is important to have a plan in place. I would do my best to

predict the types of behaviors that students can portray at school and have behavior management
plans for these behaviors. This could include rules that are set within the classroom by the
students for problems like swearing in class or neglecting to finish homework, or how to deal
with students that are fighting in class or on school grounds. Plans allow teachers to be
unsurprised in the face of the problems that can happen at any school, and they will know how to
deal with the dilemma immediately. When creating a behavior management plan, I would
remember to treat students with dignity and respect. Insulting flaws or having punishments that
are unrelated to the infractions can cause students to be hurt or confused, which can entice the
students to act out further. Consequences should be related to the offense in question. The
presence of instructors during the consequence is also crucial because it shows the student that
teachers care enough to help them through their struggle.
In conclusion, there are many aspects to having an efficient classroom and behavior
management plan. Relationships with the students are the key to productive behaviors, so
planning with the students and getting to know them are the ultimate strategies for preventing
negative behaviors. These behaviors will arise, so a behavior plan must be in place to positively
correct the students negative conducts. Staying positive and present during the consequences
will help to build relationships with the students that need them the most the students who are
reaching out for attention through bad behavior. The primary job as a teacher is to create
connections with students so that they will have a bright future, and I believe that my classroom
and behavior management plan will help me to create these connections so the students can be
the best that they can be.

Bibliography
Sherwood, P. (2008). Emotional literacy: The heart of classroom management. Camberwell,
Vic: ACER Press.