Академический Документы
Профессиональный Документы
Культура Документы
Autumn Smith
Justification
The foundation of a teacher’s classroom management style should stem from their
personal teaching philosophy. One aspect of my personal teaching philosophy that informs my
classroom management plan is family involvement. This means ensuring that families are able to
give input when it comes to their child, as well as remain informed about any specific issues or
involves planning so that the student expectations held and classroom management techniques
used are appropriate to each child’s age, culture, and developmental abilities. Additionally,
incorporating differentiation into one’s classroom management plan includes modifying the plan
One of the principles of child development described by Carol Copple and Sue
Programs: Serving Children from Birth through Age 8, is, “development proceeds toward greater
2009, p. 12). They further define the concept of self-regulation as, “developing the capacity to
manage strong emotions and keep one’s attention focused” (Copple & Bredekamp, 2009, p. 12).
The ability to self-regulate is crucial to the young child’s development because it imparts the
important skills needed to function in life beyond the classroom. In their textbook,
Marjorie J. Kostelnik, Anne K. Soderman, Alice P. Whiren, and Michelle Q. Rupiper (2015) list
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT PLAN 3
interactions, refusing temptation, managing negative urges, formulating positive social plans, and
refraining from gratification (Kostelnik, Soderman, Whiren, & Rupiper, 2015, p. 168). Because
teachers and caregivers model these behaviors and provide opportunities to practice self-
regulation skills. Because meaningful play allows children to demonstrate appropriate behavior,
resolve personal and social conflicts, and interact with their peers, it is an effective means
through which children can gain the skills needed to become contributing members of society.
Childhood Classrooms, Dan Gartrell (2004) explains the concept of mistaken behavior, an
alternative to misbehavior, which, “reminds us that the child is just at the beginning of a lifelong
learning process, which we also are undertaking, and that in the process of learning we all make
mistakes” (Gartrell, 2004, p. 7). By taking this idea into consideration, teachers can successfully
instill democratic life skills in their students, such as participation in a community and conflict
resolution, through the use of guidance. In order for a classroom to be effectively managed by
using guidance to instruct appropriate behavior, teachers must implement indirect and direct
guidance strategies. One indirect guidance strategy involves the creation and application of
ensuring that young children will be able to easily remember and follow them, as well as steadily
enforced, so that students will know what is expected of them. Additionally, teachers can
promote the appreciation of and respect for classroom expectations by allowing students to
actively participate in their formation, creating a democratic classroom community. Above all,
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT PLAN 4
classroom expectations should be established from the beginning and enforced consistently
throughout the school year. Another indirect guidance strategy includes maintaining routine daily
schedules and procedures. If students understand that they are expected to put their bags and
belongings in their cubbies, sit on their designated spot on the carpet, and wait for the teacher to
begin the morning meeting upon arriving to the classroom in the morning, they are left with few
chances to become distracted and act inappropriately. When consistent routines are planned in
such a way that they eliminate opportunities for mistaken behavior to occur, they allow for
effective classroom management through indirect prevention. Direct strategies, another efficient
means of guiding young children, are those that immediately respond to behavior. An example of
teacher tells their class, “I really appreciate how well you all have been sharing with one another
and following the playground rules today! I am going to give the entire class five extra minutes
of recess”, they are encouraging the continuation of the desired behavior by benefitting the
students as it occurs. Furthermore, the practice of rewarding the class as a whole rather than on
an individual basis encourages a common sense of affinity and kinship among the students.
Another productive direct guidance strategy is reacting to mistaken behavior with reasonable
consequences, such as restitution. For example, if a student kicks down another student’s block
tower out of frustration, a logical consequence would be to have the student rebuild the structure.
By having the student restore what they destroyed, the teacher is guiding them to develop
responsibility for their actions, respect for materials, and consideration for others, all of which
are crucial life skills needed to function and thrive within society. Another major piece of
classroom management is having planned transitions between every activity. This can be as
simple as a song, rhyme, or some other movement activity. The important part is that the students
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT PLAN 5
are given something to do to help guide them into the next activity. An additional strategy that
aids in classroom management is planning supplementary activities so that the students are never
left without anything to do. Examples include having a classroom library for students to read in,
STEM bins, materials for free-writing, and planned “can do” activities. Finally, the creation of
class jobs is an effective means for managing the classroom while instilling responsibility within
students. By assigning students with jobs such as line leader, door holder, caboose,
lunch/calendar helper, and teacher’s aide, the teacher can ensure that these roles are fulfilled
Depending on how much freedom a teacher has over their own schedule, they should aim
to structure it in a way that allows for brain breaks, such as GoNoodle or some other movement
activity, or free-choice centers. Teachers should make sure to have routine activities planned
even when they are not actively teaching. Such activities can include morning work or morning
meeting, free-choice centers, or independent reading time. The grade level will determine the
length of different items on the schedule. For example, whole group instruction in pre-k and
kindergarten should consist mostly of 10 minute mini-lessons, while center time should be long
enough for students to engage in meaningful play, typically 30 minutes. However, in 2nd and 3rd
grade, lessons can be up to one hour long and include whole group, small group, and
independent components.
relationships with families. Teachers can use communication apps, such as Class Dojo, to update
families on their children’s behavior. Apps like Class Dojo allows teachers to give students green
points for positive behavior and red points for inappropriate behavior. Because families can
connect to the app, they are immediately notified when their child receives a red or green point.
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT PLAN 6
Families can also message the teacher directly to discuss their child’s behavior issues or
concerns.
Evaluating Effectiveness
Any classroom management plan will not be successful without a means for evaluating
its effectiveness. One way to measure the success of one’s classroom management procedures is
through self-reflection. Teachers should regularly reflect upon their classroom management
practices, including which components are effective and which could be improved upon. Another
way to assess one’s classroom management is through observations. These can be formal
Observations can give teachers insight on how well-managed their classroom is from an
classroom and behavior management. By attending these trainings, teachers can ensure that the
management strategies used are research-based and professionally endorsed. Regardless of how a
important to remember that classroom management is a process. It will take time to establish the
many routines that help a classroom run smoothly. However, with continuous reinforcement and
References
Copple, C., & Bredekamp, S. (2009). Developmentally appropriate practice in early childhood
programs: Serving children from birth through age 8 (3rd ed.). Washington, DC: National
Gartrell, D. (2004). The power of guidance: Teaching social-emotional skills in early childhood
Kostelnik, M. J., Soderman, A. K., Whiren, A. P., & Rupiper, M. L. (2015). Developmentally
appropriate curriculum: Best practices in early childhood education (6th ed.). Upper