Your Classroom Management Plan Preparing to Teach

Why Manage? Students hold the adult in the class responsible for providing an orderly class where they can learn. InTASC standard #3: “The teacher works…to create environments that support individual and collaborative learning, and encourage positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation.” Gates foundation MET study in Memphis found strong validity in using student surveys to measure teacher effectiveness, using a question about orderly environment where I can learn. Marzano’s metanalysis of research found student engagement rates & learning gains of half an SD, or 20% in classrooms where teachers used certain classroom management techniques.

You must also demonstrate your CM competence in TEP II (first question-because it is the #1 problem for student- and first-year teachers!), Standard #5 of your Live Text portfolio (#8 for new standards). Student teaching. Ed 432 and MAE 5070.

If you don’t manage… Behavioral distractions will steal instructional time & learning will suffer (Jacob Kounin research). And YOU will suffer stress, distraction, loss of your love & energy for teaching.

What is the best way to manage? Have a thorough PLAN before the first day! Teach students to follow your plan, especially procedures (“How we do things in Ms Jones’ class”). (Evertsen & Harris, Wong)

So, just what is in a good CM Plan? Start with your professional statement of beliefs about CM. What models/theories do you support and apply? What do you believe about children’s motives and what works to engage them?

What are your RULES? (Hardin, tbl 7.1) Stated so your expectations are CLEAR to kids. Be prepared to TELL WHY. Should encourage positive climate. Keep the list SHORT. Consistent with school rules. May involve students in development of some rules (Flag Rule process) Prepare to provide examples. (Act them out!) TEACH your rules.

Must distinguish Rules… From GOALS/EXPECTATIONS. From PROCEDURES. What do you do if violated? Procedure or Goal-Reteach. Rule-Punish.

Reward Plan Think about student motives. Why will they want to do something for your reward? Plan both individual and group, class rewards. Plan how to record and announce. Design intermittent, continuous schedule , social, activity and TOKEN reinforcers (see text). This reflects your mastery of Behavioral Model ch 2.

Design your Room! Criteria are V-A-D. (see COMPS model ch 7.) Visibility (for both students and YOU! Check from every seat. Visual aids too. Accessibility. Can students get to everything they need. CAN YOU reach every student in no more than 6 steps? Proximity Control. Distractability. We have growing numbers of students who will be distracted by “too much.” And consider, do you want to compete for student attention with the traffic outside or playground?

Your Room Design Plan Make a sketch or diagram. (Websites have tools/apps). Include books, desks, yours and theirs, supplies, backpacks, computers, windows, doors, ….. Provide a brief narrative explaining your plan and how it meets V-A-D.

Procedures, procedures, procedures! “How we do this in Ms Zobl’s classroom.” Harry Wong, Alene Harris and many others are behind this best practice. Design procedures for routine events and TEACH them from the start of the year, and throughout. Begin & End class. Entering/leaving the room, restroom, lunchroom, paper heading, turn-in, voice level, answering, GROUP WORK! And as many others as you can think of.

Procedures will: Make transitions go smoothly, rapidly, maximizing instructional time on task. Reduce anxiety and stress-for students and for You! Giving orders all the time is tiresome. Demonstrate that you have an orderly, positive learning environment. Remember-Children are creatures of habit. There is a power in the first week!

But also… Teach a new procedure each week. Reinforce and provide practice. Fire Drills and real crises will go better when your students are trained in procedures. Your CM Plan should include how you will teach at least 3 procedures. (Procedure LP format in Harris, GOTAGS).

Wrapup Your CM Plan must include: Your CM belief statement (cite models). Rules Reward Plan Room Design Procedures. Post this in your L/T Portfolio under Std #5 Learning Environment. And… Be prepared to answer TEP II question.