Classroom Management Plan
Mark Hofsass
Philosophical Statement
Successful classroom management will hinge on the ability of the teacher to provide a
safe, respectful, and open environment to the students in the class. The teacher must be a
facilitator in the learning process, and have the ability to motivate students to pursue
learning on their own. This should be done in a place where students feel they are
respected and equal, and where they can exchange information and thoughts in an
accepting environment. Teachers need to focus on providing a Learning – Focused
environment for the students to learn, and the students must understand that they are in
school for the purpose of learning. This partnership will result in a classroom in which
learning can take place in an interesting and unique setting. Poor classroom management
will almost surely result in a class not reaching full potential. Classroom management is
paramount to a teacher’s individual success, and to the success of the students involved
with that teacher.
Overview of Classroom Management
There are several major factors involved with successful classroom management. These
factors are: room and material arrangement, classroom rules and policies, and
maintaining student attention. If a teacher can successfully handle these three elements
they will have gone a long way towards running a successful and productive classroom.
Design of Learning Space
The overall layout of a classroom and the materials in that classroom are very important.
The layout of student desks must make it easily adaptable to a group work setting as well
as adaptable to a more traditional setting when individual work, writing, or assessment is
taking place. This takes some thought by the teacher, and the arrangement will vary
depending on factors such as room size, number of desks, and other items that must be
incorporated into the layout. The teacher’s desk needs to be at a location the teacher feels
comfortable with. Personally, I don’t really sit at my desk during class, so as long as it’s
accessible to necessary phone and computer outlets, then several locations for the teacher
desk can work for me. A teacher must place any in a open lines of sight so that the
teacher can monitor what is being viewed on the screen. The placement of other
classroom items such as paper, pencil sharpeners, and bins to submit work should be
carefully planned to minimize traffic and distractions. The room in general should
advocate learning in its’ décor and arrangement. This will differ slightly by subject, but
English classrooms should contain posters and other visual aids that relate to the
discipline. There should also be others that show some of the teacher’s interests. This
makes for a unique and vibrant space, and gets rid of the sterile and bland environment
that may exist without the decoration of the room.
Establishing and Enforcing Rules and Policies
Rules are absolutely necessary to establish a safe and enjoyable learning environment. I
have established 7 rules that are to be followed in my class:
1) Be in your seat when the bell rings.
2) Be prepared for class. No one leaves class to go to their locker.
3) Be respectful to everyone in the room. When others are talking, listen.
4) Be responsible to monitor your own grade using the posted grade printouts, and
online access.
5) No unauthorized electronic devices permitted. If seen, they will be immediately
confiscated and given to the office.
6) Participate and give me an honest effort.
7) Use common sense.
Violations of these rules will be dealt with swiftly and uniformly. Problems are less
likely to occur when students are actively engaged and interested in what they are
learning. Inevitably though, problems will arise. When they do, teachers must be adept
at several ways of handling these problems. Proximity in and of itself is one tool. A
teacher that is moving around can often redirect behavior through simple proximity to the
student. A reminder or warning of the rule can also redirect behavior, as well as more
involvement in the lesson. Teachers should at all costs avoid a win/lose situation when
attempting to discipline a student. This can make the teacher appear weak, especially
when done in front of the rest of the class. A private conversation or conference is a
much better way to handle an issue. If a student will not accept a consequence for
breaking a rule, then they must be removed from the classroom. At this point, a
disciplinary referral to administration may be appropriate as well as a parental conference
if this has been a recurring issue. I don’t believe in calling parents every time something
little is dealt with in class. If students feel a teacher is just using the parents to attempt to
manipulate their behavior, then that will not be effective. Parents should, however, be
part of any process that involves a more focused effort in changing behavior. An
example of this would be if a student repeatedly disrupts class, and a behavior plan would
have to be put into action. The parents should be viewed as partners in the parent-
student-teacher relationship. Open communication throughout the year should result in a
good relationship that is beneficial to all three parties.
Maintaining Student Attention
Gaining and maintaining student attention is paramount to solid classroom management.
Engaging the students in authentic learning is the base of any successful classroom. This
can be done in many different ways and through implementing varied strategies. I
believe in having a classroom that is varied in activities yet remains mostly standard in
terms of daily procedure. Meaning, I like the everyday class to run in mostly the same
fashion:
1) The opening when the agenda and essential question are shared
2) A time when any necessary information or guidance is shared
3) The activity or activities for the day are completed
4) A summary of the important topics and relevance to the essential question are
covered, and comprehension is checked through varied formative assessments.
Students are most likely to be engaged and interested in lessons that have been
thoroughly planned out. Planning is paramount to the success of a lesson. Planning is
best done through a team-based approach, and needs to take learning styles into account.
Differentiating instruction will ensure that many types of students can benefit from a
given lesson. The English classroom specifically should revolve around the major
concepts of reading and writing. It is the teacher’s responsibility to make sure students
understand that reading and writing will be important across all disciplines of education,
and will be involved in almost all areas of future interest.
Summary
Teachers should carefully examine their practices to ensure that all components of
classroom management are in place. Good management is the key to good instruction. A
well thought out classroom arrangement, a fair and easily understood set of expectations,
swift and fair dealings with misbehavior, and an engaging curriculum are the core of
solid classroom management. If these elements are present, and learning is taking place
in a safe, enjoyable and exciting environment, then inappropriate behavior will not be a
consistent problem.