Renny Hagan

Classroom Management Plan

Statement of Purpose

“The classroom should be a welcoming environment that helps students develop in all

areas. Students need to be heard and understood. They need to know that they have someone

on their side no matter what. By making them feel welcomed and secure, a student should feel

eager to enter school and learn. The teacher’s role is to create this environment and advocate

for his/her students. They need to remain calm and work in favor of the child’s development.”

Developing students’ emotional, well-being, positive interactions, and self-

determination is very beneficial because it can lead to a decrease in disciplinary/behavioral

issues, improved attitudes, and an increase in academic performance. Being able to help

students become self-aware allows them to understand their own emotions. They will be able

to assess their strengths and limitations which can help them excel in school. Rather than

worrying about their feelings being pent up, you help them express their feelings so that they

can focus on their work.

The best place to start this emotional growth would be in the classroom as a whole. You

want an environment that is welcoming so that students feel comfortable addressing their

emotions. This idea of feeling safe and secure enough to share your emotions is vital. We want

our students to have a sense of belonging within the classroom and the school. According to

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs once a student feels their safety needs are met, only then can they
move on to the love and belonging. Once this happens, students will be able to open up to their

teachers and peers and express their feelings in a more productive way.

Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Learning

There are many different things that can help students develop their emotional

intelligence. Some strategies are easy to teach because it should be something you model for

your students every day. For example, you can encourage your students to make eye contact.

As simple as this may seem, there is a mind-body connection that can be made when holding

eye contact and can help your students understand where you are coming from. It can also be a

great form of wordless communication. As they say, the eyes are the window to the soul, there

is so much power to that. You can see so many different feelings that one has by just looking

into their eyes.

Another strategy you could use is by simply teaching emotional vocabulary in fun ways.

In order for students to understand different feelings and emotions they possess; they need to

know the words that associate with said emotion. One way you can do this is by having the

vocabulary displayed around the room and make a face and encourage them to use alternative

words to the usual angry, sad, and happy. You can also have students mirror the emotions or

even create a face that goes with a certain feeling.

positive relationships by establishing routines and procedures that tell your students what your

expectations are. Teach them in a positive light throughout the year and give positive feedback

to those who are following your rules. By establishing these rules, we can then decrease the

chance of troubling/challenging behaviors and increase the student’s engagement. This can also

give you more time to work with each individual student and build a strong relationship.

One way that you can help with student’s self-management is also connected to the

classroom and environment as a whole. Think about how you will arrange desks and how that

affects each student. Have reminders around the room that show what it looks like to work at

your desk individually.

Lastly, you can teach them what to do when someone else is

talking. Teaching them how to listen and show respect for their classmates

is so important. This helps build the relationships within the room as well

as let your students know they are heard.

These strategies are something I see being used in my future

classroom because they are all things that help build a strong environment.

Each student should know how to respect others as well as themselves. They need to recognize

and acknowledge all of their feelings, good and bad, in order to properly function. I also enjoy

them because a lot of them can be taught by modeling and reinforced by visual posters. I can

see a classroom full of encouraging posters that can help students when they are in need.

Learning Environment/Classroom Culture/Classroom Engagement

listen to your students. If you want a respectful and happy environment/class, look to your

students and see where they stand. One way you can do this is by creating class meetings.

Allow them to put their input into their lessons, address any issues you might have, and go over

weekly news. You can also have individual meetings that puts focus on one kid. Talk with them

about who they are and how they learn best, let them know you are listening. If you can’t do

one kid, maybe think about just reducing the size of the groups you meet with. Make your

lessons more personalized, students are more likely to participate when it is something they

can relate to.

Think about what might be impacting your students both in and out of your classroom.

We are not with our students every day and sometimes, their behavior is linked to something

else that is happening in their life. This idea is also known as Bronfenbrenner’s ecological

systems theory, it helps you understand how different things can affect you. This can help you

understand your students a little better because you can understand the things that they find

important in their life. You can also see how things that might not directly affect them can still

make them feel and act a certain way.

Lastly, educate yourself. You cannot have a culturally responsive classroom if you do not

know what it takes. Challenge your current mindset and open your eyes to other viewpoints.

Rather than saying you are colorblind; say you see their color and honor it. See their differences

and acknowledge them. We need to see leaders eradicate these barriers.

I strongly believe in the Reggio idea that the environment is the third teacher. If the

classroom is messy, so is the education. To reinforce these ideas, you can create a room that is
full of earthy, calming and relaxing colors that won’t stimulate negative feelings. You want

students to have a sense of serenity and acceptance as they walk in (sometimes bold colors can

turn them away/distract them). You can also post multiple posters around the room that

encourage students to speak up. Make a list of things you should talk about during meetings.

On top of that, you can have books available that teach students about others and how they

live. Remind students that we need to be kind to each other and that we should be working

together.

Feedback to Guide Behavior

Any feedback should be made to help build up the students rather than tear them

down. Let the students know that you are there for them and that you believe that they are

capable. Do not tear them down and shame them. Provide positive feedback that will want the

students to continue this behavior (Skinner’s operant conditioning).

Classroom Expectations

 Put forth your best effort at all times

 Be on time

o Consequences will probably come from school regulations, depending on how

late they are

 Treat others with respect

 Be prepared for class

o There is a consequence within itself, because if you are not ready for class you

won’t be able to participate in certain things

 Preserve a positive learning environment

To make these expectations clear, I will tell the students exactly what I expect of them. I will

encourage them to ask questions and help each other when needed. I would also encourage

the kids to help each other follow them. They will be written down so that the students can

look at them when needed. I will also model the behavior I expect because that is a huge part

of teaching them your expectations. You shouldn’t expect them to know how to act because

everyone grows up learning different things.

Before having the student leave the class, there will be several opportunities for them to

rejoin the class. The last thing I want to do is stall a student’s learning because he or she is

having a tough time. Many times, there will be a verbal warning, reminding the students that

that behavior is unaccepted. If the student continues to act up, I will probably direct them to

the regulation station. I will ask them to take some time for themselves and think about why

they were acting a certain way. They know it was something that I didn’t approve of, so why did

they do it? If they still decide to act up, I would probably have a one on one meeting with them.

Sometimes all they need, is to talk to you. I would also personalize each consequence

depending on what the student did. If they hit someone, I wouldn’t have them cleaning up the

play area.

Procedures

It is vital that all students have a good understanding of the classroom procedures, they

must be concise and clear. They must be explained, discussed and put into practice as soon as

the year starts and should continue to be reinforced throughout the year. Students will

appreciate the consistency and will internalize the classroom procedures so that the class will
be able to run smoothly. These procedures should be used so often that they become a task

that they can perform without thinking about it. For students who have issues with these

procedures, you can have consequences that directly relate to their actions. We want them to

know what they did was wrong and that they should fix it. If they go and sit in a corner and like

to be alone, they might try to act out again. Instead, if Bob ruined a book or the bookshelf, have

him clean it up.

1. When entering the room…

a. Teach this by modeling or having a model student. Every day you enter the

classroom follow these rules. Have a poster hung by the front door for those

who might be forgetful. At first, you will probably have to remind the class

multiple times but soon this will become an everyday routine.

i. Students are expected to put their things away (remove coat, empty

backpack, turn homework in, check-in)

ii. Go to your seat

iii. Complete the morning exercise/prepare for the rest of the day

2. Using the classroom library…

a. Teach this mainly by modeling (during a read aloud). You can also keep a list of

the rules on the side of the bookshelf, so students know what to do.

i. Respect others (read quietly)

ii. Take good care of the books

iii. Return all books to where they belong neatly

3. What to do during free time…

kids to do work that is related to their lessons.

i. Respect those who are still working

ii. Finish unfinished work before you do anything else (like reading books or

drawing pictures)

iii. Stay at your seat unless directed otherwise

Crisis Plan

During any crisis, the most important thing to do is remain calm. Students can sense

how you are feeling and will act accordingly (if you are freaking out, they will too). You must be

honest with those around you and talk/walk through the situation as best you can, while

keeping the information age appropriate. Take a deep breath, de-escalate, and try to

understand what’s going on in its entirety. Your ultimate responsibility is to the children in your

classroom.

Crisis 1: When the student is in the peak stage of the acting out cycle

During this phase, the child’s behavior is completely out of control. Prevention of the

problem behavior is no longer possible. The first thing you want to do is ensure your students
safety. You want to stop them from being able to hurt themselves or others. At this point the

behavior is explosive and destructive and will end abruptly. Afterwards, you must reintegrate

the student into the classroom as soon as possible. Once the student reaches the de-escalation

phase and calms down, you can then go into recovery. You want to talk about the misbehavior

and let them know that it is unacceptable. Debrief them and let them know that they have not

gotten away with their actions.

Crisis 2: Tornado

Tornadoes are a thing of fear and can lead to a lot of stress. During this time, I would

encourage the students to follow the school’s guidelines. There is a list of protocols and

procedures that was given to you by the school. Make sure that you and your students are

familiar with them. I would give them an appropriate amount of information letting them know

that what they are doing is important. During this time, you want to stay in contact with the

other teachers and administrators. You want to know what is going on so that you can best

prepare your students. I would also give positive feedback to those who are following the

guidelines appropriately. They need all the reassurance they can get because they are still

scared. They may not know all the details of the tornado, but they do know the seriousness of

tornados themselves.

Crisis 3: Active Shooter

For an active shooter I would do all the same things as a tornado. I would follow the

school’s guidelines, locking the doors and shutting the blinds. It is my job to keep those kids

safe. I would ensure the physical safety of each student and make sure that all of them are

accounted for. I would remain calm and make sure that the class is quiet and hidden. I will be
honest with the students but use a simplified language. Afterwards, I will let the students know

that they did a great job and reassure them. You need to listen to their fears and help them

with any anxiety that might be attached.

Collaboration

What might you learn from your collaborators?

Being able to work together, collaborate, and understand each other is vital. We want

each student to have the best possible education they can. If we aren’t on the same page, it can

get confusing. I thoroughly believe in the idea that, “it takes a village” so we need everyone.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help or advice, we are all here for each other. Your co-workers are

filled with valuable information and you should use them. They can help you effectively run a

classroom. Take paraprofessionals, while they might not have the same licensure as you, they

are just as responsible for giving the students a quality education. You talk together, brainstorm

together, and write up lesson plans together. Two brains is always better than one. They can

also help you while you work with a smaller group that might need more individual attention.

Overall, you should never overlook help.

You can work with parents/family, co-teachers and paraprofessionals. To me, the most

influential for the child will be their family. There is only so much information you can get

within an eight-hour school day, sometimes you need help from those who know your students

best. They can give you some background knowledge that you can’t get otherwise. To get them

involved, you can hold multiple opportunities for them to come to the school. You can

showcase the students work and tell them where they are excelling and where we could use
some improvement. If they are unable to be active in the student’s education, send home work,

send emails, update them any way you can.

Action Plan

I will model the behavior expected of the students on the daily. I will use this

information that I have now and continue to research behavioral management. I know that

each student is different and that there are many more practices that can be used. I will also

eventually find my style of teaching which can help me decide how I want to run my classroom.

Every day I will learn more about my students so that I can create an education that they thrive

on. I will do my best to create meaningful and lasting relationships with my students. I want

them to know they are heard. I also like the idea of asking for help. As someone who is going to

be a first-year teacher, there is no shame in asking for help. There is so much help and

knowledge that you can gain from other educators and you must be willing to listen to them.

This plan is more of a guideline for my first year rather than the bible. I’m going to need to

adapt and change my plans as the years progress.