Classroom Management and Communication

Plan
Management Style and Philosophical Beliefs (Artifact 1)
Strong classroom management is important for many aspects, on behalf of
the teacher and the students. One of the biggest reasons is shown by a study by
Kati Haycock (1998) that students of effective teachers can gain up to 52
percentile points in their achievement over a year's time. The average for yearly
maturation is about 6 percentile points. So, really the teachers effect is
approximately 46 percentile points. This is very significant and makes me realize
my position as a teacher. A second reason for effective classroom management is
so that I am not occupied with a misbehaving student and leaving the rest of my
students to deal with that students behavior. It is not fair to give most of my
attention to one student, they all deserve it. Having effective classroom
management also allows for a better relationship between teacher and students.
Students have more respect for a teacher who has control over their classroom,
and with respect, comes higher learning.
In order to have effective classroom management, I believe in the theories
of the Dreikurs and Albert Model (Larson & Keiper, p. 34). I believe, especially for
students at the middle school level, that these students are capable of being
responsible for their own behavior to promote learning. Not only do I want to
teach my students educational material, but lifelong lessons about responsibility,
accountability and selfdiscipline. I strongly believe in natural consequences, such
as peer response for bad behavior or losing a grade in the grade book for
forgetting homework. Students this age need to learn that they have the ability to
control their behaviors and actions. I want to foster this understanding in my
students.
I do not think that discipline is helpful. If anything, it gives students and
angry feeling toward those who discipline them and leaves them angry, in general.
I would much rather use nonverbal cues to try to squelch behaviors I do not want.
If I need to escalate to verbal discussion, I will be prepared for that as my next
step. I really feel that it is important, socially, for students this age to start learning
how to be responsible for their learning and behaviors. I expect them to do as they
are expected or deal with the natural consequences.
Challenging students is often something that teachers do not do enough of.
If a task is too easy, students get bored and get into mischief. If its too hard, they
get frustrated and often get into mischief. As a teacher, I believe that it is my role
to make sure that my students are challenged enough to want to actively learn and
stay in the flow. Artifact 1 is a teachers personal philosophy statement that sums
up exactly how I feel about my teaching and my future students.
Resource

Kati Haycock, Good Teaching MattersA Lot. Thinking K16. The Education Trust.
Volume 3, Issue 2,
Summer 1998

Positive Classroom Culture (Artifact 2, attached)

In order for a student to successfully learn, he/she needs to have a positive
relationship with the teacher. In order to build this relationship, I want to show my
students, through my actions, that I care about them and their education. I want
my students to feel like they belong and are cared for in my classroom. In order to
set this precedence in my room, I want to begin the school year with some team
building activities. I feel like it is important for students to feel like a team and bond
with each other.
The two activities that I have in artifact 2 are team building activities, for the
students to feel included. I am trying to set up a support network for the students
to feel like they can have a safe environment to learn in. My students will know
that there are no wrong opinions and that everyone in my class will be heard. We,
as a class, will support everyone and make sure that everyone is heard. These are
points that I will make sure my students understand in my classroom.
I want my classroom to be a relaxed but positive learning environment. I
feel that the use of music is beneficial in creating an atmosphere like this. I will
use music during nonlecture times to help students to stay focused. (I prefer
classical music when I am working, but I think it will depend on the students in my
class.) I do not have any specific ways of gaining rapport with students but I know
that this is important in having a positive classroom culture.

Classroom Rules & Procedures (Artifact 3, attached)

I do not believe in strongly controlling a group of middle school students. I
would like to gain rapport and have a relationship with my students. I believe that
in order to demonstrate that, I need to have expectations for my classroom that
involve value of human life. To demonstrate that, my first expectation is The Golden
Rule: Treat others as you would be treated. My wish is that students will gain a
sense of community in the room and want to treat others well. The next item is that
they need to come to class on time and prepared. To demonstrate this, their
homework is due 1 minute after the bell rings. This way, students will need to be
in class and prepared in order to turn it in. If it is late, they have to put it in a
different basket that I may or may not get to grading. The third expectation is
laugh with anyone but laugh at no one. I want my classroom to be a fun and
positive environment for the students. In order for this to be achieved, the students
must be respectful of each others feelings. If they laugh with each other it is fun; if
they laugh at someone, that is not fun for that someone. That last expectation is
Be responsible for your own learning. Students need to realize that I can only say
so many words that connect with their brains; they are the ones who need to be
active in their learning process.
Having procedures or routines for the classroom are important for students.
They like to know what is going to happen. I have general procedures for the
classroom. Here are my procedures for my classroom:
Entering class:

Students are required to come to class on time and prepared. You

have 1 minute after the bell rings to turn your homework into the
Will grade this week basket (also if you are tardy with excuse). If
you are tardy without an excuse put your homework in the Will
grade when I have time basket. Then get out your notebook and
write and answer daily questions and learning objectives for the day.

During class:

You are expected to respond appropriately to discussion and activities

in the classroom.
Follow school and classroom expectations.
If food is allowed at school, I will allow a healthy snack and
water to be in my classroom. If gum is allowed by school, I
will allow gum.
A pass is required to leave my classroom: bathroom, nurse, office. A
pass is required to return to my classroom. If you do not have one,
you will be sent to the office to get one.
I believe that music is beneficial to brain functioning and
development (Ask me for research, if interested.) Music will be
played during nonlecture time.

Outside of class: You are expected to do your own homework. Working

with friends is appropriate but copying from friends is not.

Classroom Layout (Artifact 4)

The thought of a classroom layout is exciting to me. It can show how
welcoming and involved I want to be, as a teacher. I feel that group (24) work is
an essential component of learning for middle school students. My room will be
set up with tables sitting up to four students. This will allow for individual and
group work. If tables are not available, I would put four desks together, but making
sure that the group is angled to be able to see the teacher and the teacher to see
them from almost anywhere in the room. The teachers desk would be located at
the back of the room, behind all of the desks, in a corner. There will be
bookshelves located in the opposite corner. I feel that miscellaneous topic books
are necessary for students to be around. Other books may be textbooks or
resources for me. Then, as you are looking at the room from across the door, the
front of the classroom has a big open area for students to walk through. This is
also where the projector would be pulled up to or connected. There will be a
projection screen and dry erase board located at the front of the room. A small
table where work should be turned in also sits at the front of the room. It will be
the location for me to set my class items for class time and lecture, if necessary.

Monitoring Classroom and Responding to Student Misbehavior

(Artifact 5)
When responding to student behaviors, I try to consider that these students
are made to sit still and be quiet for 6+ hours a day. I know that is not possible for
me. I try to take that into consideration and allow the fact that some students have
a hard time sitting still. That would not bother me in a class. As a matter of fact, I
would even let students stand as long as they are actively learning. I am a person
who is acutely aware of my surroundings and quite aware of peoples attention. If I
feel that a student is not paying attention, I will give them some nonverbal cues to

get focused. If this continues, I will start walking around the room a little more,
especially near that person. I believe that usually students are aware this is a tactic
and try to straighten up. Proximity is my major line of defense for behaviors. If the
behavior still continues, I will directly address it while in the classroom.
However, there are a few things that I would have to address. I refuse to allow
students to mistreat (verbally or physically) or even make rude comments to each
other. When this occurs, I will ask the offending student to come up with a form of
an apology, in private, for the one offended. I want students to try to grasp the
concept of treating others in a humanlike way. I will definitely address this in my
Expectations lesson at the beginning of school but will also keep reminding
students of this throughout the school year. After reading Teaching with Love and
Logic by Fay and Funk, I am able to

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see a different perspective. I see that keeping control of the classroom through
discussion and engagement, and not engaging in argumentative behavior with
students can and will help with behaviors. I would like to try and deal with behaviors
within my room through a conversation with the student at the time that it occurs,
rather than sending a student to the office. I do not want to engage the student in
his/her behavior because it just creates a cycle of misbehavior (see artifact 5). I
want students to realize that they are responsible for their own actions and behavior.
Obviously, there will be rules made by the school and made by the district
that I will adhere to. These rules are made for a purpose and I will try my best to
adhere to them and to remind students of them, also.
Parents as Partners (Artifact 6, attached)
As a teacher, I realize that parents are our best resource for understanding
our students. There will be some familial relationships that are not the best, and
will also have to take this into consideration. However, I think that before school
even starts, I would like to send out a parent survey for them to fill out about their
child. An example of a parent inventory/questionnaire is artifact 6.
Depending on what school district I work in, these may or may not be actual
questions that I send to parents. This would involve questions that ask about their
childs favorite thing about school, ways of learning and if the parents feel the
students have too much/not enough homework. I also would want to know if
students have an adult at home who would be comfortable helping the student
with homework, if needed. I just want to get a feel of the child from the parents
perspective. The way that parents fill these out will even give me insight into the
life of the child. It will help me see if I might have an overly involved parent and
how they want to stay connected or that I might have a parent who is not so
involved.
As a parent, I have gotten many phone calls after phone call about my sons
behavior. Honestly, they were behaviors that the teacher should have dealt with
and realized that is just my sons personality. I know that parents only want to be
called if it is a serious situation. I feel that for the most part, sending an email will
suffice. (How they would want to be contacted would be a question on the
questionnaire.)
I do feel that it is important for teachers to send information regarding their
class schedules and topics that they are learning about. Providing a weekly email
about the classroom goings on would be a great way for communication with parents. I
would send this information via email for those who have it and paper for those who
do not.

ARTIFACTS
Artifac
t2
Team Building Exercises
Piece of the Puzzle
The purpose is to allow students to see how they can contribute to a group
and how it is necessary for the whole group to be complete. The instructor should
explain this concept to the students. Teacher should have a handmade poster
puzzle paper cut into pieces that total the number of students in the class. There
should also be drawing materials and craft items to decorate the puzzle pieces.
Each student takes a piece of the puzzle and decorates it according to their own
likes, dislikes, beliefs or ideas. They need to make it something to represent them.
When all students are finished, then they have to put the puzzle together. The
teacher can put the puzzle in a frame to hang up for the classes to remind
students how they are a team.
Solemn and Silent
The instructor explains that this exercise will take selfcontrol. Members pair
up and stand back to back. On the count of three, everyone must face their
partner, look each other in the eyes, and then try to remain solemn and serious.
No speaking! The first to smile or laugh must sit down. All who remain standing
then take a new partner and the activity continues until only one person has not
smiles or laughed. (Second round of playing can involve two teams competing to
outlast each other.) If you get a pair at the end, who are both keeping a straight
face, the rest of the group can act as hecklers to disrupt them.

Artifact 3

Classroom
Expectations:
Treat others as you would be
treated.
Come to class on time and
prepared.
Laugh with anyone but laugh at
no one.
Be responsible for your own
learning.

Artifact 6

Middle School Parent Inventory

What is your childs favorite subject in school?

How well do you think your child does in school?

Does your child do any extracurricular activities?

Has your child had too much, not enough or just the right amount of homework in the
past?

What kind of learner is your child? Do they need to touch things, just listen or be
up and moving to learn?
Does your family have any cultural aspects that are important for me to be aware of?

Are there any adults in your home that would be able to help your child with
schoolwork, if needed?
What is the best way to contact you if there was an important situation to discuss
with you? Please provide contact information.
***Please note that I am available anytime that you need to talk. You can always
leave a phone message or email, and I will return it at my earliest ability. I would
love to schedule a time to meet you and get to know your family!

Artifac
t1

I believe that all students can and will learn at

high levels regardless of their ethnicity,
background, or other extenuating
circumstances. I believe that in
order to accomplish this, it is my job as a
teacher to l o ve and care about my students
and teach them in a way that they can best
learn. II have high expectations for all students
and I firmly believe that building relationships is
the key to any child's success in my
classroom. If my students
are not successful then I am not successful .

Artifact

Artifact
5