MANAGEMENT

NOTEBOOK
Sample Ideas

Eric Aegerter
Puesta del Sol Elementary
Rm. 17
TED626
National University

Students

Grading Parents

Teacher

Professional
Administration
Development

Content
 Table of Contents
Section 1 – Philosophy of Discipline
 Noteworthy quote.
 Beliefs about classroom management and discipline.
 Goals of discipline and management system.
 Approach to discipline is aligned with one or more models discussed in class.

Section 2 – Preventative Measures

 Structuring the classroom space (map with rationale).
 Daily schedule, routines, and procedures.
 Rules of norms of behavior (in addition to how these will be introduced).
 Other.

Section 3 – Supportive and Corrective Measures

 First steps – redirecting and warning.
 Consequences.
 Incentives.
 Student accountability.

Section 4 – Working Effectively with Diverse Students and Families

 Home-school communication philosophy and plan.
 Cultural considerations with discipline.
 Legal issues regarding students with special needs.

Section 5
Section 6
Section 7
Section 8
 Section 1: Philosophy of
Discipline and Management
“Consequences in life are simply pointers, giving us feedback to help guide our choices”
(Smith and Dearborn, 2016, p. 200)
Discipline Overall Goal or
Model Purpose
Example: To get students to
Canter and Canter’s “choose” to conduct
Assertive Discipline themselves properly.
To keep students engaged
VIPs: Giving students and to keep them from
visuals on each step of a getting lost, and
problem. ultimately distracted.
Discipline with Dignity Prevent behavior
problems, rectify
behavior problems.
Continue using best
Real Discipline practices to teach proper
behavior to children.
Get Students to behave
Restitution for their intrinsic reward,
not for someone else or a
material award.
Beliefs about Teacher’s Role
Behavior in the Classroom
Teachers have a right to To take charge and be
teach and students have a assertive (not aggressive,
right to learn without hostile or permissive);
being interrupted by clearly confidently and
misbehavior. consistently express and
model class expectations.
Example: Classrooms
with Color-Card Flip
Chart.
Students who are able to Guide students through
answer problems such as steps of a problem.
“go to step 5” don’t need
the help. The kids who
can’t are the ones who
need the visuals.
Students feel that they Controlling the
can’t achieve anything environment, and
from education so they allowing students to have
resort to misbehavior. dignity and to think
responsibly by owning up
to their actions.
The use of “new” The teacher uses
techniques is causing “effective classroom
students to become more management” that is
manipulative and defiant. shown to decrease
behavior instances.
Students need opportunity The teacher is transparent
to save face, be treated and lets the students know
with respect, and to fix that it’s fine to make
their own issues. mistakes and that even
teachers do.
 Discipline should never be synonymous with punishment. Many students are still in the

mindset, whether it be from their home life or previous teachers, that when they are given

consequences they are in trouble. They believe that they are bad. I believe that a student should

never be made to feel bad about a mistake. I believe that, if each student believed they could,

they would all behave correctly. The basic foundation of my philosophy of discipline and the ay

I want my classroom to run in the future, is based on positive reinforcement of good behaviors

and appropriate tiered consequences for poor behaviors.

If a student is misbehaving, they are already showing that they do not have the utmost

respect for their teacher. If this is the case, a student who is misbehaving who is then yelled at or

disrespected by the teacher in some way will only have a greater disrespect for their teacher. The

student needs to know that their teacher respects and understands them before they will even

consider making adjustments to their behavior. Thus, relationship is key for improving student

behavior in the classroom.

Sometimes the reason a student is misbehaving is that they do not know or do not

remember the correct behavior. The first tier of consequences for this, then, should be to remind

the student what the correct behavior is. It is much more useful to tell them the right way, let

them try it, and then congratulate them on it than it is to constantly yell at them to stop doing the

bad behavior. Often times the bad behavior is fed simply with the attention a teacher keeps

giving a student over their behavior.

In summary, all of these ideas are relational. Teaching is relational in nature. Students

need to feel that they can trust their teacher in order for them to act correctly. This comes from
reinforcing positive behaviors as well as providing a safe and effective environment through best

practices.
 Section 2: Preventative
Measures

“Prevention should be the dominant focus of teachers. Ideally, assuming the best about
students, thorough preparation, authentic caring, teaching procedures, being consistent,
creating positive connections with students, and developing our inner authority are a
recipe which makes a true difference in the classroom and in our students’ lives.” (Smith
and Dearborn, 2016, p. 201)

The above image is a map that shows how I plan to organize mine and my
student’s desks. As a fourth grade teacher, my class size will be around 32 students,
but no more than 34. The map I drew has 32 desks, but if I receive more students, I will
accommodate them at the ends of the rows, where they will be in a group of five rather
than four.
As I hinted to in previously, my students will be in groups of four. The reason for
this is my school district’s interest in Kagan Cooperative Learning. Dr. Kagan believes
that students learn best in groups of four. I will use Kagan materials, such as a place
mat that goes in the middle of the group, assigning each group member a number 1-4.
Each number will also have one of two letters, either and A or a B. This helps with
organization, as I could just say “A’s please read the paragraph, B’s please listen and
ask questions.” That is just one of many examples.
The reason I have the desks put into four larger groups of 8 is because it will for
a cleaner look and more room in the class. Along with this, one of my class rules will be
that students may only walk clockwise in the classroom, which will take away many
inappropriate behaviors. The way I have it set up, the groups will not get in the way.

Do Now 825-900

Math 900-1000

Social Studies 1000-1015

Recess 1015-1030

ELA/Social Studies 1030-1130

Lunch 1130-1220

Designated ELD 1220-1:00

PE/Dismissal 1-1:30

The above is a tentative schedule that my class will go by. The “do now” work in
the morning will always be something meaningful, not just busy work. It will be
something that we have been working on that I believe the students need to work on
more. I will typically strive for there to be a choice of things to do. The only other
aspects that I feel needs explaining is why I put social studies for only fifteen minutes
and then put social studies and English Language Arts together after lunch. The reason
for this is that I will use that first fifteen minutes, ideally, to teach new concepts to the
class with regard to social studies. Once we come back, we will learn concepts from
English Language Arts using social studies content. This is called vertical integration. It
saves time and makes English more meaningful.
Finally, some of the rules and procedures that I will likely try to implement in my
classroom are as follows:

 Pencils – Student must hold current pencil in the air. Students are given
two pencils to start with. One student is in charge of sharpening pencils,
and this is done during dismissal time. When a student wants a new
pencil, they must trade one in to me. This takes care of students purposely
breaking pencils so that they can go to the sharpener and it helps keep
pencil needs down in the class as a whole.
 Lining up – Step 1 students sit up straight with hands together on desk
watching the teacher, step 2 students stand up and push in their chairs,
 step three students line up in alphabetical order. It just gives structure to
the procedure and keeps the kids from lining up with too much energy.
 Homework – a packet is given out on Monday, students turn it in on
Friday and receive a stamp.
 Noise levels – Students are given many opportunities to talk to one
another but the noise level should be a “one-inch voice” which is
somewhere near a whisper, so that they don’t disrupt other pairs or
groups.
 Turning in classwork – One student at each group of four will be
responsible for this, if they are absent then the next number up goes, and
so forth. There are two work bins on each side of the classroom. Tables
one through four will go to the side by the door, tables 5 through 8 will go
to the side by the TV.
 Entering the classroom – Students may only enter the classroom in a
manner that demonstrates their readiness to learn. When entering the
classroom, students should be single file in line, have their hands at their
side, behind their back, or in a quiet signal, they must take the fastest
route to their seat, and put their eyes on the teacher.
 Restroom – Handle signal with two fingers crossed in the air.
 Water – Three fingers.
 Book shelf – Four fingers.
 Chromebook – Sideways thumb.

These are just some of the most common rules and procedures that I know I will
have in all of my classes. However, each class is different and I will have to add new
rules and procedures as needed. To implement all of this, I will have a class discussion
with students about rules. In my class, I like to make things seem like a government, so
we will have a vote on rules after a lengthy and thoughtful discussion about what they
think a good learning environment should have.
 Section 3: Supportive and
Corrective Measures
“The guiding principle for disciplinary interventions is that they should include a healthy
balance between negative consequences for inappropriate behavior and positive
consequences for appropriate behavior.” (Marzano, Marzano, and Pickering, 2003, p.
41)
First Steps: Redirecting and Warning
The first key step is to make sure that all students know what is expected of
them. The students not only need to be told what is expected, but it needs to be
modeled for them. Have a student demonstrate the correct way of doing something,
such as entering the classroom. Then have a different student, preferably one who has
a history of behavior issues, demonstrate the incorrect way of the same procedure.
Once that student is done doing it wrong, have them then demonstrate the correct way.
This shows that that student is capable of doing it right.
When a behavior first occurs, the student should receive verbal feedback and
reminded of the correct behavior instead. When it occurs again, that student may need
something more, such as a nonverbal signal to remind them to get back on track. Never
address a student’s misbehavior in front of the class, always do it privately.
Consequences
When a misbehavior becomes chronic, a real system needs to be put in place to
have to prevent it. This can be nonverbal cues, a check-in-check-out system with
another teacher, or even a behavior sheet that gets sent home. It all depends on the
student and what works for them. Eventually, when it comes to consequences, you will
need to know what they enjoy and be prepared to lessen their contact with it when the
behavior occurs. This could be Chromebook time, class privileges or any number or
things.
Incentives
Not all consequences have to be negative. A consequence of a correct behavior
occurring regularly might be extra Chromebook time. This is known as positive
reinforcement. Both positive and negative consequences to a student’s actions are
useful. In fact, studies show that a combination of both, not just one or the other, is the
most effective way to discipline your students (Marzano, Marzano, and Pickering, 2003,
p. 29).
Student Accountability
In order for consequences, negative or positive, to be effective, the student has
to buy into it and know right and wrong. The student needs to understand the why
behind rules. Thus, you should explain to the student why what they have done is
incorrect and why it’s important to correct it. Do not over explain. A technique for this is
having an end of day meeting with a student, asking how they think they did throughout
their day and different points and having them recognize on their own when they did
right and when they did wrong.

Section 4: Working Effectively

with Diverse Students and
Families
Home-school Communication Philosophy and Plan
School is something that legally, parents have to do. That being said, it should be
a pleasant experience. It’s not always easy sending your kids away for the day. I want
my parents to know that their kids are not only in good hands, but that they can contact
me through multiple ways anytime. I want them to feel welcome, so I will make the effort
to call each parent at least once per trimester. They will have my email, ClassDojo, and
unit letters each time I start a new unit.
Since my students come from a variety of different backgrounds and cultures, it
is imperative that I am familiar with and sensitive to all of them. Some students may be
triggered by certain consequences. On the other hand, some students may not be
allowed to receive certain awards for certain reasons. I will send home a questionnaire
for parents to fill out that will give me all the information I need to know with regard to
their culture.
In the United States, there is a moral and legal obligation to make education
equal for students with special needs. As the classroom teacher, it is my job to know my
students and offer them anything that will create an equal playing field for them. This
means students with IEPs may need to sit closer to the board, sit with certain other
students, have things explained differently. It is also my job to get the ball rolling with an
SST if I feel that a student may have special needs behaviorally or academically.