Management Plan
Philosophical Statement:
As an educator I want to create a learning environment that is safe for students not only to learn in, but to participate in. Discussions shouldn’t be limited to only a few outspoken individuals. I want an environment where everyone can participate openly and safely. I want to create an environment where some of the greatest lessons come from learning and interacting with one another. I want students to embrace their own education as I facilitate and encourage them along the way. This will enable students to be responsible and more accountable for their own learning as well as their own success. I want to ensure I am cognizant of each student’s learning style and personal values in order to provide every student with the ability to connect learning to life. To achieve these goals my objective is to create an exciting, challenging and hands-on atmosphere where students take an active role in their education and where with the proper policies and precautionary measures together we create a space that epitomizes both respect and imagination.
Classroom Organization:
I want a classroom that focuses on communication and group work. My classroom I will have the room in the early part of the year free from a lot of clutter, however as the year goes on, I will place on the wall their finished work. The teacher’s desk will be off in the back of the classroom in the corner. The room will be clean and organized. I want the students focus to be towards the front of the class where the instruction is going on. I want to be able to move freely amongst the tables and I want the students to feel like there is a flow through the classroom and everything has a logical and consistent home. I will have the students create a recycling center somewhere in the classroom. I would also create study zones. Places with pillows, chairs, a couch and lamps where students can either go free read or work. Ideally I will have as much natural light and airflow to create a comfortable environment.
Classroom Rules:
Define Rules: Classroom, school or district wide regulations that are designed to keep students, property and faculty safe from any harm. They are designed to create a safe learning environment for the students.The Rules first will include any rule that the district and school have already laid out. The remaining rules will be created in constitution style format. We will hold discussions and write up our classroom rules as a constitution. We as a class will also decide on consequences for when rules are broken. The school and district may have consequences laid out for certain rules. We all will sign the constitution agreeing to it. I want to keep the rules simple and few.
Classroom Procedures:
Define Procedures: Procedures are the everyday routines and expectations of the students. It controls the flow through transitions, how they go to the bathroom, or get supplies. These are modeled the first week and are practiced. This is what keeps the flow of the class and learning smooth. I feel that by having many procedures that have been modeled and reinforced you will not need as many rules to control the flow of the class as well as a lot less classroom management issues.
Discipline Plan/Reinforcers/ Encouraging All Students:
By having a classroom constitution listing rules, and consequences that all students create and agree to put s accountability on them. There are no surprises, they know what is expected. I am a firm believer in respect and accountability encouraged through positive reinforcement and being consistent. I do not belive in embarrassing the student if and when a rule is broken, however it will be addressed, then will ask the student what would have been a different way they could have handled this. I belive in preventative measures. Focus and praise students when they are doing well, and when students are acting out, draw focus to the behavior of the students who are behaving appropriately. I will take into account Glasser’s Five basic needs. My students’ basic needs of having a safe learning environment where their basic needs are met.
Proactive Teaching Behaviors:
As a teacher I have the job of connecting to my students while keeping the separation of teacher student. I am there to make sure each of them meets their educational needs. All of them can learn. I will dress as a professional to separate myself as the teacher and adult and facilitator. I will take my job seriously but still be approachable and compassionate. I am not only there to make sure they meet their educational potential but social and emotional potential. I will do this through open communication and positive reinforcement. I will make sure procedures are in place and expectations are known. I understand that my mood and attitude will set the tone for the classroom environment. I will make sure to be conscious of that throughout the day.
Classrooms I Observed
While student teaching I was able to observe another 7th Grade Science Teacher who has been teaching over 25 years. Spending the day in her classroom I have learned a lot. Here is my observation:
On Tuesday the 10th I went to observe another 7th grade science classroom. I entered at noon. I took a seat at the teacher’s desk so I could observe the whole class and the board. The first thing I noticed was actually at the teacher’s desk. She has a folder with a seating chart of the whole class. Behind it is clipped any work that a student missed for the previous day if they were absent. I liked this idea and I will borrow it for my own classroom. She also used a color code to highlight the students who may be special ed or diabetic etc, so she knows the needs of each student. The second thing I noticed was the classroom is arranged into groups. The teacher also on the left side of the board has a complete weekly schedule written out so the students can see what is coming up. On the far right is what they are doing today. The students are writing in their planner what they are doing for that day.
Something that caught my eye right away was there was a grid on the board. On the top row was “A,” “B,” “C,” “D,” “E.” On the left side was listed 1-6 which represented the hours. In the grid she listed how many students got an “A” on the cap test etc. The class I was observing had over half in the lower grades. She addressed the class on this issue. She said when a class scores this low, she has to ask herself if she had done everything to give them every chance to study and learn. If the answer is no then, she has to go back and fix how she teaches the material. If the answer is yes, then she has to ask herself are the students doing what they need to learn. I thought this was an interesting observation. As a new teacher I can safely look at myself and what I am doing and know that I most likely impact whether or not they are learning. However I was observing a teacher who has been teaching over 33 years. This was a safe question for her to ask the class, it also made them focus on themselves and take some responsibility for their own learning. From here she talks about life skills, and basic skills and how what they are learning now will carry with them into adult hood and the real world. She stresses that education and the learning process is one that is serious. She has a poster she points to and repeats what it says,” You are the author of your own life story.” From here she handed back the scan-trons and the cap tests so the students could see which ones they got wrong and learn what the correct answers are. While the students were picking up their tests, I saw another poster which struck a chord and meaning with me. It said, “The object of teaching a child is to enable the child to get along without the teacher.” I hope someday I have the skill to teach the students to get along without a teacher.
When the students were talking instead of looking at the tests, she held her hand in the air and started counting down from 5 to quiet the class. She stops, pauses, then gives direction to the class. For students that are going above and beyond, or help out, she gives an “amigo” pass. The students write their name on it then put it in this box. Then once a month a name is drawn and then they get a huge candy bar. She needed the cap tests and scan-trons to be picked up. She had each table figure out who has the next birthday to pick up their tables sheets. The class got a little crazy so she dinged a bell and put her hand in the air to get their attention. From here the students started working on their worksheets. While this was going on any students who struggled on the cap test she pulled and did a private meeting. With about two minutes left she had the students finish up where they were at pack up and check the floor.
It was a cool experience to see another 7th grade science teacher handle classroom management different then my host teacher, but still successful. As a new teacher I feel lucky where I can take ideas from all these teachers and try them in my classroom.
Will Havill's Portfolio 