Personal Classroom Management System Essay

Abstract An effective classroom management is essential for the success of the students. The classroom management plan needs to be strong, but also flexible since not every class is the same and the teacher needs to be able to change around the plan to fit the needs of the current class. To construct my own classroom management plan, I have borrowed some ideas from classes I have taken throughout my college career and through my own experiences as a student. My Personal Classroom Management System. In this paper I will attempt to explain my personal classroom management system. I will begin by describing the classroom conditions I will provide for my students. I will specify the behavioral goals for my students and the ways in which I want them to conduct themselves. I will elaborate on how I will grade and assess my students. I will conclude by explaining classroom procedures and how I will intervene when a student is misbehaving. Classroom Environment I believe that it is important to create a safe and encouraging environment for my students. The classroom should be a place where the students feel comfortable asking questions and expressing themselves. No student should feel embarrassed to ask questions or voice opinions. I will explain to my students that we are our own community and everyone has a role to do if the community is to work correctly. I plan to create this type of environment by establishing rules, procedures, and routines for my students to understand and follow. I feel that giving students a daily routine to follow it helps to them to develop personal responsibility. Every morning I will greet my students at the door. By doing this I can see my students in the hallway to make sure that they are following the school rules, but I can also see the students inside the classroom to make sure that they are following our classroom rules and beginning their daily routines. The first thing my students will need to do is find their assigned seating and begin their bell work. This helps them learn responsibility and start the day off productively. I will also have end of the day routines for the students to follow. Twenty minutes before the end of school I will have the students  gather their belongings and pack their backpacks. We will also use this time to clean and organize the classroom so it will be in order for the next day. I want to create an environment where my students and I can learn from our various cultures and backgrounds. I want to have a weekly class session where one student is picked to share something they love about their family’s culture and traditions. This will make all my students feel important and I feel this will also help my students who may be ESL students feel comfortable and help them succeed in school. Parental Involvement  I will develop a relationship with parents at the beginning of the school year. Communication between the parents, students and me is extremely important. I will contact parents to give them good news about their students and not just contact them when their child is misbehaving. I will create a monthly newsletter which I will send home with my students and post on the school website. This newsletter will let the parents know what will be going on in our classroom. This will also give them the opportunity to volunteer for different activities and help them become more involved in their child’s education. Class Rules, Rewards & Consequences In order for my students to be successful throughout the school year, they learn and follow the rules starting on the first day of school. In my classroom the rules that must be followed are: 1. Respect and follow all school rules 2. Respect others and their belongings 3. No hitting, touching or using bad language 4. Raise your hand before speaking or leaving your seat 5. Always do your best These rules will be posted in my classroom on the first day of class. We will create a few more rules together as a class during the first week of school as well. We will spend the first two weeks of school reviewing our classroom rules. According to Wong’s Pragmatic classroom students who spend the first two weeks of school reviewing class rules learn better and conduct themselves accordingly (Charles, 132). This will help give my students ownership on their behavior. I will send two copies of the rules home for the students to give to their parents. I will ask that both the students and the parents sign one copy and return it to me and post one copy at home that can be viewed daily. I will also post a progress chart in the classroom for all students to view. The chart will cover the student’s weekly behavior starting fresh each day. At the end of the week students will be able to choose a reward based on the number of gold stars they have. Some examples of rewards include choosing a book to read when finished with class work, choosing a prize from the treasure box, being the daily helper, and being the line leader for the day. I will also use lots of positive praise and behavioral narration to encourage my students to do their best daily. There will also be consequences when the rules are not followed. These consequences will be discussed with both the students and the parents at the beginning of the year. The following are examples of the consequences: 1. Loss of picking from the treasure chest 2. Time taken from recess 3. Time spent in detention before or after school 4. A call to parents 5. A visit to the principal’s office 6. In extreme cases immediate suspension Grading and Assessment I believe it’s important to use a variety of tools to assess students. This is because all students learn in a variety of ways. I plan to use both informal and formal assessment procedures in my classroom. Homework will be used as a study tool and an extension of the daily lesson and therefore will not be graded. Homework will be used for participation points. Instead of grading it I will stamp the assignment to show that the student was given participation points for effort. All assessments will be aligned with the state standards and curriculum. The grading policy and rubrics will be made available for the students and their parents at all times. When I give tests I will only test students on materials we have covered during that week and never use gotcha questions. Students will be allowed to do make up tests if they fail and would like a better grade. Classroom Procedures Everyday my students will be expected to come into the classroom, take their seats and immediately start on their bell work. All pencils should be sharpened before the bell rings. This means students need to get to class on time. When class work is finished early, students will have the choice of choosing a book from our class library or free writing in their writing journals. Bathroom breaks will be taken individually throughout the day and as a class before and after lunch and recess. These are some of the procedures I will implement: Morning Procedures †¢Greet teacher and classmates as you enter the room †¢Unload backpack, sharpen pencils and place supplies on desk †¢Begin bell work Desk Procedures †¢No food, candy or toys allowed at your desk †¢Keep your hands and feet on/under your own desk and not in the aisle †¢Keep the area around your desk clean Line Up/Leaving Procedure †¢Quietly form two orderly lines †¢Keep your hands to yourself/arms crossed †¢No talking in the hallway †¢No running or pushing while in line †¢When leaving the room one line will follow the other to form one line in the hallway Intervention Plan Before deciding on a plan, I will observe, reflect, consult with the student, parents and coworkers, and outline ideas that may correct problematic behaviors viewed in the classroom. After considering the behavior of the child, I will reflect on the role of the environment and classroom routines, and the interactions of the child with fellow students and teachers. I will  be sure to take advantage of the use of specialized staff members, such as the school psychologist and speech therapist, within the school system who are willing to assist me with my plan. This plan will be constructed on an individual basis as not all students will respond to the same methods. Once the plan is implemented, I will observe for positive changes and make adjustments accordingly after a follow up meeting with the parents, student and specialists involved in constructing the initial plan. Reference Charles, C. M. (1999). Building Classroom Discipline. New York: Addison Wesley Longman, Inc.