challoner_classroom_management_plan

Classroom Management Plan

Grade 3: General Education Classroom

Christiana Challoner

November 11, 2013

Jennifer Birrell

Arizona State University

EED 521: Instruction Planning and Management in the Inclusive Classroom

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT PLAN

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Abstract

This paper details the classroom management plan I will execute in my classroom as per the

guidelines of EED 521: Instruction Planning and Management in the Inclusive Classroom with

Jennifer Birrell. The plan will address the following:

• Philosophy Statement

• Classroom Layout

• Procedures

• Discipline Plan

• Alignment to School Policy

• Parent Communication Plan

• Reflection

Each component of the paper will include examples from my own classroom as they align to

Quentin Elementary School’s school-wide behavior and citizenship program, Make Your Day.

The Reflection will address how the overall plan addresses the Managing Student Behavior

indicator and descriptors in the TAP Rubric.


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Mix-n-Match

Philosophy of Education

My first introduction to the works of bell hooks and Paolo Freire came shortly after I was

accepted into Teach For America. A close friend of mine raided her mother’s personal library

and practically shoved the unforgettable neon yellow cover in my face saying, “If you’re going

to be a teacher, you have to read this book. It’s like—cosmically required. I’d give you this copy,

but Mom would kill me.” She didn’t give me the book, but she didn’t give me the title either. It

was forgotten until the same neon yellow cover appeared in a Teach For America session with a

strong recommendation from our mentors.

Teaching to Transgress by bell hooks is an incredible collection of essays discussing

teaching, education, and what hooks (1994) calls a “pedagogy of hope.” hooks believes that

educating is a practice of freedom, a way of teaching so that everyone can learn. The social

activist and educator rejects what Paulo Freire (1993), one of her greatest influencers and

teachers, refers to as the “banking model” of education (p. 71-86). In this model, the students are

viewed as a depository of information, and teachers are the ones making the deposits of

information that is only withdrawn when needed in the classroom (Freire, 1993, p.71-86). In

place of this, hooks calls for a pedagogy that incorporates the student as a co-creator of the

content and knowledge they are gaining in the classroom. This pedagogy is an evolving one that

changes with every class, with every new set of background knowledge and interests, so that the

students hooks teaches are getting the most of their education and experiences, both in and out of

the classroom.


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While books’ work and pedagogy are geared toward college-age students, I believe that a

responsive pedagogy like the one she describes can be adopted for an elementary school

classroom like mine. While there are some instances where the banking method has its place in

the classroom, such as multiplication fact drills, there is no reason that teaching cannot be done

in a responsive way so that everyone in the classroom can learn. This “pedagogy of hope” is one

that I believe would be responsive to the entire class and shows students that they have a say in

their education, what they learn, and what they do with it. Self-efficacy is an important skill in

life, and there is no reason that it cannot begin to be developed in the classroom—even the

elementary school classroom.

A move towards a responsive pedagogy is also important with the new Common Core

Standards focusing on conceptual understandings of all subjects, including math. With this shift,

there is now room to start moving away from the banking system Freire describes, which is

something I hope to do in my classroom. I want the students to engage with the material, not just

memorize it. At this time, there are five critical components to my personal pedagogy that are

outlined below. They are an unapologetic hotchpotch of pedagogies, behavioral management

theories and practices, and pop culture references that should not mix, but somehow have come

to assist me in creating the responsive classroom that is a cornerstone of my personal philosophy

of education.

Discipline Plan

Quentin Elementary School implements the “Make Your Day” program, a school-wide

citizenship program developed by Earl Brown in 1989 as a way of providing students with a safe

environment where they had the right to learn . What many often overlook with Make Your Day


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is that it is not solely a discipline program, but a dual citizenship/discipline program meant to

create an internal locus of control within students so that the students can eventually manage

their own behavior with little to no teacher intervention. The program itself is governed by a

single rule used in every school that participates: “No person has the right to interfere with the

learning, safety, or wellbeing of others.” This rule not only applies to the students, but to the

teachers and administrative staff as well. Each person in the school is accountable for their own

behavior and actions.

Another often overlooked aspect of Make Your Day is that teachers are also responsible

for participating in points, the system by which student behavior is managed (Brown, 2005).

Throughout the day, a student can earn a set amount of points with the goal being to earn all of

them in order to “make their day.” For example, the students in my third grade classroom earn 10

points for every class period and 13 for lunch/recess. When students follow the expectations that

are set by the teacher and the school, they earn their full points. If a student does not follow

expectations, they are anticipated to adjust their points accordingly. A student who talks while

the teacher is talking can earn 9 of their 10 points as a result of their misbehavior. If a student

does not follow the expectations and does not adjust their points, their teacher can remind them

during Concerns, a portion of points where students and teachers can address issues with other

students, and ideally teachers as well.

While not every teacher participates in this aspect of Make Your Day, I do. During my

research of Make Your Day, I read several newsletters written by Brown that addressed

components of Make Your Day that he felt were necessary in the classroom in order for the

program to be successful. Brown (2005) writes in one issue that:


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“We don’t seek to be our students’ friends nor will we ever be their peers;

however, we should not expect more from our students than what we are willing

to demonstrate ourselves. Our participation in points and concerns facilitates a

greater understanding of the process and allows our students to know that there is

value in the experience for all. If we view self-assessment (points) and

confirmation (concerns) as a valuable experience for our teaching, students will

transfer a similar value to their learning experience.”

Based on the experiences in my classroom thus far, this is a fairly accurate assessment of

how the program could possibly impact students in the classroom through allowing them to

express themselves and their concerns. In doing this, students are comfortable in approaching me

not just during points and concerns, but also during independent work, lunch, and after school as

well. Through this, we are able to have an open dialogue about whatever they are experiencing or

might need in the classroom. Remarkably enough, this practice has allowed me to experience a

contained, small-scale version of what theorist C.M. Charles calls “synergism.” Charles defines

the synergism he speaks of, “a state characterized by high energy, creativity, and production”

(Deininger, 2010). While I may not agree entirely with Charles’ belief that the students and

teachers of a synergistic classroom “feed psychic energy to each other” (Deininger, 2010) in

order to maintain peak, exhilarating educational experiences, I do believe that this idea of

synergism creates a high energy classroom where students can be both creative and productive.

Real Talk

By being transparent with my students through points and concerns, it has allowed us to

have open dialogues outside of Make Your Day’s concerns period wherein we address questions,


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comments, and concerns students have with curriculum, the classroom environment, and

anything else that may be on their mind. This period is called “Real Talk” and it happens at least

weekly during our allotted “indoor recess” time towards the end of the day. If a student or myself

has concerns that need to be addressed by the class, we can call for a “Real Talk” for that day.

Through accepting their concerns and suggestions, we are able to create a “plan of

attack” that incorporates their ideas into the classroom and the content. This has greatly reduced

the anxiety levels in my classroom, particularly in regards to fractions, and has increased

participation in class wherein students are actually engaging with the material. Through this, they

are frequently on-task and there are few disciplinary issues that need to be addressed.

Steps

When there are disciplinary issues to address, it is done through Make Your Day’s step

system. “Step” refers to the system of consequences within the Make Your Day program and is

scaled from “least severe” to “most severe”. One of the most critical elements of this

consequence system that is often overlooked by teachers is that a student is never given step, but

rather they choose step. If a teacher prompts student to choose step, and the student declines, the

teacher cannot make them go to step. In a classroom where the program is implemented properly

this is rarely seen, however when it does happen, a student still has to adjust their points for their

behavior.

The steps are as follows:

• Step 1 – the student sits in a chair facing away from the class. They are expected

to sit still with their feet firmly planted on the floor and their hands folded in their


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laps. While they are on Step 1, they are to think about the behaviors that

“allowed” them to choose step.

• Step 2 – the student stands facing away from the class whit their hands at their

sides or folded behind their back. Like Step 2, they are expected to think about the

behaviors that “allowed” them to choose step.

• Step 3 – the student stands in Step 2 position, but rather than solely think about

their behavior, they are also required to read the Make Your Day rule. The rule is

either printed on a small card for the student to hold or is posted on a wall in the

classroom.

• Step 4 - the student is sent to the office to call their parents/guardians. Once they

have completed the phone call and either spoken with a parent or left a message,

they are sent to a “Buddy Room” on a different grade level where they sit on Step

1. The parents/guardians must come to the school and conference with the teacher

and their child regarding the behavior that allowed them to choose Step 4 before

they are allowed back in the classroom. The student is expected to lead the

conference and explain to their parent/guardian the actions and behaviors that lead

to their being on Step 4.

• Step 5 – the student is suspended for a time to be determined by administration.

As Make Your Day is a school-wide behavior and citizenship program, the steps are

leveled so that the student chooses the step that corresponds with the severity of their behavior.

For example, a student who does not follow the expectations during class can choose Step 1,

whereas a student who willfully causes harm to another student would automatically choose Step


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4. Students can also “upscale” through the steps if they do not follow the expectations for their

chosen step, as outlined above.

Another proviso within Make Your Day is that students can receive an Automatic Step 4

for aggressive behaviors, whether they are physical or verbal. If a student gets into a verbal

confrontation with a teacher, they are given an Automatic Step 4 and sent to the office. While

this is not ideal in any situation, it is a means of maintaining a safe classroom environment for

the other students as well as the teacher.

Make Your Day and the TAP Rubric: A Match Made in LESD #65

The school-wide discipline plan is executed with the “Manage Student Behaviors”

indicator and descriptors of the TAP rubric in mind. As Quentin Elementary is a TAP school, the

implementation of Make Your Day in the classroom is graded against the TAP rubric indicator.

It is believed that the components of Make Your Day collectively fall under the TAP descriptors:

• Students are consistently well-behaved and on task

• Teacher and Students establish clear rules for learning and behavior

• The teacher uses several techniques such as social approval, contingent activities,

and consequences to maintain appropriate student behavior

• The teacher overlooks inconsequential behavior

• The teacher deals with students who have caused disruptions rather than the entire

class

• The teacher attends to disruptions quickly and firmly


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The way Make Your Day is structured easily lends itself to several of these indicators

without much extra work on the teacher or student’s part. For example, allowing a student to

choose steps permits the teacher to deal with the student causing the disruption rather than the

entire class. Since students who choose step only remain on step for a maximum of 5 minutes, it

also allows the teacher to attend to disruptions quickly and firmly. As students are given an

internal locus of control regarding their own behavior and are aware of the consequences should

they choose not to, it is also fairly easy to keep students on task by asking them to adjust their

points for misbehaviors.

Alignment to School Policy

As Make Your Day is a school-wide behavior and citizenship program, it is the

expectation at Quentin Elementary that the program is followed to a tee in every classroom. As

such, there are no classroom rules or management plans for individual classrooms. Everything is

governed according to Make Your Day. Similarly, there are procedural expectations for lining

up, transitions, and common areas that fall under the purview of the Make Your Day Rule and

are to be followed by every student. As students are familiar with these procedures, there is no

need to teach them to my students, but they are reviewed at the beginning of the year.

Procedures

Transitions

At the end of every class, I prompt students to clear their desks for points. Taking points

signals the end of a class period. Students are expected to sit silently until their name is called to

state their points. This procedure takes no more than 5 minutes most days. Afterwards, students


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wait for my instruction as to what materials they will need. Interruptions are dealt with quickly

and firmly as any student who talks during points automatically adjusts their points by 2. For

example, a student who talks during points may have earned their full 10 points in class, but

because they were talking, their points adjust to an 8.

Lining up

Students are expected to line up quickly and quietly in alphabetical order. At the

beginning of the year, I assigned each student a number based on where they are alphabetically.

When it is time to line up for specials, lunch, fire drills, assemblies, etc… I call for my students

to “Assemble!” at which point they stop what they are doing, push in their chairs if necessary

and line up in alphabetical order. While not a part of the procedure to line up, my call to

“Assemble!” is a classroom quirk that ties into our superhero theme. It was initiated at the

request of the students during one of our “Real Talks”.

Common Area Expectations

Students are expected to walk silently in a straight line when in the hallways. Their hands

are expected to be either in their pockets, at their side, or behind their backs. This procedure and

expectations are reviewed on a weekly basis when I prompt students to remind us of the “line

expectations”. Students will either verbally state the expectations or model them.

Real Talk

While not strictly allowed within Make Your Day, there is an established set of

guidelines that were co-created by the students and myself for our “Real Talk” sessions. When I


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first introduced the idea of Real Talk, I established the procedure for meeting on the reading rug

in the back of our classroom. Students are expected to walk quickly and quietly to the reading

rug and sit in their own space (marked by various, colorful circles and animals) in a circle with

their bottoms flat on the floor and their legs crossed (after much jostling, it was respectfully

requested that we find an alternative to leg crossing for girls in skirts – they now sit with their

legs sideways underneath them). I modeled how I would share a concern or a topic with the class

and set it as our objective by writing it on a piece of chart paper.

After setting the first topic of discussion, I prompted the students to think of expectations

we might set for these discussions. Once I convinced students to think outside the “Make Your

Day Rule” Box, they created a short list of Real Talk Rules that addressed a surprising amount.

The expectations they created are outlined below, with additions and clarifications added later by

me in parenthesis:

• No finger pointing

• No naming names (if you have a concern with another student, simply say

‘another student’ instead of their name)

• Think before you say something

• Use respectful words

o No name calling

• Listen to each other

• Wait your turn to talk

• Raise your hand if you want to share


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In the future, I believe it would be beneficial to work in Barbara Coloroso’s six steps to solve

conflicts into these Real Talks in order to achieve what she refers to as the Three R’s of

Discipline (Gurcan & Tekin). These Three R’s—restitution, resolution, and reconciliation—work

to promote as much student ownership of the problem as they are able to handle while providing

the student with options to solve the problem while keeping their dignity intact. Coloroso’s six

steps, as outlined by Gurcan and Tekin, that I would seek to fully include in the Real Talk

discussions are:

1. Identify and define the problem

2. List possible solutions

3. Evaluate the options

4. Choose one option

5. Make a plan and carry it out

6. In retrospect, reevaluate the problem and the solution

While some of this is already evidenced in the course of our classroom Real Talks, I believe that

fully implementing these six steps would be beneficial in solving conflicts outside of Make Your

Day concerns as there would be a resolution to the conflict other than a student adjusting their

points for behavior.

And Everything Else In-between

Other procedures in my classroom include asking to use the restroom, asking to get a

drink, asking for a tissue, asking for a new pencil, and asking a question. All five are signals with

a raised hand and a different number of fingers, as outlined below:


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• 1 finger: request to use the restroom. This is not done during instruction unless it is an

emergency.

• 2 fingers: request to get a drink. This is not done during instruction unless it is an

emergency.

• 3 fingers: request to get a tissue. Students move quickly and quietly to the sink where

the tissues are kept and throw the tissue away when they are done.

• 4 fingers: request to get a new pencil. Students leave an unsharpened pencil in the

designated cup and take a new pencil from a different cup. This ensures that, no

matter what, I have pencils in my classroom.

• 5 fingers: asking a question.

During the first week of school, the hand signals are taught in several mini-lessons. In the

mini-lesson, I model how and when to make each signal and have students repeat the action. By

the end of the second week, the students are familiar enough with the procedures to complete

them without my prompting. The signals are useful because a student can usually silently

request something without disrupting class.

Classroom Layout

In order to facilitate the students’ engagement with the material, the first step I have taken

is to create an positive environment where students will not only feel safe and welcome, but also

one that encourages them to ask questions, take risks, and think critically about what we are

learning (Appendix A). So far, in practice, this has proven useful. Students know that they can

ask questions about the material and often offer their own opinions and commentary on what we

are discussing in class. As they are third graders, often times I direct the conversation so that it


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stays on topic, but their ideas are a part of the discussion. They are helping create material we

cover in class through their sharing, which encourages them to engage with the material based on

prior knowledge, experiences, and interest.

I have also arranged the room to encourage and facilitate more group work and partner

work by grouping desks together and seating students so that there is a mostly even mix of high,

medium, and low performing students. In doing this, I have found that the higher performing

students in my classroom enjoy helping others and that lower performing students receive the

information better if it is offered by a peer. I facilitate most of these peer-to-peer discussions by

prompting students who know the material covered to help their tablemates when they need it.

This both encourages collaboration and allows me to work with students in need of the most help

during Independent Practice.

The desks grouped together also aides in managing student behavior. Each group table

group is named after an Avenger from the Marvel move The Avengers. Not only does this play

into the superhero theme of my classroom, which will be discussed later, but also it provides

students with a pop cultural reference they can relate to and a way to incorporate the idea of

“coopertition” between tables. “Coopertition” is described as competitive cooperation, wherein

members of the same group are competing against each other for some incentive.

Typically, it is not advised that coopertition be used in a classroom below 4th grade. I

have, however, found it a useful tool in encouraging students to monitor their own behavior and

also practice certain elements of human interaction, another element of Charles’ Synergistic

Discipline (Deininger, 2010). While not a part of the Make Your Day program, I practice Team

Points in my classroom, wherein groups who are following all expectations and on-task earn a


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Team Point. At the end of the week, the points are tallied and the team with the most points eats

lunch with me in the classroom. Students are very competitive and often (enthusiastically)

remind each other of the expectations so that they can earn points. In this way, students are not

only managing their own behavior with their internal locus of control, but using that to guide

others to follow the expectations set in class.

The Daily 5

Another important component of the way my classroom is set-up is the facilitation of the

Daily 5. Within the Daily 5, there are five English Language Arts activities for students to

partake in for 20 minute blocks during our Reading Groups period: Read to Self, Read to Partner,

Listen to Reading, Writing, and Meet with Teacher (Boushey & Moser, 2006). During Meet with

Teacher, I work with a small group at a horseshoe table, which has been strategically placed to

allow me to see all angles of the room. By doing this, I can see what students are doing during

the reading activities and redirect behavior as necessary without interfering with the reading

group I am working with (Appendix B).

The entire reading rug is left open for students to sit where they want (Appendix B). The

idea behind the Daily 5 is that students will follow the expectations of the activities and monitor

their own behavior because they are making decisions about their own learning. If a student

wants to write before they Read to Self, they are allowed to make that decision provided they

follow the expectations. Doing this allows students some control over their learning and enables

them to make decisions based on what they want to do or accomplish rather than a prize or

reward.


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Skillful and Successful “Superheroes”

The second component of my personal philosophy of education comes from my being a

geek. I want my students to leave my classroom every day believing they are superheroes.

Superheroes are often thought of as people with superhuman or supernatural powers that are only

found in the pages of comic books or on TV and movie screens. What many people don’t realize

though is that superheroes are also defined as exceptionally skillful or successful people

(Webster). I believe that all students are capable of success, and it is my hope that the students in

my classroom will come to believe this as well. I want my students to believe they are both

skillful and successful both inside and outside of my classroom.

Part of believing they are exceptionally skillful and successful super-students comes from

students engaging with the material in a way that promotes the critical thinking skills and

problem-solving strategies that are necessary in later grades and in life. I encourage students to

ask questions in class and fully participate whenever they are able. Thus far, there have been

some incredible discussions in my classroom, especially during our reading blocks. Students are

asking questions and offering commentary that illustrate they are not just listening to or reading

the material, but thinking about it and what it means to them.

Parent Communication Plan

Another part of encouraging the students in my classroom to be skillful and successful

super students is to engage and communicate with the parents. At the beginning of the year, I

sent home a welcome letter to parents that was well received (Appendix C). Since then, there

have been several changes to how I continue communication with parents.


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Without the support from home, much of what I do in the classroom is null. My initial

communication plan included a monthly newsletter to send home with students informing

parents of events both in the classroom and on campus. However, copier restrictions prevented

me from executing this plan. In light of this, I set out to create a secure classroom blog site where

I would post the information, photos of the classroom, and other pertinent information for

parents. It did not occur to me at the time to consider whether or not families had access to the

Internet or computers to access a classroom site.

Eventually, I came to realize that the best way to communicate with parents was both

low-tech and free: student planners. It is an expectation at Quentin that parents sign their child’s

planner each night, and there is a very high percentage of parents in my classroom who do this.

Often times, I will write a note in the child’s planner, both for the good and not-so-good, so that

the parent is aware of what is happening. Parents respond to what I write in kind and if there is

any need for further communication, either the parents or myself will place a call. Parents also

communicate with me via planners by writing short comments or asking questions. Thus far, it

has proven a very effective means of communication in my classroom.

Test 1, 2, 3

The final part of my philosophy comes from the assessments used in my classroom. The

school district is very fond of formative and benchmark assessments that focus heavily on recall

and solely test content knowledge. In order to have students engage with the material, I would

like to use performance-based assessments in my classroom that gauge how well students can

apply the content knowledge both in the disciplines and in real life. For example, students solve

word problems in math that are grounded in real life. This is especially critical for third graders


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this year because, as I am to understand it, the PARCC exams to test Common Core Standards

next year are prominently performance-based.

Conclusion

It is my hope that these five components will come together and inspire students in my

classroom to engage with the material rather than just memorize it. Children are not banks, and

we should not treat them as such. Rather than acting as a banker, I would rather act as a

facilitator and encourage my students to engage critically and take ownership of their education.

Reflection

Overall, I believe that my plan addresses most, if not all, of the Managing Student

Behavior Tap indicators addressed earlier. Classroom procedures combined with the Make Your

Day citizenship program at Quentin Elementary create an environment where students are

encouraged to be well behaved and on-task while following clearly established rules for learning

and behavior. Through the use of points, steps, and Team Points, I am able to provide forms of

social approval that encourage this as well. Within the Make Your Day program, I am also able

to overlook inconsequential behavior and address a student who has caused a disruption quickly

and firmly without addressing or disrupting the entire class. It is a difficult program to execute at

first, but if done properly, it is fairly effective if students are willing to develop an inner locus of

control.

In looking through my notes and research, it is evident that my behavior management

plan has evolved into something that is less cut-and-dry than I originally thought. Originally, I

believed that within the Make Your Day program, it would be nearly impossible to incorporate


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any other theories or methodologies in my classroom. However, it has become apparent to me

that there is room to include ideas beyond what Brown originally intended for Make Your Day.

In starting this paper, I did not think it was possible for the ideas of theorists like Coloroso and

Charles to align with a program like Brown’s, but it was surprisingly easy to take elements from

all three philosophies and create one that is responsive to the needs of my classroom and, most

importantly, the needs of my students.

I believe that this seemingly mismatched set of theories will help guide the behavior of

my students in a way that enables them to create an internal locus of control in which they will

eventually be able to manage their own behavior. Until then, I am happy to guide them and

model as best I can under the guide of hooks, Brown, Coloroso, Charles, and others like them.


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References

Boushey, G., & Moser, J. (2006 ). The daily five . New York : Stenhouse Publishers.

Brown, E. (2005, January). Earl's corner. Make Your Day Newsletter, 2(1), Retrieved from

http://www.makeyerday.com/newsletters/January 2004/MYDNewsletter

January2005.htm

Deininger, K (2010). Synergistic Discipline: The disciplinary philosophy of C.M. Charles

[Prezi]. Retrieved from Prezi website: http://prezi.com/95uyc9xuk2rd/synergetic

discipline/

Gurcan , T., & Tekin , E. (n.d.). Inner discipline. Retrieved from

http://www.metu.edu.tr/~e133376/project/Inner Discipline.htm

hooks, b. (1994). Teaching to transgress: Education as the practice of freedom. (1st ed.). New

York : Routledge.

Freire, P. (1993). Pedagogy of the oppressed. (pp. 71-86). New York : Continuum Books


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Appendix A The layout of my classroom to facilitate peer-to-peer interaction.


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Appendix B The reading rug and reading spaces to facilitate the Daily 5.

Appendix C


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Below is the original parent communication letter home that I sent with students at the beginning of the year.

Welcome to Room 149!

Class of 2025 Welcome Third Grade Families! My name is Christiana Challoner (Ms. C) and I would like to take the opportunity to introduce myself as your child’s teacher for this year. I recently graduated from Arizona State University and taught this summer at Conchos Elementary School in the Roosevelt School District. I am so excited to be a part of the Quentin Family this year and I look forward to working with you and your child in reaching his or her full potential. We will have many wonderful experiences and opportunities to learn and grow in the days ahead. I believe that communication is the key to a great parent-teacher relationship. I encourage you to contact me if you have any questions or concerns at any time. You can send me notes, email me, or call me through the front office. I will do my part by sending you a monthly newsletter to update you on what we have been doing in class as well as upcoming events. For other comments or concerns, I will contact you by phone, send a note home, or email you. Please feel free to participate in your child’s third grade year as much as you are able, and feel free to come and see your child learn by observing class! -Ms. C Contact Information: Phone: (623)-478-6037 Email: [email protected]

challoner_classroom_management_plan

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