Jill Jones’ Classroom Management
Plan
Each day that I spend in the classroom presents new challenges. Every situation and each different child requires an individualized response from me as the teacher. Nevertheless, a formal, written classroom management plan supported by research is an invaluable starting point when dealing with the ever-changing features of a classroom. I have always been an “organizer”. I like to be prepared. So, it is little wonder that I rely on organization, planning, and routine as 90% of my classroom management plan. When I am able to anticipate problems before they occur, I can avoid them and allow my classroom to function smoothly. The other 10% of the plan consists of discipline policies such as rules, consequences, and incentives. In most cases, if the day is organized and planned well, the discipline policies are not an issue. However, they are available if needed. I have learned that being myself and treating my students with respect is the best way to resolve any situation. An elementary classroom becomes like a family and I often develop maternal-like feelings for my students. Showing them that I truly care about their success and happiness is the best way to convince students that we are all working toward attaining common goals.
There are a multitude of classroom procedures that quickly become routine for my students. These procedures provide classroom ownership for the students and help the day flow more smoothly. Since we essentially follow the same routine every day, students know what to expect, thereby minimizing disruptive behaviors. I feel the two most important routines in elementary school occur when the students walk in the door and when it is time to leave at the end of the day. These two times can be very chaotic if not managed properly.
Because the students can begin each of the Spelling activities independently, I am free to take attendance, respond to any notes or problems from students or parents, and insure that all of the homework is turned in. Meanwhile, the students are actively learning their Spelling and there is little wasted time in the morning.
Our school is essentially one long hallway. Each classroom has a counter separating the classroom from the hallway, so our rooms are open to the hallway. Students eat lunch at tables directly outside of their rooms. Therefore, when students are waiting in the hallway to be dismissed, I can still easily monitor them, as well as the students remaining in the room.
There are many more routine procedures throughout the day including bathroom time, break time, and lunch time. In another attempt to establish routine, I always tell my students what the schedule is for the day immediately after Spelling. This is especially important if there is a special or different event that day. If the students know what to expect, they are less likely to misbehave.
I always arrange the students’ desks into table groups for two reasons: this arrangement frees up the maximum amount of space in the rest of the classroom and, this arrangement provides more working spaces when the students perform group work. Besides 22 students, an aide, and myself, my classroom houses a library complete with a loveseat, my computer and filing cabinet (the student computers are in the hall), and a math center consisting of a table and bookcase. In addition, I utilize many different teaching strategies in a day necessitating easy movement of supplies and students in the room. The students may be joining me on the floor one moment and moving around during a “dance break” the next. Table groups provide the space needed for daily classroom activities. In addition, I require my students to work in groups about once a day. Table groups provide a good meeting place for students who need to work together.
My desk is in the front corner of the room farthest from the door and faces the back of the room. From this spot, I can easily see the entire classroom as well as the hall outside of the classroom. However, I do not spend much time at my desk during the day. I normally stroll through the classroom answering questions and helping students stay on task.
Incentives
In my classroom, school is considered each student’s job. Just as I am expected to show up to my job each day, prepared and ready to work, I expect each student to come to school prepared and ready to work. If a student does just that, he or she gets paid for his or her efforts. Every student has the opportunity to earn $5 a day for executing his job. On Fridays, I open the classroom store. The store contains such valuable items as: candy = $15, mechanical pencils = $25, test freebies = $50, computer passes = $50, kindergarten reader passes = $50, cans of soda = $100, and out-to-lunch passes = $250. Students can either spend their paycheck right away, or save it in their checking account to buy a more expensive item later. I think this incentive program has plenty of virtue. It is logical to fifth grade students. They get to experience the concept of working to earn money. In addition, students often comment on how hard it is to save money for the more expensive items. What a great welcome into the real world!! I can empathize with their troubles.
About six years ago, my school agreed on
a comprehensive discipline plan called C.H.A.M.P.S. Each letter stands for a
goal area: "C" is for classroom behavior, "H" is for
homework completion, "A" stands for accepting responsibility, "M"
is for mealtime interactions, "P" is for playground behavior, and
"S" refers to showing respect for oneself, one's peers, and adults.
As is the case with most discipline plans, C.H.A.M.P.S. came with not only
rules, but consequences. The first offense results in a warning with the student's
name on the board. The second offense includes a time-out or a personal
interaction with the teacher and a check after the student's name on the board.
The third offense results in a second check on the board and the student must
fill out a behavior plan. This plan states the rules that were violated and
what the student should do differently next time. The behavior plan must be
signed by the teacher and a parent before the child is allowed back into the
classroom the following day. A fourth offense results in yet another check on
the board and the student must call his or her parent. More offenses can result
in suspensions and there is an "extreme clause" that allows teachers
to skip steps in the list of consequences if the behavior is extreme. Every
week, each child takes home his or her C.H.A.M.P.S. sheet with a synopsis of
the child's behavior. It must be signed by a parent and returned the following
Monday.
The C.H.A.M.P.S. plan is used
building-wide, which was one of its main selling points when it was adopted.
The lunchroom and playground supervisors use "tickets" to inform
classroom teachers of violations outside of the classroom and then teachers are
able to follow through with the appropriate consequences. Although consequences
are cumulative throughout the day, each student starts new each day. Another
positive aspect of this plan is that students have the same general rules,
expectations and consequences all six years that they are in our building.
Finally, the C.H.A.M.P.S. plan provides parents with a weekly record of their
child's behavior. Parents know to expect this report every Friday and students
are held accountable to make sure their parents see it and that it is returned
on Monday. Having a building-wide plan does alleviate some confusion concerning
expected behaviors and consequences.
Homework Policy
Below
is an excerpt from the “5th Grade Survival Packet” that I developed
and that each of my students and their parents sign at the beginning of the
year. This excerpt outlines the homework
policy in my classroom.
How much homework should I expect?
Since you have a half hour study hall at
least 3 days a week, you should not have a great deal of homework to take
home. You will also have a little time after each assignment to ask
questions about the new skill that was presented. I absolutely will
expect you to use your study hall for this purpose as well.
What about unfinished assignments?
Unfinished assignments are called
"incompletes". I consider assignments due at 8:40 a.m.!!
The reason for this rule is to keep students from working on assignments
for one class during another class. An assignment is considered an
incomplete if 30% or more is not done, since 69% is an F on the grading
scale. If there are 20 items or fewer on the page, then 3 items not done
is considered an incomplete. If you run into problems at home, place a
"?" in the blank and come get me the next morning before the
8:25
bell.
The
consequences for an incomplete are a $2 deduction from your paycheck, loss of
one recess, and a zero in the grade book. Also, for every two incompletes
in one day, you will receive a check under C.H.A.M.P.S. This zero policy
may seem harsh at first, but it seems to be the most effective deterrent for
students with a chronic incomplete problem. The loss of recess is to
allow you extra time to work on that day's assignments so that the same thing
doesn't happen to you again. But, don't worry! There is a little
safety net for you called a "Lucky Duck". "Lucky
Ducks" are little coupons of which you will receive one a semester and
they will take the place of one incomplete. Now, that doesn't mean you
don't have to finish the assignment. It just means you can avoid the
consequences one time. The accumulation of three incompletes in one semester
will result in an after school detention and parent signature. This will
give you and I an opportunity to figure out what is keeping you from doing your
work. Sometimes the problem is simply a matter of organization.
Discipline
Theories Modeled
I do not
remember formal instruction in discipline theories during my pre-service
training. My classroom management plan
was, and still is, a hodgepodge of strategies that I have begged, borrowed, and
stolen from my former teachers as well as former and current colleagues. Time spent student teaching and substitute
teaching gave me access to a wide range of practical ideas and theories that I
actually saw working in real classrooms.
However, through the readings in this course, I have seen several of the
ideas and theories that I use being attributed to specific classroom management
plans.
For
example, I stated earlier that I
rely on organization, planning, and routine as 90% of my classroom management
plan. In his Instructional Management plan, Jacob Kounin
focuses on classroom management as the primary factor in good classroom
discipline and believes that techniques that are engaging to students will keep
them on task, thereby reducing misbehavior (Charles, 1999). In his Noncoercive Discipline plan,
William Glasser asserts that increasing student satisfaction with school is a
deterrent to misbehavior and that schools should emphasize quality in
curriculum, teaching, and learning (Charles, 1999). I absolutely agree with both men. If a student is engaged in his work and satisfied with the
environment, he is going to produce quality work and will not find the need or
desire to misbehave. As a teacher, it
is a daunting yet exciting challenge to find topics that fit a curriculum and
appeal to students.
The theorist that I align my
management plan with the most is Fredric Jones and his Positive Classroom
Discipline. Like Kounin and
Glasser, Jones also focuses on the organization of the classroom environment as
a tool to reduce the amount of inappropriate behavior. In addition, Jones reminds teachers of the
value and potential effectiveness of body language in behavior management. All experienced teachers know that moving
closer to an inappropriate behavior is often all that is needed to stop
it. Jones goes much further with
suggestions ranging from proper breathing to facial expressions. I have learned that remaining poised is essential
to maintaining control, especially in a classroom situation. Finally, Jones advocates “using incentive
systems to motivate responsibility, good behavior, and productive work”
(Charles, 1999). I believe that my
paycheck incentive program does encourage responsibility, good behavior, and
quality work. More importantly, however,
I think this incentive program is a logical consequence for desirable behavior.
Conclusion
As of today, this is my classroom
management plan. It serves me well with
the particular group of students that I am working with this year. However, the plan constantly evolves as
different students with different needs walk through the door. Although I rely heavily on planning and
organization, I fully realize that no plan is infallible. As long as my emphasis remains on the needs
of my students, I am certain that most misbehavior can be avoided and my
classroom management goals will be met.
In the mean time, I will continue to vigilantly watch for effective
strategies and ideas, as well as to keep an open mind in efforts to improve
upon my existing plan.
References:
Charles,
C.M. (1999). Building classroom discipline. New York: Addison Wesley
Longman, Inc.
Personal:
Observations made in my fifth grade regular education classroom at West Elementary School (1997-2001).