Reviewing Classroom Management Plan Essay Example for Free

Reviewing Classroom Management Plan Essay In reviewing this classroom management plan, I will be looking at the various elements that make up the plan. Such as the visual environment, physical arrangement, class rules and procedures as well as the types of instruction, communication plan and the teacher’s personal philosophy. Classroom management involves teacher actions to create a learning environment that encourages positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self- motivation. (Burden 2004) The management plan discusses how the visual environment will be set up to motivate the students to learn by having a star student board. That recognizes the student’s hard work both intellectually and socially. As well as having the walls decorated with posters and student’s artwork. There will also be plants and animals in the classroom that the students will be take care of in order to develop of sense of responsibility. It is important to make your classroom an attractive, comfortable place. (Burden, 2004) Sensory stimulation is another effect of a good classroom setting. For children, it is easier to learn in a very appealing classroom, because the elements of the things that would appeal to the senses are there. Pictures, colors, sound, and so forth. (Furniture, 2008)The physical arrangement is set up in groups so that the students can use it as a work space as well as centers. By putting the desks in group it promotes group cohesiveness as well as helping with behavior management. It also helps students with different learning needs, because students get the help that they need by having their peers and teacher to help them. Having different centers in the classroom is an excellent way to incorporate many skills and concepts, but it is also a great way to target students’ different learning styles. This plan gives students a chance to express their different learning styles. By giving them a chance to work with other students in the book nook area or meet with them on the carpet at different designated times. The arrangement of furniture affects space allocation and space allocation has effects to the learning atmosphere. If the classroom looks narrow and small for students, they feel restricted and they do not interact well. On the other hand, if a classroom provides adequate space, students feel that there is space for interaction. (Furniture, 2008) The room is set up so the high traffic areas are free of congestion and there is plenty of space to be able to move around the room effectively. Some things that you could add to make the classroom more accessible for students in a wheel chair is by maybe adding a ramp outside the class room, and larger work space area for the student to be able work at instead of a traditional desk. The way the desks, tables, and other classroom materials are arranged affects instruction and has an influence on order in the classroom. (Burden, 2004) The plan does not tell how the teacher developed the rules. Ways that you could have the students become involved in the process of making the rules is by asking the students what things that they think should be a rule. Depending on the age of children, the teacher may need to reword the rules in positive way instead of a negative. When teachers collaborate with their students to identify the need for rules and procedures in the classroom it helps to establish an orderly and safe place for learning. When they are given the opportunity to help create the list of rules, students are more motivated to follow them. Students will understand that the rules are meant to keep them safe and help them figure out what to do. Rules are general behavioral standards or expectations that are to be followed in classroom. They are general rules of conduct that are intended to guide individual behavior in an attempt to promote positive interaction and avoid disruptive behavior. (Burden, 2004) For playground and cafeteria behavior the teacher has the students follow the classroom rules. Procedures are approved ways to achieve specific tasks in the classroom. (Burden, 2004) If students know the classroom procedures, the routine runs more smoothly and efficiently and less time is wasted. (Ashbaker, 2006) Establishing classroom procedures and rules helps teachers and students to stay organized. When the students have  clear expectations there are fewer behavior disruptions. Procedures tell students how to perform routine instructional and housekeeping tasks. (Sadlers, 2009) The teacher has set transitions for the students to follow for beginning of the school day, leaving the room, returning to the room and the ending of day. The transitions for starting the day is having the students put a card onto the bulletin board telling what they want for lunch, they will also find out what their job will be for the day. By doing this it teaches the student’s responsibility for making sure that their job gets done and they get to chose what they want for lunch. The students next need to go to their desks and do their morning working which gives all the students time to put their lunch card onto the bulletin board and find out their job. As well as letting the teacher get any last minute things ready for the day of instruction. The students have a set way of leaving the room in which they need to do the appropriate sign language sign for their needs. Then once the teacher acknowledges them, they also need to sign out on the sheet by the door and take the hall pass. When returning to the room the students needs to enter the room quietly and sign back in on the paper and return the hall pass and then return back to their work. By doing this it also forces the student to take responsibility for remembering the right sign language sign and also to make sure that the teacher sees the sign before they can get from their desk. As well as making sure to remember to sign out and sign in and take the hall pass and return the pass when they return back to the room. Transitions are movements from one activity to another. A smooth transition allows one activity to flow into another without any breaks in the delivery of the lesson. To reduce the potential for disorder during transitions, you should prepare students for upcoming transitions, establish efficient transition routines, and clearly define the boundaries for the lessons. (Burden, 2003) The children are taught sign language for the words drinking fountain, sink, and bathroom, which are non-verbal cues that the students can use to let the teacher know of their needs. As well the teacher also uses cues by raising her hand in the air to let children know that the classroom is getting too noisy. The students will then raise their hands as well and put their finger over their lips and immediately stop what they are doing and put their eyes on the teacher. By using sign language as well as other non verbal cues, it is a way for the student as well as the teacher to express themselves without disrupting the class. The teacher states that she will using multiple intelligences to include all learning styles, She will be using a combination of direct instruction, small groups and center to teach the students. There is no mention in the plan of how the teacher creates or delivers her lesson plan. To meet the needs of diverse students, instruction cannot be one-dimensional. By using various methods of instruction it helps each student to reach their academic potential. (Burden, 2004)There is a communication plan set up to keep the teacher, students and parents up to date on the student’s progress. The students will receive feedback on their assignments as well as assignments will be displayed on the front board. Each student will keep track of their assignments in their own personal assignment books. If a student stops completing their assignments then there will be a pink slip that will be sent home to the parent. Which will explain the assignment that was not completed the consequences as well the slip needs to be signed by a parent before sending back to school. There will also be a star bulletin board set up where the teacher will give the student positive feedback. Parent conferences will be held as well as having report cards sent home. This plan help the students receive some positive feedback from their teachers as well as letting them stay up to date on their homework assignments. Although I think this plan needs to include more ways for students as well as parents to receive frequent positive and negative feedback. Providing positive feedback helps the child to feel good about what they have accomplished. As well from negative feedback learn what skill or behavior they need to approved upon. Overall I like this class management plan; I believe Classroom Management is the key component in any educational setting. I believe that if students are in a safe environment, then learning can take place. In this plan the teacher set the tone for the class, by preventing behavior problems with interesting and engaging curriculums and effectively including all students in the classroom so that their needs are met. Having the right environment for all students to learn should be every teacher’s major goal. In order to implement an effective classroom management plan in the classroom, without it the students would not be able to learn. The changes I would make are to include more feedback for students and information on how the rules and lesson plan were developed and implemented. Also let the students have a part in developing the rules, so that will have a better understanding of rules. They also will be more inclined to follow them and the consequences. Another thing that is missing is a behavior system that includes some certain of reward system for the students as well as the classroom for positive behavior and consequences for negative behavior. I would leave everything else the same; I think that the main components of the plan would work well with the needed changes that I have suggested. I think that a paraprofessional would be able to fit nicely into this plan by helping the teacher and students when needed. . References Ashbaker, B. Morgan, J. (2006). Paraprofessionals in the Classroom. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc Burden, Paul R. (2003). Classroom management: Creating a successful learning Community (2nd). JohnWiley Sons. Maine Burden, P. (2004) An Educator’s Guide to Classroom Management. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin. Sadlers, Krista. (2009, November 2). How to Establish Classroom Procedures and Rules. Retrieved from http://classroom-organization. suite101. com/article. cfm/how_to_establish_classroom_procedures_and_rules Furniture Arrangement affects learning. (2008). Retrieved from http://sugearup. com/2008/09/furniture-arrangement-affects-learning.