Classroom  Management  Plan    

Lindy  McBratney      

Management  Style  and  Philosophical  Beliefs         Classroom  management  skills  are  crucial  to  being  a  successful  teacher.  If  

students  don’t  respect  you  as  a  teacher  than  the  entire  school  year  will  feel  like  

you’re  fighting  an  uphill  battle.  According  to  the  book,  Discipline  with  Dignity,  it  is  

important  to  have  classroom  management  skills  because,  “If  we  allow  ourselves  to  

become  helpless  in  the  face  of  many  causes  of  misbehavior,  it  becomes  very  difficult  

to  teach”  (Curwin  and  Mendler  21).  If  we  let  misbehavior  run  the  classroom  there  

would  be  no  room  for  teaching.  According  to  Classroom  Management  That  Works,  

“Effective  teaching  and  learning  cannot  take  place  in  a  poorly  managed  classroom”  

(Marzano  and  Pickering  1).    A  teacher  cannot  effectively  teach  their  students  if  they  

are  constantly  trying  to  gain  control  of  their  classroom.  The  teacher  should  be  in  

control  of  the  classroom,  not  the  students.    

  My  classroom  management  style  is  an  authoritative  style.  I  believe  in  having  

high  behavioral  expectations  for  my  students  along  with  being  clear  about  why  

certain  behavior  is  not  acceptable  in  my  classroom.  I  hope  that  this  style  will  help  

my  students  to  be  socially  competent  and  responsible.  According  to  Discipline  with  

Dignity,  “There  is  a  delicate  balance  between  meeting  the  needs  of  the  group  by  

maintaining  social  order  and  meeting  unique  needs  of  each  student”  (Curwin  and  

Mendler  29).  It  is  important  to  manage  student  behavior  because  having  a  

responsible  student  is  more  valued  than  having  an  obedient  student.    

  My  classroom  discipline  philosophical  beliefs  are  teacher  confidence,  student  

engagement,  and  making  sure  the  student  feels  like  they  are  a  part  of  the  classroom  

community.  When  it  comes  to  a  teacher’s  confidence,  it  is  very  important  because  

without  it  there  would  be  weak  classroom  management  skills  and  students  would  

not  have  confidence  in  their  teacher  or  in  what  they  are  learning.  It  is  also  very  

important  to  engage  every  student  in  your  classroom.  Student’s  needs  need  to  be  

addressed  in  order  for  classroom  management  to  be  successful.  If  students  aren’t  

engaged  they  will  be  more  prone  to  act  out  and  misbehave.  Also,  it  is  important  to  

have  students  feel  like  they  are  a  part  of  the  classroom  community.  Having  a  

conversation  with  a  student  about  how  they  feel  about  anything  will  build  a  rapport  

with  them  and  they  may  be  less  likely  to  act  out  in  class.    

Establishing  a  Positive  Classroom  Culture  

  I  plan  on  developing  a  positive  student-­‐teacher  relationship  through  mutual  

respect  and  communication.  I  want  students  to  respect  me  and  to  respect  each  

other.  I  think  that  mutual  respect  lays  the  foundation  down  for  a  positive  

relationship.  In  addition,  emotional  and  academic  support  will  create  a  positive  

teacher-­‐student  relationship.    

  A  way  to  establish  this  type  of  relationship  is  to  learn  as  much  as  possible  

about  the  students,  like  their  personal  interests  and  backgrounds.  Another  activity  

that  I  could  do  is  to  incorporate  journal  writing  activities  and  class  discussions.  

Students  will  be  able  to  have  a  voice  in  my  classroom.  I  will  also  try  to  be  aware  of  

the  classroom  dynamics.  If  there  is  any  tension  that  exists  between  students  I  will  

defuse  it  immediately.  If  there  are  students  who  are  disruptive  I  will  try  and  

establish  a  rapport  with  them  by  asking  them  how  they  are  and  how  they  are  feeling  

about  the  material  and  the  classroom  atmosphere.  This  way  they  may  be  less  likely  

to  act  out  and  will  improve  their  behavior  if  they  feel  like  they  have  a  connection  

with  me.  I  will  also  model  appropriate  behavior.  I  have  observed  that  students  are  

very  sensitive  to  teacher’s  attitude  towards  the  class.  It  is  important  to  self-­‐reflect  

and  make  sure  I  am  modeling  positive  behaviors  for  the  class.    

 

Things My Teachers Should Know About Me Interest Inventory for High School Students

Student Name __________________________________________ Date ____________

Please help your teachers find out about some of the things you like by answering the following questions. Thank you!

1. What are your favorite classes in school? __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________

2. Who are your favorite teachers? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. What activities do your favorite teachers use to make learning interesting? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. What activities or clubs do you belong to or participate in at school? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

In your community? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5. What is your favorite sport? __________________________________________________________________ To play? __________________________________________________________________To watch? __________________________________________________________________

6. What type of movies do you like to watch? __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________

7. What kind of music do you listen to? __________________________________________________________________

8. Who is your favorite singer or band? ___________________________________________________________

9. What do you like to do with your friends after school? __________________________________________________________________

10. What do you like to do with your family on the weekends? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

11. Which people in your family do you like to spend time with? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

12. What do you like to spend money on? __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________

13. What are your hobbies or special interests? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

                 

Developing  Classroom  Rules  and  Procedures         When  it  comes  to  establishing  rules  and  procedures  it  is  very  important  to  

always  consider  what  is  best  for  the  students  and  keep  their  best  interests  in  mind.  

It  is  imperative  to  create  clear  limits  for  students.  When  it  comes  to  bullying  and  

tardiness,  my  policy  will  most  likely  tie  into  what  the  school  policy  is.    If  there  is  no  

set  policy  on  tardiness  I  will  set  a  limit  on  how  many  they  can  have  without  getting  

into  serious  trouble  or  receiving  a  detention.  When  it  comes  to  students  being  

absent,  my  policy  will  be  that  students  need  to  come  to  me  and  check  in  with  me  to  

see  what  they  missed.  This  places  the  responsibility  on  the  student  and  will  

hopefully  teach  them  something  about  responsibility.  In  terms  of  late  work,  students  

will  receive  one  late  work  pass  that  they  can  use  each  semester.  This  coupon  will  

allow  work  to  be  late  one  day  without  any  penalties.    

  I  am  very  open  when  it  comes  to  creating  classroom  rules  with  students.  I  

think  it  is  a  good  way  to  establish  a  relationship  with  your  class  and  I  would  be  less  

likely  to  be  seen  as  the  dictator  of  the  classroom.  This  way  students  can  have  a  say  in  

the  rules.  If  they  suggest  something  that  I  don’t  agree  with  I  will  take  it  into  

consideration  and  think  about  it  through  thoroughly.  The  students  wanted  that  rule  

for  a  reason  so  I  must  think  about  why  it  may  have  been  important  to  them.    

  When  it  comes  to  running  my  classroom  on  a  daily  basis  I  think  it  is  

important  to  set  a  daily  routine  and  clear  expectations  for  our  routine  so  students  

know  what  to  expect  when  they  walk  in  the  classroom.  I  will  keep  students  

informed  about  the  learning  objectives/targets  by  writing  them  on  the  board  and  

pointing  them  out  to  students  daily.  When  there  is  down  time,  students  will  be  

assigned  an  individual  task  that  they  can  complete  on  their  own.  If  the  task  is  too  

hard  for  them  to  handle  on  their  own  then  I  will  allow  them  to  work  in  partners  

unless  it  gets  too  loud  and/or  students  get  off  task.  If  this  occurs  I  will  have  students  

return  to  working  individually  and  have  a  paraeducator  work  and  myself  with  them  

in  groups.  The  groups  that  they  are  in  will  be  tiered  based  on  their  understanding.    

When  it  comes  to  keeping  track  of  students’  progress,  I  plan  on  utilizing  the  

graphing  section  of  the  online  IEP  program.  This  way  I  can  track  their  progress  and  

gage  whether  or  not  to  move  them  up  a  level  in  their  probes.  I  plan  on  having  

weekly  conferences  with  students  regarding  their  IEP  goal  progress  so  they  know  

where  they  are  and  what  they  may  need  to  work  on.  Furthermore,  I  think  that  

having  a  daily  routine  will  help  keep  students  on  track  and  will  minimize  disruptive  

behavior.    

 

 

We've  Missed  You!    

Date  absent:_________________  What  classes  did  you  miss?:_________________________________________    List  of  teachers  you  need  to  talk  to  because  you  were  absent:  

___________________________________________________________________________    List  of  assignments  you  need  to  make  up:      _______________________________________  

Classroom  Layout  

      I  believe  that  this  layout  will  be  effective  because  it  surrounds  the  student  

with  support.  That  is  especially  important  in  a  special  education  classroom.  

Students  need  to  have  their  paraeducator  near  them  so  they  can  utilize  them  to  the  

fullest.  Being  at  the  front  of  the  classroom  will  allow  me  to  monitor  everyone  

effectively  and  make  sure  that  everything  is  running  smoothly.  In  my  special  

education  class,  I  think  that  it  is  important  to  have  the  sensory  center  off  to  the  side  

just  in  case  students  need  to  use  it.  I  don’t  think  it  would  be  helpful  to  have  it  in  the  

middle  of  the  class  because  it  may  become  a  distraction  instead  of  an  effective  tool.  

If  a  speech  pathologist  is  available  and  doesn't  have  their  own  office,  I  think  having  

them  off  to  the  side  would  be  very  helpful.  This  way  if  a  student  needs  to  have  a  

speech  class  with  them,  assistance  is  readily  available.  If  there  are  iPads  and  

computers  I  believe  that  it  is  important  to  utilize  them  and  put  to  remember  to  keep  

in  mind  not  to  make  them  a  distraction  and  to  use  them  as  a  tool.  If  there  are  laptops  

available  I  will  have  my  laptop  cart  in  the  back  of  the  classroom.  The  iPads,  

computers  and  laptops  would  work  best  in  the  back  out  of  the  way  so  they  are  there  

when  needed.    If  students  need  to  work  independently  the  student  center  should  

provide  a  place  that  they  can  be  alone  but  not  be  completely  cut  off  from  the  class.    I  

believe  this  classroom  layout  would  be  really  effective  and  have  a  positive  impact  on  

my  special  education  students.    

 

                                             

Monitoring  the  Classroom  and  Responding  to  Student  Misbehavior       When  it  comes  to  monitoring  the  classroom  I  think  that  as  a  teacher  I  should  

be  tuned  in  to  everything  that  is  going  on.  When  working  with  students  individually  

I  will  try  to  make  sure  I  am  aware  of  other  things  happening  in  the  classroom.  If  I  

feel  like  something  has  gotten  out  of  hand  then  I  will  pause  what  I  am  doing  with  the  

individual  student  and  handle  the  disturbance.    

  When  it  comes  to  classroom  wide  disruptions  I  plan  on  establishing  

discipline  stages  that  the  students  know  about.  For  example,  warning  three  will  

result  in  being  set  to  the  office.  However,  when  I  notice  a  disruption  I  plan  on  using  

the  response  to  disruption  hierarchy.  When  I  first  notice  a  disruption  I  will  engage  

in  a  nonverbal  intervention.  This  will  involve  me  moving  towards  the  student(s),  

using  effective  body  language  and  establishing  eye  contact  with  them.  This  will  

hopefully  get  their  attention  and  they  will  amend  their  behavior.  If  that  fails  then  I  

plan  on  moving  to  a  verbal  intervention.  This  involves  me  saying,  “Excuse  me,”  using  

their  name  or  telling  the  class  that  as  soon  as  everyone  is  ready  I’ll  begin.  This  will  

hopefully  show  the  student  that  I  need  their  focus  right  now  and  they  need  to  stop  

misbehaving.  The  next  step  is  demands.  The  classroom  is  a  learning  environment  

and  it  is  hard  for  students  to  learn  efficiently  if  they  are  distracted  by  disruptions.  

An  example  of  a  demand  would  be  asking  a  student  to  sit  down.  This  stage  is  the  last  

stage  before  consequences.  If  demanding  something  from  a  student  doesn't  work  

then  I  plan  on  talking  to  them  individually  after  or  outside  of  class.  I  think  that  it  is  

important  not  to  take  up  class  time  talking  to  students  individually.  If  the  student  

continues  misbehaving  then  I  will  talk  to  them  after  class  alone  so  I  am  not  taking  up  

any  class  time.  If  the  behavior  continues  then  there  may  be  a  call  home  or  he/she  

will  be  sent  to  the  office.  In  addition,  it  is  important  to  be  consistent  with  students  so  

they  don’t  feel  like  they  are  being  treated  differently  than  any  other  student  but  

keeping  in  mind  that  what  is  fair  is  not  always  equal.  

 

 

   

   Parents  as  Partners         I  believe  that  it  is  very  important  to  keep  parents  involved  in  their  child’s  life  

at  school.  As  a  special  education  teacher  this  is  especially  true  because  of  yearly  IEP  

meetings.  It  is  very  important  to  give  parents  positive  feedback  about  their  child  as  

well  as  let  them  know  when  their  child  may  need  more  support  from  them  at  home.  

It  is  important  to  establish  a  relationship  with  all  parents  sine  there  will  be  a  lot  of  

personal  contact  with  them.    

  My  plan  on  keeping  in  touch  with  parents  will  be  through  a  monthly  

newsletter  that  I  would  send  to  them  to  keep  them  updated  on  what  is  going  on  in  

my  classroom.  There  will  be  information  posted  on  there  that  parents  will  need  to  

know  and  that  way  they  can  be  in  the  loop  about  their  child’s  assignments.  I  also  

plan  on  emailing  parents  weekly.    

  I  also  plan  on  having  weekly  emails  that  go  out  individually  to  parents.  This  

will  allow  me  to  talk  about  their  child’s  progress  or  any  issues  that  may  arise  during  

the  week.  If  a  student  has  a  weekly  behavior  and/or  IEP  goal  I  will  give  the  parents  

an  update  on  it  and  if  there  is  anything  they  can  do  to  help  their  child  achieve  their  

goal.  If  they  need  to  reassess  on  a  test  in  a  core  class  or  not  succeeding  in  a  subject  I  

will  devise  a  plan  and  talk  to  parents  about  it  either  through  email  or  on  the  phone.  

In  addition,  I  plan  on  having  an  “Assignments  for  the  Week”  board  in  my  room  and  I  

plan  on  taking  a  picture  of  it  and  sending  it  to  parents  at  the  beginning  of  the  week  

so  they  are  aware  of  what  their  child  needs  to  get  done  and  can  help  them  complete  

the  assignments  and  keep  them  on  track.    

August  2013  Edition  

 Hello  Parents,    

My  name  is  Lindy  McBratney  and  I  would  like  to  extend  a  warm  welcome  to  you  and  your  child  into  my  classroom.  I  am  so  excited  to  work  with  your  children  this  year  as  their  Special  Education  teacher.    

I  am  originally  from  Kihei,  HI  but  went  to  high  school  in  Missouri  and  college  in  Iowa.  I  graduated  from  Drake  University  in  Des  Moines,  IA.  In  college  my  family  moved  and  I  called  West  Lafayette,  IN  home.  I  enjoy  playing  tennis  and  playing  with  my  two  dogs  in  my  spare  time.  

My  philosophy  for  learning  is  that  each  child  is  unique  and  learns  in  a  different  way.  It  is  my  goal  as  your  child’s  teacher,  to  discover  his  or  her  individuality  and  enhance  it.  I  hope  to  help  your  child  learn  more  about  themselves  this  year  and  push  them  to  become  the  best  version  of  themselves.    

I  am  looking  forward  to  the  new  school  year!  I  will  be  sending  out  monthly  newsletters  and  weekly  emails  but  if  you  need  to  get  ahold  of  me  before  that  don’t  hesitate  to  email  me!  Have  a  good  rest  of  your  week!    Sincerely,    Lindy  McBratney  _________________School  Special  Education  Department    melinda.mcbratney@drake.edu