Management Plan

Classroom Management Plan

Introduction

The main approach in my classroom management is based on the educational philosophy social reconstructionism.  I believe that students should be working in the field of service with their classroom knowledge ready to assist in their endeavors.  Students will be guided to put what they have learned into action into the community.  This requires trust and respect for the students to take an active role in their community, remedying societal ills that the students learn to recognize.  Students will grow a greater sense of justice and personal responsibility for their community.  As a class we will learn to discipline ourselves and monitor each other’s behavior.  Individuals will feel empowered and motivated to serve as a part of a united class and see the need for an ordered social structure that furthers positive principles.  Students will realize what is necessary to accomplish educational goals they set for themselves, while the teacher is to guide the students throughout this path and strive to maintain a united classroom setting.

Preventive Approach

1.  Synergetic Discipline-Discuss with the class the need for a collaborative learning environment. (C.M. Charles, 2000)  Create a classroom discussion to identify necessary classroom rules to maintain a learning environment.  Using this discussion, students will begin understanding the nature of developing habits that are useful in the real world.  This tie of the classroom to the society is a theme in social reconstructionism.

2.  Inner Discipline-Manipulate the physical environment of the classroom. (Barbra Coloroso, 1994)  Students will be placed in groups throughout the classroom in order to learn how to work with others.  Learning how to work in groups with peers from varying backgrounds is a skill that students will take with them throughout their lives.  Developing this skill will also help students learn to monitor themselves in order to create a stronger sense of inner discipline as a primary preventative measure.

3.  Cooperative Discipline- Counter fear of mistakes. (Linda Albert, 1989-1996)  Demonstrate making mistakes and allow students to see the teacher struggle through classwork to demonstrate the process of learning from mistakes.  Students must learn that mistakes are healthy and acceptable as long as one learns from them.  In society there is no teacher edition text book that tells you the answers and will therefore build an understanding of how to think open-mindedly.  This learning also furthers a student’s desire to try new things and explore new concepts without the fear of making mistakes. 

4.  Beyond Discipline-Enhance connections between students. (Alfie Khon, 1996)  As a class we will do team building activities when students are put into new groups.  It is important to also have group question games, team problem solving activities, etc.  Building up the community environment will establish a stronger sense of belonging as well as respect amongst the students.  For students to see their actions as impactful of their community plays an important role in establishing healthy and unified classroom behavior.

5.  Discipline with Dignity-Create Rules and Consequences. (Curwin and Allen Mendler, 1983)  When doing the synergetic activity, have students also develop what they would see as fair consequences and hold them to it throughout the class.  This will reinforce the need for logical rules and consequences in a society, and having students take ownership of the rules will allow students to feel more invested within their community.  Empowering students to have a voice in their society, and take action, will nurture students’ capacity to remedy societal ills.

6.  Seating Arrangement - Chairs are put into groups.  This allows students to work together in a collaborative environment as well as monitor each other.  There will also need to be comfortable work areas that students can go to work on assignments, projects etc.  This will allow for a trusting and open learning environment.  For students to learn from each other, find what helps them work most efficient, and learn to self-regulate are all qualities that will help them become social reconstructionist.  The students will be gaining the collaboration and self-monitoring skills necessary to take part in improving society.

Supportive Approach

1.  Synergetic Discipline-Work to build a cooperative learning environment. (C.M. Charles, 2000)  Make sure all students have the opportunity to express their concerns (C.M. Charles, 2000).  Students work in small groups as often as possible.  Students will have adequate collaborative time to reflect on lessons given in class.  This will help students become more outward looking in their work habits.  They will learn to work with others who may be different from themselves in order to accomplish anything from minute to major tasks.  Students will learn the benefits of a unified effort.

2.  Inner Discipline-Use passive listening skills when consulting with a student. (Barbra Coloroso, 1994)  Be sure to spend time listening to students during assessments.  Spend time working with each group and addressing their concerns.  Provide time for students to voice their concerns.  Giving students a voice will empower them to impact things on a local level.  This will be the grassroots for their efforts to remedy societal ills.

3.  Cooperative Discipline- Recognize achievement (Linda Albert, 1989-1996).  Spend time praising the successes of students.  Keep an eye out for students’ good behavior and voice specifics.  Through this development, students will be able to continue nurturing their praiseworthy characteristics and allow that to be their motivation for progress.  Having this as a motivation allows students to accomplish more as a part of society and see motivations through positive rewards rather avoiding negative consequences.

4.  Beyond Discipline-Flexibility (Alfie Khon, 1996).  Make assignments based on the learning profiles of the individual student.  Spend time adjusting the parameters of assignments to fit into the learning needs of each student.  Allowing flexibility will encourage students to strive to work towards their strengths and how they can best benefit their surroundings.  Students will be given opportunities to learn in school rather than work simply to avoid penalties.  Grades will become a reflection on learning rather than a reward, which allows students to value their own learning. 

5.  Discipline with Dignity-Treat students with dignity and respect them as individuals (Curwin and Allen Mendler, 1983).  When administering consequences, I will do so respectfully, kindly, and calmly.  This will help students see rules as tools to guide themselves.  As citizens they will have developed an acute sense of justice and through this they will learn to remedy unjust situations within society.

Corrective Approach

1.  Synergetic Discipline-Discuss the reasons for rules and the harmony we are striving for in a classroom. (C.M. Charles, 2000)  This discussion of the rules can be used when students misbehave or if misbehavior is repeating then a classroom discussions for the reasons of the rules can be useful.  Students will learn to value the unity and justice a society and seek to promote these as societal necessities.  Students will develop an understanding of rules as being necessary to maintain the harmony of a society.

2.  Inner Discipline-Build and nurture communication with students regarding deeper nature of issues. (Barbra Coloroso, 1994)  Spend time with students discussing any personal concerns they may have.  Addressing the reasons for misbehaviors will help students learn to self-regulate why they behave in certain ways.  They will learn to be sensitive to the actions of others and recognize reasons for the actions of individuals within society.

3.  Cooperative Discipline-Focus on behavior, not the student (Linda Albert, 1989-1996)  When correcting behavior make sure that students are aware of the behavior and use phrases that refer to the behavior instead of the student directly.  This will allow students to remain unified with others within the classroom rather than feeling alienated for their actions.  Students will also learn to focus on the actions of individuals without vilifying the individual themselves, thus creating a greater sense of harmony within a society.

 4.  Beyond Discipline-Student Involvement. (Alfie Khon, 1996)  Rely on students to monitor themselves and each other.  We will have student discussions regarding classroom issues and ask for solutions to remedy the problem based on what they think is fair and just.  This continues to empower students to become active participants in and recourses for societal development. 

5.  Discipline with Dignity-Use logical Consequences (Curwin and Allen Mendler, 1983).  Through the use of consequences, be sure that students have consequences that are related to the behavior.  I will use the problems that arise as teachable moments.  This will provide further education for students and will build up their own capacity to understand how to correct undesirable behavior.  Students will also learn how to respond to injustices directed towards them in a reasonable way.

6.  Finding Common Ground – Learn what forms of “currency” are used between students when it comes to communication and activities.  Find what the students are motivated by and then as issues come up, communicate through the currency that students and correct the undesirable behavior.  Students may be motivated through humor, direct communication, competition, etc.  When it comes to social reconstruction, this will help students learn to find ways of communicating with others to reach higher goals.  Students will be guided through what they feel is important, which will develop them into independent thinkers and learners.  These are essential for social reconstruction.

Conclusion

Through the use of teachable moments and regular classroom discussions, students will create classroom rules that are conducive to learning.  This emphasizes the positive classroom environment that I believe is necessary to foster learning.  The structure and discipline that students crave are also involved in this process, but all consequences are meaningful, collaboratively developed, and logical based on the needs of the students based on the undesirable behavior.  Taking these steps to provide understanding, while empowering students, will nurture students to become active participants in their society.  Building these resources for societal change will help reconstruct a new world order through education.  Students will learn to value the harmony and unity required for a just society, and feel the capacity to instill these changes personally.