Desperately Seeking a Management Plan

[royaldixie]

I am student teaching and need to make a management plan for my class. I would love to see a few so I can get some great ideas. Would anyone mind sharing with a newbie? I would very much appreciate it. You also can email me at royaldixie711@yahoo.com

THANKS IN ADVANCE!

[Naive Teacher-to-Be]

Ahh...classroom management. 'Tis there no sweet phrase than thee? You're right to look for a management plan, as it is (IMHO) the most important part of teaching. You can't teach if your classroom isn't functioning properly. Now on to resources.

I figure the best way for you to figure out your classroom management plan is by reading/skimming the following two books:

The First Days of School: How To Be An Effective Teacher by Harry Wong (Best book on classroom management ever! Also, get his tapes...he's great :rolleyes: )

Building Classroom Discipline by C.M. Charles (This is required for my Classroom Management & Effective Discipline course. It details many different discipline plans. I found it best to pick and choose what I wanted out of it).

Now, let me tell you the basic premises of my discipline plan (Untested! I have only theory, no practical experience until January 17th :) ) First, you should have rules and procedures/routines (see Harry Wong). My basic rule is RESPECT EVERYONE AND EVERYTHING. I begin the schoolyear with a discussion of what it means to be respectful and why it is important - include your students in such a discussion.

The second requirement is detailed consequences (or levels of consequences). These can range from simple redirection to problem-solving worksheets to parent phone calls (you should call throughout the year anyway) to referrals to the principal's office (although you should try your hardest to handle your own problems first).

The third requirement is effective instruction (see Glasser, in Charles' book). You should try your hardest to create lessons that are meaningful, fun and interesting for your students. When they are engaged, they are much less likely to act out in boredom.

The final piece of the puzzle (My personal style) is the simple realization that students have feelings, too. Think about it, at what other point in your life do you have as little control over your life as when you are a child/teen?(besides when you're a man in a relationship with a woman...hehe...just jokes) Be understanding of that fact, and realize that students are just little adults with less life experience and education. Teach them how to behave properly and they will be more apt to behave that way (although not always, of course). You should take a look at Charles' book and see what Glasser and Charles himself say about students' needs and emotions. It's something definitely worth considering.

I hope I have been of some help. Seeing the date of this post, you may have already sorted this out or at least have abandoned this site as a resource. Either way, great luck to you! (And to me, when I start student teaching in month!)