Classroom Management and Student Guidance Plan

Chelsea Creech
EDT 474E
Primary Grades - K-3

Section 1. Explanation of Your Core Beliefs about Children, Teachers, and Education: In
Section 1 you are to explain with clarity and detail your basic beliefs and values about the
following questions and topics. Your responses to the following questions in Section 1
should be based on your personal experiences and your informed professional opinion!
a. What assumptions do you make about the inherent nature of children [e.g., at
birth, is every child inherently good-or are some children born evil-or is
every child neutral in this regard? is every child born with a disobedient
will that must be broken?]
Children are not born evil or neutral; in regards to this topic I believe
children are inherently good with the exception of their environment. I am an
advocate for the nature vs. nurture belief and I whole-heartedly believe that
nurture has a large impact on children. I think different personalities and
temperaments develop with distinct nurturing techniques.
b. To what extent can children learn self-control [physical, emotional, intellectual,
and behavioral]? What actions by significant adults [especially parents/guardians
and PK-6 teachers] promote a childs development of all domains of self-control?
Children can begin to learn self-control at an early age this is provoked
by their surroundings. Infants and young toddlers do not easily learn self-control,
however as they progress through development they can learn self-control if given
the proper environment. Adults can teach self-control by actively listening and
communicating with children, acknowledging their feelings, modeling emotional
control, and teaching self-discipline. This can include children being involved in
extracurricular activities and practicing listening skills in the classroom. They can
also teach self-control by teaching a child how to control their impulses and
postponing a childs immediate gratification. For example, having a child
complete their homework after school before playing with friends. Self-control is
essential for children to learn at an early age.
c. What meaning do you ascribe to learning? How do children learn? Based on
your current understanding, explain your definition of learning and then explain
the basic processes by which a child learns any particular knowledge or skill.
The meaning I ascribe to learning is creating new knowledge and a diverse
perspective it is a result that comes from interaction. Each child learns in their
own way, however most children learn best through experience and in
environments that offer stimulation. They learn through hands-on lessons that
merge real world experiences. Children learn any particular knowledge or skill
through modeling, repetition and a carefully chosen environment.
d. What can/should a K-3 teacher do to promote healthy psychosocial development?
A K-3 teacher should offer a consistent and welcoming environment to
promote healthy psychosocial development. Children thrive on routine and
knowing what to expect. The consistency in classroom environments helps to
decrease frustration level in K-3 students. Teachers also need to offer a
welcoming environment to not only the students but the families as well. This is
done with family newsletters, family nights, and responding to parents in a

professional manner. When students feel safe in their environment this improves
their psychosocial development.
e. What can/should a K-3 teacher do to promote healthy intellectual growth and
development?
In order to promote healthy intellectual growth and development in
students teachers can include multiple learning strategies in the classroom such as
visual, auditory, and tactile opportunities for children to learn. I think teachers can
also promote intellectual growth with brain breaks (a time for students to stretch
and take a break from work). When students are doing work for a significant
amount of time it can wear on them and their thinking. Students will be more
successful in instructional time by offering a chance for students to get up and
move around for a few minutes of every hour.
f. In what ways might the relationship between a teacher and a student affect a
childs learning and development?
The relationship between a teacher and student has a direct impact on a
childs learning and development. If a child does not feel loved or wanted in the
classroom it can decrease their self-esteem and work ethic. When a teacher
provides encouragement, love, and meaningful learning opportunities to students
they will succeed with minimal frustration in the classroom environment.
Nevertheless, a students learning is influenced by their relationship with the
teacher.
g. In what ways might the school-home relationship affect a childs learning and
development?
The school-home relationship also has a direct influence on a childs
learning. When parents and teachers have open communication it often increases
student success. If a student is struggling, a parent that has a strong relationship
with the teacher is more likely to step in and accept suggestions from the teacher.
It creates a sense of trust and comfort when a strong relationship is present. It is a
vital aspect of any teachers job to establish a strong rapport between school and
home to benefit the child.
Section 2. Statement of Your Core Beliefs and Practices Related to Student Guidance: In
Section 2 you are to explain with clarity and detail the basic beliefs, values, and strategies
that serve as the foundation of your overall approach to your work and relationships with
children. You should base your responses on: the knowledge and skill you read about in
the EDT474 required textbooks and class conversations; what you have learned in other
courses; lessons learned from life experience; and information learned during field
placements, etc. In this section be sure to include the following:
a. Based on the knowledge and skills you have learned thus far in your academic
career and life experience, what can you identify as your Top Ten Beliefs
and/or Strategies about Classroom Management & Student Guidance? First,
identify the source [at least five of your Ten Beliefs and/or Strategies must come

from the Guidance of Young Children textbookfor each of these, include the
page number]; second, succinctly state the belief or strategy in your own words
[do NOT insert a direct quote--instead, paraphrase the idea in your own words];
and third, briefly explain your reason for choosing each Belief or Strategy.
First five examples from Guidance of Young Children:
1. Provide an environment that meets childrens emotional needs and their
developmental level. Make sure to be responsive to childrens diverse
needs by understanding child development and having a strong
communication style. (GYC, 5). Responsiveness mixed with warmth is an
essential aspect to any classroom. Responsiveness can be defined, as an
adult meeting a childs needs, but warmth is expressing like or love. A
combination of these two creates an environment where students feel safe
to express their emotions and know that their needs will be met. I think this
is important because if a student feels safe in the classroom, he or she is
more likely to succeed. If they feel comfortable communicating with a
teacher and not intimidated it will enhance their overall learning
experience.
2. Meet students where they are at within their learning. Scaffold in the
classroom, otherwise known as adjusting support as a child develops to
help reach their learning goals. (GYC, 40). Scaffolding is when teachers
provide more help or support based on a childs ability to complete a
task. For example, when teaching a student how to cut the teacher may
first cut for the child this is modeling. Then she would have the child cut
and understand how to hold the scissors, still with adult supervision. Then
the student would be able to cut by themselves but only big easy shapes,
eventually the student would be able to independently use scissors very
well. The teacher provides support throughout the teaching of this skill to
enhance student growth. I think this is important in my future classroom
because I know I will have diverse learners they will not all come in at
the same level. Scaffolding will help me to meet students at their
developmental level and it will decrease their frustration.
3. Model and recognize empathy in the classroom. Empathy is the ability to
participate in another persons or animals feelings, it is known as what
makes society hold itself together. (GYC, 72). Empathy is being able to
relate to another persons feelings; this can often be hard for elementary
aged students. One trait that young children often have is egocentrism.
They are very focused on themselves and their own world. However, I
think this is an important aspect to include in my future classroom because
it is important that they understand the feelings of others. It is essential
that they understand the power they can have to hurt someones feelings or
make someone happy. I think this is often an emotional competency that is
overlooked.

4. Create a sense of community in the classroom by incorporating a large

group area. A large group area is a space that is large enough to
accommodate all of the children for a whole group activity. Usually it has
a seating arrangement of some kind to provide a sense of structure. (GYC,
93). Community is an essential aspect of any classroom. By providing a
sense of community, offering a comfortable space for the entire class to
meet, and referring to the class as a family children feel safe and wanted.
My future classroom will have a large carpet where the students will meet
to complete large group activities; I will also refer to my classroom as a
community or a family. I want my students to feel safe and desired in
my classroom, not overlooked.
5. Use encouragement and offer meaningful praise. When encouraging a
child to complete a task or praising them for doing well make sure to make
it meaningful. A childs self esteem is more likely to increase when
appreciation is used. Appreciation is when a child is encouraged with
appropriate comments based on their individual efforts. (GYC, 181).
Meaningful praise is when a teacher gives a comment to a student that is
based on their individuality. For example good job is empty praise while
you have such neat handwriting, thank you for taking your time is
meaningful praise. This makes a students self worth increase because they
take a compliment or meaning away from the praise. The reason I find this
so important is because elementary aged students often struggle with
confidence and self-esteem. This will boost their confidence as well as
create a positive learning atmosphere.
Last five examples from Relationship Driven Classroom Management
6. Balance the idea of firm, fair, and friendly. Oftentimes a classroom to get
out of hand quickly lacks on firmness. Being firm is the idea of being
consistent and assertive with clear expectations. Fairness is the act of not
favoring one group over the other. Friendliness is a mix of personality
traits that include a good sense of humor, an easygoing attitude, and a
calm demeanor. (RDCM, 71). All three of these variables need to be
balanced and this is often hard to do. However, when they are balanced it
creates a welcoming environment that is easy for students to learn in. I
think this is essential in any elementary classroom. When students know
their expectations but feel safe and wanted in their classroom environment
they are more likely to succeed.
7. Provide an engaging environment that motivates student to participate and
do their best. By maintaining active student involvement, students will
understand instruction much more clearly. They will enjoy attending class
and want to participate. (RDCM, 104). Maintaining active student
involvement can be known as incorporating many chances for students to

participate, offering lessons that include multiple learning styles, and

making students feel comfortable in the classroom. Student participation
and involvement is essential in any classroom, by increasing participation
and engagement it increases the interest of students.
8. Provide multiple opportunities throughout the year for students to evaluate
themselves. By providing these opportunities it gives students a chance to
think reflectively about their behavior, responsibility, or even their
learning progress. (RDCM, 24). When students can reflect on their own
actions and behavior it allows them a chance to increase their self-control
and responsibility. For example, if a child reflects on their actions for one
day and has to say at least one thing that they could have changed about
their behavior that day to make their day better, it would directly impact
their behavior on the following day. I think the reason I find this tactic so
important is because I want my future classroom to be based around
exploration and reflective thought. I do not want to tell my students what
they did wrong or right, instead I want them to think about it themselves to
solve the issue.
9. Consequences will be created and implemented in an effective manner.
Consequences should change a childs behavior in the future, increase
student-teacher rapport, teach appropriate behavior, and give the learner a
chance to redirect. (RDCM, 145). I think consequences are important in a
classroom if used correctly. They should serve a meaningful purpose such
as teaching the child the right behavior and making it understandable to
the child why their behavior was unacceptable. In my future classroom I
will incorporate consequences, however I notice in some elementary
classrooms they are given out too frequently. When consequences are
given too frequently it takes away from their effectiveness they should
not be frequent but instead meaningful.
10. A classroom environment should foster resilience. Resilience is a students
ability to overcome adversity. Adversity is difficult times such as divorce,
death, or loss of a job. (RDCM, 10). When students are able to overcome
tough situations it will not only help them in the present but in their future
as well. It is difficult for anyone, especially a child to overcome hard
times. A teacher can foster resilience by providing caring relationships to
students while also having high expectations. It is important that a teacher
makes students feel wanted in the classroom. Resilience is important
because we live in a time of change everything is constantly changing.
One of my goals as a future teacher is to teach my students how to deal
with this change. I will do this by providing them a consistent, loving
environment at school while also showing them my confidence in their
abilities.
b. What role/s do you expect to play in the lives of your students?

I will fill many roles in the lives of my students; I think this is one of the
best things about being a teacher. Two main roles I expect to fill will be a
facilitator and supporter. My students will be in the younger grades and I want
them to know that I will always support them; this can be with school, friends, or
family. With my students being younger they will rely on me a bit more. I want
them to know they are loved and wanted. I will also be a facilitator because I will
facilitate their learning in a plethora of different ways. I will help them to reach
their highest potential in anything I can not just classroom material.
c. What legacy do you hope to leave imprinted in your students minds, hearts,
and souls?
Leaving a legacy to remember is a lifelong goal for many teachers. It was
once said by Henry Adam A teacher affects eternity, he cannot tell where his
influence stops. I want my students to walk out of my classroom at the end of the
year inspired to continue to learn. I want them to fall in love with something in
my classroom, like fall in love with the idea of multiplication or the solar system.
I want them to walk away with many epiphany moments that made them so
proud. I hope they remember me as the teacher that was always positive and
inspired them to continue learning.
d. What needs of your own do you anticipate getting met by your work as a
classroom teacher?
Throughout my life I have received such joy from helping others and I
have a special place in my heart for helping children. I love to be around children
I feel whole when I am around children of any age. I think these are two needs
that will be fulfilled in my future classroom; helping others and being surrounded
by children. I hear on a recurring basis that teaching is difficult and does not pay
much, but the job is so rewarding and it is a passion of mine that I have had for a
very long time.
Section 3. Classroom Management: Procedures and Routines--Section 3 should include a
clear explanation of how you will manage aspects of classroom life: Remember, the
following routines and procedures should be designed to assure that they are
implemented in an efficient manner.
a. When the school bell signals the students to enter the building, where will you be and
what will the students be doing for the first 3 minutes of the school day?
In the first three minutes of the school day I will be standing by the door greeting
my students as they come in and prompting them to begin their morning routine. Their
morning routine will consist of unpacking their backpack, taking down their chair from
their desk and begin on their morning work. I think the first few minutes of a students
day have a large influence the rest of their day.
b. How will you manage students lunch tickets and/or money?

At the beginning of the school year a Velcro envelope will be placed in every
students take home folder. In this envelope they can place lunch money, tickets, book
fair money, notes, etc. Then students will bring the money to me and I will fill out their
name, the amount of money and the purpose of the money on a pre-printed slip. It will
then be sent to the office along with the attendance.
c. How will attendance be taken?
Attendance will be taken using a lunch chart. Each student will have a magnetic
clip with his or her name on it. At the beginning of the day all of the clips will be in the
absent column each student is expected to find their name in the column and move it
in to the appropriate place. They will move their clip to either the packing or buying
column. Students will be prompted to complete this by table. By using this technique it is
easier for the classroom teacher to see who is absent and to take lunch count.
d. How will morning announcements be made?
Morning announcements such as birthdays, special events or a change in the daily
schedule will be made at the daily morning meeting. During morning meeting the
calendar is done as well as a discussion about the daily schedule (the specials, the star of
the week, etc.). Students will have a chance to ask for clarification if they do not
understand the announcement that was made.
e. How will you collect students homework?
I will collect students homework by using a homework bin. A red bin labeled
homework will sit beside their mailboxes and this is where they can put any homework.
A separate green bin will be labeled late work and this is where students will put any
missing or late work. This will be apart of their daily routine but students will be
prompted to turn their homework in while they move their lunch clip.
f. How will students line up at the door to leave the classroom for another part of the
building (music, lunch, etc.)?
Students will line up at the door by table; this provides an easy transition for
students. There will be a star of the week each week that will be the line leader. Then
the two handy helpers for the day (a boy and a girl) will be the second and third person in
line. After that the quietest tables will be called to line up.
g. How will you manage use of the rest rooms by students throughout the day?
Students will use the restroom as a class three times throughout the day (once
before lunch, once after recess, and once before specials). However, if a student needs to
use the restroom at some other point throughout the day they can place a bathroom pass
on their desk. There will be one bathroom pass for girls, one for boys and a drinking
fountain pass. I will monitor this and if I see a student persistently leaving the room I will
limit them to once in the morning and once in the afternoon outside of going with the
class.
h. How will you manage student use of the hallway drinking fountain?

Students will also have the chance to get a drink three times throughout the day
when they go to the bathroom with the class. If a student needs to get a drink at another
point throughout the day they can place the water fountain pass on their desk and leave
the room. I will monitor this similar to the bathroom, if I notice a student is leaving a lot
to go to the water fountain I will limit it to once in the morning and once in the afternoon
outside of going with the class.
i. How will you manage student use of the classroom sink [lets assume there is one]?
If there is a classroom sink students will not use it unless it is an emergency. I
think it can be extremely distracting to some children. Students will be able to wash their
hands at every restroom break and when go to the restroom by themselves. Hand sanitizer
will be kept in the room during cold season.
j. How will you manage student use of the pencil sharpener?
The pencil sharpener will be used at the end of the day because it is distracting for
some children. In the classroom there will be two cylinder bins labeled sharp and need
to sharpen. Students will pull a pencil out of the sharpen bin if their pencil breaks.
They will place their broken pencil or unsharpened pencil in the sharpen bin.
l. How will you organize and manage student Classroom Helpers--what classroom
jobs will there be? What procedure will you use to assign Classroom Helpers?
Classroom helpers will consist of two students daily. These will be called the
classroom Handy Helpers and there will be one boy and one girl. There will be two
jobs that the Handy Helpers will need to compromise on having. The first job is the
calendar helper and the second job is the errand runner. The calendar helper helps with
the calendar and the errand runner takes lunch and attendance count down at the
beginning of the day. Classroom helpers will be chosen at random. Two rings will be
hanging up at the front of the classroom, one ring will contain all of the girls names and
the other will contain the boys. These will be flipped daily to determine who the Handy
Helper is for that specified day.
m. How will you collect daily assignments from students?
Each student will have a yellow folder with his or her name on it, this folder will
be titled Daily Assignments. At the beginning of the day they will get their folder from
the daily assignments bin and place it into their desk. After assignments are completed
they will be prompted to place their assignment into the folder. At the end of the day they
will put their yellow folders back into the Daily Assignments bin. At this point the
teacher will clean out each folder and begin to grade the papers. If a paper does not need
to be graded or the teacher does not need to check it then it will be placed directly into
the students mailbox by the student.
n. As you bring the school day to a close: what will the students are expected to do--and
what will you be doing--during the last 3 minutes of the school day?
At this point of the day students will be sitting on the carpet listening to a book
such as Junie B. Jones or Captain Underpants. Before this students will have cleaned up
their area, colored in their behavior chart, packed their backpack and put their chair up. I

think if students are rushed at the end of the day, it ends the day in a difficult manner.
After a chapter or a few pages have been read and it is time to line up I will call bus
riders first, then car riders. I will then walk the students to where they are supposed to be
or if they are independent enough I will say goodbye to each of them as they exit the
classroom.
Section 4. Implementation of Student Guidance Practices: In Section 4 you should
provide clear, detailed explanations about the expectations and strategies you will use to
guide student behavior so that an optimal learning environment will be maintained in
your classroom.
a. Classroom rules/expectations: By whom--and how--will these be determined?
Once determined, how will you communicate these rules/expectations to students
and parents/guardians?
The class as a whole will determine the classroom expectations during the
first week of school. I will ask the students what rules they think are important to
and we will brainstorm on a piece of chart paper. Then on the last day of the week
we will condense the list into one sentence that we will follow the rest of the year.
For example Ms. Creechs class will always be respectful, responsible and kind
throughout our day or Ms. Creechs class will try our hardest to be safe, helpful
and responsible throughout our day. Then after we have agreed on a sentence it
will be hung up in the classroom and referred to throughout the year. I want to
make sure the sentence is positively stated for students because it will make it
easier to follow. Also, depending on the age of my students I may have them sign
a piece of paper with the sentence on it and make a collage with their signatures.
>>For items be below, provide an example of the kind of student behavior
described--then, explain how you would deal the student/s and behaviors you
provide.
b. Level I: Some student behaviors may be off-task but not disruptive to your
instruction or other students learning [e.g., sleeping in class; staring out the
window, etc.]. How will you deal with this type of student behaviors?
Example: Emma is doing her handwriting notebook during math. She
enjoys completing her handwriting notebook but it is to be only completed after
she has finished everything and when the teacher is not talking. In this situation I
would continue with the math lesson and look at Emma, if she did not
stop I would walk by her desk and softly touch her shoulder and her neighbors as I
walked by (to not make an example of Emma). After the lesson when students
had begun their math work I would pull Emma to the side, go down to her level
and remind her nicely that our handwriting notebook is only meant for when we
are done with everything. I think in this situation it is so important to not make an
example of the student. I want to create a strong rapport with my students to
where they feel comfortable with me.
b. Level II: Some student behaviors will be off-task and mildly disruptive to your
teaching and/or other students learning [e.g., two students chatting during

instruction; two students passing notes back and forth, etc.]. How will you deal
with this type of student behaviors?
Example: Braylon has a toy car in his desk that he keeps rolling back and
forth on his desktop during a Spelling lesson. I would walk around the room as I
am explaining the spelling concept and make sure to walk by his desk. I would
also make sure the directions for the spelling worksheet are explained twice on
behalf of Braylon and the students surrounding him. After the class had begun
their spelling worksheet I would pull Braylon to the side and ask him about one of
our unwritten rules (no toys in the classroom). Then I would remind him that if I
see the car out again I will keep it at my desk for the rest of the day and he wont
be able to have it for recess.
d. Level III: Some student behaviors will be off-task and seriously disruptive to
your teaching and every other students learning [e.g., a student throws a soggy
paper towel at you and it splatters against the chalkboard; a student says loudly,
Youre not my mother and I dont have to do what you say! etc.]. How will
you deal with this type of student behaviors?
Example: During a read aloud, James screams at the top of his lungs
during a scary part of the book. After he does this he proceeds to laugh
hysterically at his actions and punch a classmate that watching him. At this point I
would place a bookmark in my book, set it down in my chair, ask my students to
wait one moment and ask James to accompany me to the opposite side of the
room. I would ask James if what he just did was appropriate for our classroom. I
would then explain to him how he hurt a classmate and that is unacceptable in my
classroom. I would then tell him that he needs to move his stick and make
sure to apologize to the classmate he hit. During the rest of the read aloud James would
stay in his seat. I think in this situation due to student safety I have no choice but
to pull James aside in front of the class.
e. Level IV: Some student [or others] behaviors will pose an immediate, serious
threat to the physical safety of you and/or your students [e.g., 1. a stranger
bolts
into your classroom holding a pistol and threatens to blow you all away;
2. One
of your students grabs a pair of scissors and holds the point at the throat of
another student]. How will you deal with the student or intruder behavior
described in your example?
Example: An intruder with a gun enters into an elementary school
building. After being notified of the intrusion I would follow all lock down
procedures and close/lock my door and have my students crouch down in the
corner of the room. If the intruder somehow got into my room I would throw a
chair, a desk or anything at them. I would even put myself in front of them to
protect the lived of my students.
Section 5. Physical organization of your classroom: In Section 5 you are to provide a
computer-generated map of the physical arrangement of your classroom. Be sure to
include all of the items that are typically found in an elementary school classroom.