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Classroom Management and Student Guidance Plan (CMSGP)

Kelley Lach
EDT 474 Section B
5/7/13
Intended for First Third Grade
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CMSGP

Section 2. Explanation of Your Core Beliefs About Children, Teachers, and Education:

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?]
I personally believe that children are born neutral in this regard, so that they are neither
inherently good or bad when born. I believe that the nature of children is shaped by their home
life, the environment they were raised in, and how their caregivers handled punishment when
they were raised. Their main influence is their environment. You learn character, morals, ways to
behave, and good vs. bad based on those who you are raised by. Two children could be born the
same both neither good nor evil at birth and their attitudes and behavior could develop
completely differently based on the way they were raised. The way that one is raised is not the
sole influence on a childs disposition; a child raised in a positive, healthy home does not
necessarily turn out to be good, and a child raised in a more negative home does not
necessarily turn out to ne evil. Despite this, I still believe that ones environments and
surroundings impact the way that a childs disposition turns out to be.

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?
Physical self-control is developed with age. As infants, they do not have any control, but
they are gradually able to gain control of the bodies, arms, legs, and neck. Children learn to
control their actions and keep their hands to themselves when instructed by teachers and parents
that it is not okay to touch or hit others, and this develops mostly around preschool age.
Regarding emotional self-control, adults can teach children effective strategies to deal with
emotions, such as talking about issues to an adult or peer, calmly resolving issues with others, or
writing in a journal. Behavioral self-control can be taught in a classroom with behavior strategies
and general classroom rules for all students. Children learn all control as they grow older. One
main source of teaching control to children is by adults modeling appropriate physical,
emotional, intellectual, and behavioral control themselves. Children watch and learn from the
adults that they are most around.

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.
When I hear the term learning, I view it as a positive word since it has so many positive
attributes, opportunities, and successes. Learning creates life, and one can never stop learning.
There is so much to know and so much to learn around us. No matter your age, you can always
learn. We learn from our experiences and the people and things we encounter in life. No one
child, or person, learns the same way. Some individuals may be visual learners, or one may need
to have hands-on learning, or others may learn more when they hear the information. Learning is
acquiring new knowledge based on certain experiences, teaching, or events. Learning can
involve any subject, idea, or thing. Learning is not limited; you can learn from anything! When
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learning a particular knowledge or skill, a child begins at the stage where this knowledge or skill
is completely unfamiliar and new. They gradually become accustomed to this new skill, but they
need more practice and familiarity with the skill until they master and truly understand the new
topic that is being taught. Basically, time and practice is needed for a child to learn something
new.

d. What can/should a K-3 teacher do to promote healthy psychosocial development?
The layout of a classroom as well as the layout of the lessons in a class are two aspects of
a class that a teacher can use to help promote healthy psychosocial development in students. The
way that the desks are arranged can help promote psychosocial development; setting up desks in
small groups or sections can be more beneficial for students to work together and help each
other, as opposed to placing desks in straight rows where students are all separated from each
other. By pairing students up or splitting the class into groups to work together on a certain
activity or lesson can also be used to promote psychosocial development. These suggestions help
students communicate, strategize, and collaborate.

e. What can/should a K-3 teacher do to promote healthy intellectual growth and development?
To promote growth and development, a teacher can get to know her students as best as
she can. When you know your students, you know their personality, their work ethic, and their
strength and weaknesses. By knowing your students, you are better able to meet their needs as a
teacher. Also, a teacher can present material in a variety of ways to promote growth and
development in students. Not everyone learns in the same way, so only one strategy should not
be the way to teach material. Visual, hands-on, collaborative, individual, and auditory lessons
should all be presented in class. By presenting a lesson different ways, all students can
understand, plus then can learn different ways to think about, view, and solve problems.

f. In what ways might the relationship between a teacher and a student affect a childs learning
and development?
A childs teacher is an adult that the student spends most of the day with. The
relationship between the student and teacher can affect the students desire and motivation to
learn as much as he or she potentially can. With a positive relationship with the teacher, a student
may be more eager to please and may push harder to learn and show more knowledge as opposed
to a more negative relationship. With a more positive relationship, a student will feel more
comfort and trust towards the teacher, which leads to more open communication with the teacher
about school and any possible problems faced by the student. If the student-teacher relationship
is positive, the student will be more likely to listen to and follow what the teacher is saying,
which leads to more work being completed. Having a positive relationship does not mean that it
is a perfect relationship, but having an open, positive student-teacher relationship results in more
communication and trust, which leads to better learning. When a teacher gets to know her
students, she is more able to understand a childs work and will know the best strategies to aid
the student. When a child know that the teacher cares about him or her, it results in more
confidence, self-esteem, and drive when performing in school since the student knows that
someone believes in him or her.


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g. In what ways might the school-home relationship affect a childs learning and development?
Communication and relationships between the teacher and parents of a student are
important in a childs learning. Good parent-teacher communication helps the parents know what
the student is doing in school, the students progression, and any issues that may be present, and
it also helps the teacher know what the child is doing at home, any problems that the family may
be facing, and any concerns of the parent. By knowing more about what is going on at home, the
teacher will be able to understand any behavior, attitude, or problems displayed by the student
better. This communication can benefit a childs growth both in and out of school. A good
parent-teacher relationship also increases the chances of parents being more involved in a childs
schooling. Parents may feel more inclined or more comfortable with meeting with and talking to
the teacher at parent-teacher conferences. While this is not always the case, it can be helpful with
knowing and understanding the child and his or her background even better.


Section 3. Statement of Your Core Beliefs and Practices Related to Student Guidance:

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 Student
Guidance? First, succinctly state the belief or strategy in your own words; second, 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]; third, briefly explain your
reason for choosing each Belief or Strategy; and fourth, briefly describe how you could use this
Belief/Strategy in your own classroom.

1. Give meaningful feedback to children (GYC pg. 329)
In order for students to learn, they need to know what they have done both correctly and
incorrectly. I personally like it when I receive feedback from a teacher, coach, or mentor,
so I would like to do this with my students. I will give feedback through verbal
comments, comments written on papers or projects, and notes written home.

2. Listen actively (GYC pg. 332)
It is important for the teacher to know her students and to understand them. One way to
do this is to actually listen to what students say. When you listen to a child, they feel
important and feel that what they have to say is important. Confidence is an important
quality to have, and knowing that someone truly cares about what you are saying builds
confidence. I will do this by talking to my students, listening to stories or ideas they have
to tell, and holding conversations with students.

3. Recognize signs of stress, anxiety, or strong emotion; prevent overstimulation; teach
calming techniques (GYC pg. 333)
Built up stress and anxiety can cause longer lasting issues that can lead to more serious
issues. These issues can be avoided by learning how to deal with these emotions. Stress
and anxiety are prevalent in society today and they are important topics to deal with. I
can do this by teaching students to relieve stress by talking about or writing down their
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feelings. Calming techniques can also be used throughout the day, such as stretching or
breathing deeply.

4. Ignore behavior (when necessary) (GYC pg. 330-331)
Not all bad behavior needs to be recognized and called out in the classroom. Sometimes,
certain behavior is displayed by children only for the attention, and disciplining the
student or saying something to him or him gives that student the attention that is wanted.
I will use this technique whenever a situation calls for it. For the most part, it will be for
small behavior issues that do not disrupt the rest of the class.

5. Teach conflict resolution (problem solving) (GYC pg. 333)
There will always be issues, especially in a classroom. The best way to deal with issues
are to resolve them as best as possible. This can happen by teaching students how to talk
about issues and solve problems themselves rather than yelling at or hitting each other.
This way, problems can be resolved in the most efficient way possible without creating
more issues or causing hurt feelings.

6. Identify problem ownership (GYC pg. 329)
Problem ownership is an important quality to have, and many adults do not even own up
to their problems. If children are taught to own up to and admit when they have done
something wrong, this helps them deal with this when they are older. Problem ownership
allows students to admit when they have done something wrong, and it can help them
distinguish right and wrong. I will do this by having students admit to making a mistake,
and also making this something that will not make students embarrassed or ashamed to
admit that they have caused a problem.
7. Clearly state the behavior expected in the classroom (GYC pg. 22)
Students need to know what is expected of them in terms of behavior and responsibility
in the classroom. If they are not directly told what the rules of the classroom are, they
will not follow them. The class will determine their rules at the beginning of the school
year, and they will be displayed in the room.

8. Provide a safe environment in the classroom (GYC pg. 211)
Especially in todays society, safety is one of the utmost concerns of parents and teachers.
I will provide a setting where children feel comfortable and safe physically and
emotionally. I will do this by establishing good relationships and making sure that my
students are respectful and safe towards each other. Both my students and I will follow
safety rules, and we will review procedures in case of any type of emergency.

9. Provide meaningful experiences to children rather than simply teaching a topic (Katz,
Standards of Experience, pg. 136 from previous course taken in Literacy Block)
Hands-on, engaging lessons are more interesting to students, plus they are able to learn
more about a topic by actively exploring and discovering concepts on their own. Students
leading their learning, rather than a teacher just giving out information, is beneficial to
all. I will do this for my students by providing as many engaging activities as I can
instead of only using worksheets in the classroom.
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10. Communicate to students that I care about and love them (Noddings, Learning to Care
and be Cared For, pg. 22 from a previous course taken in Literacy Block)
Everyone deserves to know how much they are cared and loved for. Some students in my
classroom also may not receive much care, affection, and attention at home, so it is
important for them to receive this at some point by someone who does care. I will show
that I care by my words and actions and by listening to what my students have to say.

b. What role/s do you expect to play in the lives of your students?
I plan to play several roles in the lives of my students. I will be a caregiver for them when
I watch over them, watch them grow over the years, and care for them each day. I will be a
teacher when I push my students to do their best, present material to my class, and help them
understand different topics. I will be a counselor when I help students resolve issues and talk out
their problems, and I will always be there for my students. I will be a confidant that students can
come to me with any problems, concerns, or worries. I will always be there for them to listen and
talk to. I will be a friend to my students. My sole role will be as a teacher, and I will know not to
allow students to walk all over me if I am nice to them, but I will also be a friend. I do not want
my students to be afraid of me, but I would like them to know that they can talk to me at any
time and at any place. I have their best interests in my heart. I will also be a supporter to my
students. I am there to push them to do their best to succeed, and I will support their best efforts
in their schoolwork, actions, and activities both inside and outside the classroom. I will cheer on
my students, and I will always have faith in them. I will never give up on any of my students,
and I will let them know this.

c. What legacy do you hope to leave imprinted in your students minds, hearts, and souls?
I hope that after my students have left my classroom, they still have a passion and a drive
to learn as much as they can. I hope that they continue to ask questions, explore, discover,
analyze, and learn from the world around them. I hope that they remember me in a positive way,
and that when they think of me they remember the faith that I had in them. I hope that my
students never give up on themselves and that they only accept the best. I hope they have
confidence and know that they can do what they put their minds and hearts to. I also hope that
my students turn out to be caring, loving individuals who are able to show respect for those
around them. I want my students to be the best that they can be, and I want them to know that
they can follow their dreams with hard work, perseverance, and drive.

d. What needs of your own do you anticipate getting met by your work as a classroom teacher?
As a classroom teacher, I anticipate that I will be able to reach goals that I have made for
myself. First of all, I hope to make a difference in the lives of others. I am able to make an
impact on my students in terms of their academics, confidence, work ethic, and attitude towards
school and life in general. I will be with these children all day, so I am a large influence in their
lives. I also hope to work for a better future. Children are our future, and that is who I will be
working with directly each day. I will be able to help these children grow, flourish, and succeed
through my teaching. The early years of education affect and support a childs education for
years to come, so the time that I spend with my students are especially important and influential.
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I do not want to have a job that is that same old routine each day, and I will not have that in
teaching elementary students. I will have a set schedule each day, but no day is ever the same in
teaching. I will have different lessons, situations, and opportunities each day. I will also be able
to help others in my field of work. I will be able to help students reach their full potential, help
them realize what they are capable of, help them grow as a person, and help them learn and
receive what they deserve the best education possible.


Section 4. Classroom Management: Procedures and Routines

a. When the school bell signals the students to enter the building, where will you be and what
will you be doing for the first 3 minutes of the school day?
When the bell rings, I will be in my classroom, either at my desk or walking around the
room. As my students enter the room, I will be there to greet them. I may be aiding students with
their morning work if it is needed. I will be collecting items such as assignments, permission
slips, or forms due that day.

b. How will you manage students lunch tickets and/or money?
Students will hold onto their lunch money, and they will be responsible for it. They can
either leave that money in their backpack or in their desk during the day until it is lunchtime and
then they will be able to hold onto and carry their money to the cafeteria. I will hold onto student
lunch tickets in a pouch and will pass these out to students buying a lunch before lunch begins.

c. How will attendance be taken?
Each student will have a magnet with their name and/or number on it. Each morning
when they enter the classroom, students are to move their magnet onto the board to indicate
whether they are buying or packing their lunch. To know the attendance, one will look at the
total number of sticks that are moved for lunch count. One student job will be to count the
number of those sticks moved and then tell me that number. The magnets that are not moved will
show who is absent that day. I can double check the attendance by checking if the students that
have not moved their magnets are actually absent, and I can also do a quick head count to check
that the number of students present is correct.

d. How will morning announcements be made?
Every morning, the class will gather together to have a morning meeting. We will all sit
together on the carpet for five or ten minutes to talk. We will talk about what will happen that
day and may discuss any pertinent issues or problems occurring. Announcements will also be
made during this time. Students will show their full attention so that they will hear the
announcements and questions can be asked at any time.

e. How will you collect students homework?
I will have a homework folder for each student. The homework folder will be given to
each student on Monday full of the assignments for that week. The folder and all of the
assignments inside will be due Friday of that week, and each student will place his or her folder
on my desk in a pile or on a small bin on that day.
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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 right outside of the door, with the line leader in the front and the
caboose in the back. The rest of the students do not have to be in any particular order in line, as
long as they are facing forward, quiet, and in control of their bodies. Students will not be able to
go out into the hallway until they are in line correctly and acting respectfully towards others and
themselves.

g. How will you manage use of the rest rooms by students throughout the day?
The students will use the restroom as a class twice a day, one time before lunch and again
at some point in the afternoon. Throughout the day, if the students are trustworthy and this does
not cause any issues, students can ask me to use the restroom individually. This can be done in
two ways: students can come up to me and ask vocally to go to the restroom, or they can raise
their hand, point to the door, and wait for a head nod or other form of approval from me to get up
and leave the room. This way, students will not always disrupt the class or a lesson to ask to go
to the restroom.

h. How will you manage student use of the hallway drinking fountain?
The class will stop by and use the drinking fountain together twice a day, and that will be
after recess and again in the afternoon. Throughout the day, students can individually ask me to
get a drink if it is needed. I will make sure to monitor this so that it is not abused and used too
often by students only to leave class. Students will also have the opportunity to have a water
bottle on their desk in class, so there should not be much time spent asking to get a drink from
the drinking fountain.

i. How will you manage student use of the classroom sink [lets assume there is one]?
Before or after certain activities where hand washing is necessary, students will be called
up to wash their hands in groups. Students will also wash their hands before lunch, and they will
be called up either by table groups or individually. Throughout the day, students may ask me to
use the sink if needed. Students will only be able to use the sink if they ask and receive direct
permission from me.

j. How will you manage student use of the pencil sharpener?
I will have two bins next to the pencil sharpener: one for sharpened pencils and one for
unsharpened pencils. Most of the time, students can take and use one of the sharpened pencils
from the bin the middle of class if it is needed in order to reduce distractions in the classroom.
Students will also be able to go up on their own when necessary to sharpen their pencils, if it is
during a time when the class will not be completely disrupted by the sharpening. I will trust the
students to use good judgment on when to sharpen pencils.

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 be displayed either on a bulletin board or on a display somewhere
visible in the classroom. These jobs will rotate each week. Classroom jobs will include line
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leader, caboose, secretary, pencil patrol (sharpener), and weather watcher. Students will be
chosen at random by sticks with their name or number on it. There will be two cups: one cup of
the sticks of students who have had a job already, and a cup with the sticks of those who have
not had a job yet. Once the week is over, the sticks of those who just had jobs will be put into
one cup, and new names will be pulled for the jobs for the next week. This will happen at the end
of the day every Friday.

m. How will you collect daily assignments from students?
I will have a bin in the classroom for students to place assignments into, and this will be
the primary way of collecting daily assignments. I will also occasionally ask students to either
hand in the assignments directly to me or onto a pile on my desk. I will announce to the class
where to hand these in if I do not want them placed inside of the bin.

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?
With only a few minutes of the day remaining, students will be finishing up what they are
working on and putting away their papers and/or materials that are being used. They will need to
make sure that their desk area is cleared and clean, and then they will retrieve their backpacks
and coats. If all of this is complete, students can then talk quietly with neighbors or read to
themselves.


Section 5. Implementation of Student Guidance Practices:

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?
Classroom rules will be created by the entire class on the first day of school. We will all
sit together and talk about what rules and guidelines we should have in our classroom to make it
a safe, respectful, and caring community. As students talk, I will write down these rules on a
large piece of paper. Once we have determined all of the rules we think are needed, I will read
over all of our new rules, making sure that we included all we wanted and needed to include. I
will call these rules Our Classroom Promise. Students will then have the opportunity to sign
their names on the poster and I will sign it as well. The sign will be displayed in a major area of
the classroom where it is easily seen and noticed each day. I will explain to the class that these
are their own expectations and that I hope that each one of them will make an effort each day to
be the best person they can be and follow our classroom promise. I will then type up a list of our
classroom promise and each student will receive two copies, one they can keep and one to send
home. In the parent newsletter, I will communicate how the class determined their rules on their
own. There will also be a copy provided at conferences if parents wish to discuss or know more
about our rules.

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?
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Example: As I am teaching a math lesson, Carrie is drawing cartoons and pictures all over her
notes instead of paying attention. I would not want to call her out in front of the class, focus
attention on her , and cause embarrassment, so I would instead circle around the classroom as I
taught. I would make sure to stand by her desk for a few seconds so that she would hopefully
stop doodling and pay attention to the lesson. If she continues to draw, I would tap my finger on
her desk or put a hand on her shoulder to get her attention without verbally calling out her name.
If this behavior continues, I would make sure to say something to Carrie about the importance of
paying attention in class in order to understand the material.


c. 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: As I am teaching a lesson in science, Nate and Kyle are passing notes back and forth to
each other. If I could, I would make eye contact with one or both of the boys and shake my head
no. Once I verbalize a topic or definition, I would ask Kyle or Nate to repeat back to me what I
had just said. If they are unable to, I would remind them that they need to pay attention to hear
and understand what I am talking about. I would bend over and quietly tell each student that
passing notes is not acceptable in class and that they need to stop. As the class begins an
individual or small group activity, I would go up to each boy and tell him again that note passing
will not be tolerated since it distracts themselves, others, and myself. I would not take the note
away, but instead ask one of the boys to throw it away.


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: As I am explaining a project to the class, Vanessa screams that this is a stupid project
and pushes all of her papers and school supplies off her desk. At this point, I would ask Vanessa
to go out in the hallway with me to talk for a minute. I would give her some time if she needed it
to think or to calm down, and then I would ask her how she is feeling that day. I would ask if
there are any problems at home or if she is feeling sick. We would talk about how she is feeling,
if she wants to talk. I would then tell her that her behavior was not acceptable in our classroom
and say that it is disruptive, potentially harmful to others, and simply rude. I would tell her that
there are other options to help with angry or upset feelings such as talking to someone, writing it
down, or taking a break. I would let Vanessa know that she can always talk to me and let her
know what she is feeling and that behavior that she just showed doesnt tell me what she is
thinking. I would let her know that I know she is better than that, that the episode was just a
small mistake, and that I still care about her and know she is a good person. Once she is calm and
under control, I would let Vanessa back into the classroom.


e. Level IV: Some student [or others] behaviors will pose an immediate, serious threat to the
physical safety of you and/or other students [e.g., a stranger bolts into your classroom holding a
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pistol and threatens to blow you all away; a student grabs a pair of scissors and holds to
point at the throat of another student, etc.]. How will you deal with this type of student or
intruder behaviors?
Example: As I am in the middle of teaching a social studies lesson, an unfamiliar male bursts
into the classroom holding a gun, pointing it towards all of us in the classroom. As our class had
discussed at an earlier time, I would instruct my students to stay in their seats, cover their heads,
remain still, and stay quiet. I would keep my hands up in the air and calmly talk to the intruder,
asking questions and trying to keep him calm. If he would advance toward a student, I would try
to talk him down again. If necessary, I would move closer to the intruder to block my students
from harm. I would do anything that is needed to keep the man distracted and away from my
students.



Section 6. Physical organization of your classroom: See attached classroom map