Alex Cannon

EDUC 311: Classroom Organization, Management and Discipline

Professor Debbie Ramer

Behavior Management and Discipline Plan

Part I: Introduction

The following is a preliminary outline of the principles and practices of classroom

organization, classroom management, and discipline that I plan to employ as a future

teacher of social studies at the secondary level. That which is written below has been

inspired by 1) direct instruction that I have received about how to best implement the

aforementioned topics in my classroom, 2) guidance issued by my cooperating teacher,

and 3) personal observations both from my own days as a student and also from my

recent experiences as an observer of my cooperating teacher’s classroom. This overview

is neither a comprehensive nor a rigid list of the practices I intend to employ upon the

actual acquisition of my own classroom. Though rooted in concrete examples where

appropriate, the philosophies that I have acquired about these subjects are, necessarily at

this point, hypothetical.

Part II: Designing the Physical Classroom

Though often considered a secondary component of classroom management (and

even of classroom organization), the design of the physical classroom plays a

fundamental role in facilitating a comfortable and welcoming environment for

instruction. First and foremost, a teacher must design a classroom in such a way that

promotes the physical and psychological security of his/her students. In considering the

philosophical and psychological roots of this rule, I am reminded of Steele (1973, as cited

in Weinstein, 2007, pp. 33-44) and Maslow (1943) who noted (in their own separate

treatises) that conditions for “security and shelter” (to use Steele’s terminology) must be

met before any other human needs (to turn to Maslow) can be met. Obviously, the

“average” teacher is considerably assisted with (and has limited agency in) this process,

as the teacher’s classroom is built into a school with a “pre-defined” physical space and

its own security codes. That said, students still need to be reminded that they are going to

be sitting in a place where their physical bodies, their work, and their opinions will be

respected.

Teachers have much more agency in fostering “psychological” security. In

addition to verbally stating to my students my commitment to fostering a safe and

productive learning environment, I will make my room an inviting place to learn by

establishing “softness” (Weinstein, 2007, p. 34). I have already fantasized about many

different ways to decorate my room, but the final planning ultimately rests on the

physical constraints and layout of my classroom. I hope to substitute the harsh,

fluorescent lighting I expect to encounter with dimmed floor lamps. I hope to have a

teapot to which students would have access during passing time prior to my class

(thereby not creating any disruptions during class time), so that they could relax and

engage social studies in a relaxed, social environment. (I hope that I would not have to

worry about McDonalds-esque lawsuits regarding liquids that are “too hot to drink.”) It

would also be ideal to make a “discussion corner” that would invite students to sit on a

rug among pillows while examining a Supreme Court opinion or debating the merits of

euthanasia.

In essence, I want my classroom to emphasize the “humanity” in social studies,

with respect to both my students’ own learning environment and also the content about

which they are learning. I want my room to be plastered with dozens of pictures and

posters of Winston Churchill, John F. Kennedy, Bob Dylan, B.B. King, Bill Clinton,

George Washington, the Little Rock Nine, Stokely Carmichael, Booker T. Washington,

Michael Jordan, Mother Theresa, Mao Zedong, Paul Rusesabagina, and others. (I realize

that an excess of images can be distracting, especially for students with attention-

deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and as such I hope to orient my room so that the main

instructional plane forms maximum attention on the standard method of instructional

delivery.)

To continue personalizing the classroom, I want my students to be an actual part

of the design of my room. This process contributes to a strong “symbolic identification”

between my classroom and the students’ lives both inside and outside of the classroom

(Steele, 1973, as cited in Weinstein, 2007, pp. 42-44). For example, on the first day of

school, my cooperating teacher (CT) had students select and cut out pictures of

magazines that they thought represented their interests and attributes. The students

pasted their pictures on a large notecard, and my CT formed these cards into a collage

that he placed on one of the walls of his classroom. This activity may sound childish to

institute among eleventh-grade students, but this activity shows that students are not just

a “number” to my teacher (and to themselves), and that they are part of a classroom

community. I hope to engage in a similar activity upon obtaining my own classroom.

In order for students to better understand a “social” discipline, students must be

social themselves. I expect to diversify my lesson types (lecture, lecture-discussion,

small-group discussion, whole group discussion, self-instruction, etc.) so as to foster,

whenever appropriate and possible, human interaction. Though Weinstein (2007, p. 35)

suggests that students may feel an increased sense of psychological security and

connection to the classroom by choosing their own seats, I prefer to initially seat students

alphabetically (so as to learn names), and then to place them in seating arrangements that

allow students to meet new people. I realize that it is not always easy for students to

“open up” to one-another, but group-assigned tasks inevitably lead to side conversations

that bring formerly-estranged students together.

To elaborate more on the seating structures I intend to employ, please consult the

following diagrams. Of course, the actual implementation of the designs below is subject

to the actual layout of my classroom, the number of students I have, and the course being

taught. That said, I find it useful to provide a hypothetical, visual guideline for my

classroom layout, which is why I have designed the following lesson formats. (The first

drawing shows the general classroom layout of materials as well as the lesson format.)

Whole-Group Discussion: Circle

I would use whole-group discussion to engage the entire class in a discussion

about a variety of topics. W.C. Parker (2003) wrote that students engage in two types of

Classroom Materials, Assign. Folders

Teacher’s

Desk

Classroom

Resources

(Books,

Periodicals,

Computers,

etc.)

Whiteboard/Blackboard

Storage

Space (for

both students

and teacher)

discussion: “seminars,” in which students closely examine a central text or other piece of

media (e.g. a Supreme Court opinion), and “deliberations,” in which students debate a

contemporary policy issue (e.g. euthanasia) and decide what the best course of action

should be. Either of these scenarios is best suited for a whole-group discussion (though

small-group discussion works as well), and a circle format allows all students to view

one-another and to communicate in a task-focused environment. I would prepare my

students for the discussion anywhere from a day to a week in advance, and students

would be graded not necessarily according to their individual participation, but rather on

the quality of the overall discussion. This motivates students to actually listen to their

peers and to contribute to the conversation at an appropriate time, rather than having

students force out answers simply to receive a tally mark on the teacher’s score sheet.

Students that have disabilities or accommodations have ample space to place their things

around the circle’s exterior.

Lecture / Lecture Discussion: Rows, Interior Loop Arrangement

The above format would be the “standard” arrangement for my classroom.

Created by Frederic Jones (2000, as cited in Weinstein, 2007, p. 37), the “interior loop”

arrangement allows the teacher to circulate the classroom during instruction, which keeps

students focused and engaged. Lectures and lecture/discussions would be delivered in

this format, and despite my love of discussion, I believe that this would be the most

common format for the delivery of content in my U.S. history classroom. Students may

place their belongings either behind their seats in each of the rows (with the exception of

students the front and third rows in the central column, who shall place their belongings

in the rows ahead of them.) Students with visual disabilities would likely be placed

toward the front and center of the room, though the general intention of this lesson format

is to be conversational. Students with auditory disabilities would likely be seated in the

center of second or third row in the central column so as to be as close to the “loop” as

possible. Students with attention-based disabilities would likely be placed near the front

of the room as close to the loop as possible (e.g. in the left-most seat in the second row of

the center column) in order to minimize their opportunities for distraction.

(continued on next page)

Small-Group Discussion/Collaboration: Pods of 4, Interior Loop Arrangement

Small groups are a great way to combine student input to collaborate on a larger

task. Of course, the tendency for students arranged in this format to distribute the

workload unevenly and to talk about items tangential to the task at hand is considerably

high. To combat these pitfalls, I first intend to provide students with tasks that require

separate input from each student. Students analyzing a historical document, for example,

might have separate tasks ranging from interpreting the bias of the document, to setting

forth the central premises of the text’s argument, to relating the document to other

historical texts. When students are engaged in discussion, I intend to float around using

the accommodating format above to make sure that they are on task. Students may place

their belongings in the corner of the room by (or inside) the storage space. In addition to

my personal monitoring, students who have difficulty paying attention or other

disabilities would be aided by their peers in completing the task at hand.

Self-instruction: Rows, Individual Desks

This is the most-restrictive and least-common format I intend to employ in my

teaching. I would primarily use this format either for formal tests (in order to maximize

test security), or perhaps for individual projects that must be completed separately in

class. The major problems with this format are that 1) students have little space to put

their belongings, and 2) the teacher can have considerable difficulty in circulating the

room to proctor the exam. I would attempt to quickly move students out of this format

once its purpose had been served.

Part III: Motivation

Let it suffice to say that students are not always motivated to engage the lesson

for each class period. Oftentimes, the material is too removed from students’ personal

concerns and interests, students are tired, hungry, etc., or they might simply be having an

“off day”. As a teacher, I certainly have an agenda to get through, but my work is useless

if students are not learning the material. According to Goodlad’s (1984, as cited in

Weinstein, p. 160) rough estimates, I only have about half of the class period to engage

my students in productive learning. In addition to providing my students with resources

and privileges that help them to refuel and focus (e.g. tea or other nutritional

supplements), I hope to maximize the time I have available to teach them by increasing

their motivation to learn.

One way in which I can increase motivation is by diversifying the stimuli that my

students receive. According to Howard Gardner’s (1993, 1995, as cited in Weinstein,

2007, pp. 191-192) revolutionary theory, people possess “multiple intelligences,” or

varied areas of understanding and aptitude that range in strength and interest. While one

of my students may be fully engaged by one of my world-class lectures, the student next

to her might struggle to keep his eyes open. In order to keep my material refreshing and

accessible to the widest range of students, I intend to diversify my lessons as much as

possible. For example, I can cater to students’ spatial and linguistic intelligences by

asking them to learn historical vocabulary by drawing a picture that helps them

remember each concept. Similarly, I can cater to students’ interpersonal skills by

engaging them in discussions and debates.

Secondly, I can increase students’ motivation by allowing them to have a part in

designing how they want to learn. For example, my CT provides students with a 3 x 3

grid of homework assignments, of which students have to choose any three of their

liking. These assignments range from writing a poem or rap about a particular topic

(such as the Battle of Bunker Hill), to writing a traditional biography of a figure such as

Thomas Paine, to drawing a map of the thirteen colonies, their capitals, and their

primary economic specialty. I intend to allow my students a similar degree of

intellectual freedom in my classroom.

A third (but by no means final) method of increasing motivation in my students is

to provide detailed feedback about their efforts (Fisher et al., 1980, as cited in Weinstein,

2007, p. 195). For example, I happen to be adamant about sponsoring good writing

skills, and I plan to offer my students with the insight and opportunities to continually

revise their essays and projects. When students see that a teacher cares enough about the

student to read their work and to offer ways for them to grow beyond their current

abilities, students will not only become more engaged in the lesson out of appreciation

for the teacher’s effort, but they will also learn to adopt the pattern of critical revision

modeled by the teacher.

To conclude this brief section, motivating students requires the teacher to

consistently engage in dialogue with his/her students about how well the students are

learning and what can be done to make things better. Teachers who forget about the

importance of motivation should remember that the greatest lesson in the world falls flat

if nobody cares enough to pay attention.

Part IV: Management: Standard Routines and Procedures

The following information is a conglomeration of class-running, lesson-running,

and interaction routines and procedures that I will employ on an average day in my

classroom. To begin in a logical order, allow me to first describe the general procedure

by which students would enter my classroom and prepare to start the class period.

Students would be expected to be in their assigned seats when the bell rings, but they

may socialize in their seats until I call the class to order. If students wish to arrive early,

they may freely (but respectfully) associate in my classroom. Upon being seated at the

start of class, students would turn to the whiteboard, blackboard, or overhead to read the

daily agenda. (If I am fortunate enough to have a ceiling-mounted projector, I would

likely use it to project a Powerpoint presentation of the agenda. This would allow me to

save time writing the next day’s agenda at home ahead of time.) The agenda would

consist of the following items, in order:

• Homework due for today, including directions as to whether or not it

should be instantly submitted to the folder system (described later) or

retained for in-class revision.

• “Do Now” activity (described later). Students who are not supposed to

submit anything for homework upon entering class will immediately begin

this activity.

• Outline of the lesson, including rationale as to why students are learning

this information.

• Homework for next class period, upcoming tests, assignments, etc.

• A memorable quote (e.g. “Nobody can make you feel inferior without

your consent.” --Eleanor Roosevelt)

Assuming that no homework is to be submitted to the folder system (which is

described later), students will immediately begin the “Do Now” activity. Each daily

activity will be graded on completion and will contribute to a student’s participation

grade. As far as the actual activities are concerned, I am a tremendous proponent of

journal entries as a warm-up activity. The late James Reston, a twentieth-century

American journalist, once said, “"How can I know what I think until I read what I write?”

I believe that students can present themselves with a genuine understanding of their

knowledge and insight into a subject upon being asked to do a journal entry. Some

journal topics would probe students’ opinions about a historical period or governmental

policy before a lesson about that topic was taught. An example of this might be, “Should

English be made the official language of the United States?” Other prompts might ask

students to respond to synthesize the material that they have learned in the unit into a

brief essay. An example of this might be, “What were the key economic, social, and

political factors that contributed to U.S. isolationism following World War I?” Other

“Do Now” activities might include analyses of political cartoons, graphs, or other images,

personal responses to famous historical and/or philosophical quotations, or self-

examining questions such as “What is worth dying for?” Ultimately, these activities

(especially upon sharing with the class) are the things that are best going to help students

prepare for the rest of the class period, even if seemingly tangential question prompts do

little more than help students think.

The “Do Now’ activity also allows me to take attendance without sacrificing

instructional time. I plan to enter student attendance records into my grade book and

follow school policies with respect to numbers of absences and associated disciplinary

policies. A more detailed description of my tardy and attendance policies is included in a

subsequent section. Once the “Do Now” activity is complete, students will engage the

central lesson. So as not to stray too far from the goal of this assignment, I will not

venture to describe the variety of lessons I intend to employ. At the end of the class

period, students would once again consult the agenda in order to view any homework

assignments and to remind them of what they learned in class.

To transition a bit, I would like to describe other routines in the classroom,

beginning with those concerning homework. As inspired by (and adapted from) practices

instituted by my CT, I would have three hanging file-folders for each class in a shelf or

cabinet near either the door or the back of the room (depending on the space available).

All folders would be color-coordinated by class period. For each class, one of the three

folders would function as an “inbox” into which the assignment due for the current class

period would be placed. The second folder would serve as an inbox for other

assignments or tests that were completed in class. The third folder would serve as an

inbox for any make-up work or other forms that needed my attention. When students

come into class, the aforementioned agenda would indicate whether or not the previously

assigned (and currently due) homework assignment would be reviewed in class after the

“Do Now” activity was completed. If the homework assignment was simply to be

submitted to the folders, students would place their assignment in the first folder or

whether students should simply submit the assignment into the first folder upon entering

class. Students would then proceed into the “Do Now” activity and then into the lesson.

If homework was to be corrected in class, I would request at the beginning of the

year that students use any writing instrument other than a green pen to complete their

work, and that they use a green pen to correct their work. I use green pens because they

are a “friendlier” color than red in evaluating work. Students would only be permitted to

have a green pen in front of them while homework was being corrected. This way,

students would not be able to complete their homework while it was being corrected,

preventing them from receiving undue credit.

With respect to homework, I favor performance and effort over achievement, but I

am also a stickler about cheating. I would rather see what errors students made and how

they were thinking rather than have them amass points for incorrect or incomplete

answers. I realize that the routine that I have mentioned above is rather detailed and

lacks some smoothness, but the fact of the matter is that some work needs to be reviewed

in class, while others take more careful reflection on my part and will be reviewed on my

own time. I intend to request assignments from my students that maximize critical

thought as much as possible, and as such, I want to evaluate their “genuine” progress

both personally and with the assistance of the class. With that in mind, I wish to

complete my explanation of the procedure for homework collection. If homework was to

be corrected in class, students would submit their work to the folder immediately upon

finishing the corrections. Classwork and tests that were to be graded would also be

submitted upon completion to the second folder in the array. I realize that this system

might take a considerable amount of time, but I have determined that this would be the

best way to ensure that students would not forget to submit completed assignments.

Another important procedure that needs to be discussed is that of how students are

to leave the classroom for purposes such as going to the restroom, guidance, etc. My

inspiration for this process is rooted in the practices of my CT. Normally, the high school

at which my CT teaches employs a system in which students fill out their hall passes in

an allocated space in their agenda books. The student would then request the teacher’s

signature to authorize the hall pass. My CT, however, finds this process to be extremely

disruptive. In one of two shelves of materials, my CT has pre-signed hall passes that

students simply complete before leaving. Students simply need to request permission to

leave at an appropriate time, which my CT describes to his students at the beginning of

the year as a “natural pause.” Provided that my school permitted it, I would employ the

same method as my CT. I would not allow more than one student to leave to attend a

“recreational need” (i.e. anything other than going to the nurse, guidance office, or other

destination that results in a potentially long-term departure) at a time, and I would take

mental notes to determine how many times students have abused my kindness in

requesting to leave. I want to respect my students by allowing them to leave if necessary,

but I will command a similar respect of the system if these privileges are to be granted.

When it comes to acquiring classroom materials, I plan to have supply cabinets,

shelves, etc. with school supplies. Students will be prompted at the beginning of the year

as to the location of these items, and they will always be prompted as to when any items

other than basic office supplies is acceptable (in order to avoid misuse and theft of

materials). This policy is not as harsh or as condescending as it seems. In essence,

procedures for using materials will be stated in the directions for each lesson. For

example, if students are going to color a map according to different regions of

agricultural production, I would simply tell students to go over to the supply cabinet to

collect the required materials, to complete the assignment, and to return them when they

are finished.

It is also important to establish expectations for student interaction. I have

already described the rule of association prior to the start of class. Procedures for student

communication during instructional time, however, are heavily dependent upon the

context of the lesson. At all times, however, students are to speak one-at-a-time, use

respectful language, use a respectful tone and volume, and will attempt to remain on topic

(within reason). Students will not at any time be permitted to touch one-another without

the other person’s consent, and standard rules for public conduct obviously apply. Non-

examples of respectful language use include attacking (as opposed to challenging) a

student’s viewpoint, using racial/ethnic slurs, cursing, interrupting another student or the

teacher, Beyond these simple guidelines, however, student expectations differ according

to the lesson. During a lecture or lecture-discussion, students are to raise their hands and

receive acknowledgement from the teacher before speaking. Students in a whole group

(whether class-wide or sectioned) will be allowed to speak freely (i.e. without teacher

acknowledgment as a prerequisite for speaking), as this best facilitates natural discussion.

Any dissention from the aforementioned format will be considered disruptive behavior.

Of course, the degrees of severity of disruptive behavior vary widely. For example, a

student quietly turning to his/her seat partner during a lecture to ask for brief clarification

will not be met with harsh disciplinary action. Further discussion of disciplinary action

will take place in the following section, but let it suffice to say that students will be

frequently reminded of their behavioral expectations, so that I will be acting as much

more of a classroom manager than as a disciplinarian.

I would like to reserve the penultimate discussion in this section for the topics of

transitions and activity flow. Daily lessons are often composed of multiple and varied

“mini-lessons” and tasks that require effective transitions between them. I plan to

minimize the time—but maximize the potential—of transitions in my classroom by

providing advance notice of transition periods. For example, I will tell my students that

they have X number of minutes to finish working on their current assignment before

proceeding into Y. This simple procedure allows students both to budget their remaining

time for their current assignment and also to prepare themselves mentally for the next

task. This mental transition can save a surprising amount of time come time for the

actual transition period, as students might be able to ask questions in the meantime about

either of the two events.

Another way to effectively manage transitions is to provide clear beginnings and

endings to the mini-lessons. As a teacher, I plan to recapitulate my main points for the

lessons and to take questions at the end (provided that students do not have questions in

the middle of the mini-lesson that would impede their progress). Clear beginnings and

endings can also include routines that indicate the start or end of a lesson component.

For example, students know that once they finish correcting the homework due for the

class period, they are to then submit their work to the appropriate folder. Once this

process is complete, students are aware that the first part of the actual lesson will

commence.

With respect to activity flow, I plan to design my lesson so that students are

presented with a clear progression of ideas. As a beginning teacher, I plan to rehearse my

lessons several times before I deliver them to the class in order to avoid dwelling too

much on a particular subject and/or breaking down relatively simple concepts into too

many fragments (Kounin, 1970, as cited in Weinstein, 2007, p. 162). I also intend to

monitor students’ progress on the assignments that I give them. This may require that I

give students approximations of how much work they should have done by a certain time.

Lastly, I wish to briefly discuss “pull-out” and “push-in” activities to the extent of

my limited understanding about them. As far as I see it, I share responsibility with

special education teachers to instruct our students. I believe that students with disabilities

can benefit from inclusion in the general education classroom, provided that they can still

receive the services that they need. I hope to work closely with special education

teachers and para-professionals to establish fluid transitions of push-in and pull-out

services. Students that may need frequent removal from the classroom for more

concentrated instruction can be seated by the door to minimize disruption. These

students could also be seated in a corner (provided that their disability accommodates

such seating) so that students could receive more concentrated instruction while receiving

the benefit of the classroom environment. As a brief but important aside, let it suffice to

say that I will voice my expectation that my students will respect the needs of students

with disabilities. It is my ultimate hope that my other students volunteer to accommodate

their peers as much as possible, but if nothing else, I plan to remind my students that a

student with disabilities does not continually pity him/herself and dwell on his/her

disability. All of my students have personalities, and I honestly believe that every student

can learn something from every one of their peers. Therefore, my classroom will seek to

accommodate this environment whenever possible.

Part V: Classroom Rules and Discipline

Even the best classroom managers and organizers can neither predict nor prevent

all misbehavior in the “controlled chaos” of the classroom. Rather, a responsible

classroom manager acknowledges and prepares for inevitable misbehavior by instituting

concise and consistent disciplinary policies and by making these policies clear to students

from the first day of class.

Surprisingly, the depth of research on the relative effectiveness of disciplinary

strategies is considerably shallow (Emmer & Aussiker, 1990, as cited in Weinstein, 2007,

p. 313). That said, Weinstein (2007, p. 314) identifies five distinct “Principles for

Dealing with Inappropriate Behavior” that should guide the formation and

implementation of all disciplinary policies. To paraphrase Weinstein’s work, disciplinary

strategies should be formed around the goal of creating a safe, caring classroom

environment. Second, the policies should always seek to address misbehavior while

keeping disruption of the lesson to a minimum. Third, “misbehavior” is always context-

based; an act that constitutes misbehavior in another teacher’s classroom may not be

considered disruptive in my classroom, and vice versa. (This principle, which reminds us

of the lack of universality of misbehavior, further attests to the importance to have

clearly-defined classroom rules.) Fourth, disciplinary actions must always be matched to

the severity of the misbehavior the teacher is trying to eliminate. (As a brief aside, it is

important to underline that this principle requires them both to select a disciplinary

strategy that is appropriate in the first place, and then to implement the proper degree of

severity within that family of discipline.) Lastly, it is important that teachers recognize

the differences in norms, values, and styles of communication across different cultures.

This final principle requires teachers to possess both the content knowledge to understand

how different cultures associate, and also the ability to adapt instruction for the students

in their classroom.

While I certainly agree with the above principles, I also have formed my own

basic principles about classroom management and discipline. First, I firmly believe that,

with respect to preventing misbehavior, a teacher must first and foremost deliver quality

instruction. Students who are engaged are much less likely to misbehave; it is down time

and boredom that presents the greatest opportunities for misbehavior.

Secondly, I believe that the natural structure of the classroom is restrictive and

counterintuitive to teenagers’ social needs. I believe that creating the “engaging

instruction” mentioned above requires that students actively participate in their learning.

As such, I hope to incorporate as many discussions into my teaching as possible. I

believe that students are more likely to listen to their peers when speaking than they are

to listen to a teacher. Furthermore, students who are responsible for presenting

information to their peers, especially when grades rely on the quality of a group

discussion—which is a conclusion I have reached after reading excerpts from Diana

Hess’ (2009) Controversy in the Classroom: The Democratic Power of Discussion—are

more inclined to participate. I do not want to stray too far from my central point by

describing the types of discussions in which I plan to engage my students, and I therefore

hope that it will suffice to state that I will lovingly sacrifice my love of lecture in order to

make students an active part in the learning process.

My final general comment about classroom management is that teachers have to

work extremely hard to fostering personal relationships with their students. This task is

even more difficult for general education classes (as opposed to advanced-level courses),

as students are typically in larger classes that do not as easily foster motivation to achieve

and be “smart” in front of their peers. To counter this trend, I believe that it is essential

that teachers hold high expectations for their students and involve the students slightly

more in designing the curriculum. Once students understand that you are generally

interested in promoting their learning rather than your own agenda for its own sake, they

will be more engaged in the curriculum. As a result, students will be more respectful for

the programs you are forwarding, and, as a product of both active engagement and

respect for the teacher, they will be less prone to misbehaving.

With all of the above principles of classroom management in mind, a teacher still

needs to create a discipline policy in order to enforce a productive and respectful learning

environment. Suffice it to say that creating a discipline policy that incorporates the above

principles is easier said than done; it is even more difficult when emotions that arise

during conflict cloud rational behavior. Nonetheless, ground rules have to be established.

Some sources suggest that students help craft classroom rules so that they feel a

connection to and a share in authority. While I agree with this practice in principle, high

school students generally have an understanding of that which constitutes proper

classroom etiquette. As a compromise, I plan to ask students if there are any other rules

that they wish to institute upon the presentation of my own classroom rules. As with any

effective presentation of rules, I will ask students to defend their suggestions.

Without further ado, here are the following rules I intend to post in my classroom

(provided that they do not violate school policy). The first set of rules below simply

contains guidelines for behavior:

CATEGORY RULE RATIONALE EXAMPLE NONEXAMPLE

Respect your

classmates and your

teacher.

Only one person

should be talking at

a time.

If you want to be

heard when you

speak, return the

courtesy.

All opinions are

valid in this

classroom.

There are times

when we will

disagree, but

listening to other

people’s

perspectives

broadens our

understanding and

can even help us

further develop our

own points.

In a discussion

about affirmative

action, someone has

the right to state that

affirmative action

favors minorities to

the extent that

unqualified

members are

preferred over

qualified members

of the majority.

“You’re racist!

How could you

possibly think that

minorities have

reached equality to

whites already?”

Use respectful

language at all

times.

There is no better

way to discredit

yourself than to use

foul language.

Violence is never

permitted.

You need to feel

safe psychologically

and physically

before you can

learn.

Examples of

violence include

threats, physical

fighting, and

psychological abuse

(teasing, insults, …)

Respect our work.

Come to class

prepared with the

proper materials and

assignments.

I plan my lessons

carefully according

to the expectation

that you will have

the materials to

learn from it.

Maintain academic

integrity.

Cheating is one of

the greatest insults

to me, to your

classmates, and to

your own intellect.

Don’t do it.

Plagiarism from a

book, website,

another student,

etc.; Copying

another student’s

work in class.

Submit all

assignments on

time. No late work

will be accepted

without advance

permission.

You are learning to

become responsible

adults. Deadlines

are important things

to be able to keep.

If you need an

extension, ask in

advance whenever

possible.

You’re showing me

that you planned

your time

accordingly, and

you’re not simply

asking for an

extension at the last

minute.

On Wednesday:

“I’m going to be out

of town for a

wedding on Friday.

May I have the

weekend to finish

my essay?”

E-mailing the

teacher at 11:30

P.M. the night

before class asking

for an extension “so

that I have time to

produce more

quality work”

Do your best work

each day.

The more effort you

put in, the more we

all grow. Don’t

waste your time.

Respect our agenda.

Be seated, quiet, and

ready to work when

the bell rings.

We have to start

things off on the

right foot. Class

starts when the bell

rings.

Engage yourself.

We are here to live

life, not to sit

through it.

Not only will time

go faster (trust me

on this one), but you

also might learn

something!

Offering your

interpretation of a

text in a class

discussion

Counting the

number of times the

teacher says “Dred

Scott” in a single

discussion.

Respect our room.

Clean up after

yourself.

This room is

everyone’s property

(including yours).

Be a good guest.

Pushing in your

chairs after you

leave the classroom.

Leaving crumbs

from your sandwich

on the floor.

Use materials

properly and

conservatively.

The more careful

you are in using

supplies, the easier

it is for me to

provide them.

Reusing a paper clip

to attach another

assignment.

Using a whole piece

of printer paper to

write a small note to

yourself.

Respect your

intelligence.

If you have a

question, ask!

A person who asks a

question is fool for

an instant. A person

who chooses to

remain ignorant is a

fool forever.

If you have an

opinion, defend it!

Articulating your

views is the best

way to make sure

you still have them

Challenge

yourself—and

respectfully

challenge others

We’re here to grow.

Teach, and be

taught.

“Where did you get

that piece of

information?”

“That’s a stupid

idea. He’s not a

credible author.”

The guidelines above are intentionally stated in positive and “collective” language so as

to encourage a similarly positive environment. These guidelines are not meant to be top-

down; all members of the classroom (including myself) will benefit from these rules, and

I will remind students of exactly this point.

In addition to the above guidelines, I also intend to post a list of privileges that

students have in my class. This is to show students that they share both in privileges and

responsibilities as members of my class. These privileges are as follows:

• You are welcome to drink liquids in here, provided that you use caution

and clean up after yourself.

o You are welcome to help yourself to my tea, provided that you

arrive early enough to prepare it before class.

• You may eat during the first ten minutes of class, provided that you use

caution and clean up after yourself. However, please do not chew gum in

class.

• You may leave class to use the restroom, get a drink, etc., provided that

you ask to do so at an appropriate time.

• You are welcome to voice your feedback about our lessons, either in

public or in private, at an appropriate time.

Finally, I will provide my students with a sheet of paper that outlines every

guideline, privilege, and procedure for their reference. We will use this sheet on the first

day of school to acquaint students with my expectations. I have not yet elaborated on the

specific rules for materials students are to bring to class, tardy policies, grading systems,

etc. Of course, posting each and every classroom rule visibly would ultimately be an

obstruction of other classroom decorations. This is precisely why I would distribute a

master sheet to each student.

With respect to the remaining rules I intend to implement, the vast majority of

them are as follows:

• Materials

o Unless otherwise specified, you are expected to have the

following materials with you each class period:

� At least two pens and two pencils

� One green pen

� A notebook with which to take notes

� Any assignment due for the class period

� Your textbook

• Grades

o Grades are calculated according to a points system. Points are

awarded on the basis of either completion (i.e. participation) or

accuracy, depending on the task being completed. Points are

earned based on the following weights:

� Unit tests: 30%

� Homework: 20%

� Class participation and attendance: 20%

� Projects: 20%

� In-class essays and quizzes: 10%

Letter grades will be awarded according to the relative percentage of

points earned to the maximum number of points possible. Percentages

will be rounded to the nearest whole number. The percentage/grade

distribution is as follows:

A+ 98 – 100

A 93 – 97

A- 90 – 92

B+ 87 – 89

B 83 – 86

B- 80 – 82

C+ 77 – 79

C 73 – 76

C- 70 – 72

D+ 67 – 69

D 63 – 66

D- 60 – 62

F Below 60

Course credit will not be granted for an “F.”

• Extra Credit

o Students can complete one extra credit project per quarter. These

projects, which will be described later in the year, will each raise a

student’s final semester grade by up to 1.5 percentage points.

• Tardy/Attendance Policy

o It is extremely important that you be in class and on time

whenever possible. I can’t teach you if you’re not here. That

said, I understand that things happen from time to time.

o If you enter my class at any point past the bell, you must have a

pass in order to have an excused tardy. Without a pass, your tardy

is unexcused, and the following conditions apply:

� 1st tardy: Verbal warning

� 2nd tardy: Note/call home to parents, 15 minute detention

after school

� 3rd tardy: Note/call home to parents, 30 minute detention

after school

� 4th tardy: Parent, teacher, and student conference.

o Should you be absent from a day of school, it is your

responsibility to inform either myself or the attendance office. If

your absence is unexcused, there will be an unconditional 30-

minute detention after school with me as soon as your schedule

permits it.

• Make-up Work

o Should you need to make up missing work, it is YOUR

responsibility to meet with me. Your assignment for the last class

period you attended will be due upon your return. All make-up

work is due no later than a week after our meeting, and it will

likely be due sooner. Tests must be made up before or after

school.

Now that the rules have been disclosed, it is imperative that I explain my means

of enforcing them. In addition to aforementioned directions for tardies, I plan to enforce

the rules and guidelines I have created above by using a combination of disciplinary

strategies. In general, I tend to hold a view that the vast majority of student misbehavior

is a result of out of either boredom or a desire for attention (and often a combination of

the two). As such, I primarily intend to use disciplinary strategies that address these

needs by reengaging these students. My inspiration for such strategies is rooted in Alfie

Kohn’s “From Discipline to Community” (1993; 1996, as cited in Burden, 2003), which

claims that we should not be asking “How can we make [students] do what we want?”

but rather, “What do they require in order to flourish, and how can we provide those

things?” (Of course, Kohn also argues that rules are not a good thing with which to start

the year, so suffice it to say that I am eclectic in my selections of his work). In essence, I

wish to use “redirection” to engage misbehaving students. For example, Weinstein

(2007, p. 320) mentioned that a student who is daydreaming or engaging in some other

form of minor misbehavior can easily be recalled into focus by using the student’s name

in an example or, to incorporate more of Kohn’s strategy, by asking the student a deeper

question that reengages him/her in the material.

Sometimes, however, minor misbehaviors can be quickly rectified with more

simple, but equally effective disciplinary strategies. For example, I would employ the

nonverbal strategy of “presence” to interrupt a side conversation between two students.

To explain, I would continue instructing the class at large while walking toward the

distracted students. If my presence was not sufficient to regain their attention, I might

lean on the students’ desks for a bit to strengthen my decreasingly-subtle hint. (If the

class was engaged in a small-group discussion, I would casually “float” to those students

amidst my observations.) Nonverbal strategies such as this, when used alongside similar

actions such as making eye contact with students (i.e. giving them the “look”) and using

hand signals, are 79 to 95% effective at correcting misbehavior (Weinstein, 2007, p. 319-

320).

Deliberate ignorance of minor misbehavior is something that I intend to use quite

sparingly. I will certainly not lurch toward the origin of every side-comment that I hear,

but I do wish to make it clear to my students that an agenda of learning is my highest

priority in the classroom and that their commentary is welcome in the appropriate

context.

Sometimes, more serious disciplinary measures are needed to correct more

serious misbehavior. An example of this second-tier of misbehavior is when a student

says something in class that is considered offensive, but that is not intentionally

inflammatory. An example of this is included (as a “nonexample” of proper behavior) in

the table under the rule that “All opinions are valid in this classroom.” Using the

affirmative action context provided in that example, a student that offered a comment that

was disrespectful of another student’s viewpoint would require immediate intervention on

my part. I would likely use a modified “I-message” to convey to the student that if

someone said that to me, I would likely be upset because my viewpoint was being

devalued rather than being something with which another student simply disagreed. This

strategy would protect the integrity of both students, and it would likely prevent the

student who was “attacked” from worries of being oversensitive, I deflected the attacked

student’s emotion onto myself. This strategy of “I-messages” is widely versatile, and

helps to address situations rather than students’ characters (Ginoff, 1972, as cited in

Burden, 2003).

There are also more serious misbehaviors that require the implementation of

penalties. If the misbehavior is something that is no direct challenge to my authority but

is serious enough to demand concentrated attention, such as a repeated effort to talk out

of turn, I would quietly and calmly instruct the student committing the offense to please

see me after class. I believe that a lot can be accomplished during private conferences, as

the student is removed from the social environment that compels him/her to perform for

his/her peers.

Should one of the privileges that I offered above be abused—let us pretend that

students are coming into class just as the bell rings and then proceed to prepare tea—I

will have to impose a penalty. In this scenario, I would remind my students that the tea is

only to be prepared during passing time, and that subsequent disregard will result in a

loss of this privilege. If the offense is only being committed by a few persons, I would

simply inform those parties that their privileges are in danger of being revoked.

Weinstein (2007, p. 330) notes that when the entire class is punished for the actions of a

few, the entire class becomes alienated and frustrated. In general, I am not one for

imposing penalties on students that do not deal with the removal of “generously

extraneous” privileges such as consuming tea or food in class; however, imposing

penalties such as isolation from another student, exclusion from a classroom activity, and

removal of free time ultimately, at least in my mind, produce greater spite in correcting

behavior than might more “reflectively productive” consequences such as meeting with

the teacher to form a behavior contract.

As misbehavior becomes more severe and/or more chronic, I plan to turn to

disciplinary strategies that seek not to “curb” the misbehavior, but to extinguish it.

Despite the seeming severity of the above terminology, the disciplinary strategies I intend

to employ for problems such as chronic blurting out in class, failure to do homework, or

attendance issues are rooted in positive reinforcement rather than positive or negative

punishment. Most issues of chronic misbehavior can be addressed in mandatory private

conferences between myself, the student, and potentially parents/guardians. These

conferences would generally establish contingency contracts alongside self-monitoring or

self-evaluation procedures. For example, if a student had a problem of constantly

blurting out in class, I would encourage a self-monitoring process by which the student

attempted to note the number of times he/she spoke out of turn. Upon a visible reduction

in misbehavior, the student would earn some sort of reward, such as a participation grade

of a “B” or better. To ensure that the student was engaging in accurate self-reporting, I

would award bonus points if the student’s evaluations were consistent with my own.

Fortunately, however, as self-monitoring makes the student cognizant of their

misbehavior regardless of the accuracy of self-reporting, self-monitoring can be

beneficial even in the face of inaccuracy (Graziano & Mooney, 1984, as cited in

Weinstein, 2007, p. 333).

Finally, I have planned strategies to combat “thorny problems” such as “defiance”

and “cheating.” Both situations require calmness as a prerequisite to action on the

teacher’s part. With respect to defiance, I intend to operate on the principle that students

will protect their dignity at all costs—especially in the face of their peers (Curwin and

Mendler, 1988, as cited in Weinstein, 2007, p. 314). As such, I intend to impose on my

students’ dignity when they are being defiant; rather, I intend to respect it by giving them

rational choices to either comply with my directions or to remove themselves from my

classroom (Weinstein, 2007, p. 343). Choice is an underestimated tool in disciplinary

strategies. Students given the time and space to make a decision about the direction of

their behavior are more likely to determine that their dignity is not in jeopardy

(Wolfgang, 1999, as cited in Weinstein, 2007, p. 343).

As I mentioned earlier, cheating is a very damaging behavior in my classroom. I

plan to explain from the outset that cheating robs the student, the student’s peers, and the

teacher of opportunities to grow and be rewarded for that growth. As inspired by

Weinstein (2007, p. 347), my suspicions of a student having cheated would first and

foremost result in the arrangement for a private conference with the student. I would

make sure that I had evidence for my worries, and I would ultimately find out why the

student felt compelled to cheat (as I would have expressed in my classroom that I would

always be open to assisting students in any matter that I could). Should a student be

found guilty, I intend to be rather strict and consistent with my penalties. In almost all

cases, the student would not receive credit on the assignment, and he/she would also have

to complete a different, more difficult assignment. I believe that this second penalty also

shows that students not only learn something by doing their own work, but that cheating

ultimately takes more work upon getting caught than does simply completing the

assignment. I would remind the student that I am available for help, and I would inform

him/her that subsequent acts of cheating would definitely result in a parent/guardian

conference and may result in suspension from school. In essence, I want to work with the

student directly to combat a problem. Parents/guardians are an invaluable resource in

solving thorny problems, but instilling self-discipline in a student is my ultimate goal.

Finally, it is imperative that I disclose my disciplinary strategies to eliminate the

threat of violence in my classroom. According to Jeff Bond, an assistant principal at a

rural/suburban high school in southeastern Virginia, teachers in Virginia have a legal

obligation to attempt to discharge escalating violence. Most of the time, for the safety of

the teacher, this effort is primarily “verbal” once violent acts have proceeded beyond

threats. If I were able to physically intervene in such a way that I could stop students

from physically damaging one-another without hurting either the students or myself to a

marked degree, I would do so. That said, I believe that verbal intervention can be

extremely powerful. After sending for another teacher’s assistance and dispersing my

students away from the conflict, I would first issue a simple verbal command of “Stop.”

According to Weinstein (2007, p. 428), “Often, students don’t want to continue the fight,

and they’ll respond to a short, clear, firm command.” This simple strategy alleviates the

combating students from the socially-imposed shame of walking away from a fight once

it has been initiated, as an external force (i.e. the teacher) compelled both parties to cease

the altercation.

Of course, the best discipline for any given scenario is centered on prevention. I

plan on establishing a supportive school community that defuses potentially explosive

situations before they develop into a tangible force. I intend to monitor my students and

be on the lookout for early warning signs of potential for violence. These signs include

“social withdrawal,” “intolerance for differences and prejudicial attitudes,” and

“expressions of violence in writings and drawings” (Dwyer, Osher, & Warger, 1998, as

cited in Weinstein, 2007, p. 417). More serious signs of imminent violence include

“outbursts of rage for seemingly minor reasons,” “detailed threats of lethal violence,” and

“other self-injurious behaviors or threats of suicide” (Ibid., p. 418). Students can (and

should) be involved in the preventative process as well. I plan on engaging my students

in a discussion at the beginning of the year about their duties to one-another’s safety as

well as their own by diffusing fights and by seeking appropriate counseling (of which I

hope to be a part) before tensions rise.

To conclude my comments about discipline, I wish to mention that it is important

to communicate with my students in a manner that incorporates their diverse cultural

norms. To generalize in an example, African-American students often respond better to

direct statements that specify the behavior to be engaged or disengaged, rather than the

teacher offering rhetorical questions such as “Should you be doing that right now?”

Second, my discipline policies must take the diverse needs of students with disabilities

into account. All students can benefit from a clear, detailed, and consistent disciplinary

policy. I plan to hold high expectations for the behavior of my students with disabilities.

More direct responses to misbehavior may need to be implemented on my end to ensure

that my message is being properly conveyed, but the strategies that I have described

above are useful for all students of all abilities. I admit that I have not drafted an

incredibly-specific discipline policy that outlines escalating punishments for talking out

of turn, abusing one’s privileges, etc. I feel that misbehavior is far too contextual to be

able to create such universal specifications. However, my students will know and

demonstrate respect for me, for their peers, and for themselves. Using the chart I have

provided above, I will work with students to shape these expectations at the beginning of

the year so that there are no valid claims of ignorance toward a rule. That said, the

disciplinary process is a learning process as well, and new circumstances can generate

productive conversations in which the entire class can engage.

Part VI: Conclusion

Classroom management, organization, and discipline has fortunately become

much more of a science in recent years. That said, it is undeniably a science that requires

contextual adaptation by teachers. As I develop as an educator, it is my hope that the

plans I have outlined above will always serve the highest goal of this science, which is to

create an environment that most efficiently and effectively promotes learning.

References:

American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Retrieved October 9, 2009, from

psycnet.apa.org/journals/edu/77/1/images/edu_77_1_101_fig1a.gif

Burden, P. (2003). Classroom Management: Creating a Successful Learning Community

(Wiley/Jossey-Bass Education). New York, NY: Wiley.

Education World ® Professional Development Center: Tools for Teaching. (2003,

August 18). Retrieved October 11, 2009, from http://www.education-

world.com/a_curr/columnists/jones/jones001.shtml

Hess, D. (2009). Controversy in the Classroom: The Democratic Power of Discussion

(Critical Social Thought). New York: Routledge.

Parker, W.C. (2003). Learning to Lead Discussions. Teaching Democracy: Unity and

Diversity in Public Life (125-149). New York & London: Teachers College Press.

Psychology Interactive. (n.d.). Classics in the History of Psychology -- A. H. Maslow

(1943) A Theory of Human Motivation. Retrieved October 8, 2009, from

http://psychclassics.yorku.ca/Maslow/motivation.htm

University of Louisville Information Technology. (2008). Davidson Hall Technology

Classrooms — University of Louisville. Retrieved October 11, 2009, from

http://louisville.edu/it/services/classrooms/da.html

Weinstein, C. S. (2007). Middle & Secondary Classroom Management: Lessons from

Research & Practice 3rd edition. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Note: With the exception of Weinstein, which served as the central reference for the

formulation of this plan, all other page numbers in the above sources were intentionally

omitted from in-text citation.