In Our Classroom A Behavior Management Plan By : Ms. Lonsdale A Behavior Management Plan By : Ms. Lonsdale

In our classroom…. / It is important to me that all of the students know that the classroom belongs to all of us, therefore, they play an important role in creating the environment. / Our classroom should consists of an environment in which everyone feels safe and knows that their ideas, concerns and beliefs will be both accepted and appreciated. / It is important that we all recognize how to treat one another and take responsibility for our own actions and choices. / It is important to me that all of the students know that the classroom belongs to all of us, therefore, they play an important role in creating the environment. / Our classroom should consists of an environment in which everyone feels safe and knows that their ideas, concerns and beliefs will be both accepted and appreciated. / It is important that we all recognize how to treat one another and take responsibility for our own actions and choices.

Positive environment / I find that the environment that is most inductive to education is a positive one.

Table of Contents Behavior Management Strategies that will be used in our classroom. Active Listening……………………………………p1-2 Classroom Rules……………………………………p3-4 Logical Consequences …………………………p5-6 Reality Therapy ………………………………….p7-8 Contracts..……………………………………………p9 The Courtesy Chair.……………………………p10-11 Take Two Minutes.………………………………p12 Learn or Leave ……………………………………..p13 Thanks for Visiting……………………………….p14 Work Cited…………………………………………….p15 Active Listening……………………………………p1-2 Classroom Rules……………………………………p3-4 Logical Consequences …………………………p5-6 Reality Therapy ………………………………….p7-8 Contracts..……………………………………………p9 The Courtesy Chair.……………………………p10-11 Take Two Minutes.………………………………p12 Learn or Leave ……………………………………..p13 Thanks for Visiting……………………………….p14 Work Cited…………………………………………….p15

Active Listening  One important life skill is the ability to self-problem solve. In our classroom I will use the “active listening” technique, developed by Dr. Gordon, to encourage students to self-problem solve while allowing them to feel validated as they express their feelings.  Active listening is a communication tool in which the listener uses certain steps to hear and understand the problem and lead the speaker to creating his or her own solution. This technique allows the student to own the problem (Frandsen).  One important life skill is the ability to self-problem solve. In our classroom I will use the “active listening” technique, developed by Dr. Gordon, to encourage students to self-problem solve while allowing them to feel validated as they express their feelings.  Active listening is a communication tool in which the listener uses certain steps to hear and understand the problem and lead the speaker to creating his or her own solution. This technique allows the student to own the problem (Frandsen). 1

Steps to Active Listening The following steps are to be used by the listener to understand the problem and help the speaker create a solution: 1. Listen to the complaint or concern. 2. Repeat what you understand the problem to be - “So your saying that…” 3. Use a “door opener” to urge the person clarify and elaborate. - “Tell me more…” - “I’m listening…” 4. Create a solution. Lead the person to create a way to solve the problem themselves. - “What can you do to help yourself?” - “What may help this situation?” The following steps are to be used by the listener to understand the problem and help the speaker create a solution: 1. Listen to the complaint or concern. 2. Repeat what you understand the problem to be - “So your saying that…” 3. Use a “door opener” to urge the person clarify and elaborate. - “Tell me more…” - “I’m listening…” 4. Create a solution. Lead the person to create a way to solve the problem themselves. - “What can you do to help yourself?” - “What may help this situation?” 2

Classroom Rules: Community  In our classroom the rules will be created by both the students and the teacher to create a sense of community as well as a sense of ownership.  Creating rules together helps build a sense of community. This is not only my teaching environment but it is also the students learning environment so I believe it’s best for us to work together to create it the best way we can.  In our classroom the rules will be created by both the students and the teacher to create a sense of community as well as a sense of ownership.  Creating rules together helps build a sense of community. This is not only my teaching environment but it is also the students learning environment so I believe it’s best for us to work together to create it the best way we can. 3

Classroom Rules: Ownership  When children create their own rules, they often suggest the same rules that adults would suggest, but are much more likely to respect and follow the rules that they are a part of creating (Castle).  Following the class meeting, where we create the rules, I will post the rules in the classroom under the headline “We Decided…” this way the students remember that they agreed to and helped create our rules for a reason.  When children create their own rules, they often suggest the same rules that adults would suggest, but are much more likely to respect and follow the rules that they are a part of creating (Castle).  Following the class meeting, where we create the rules, I will post the rules in the classroom under the headline “We Decided…” this way the students remember that they agreed to and helped create our rules for a reason. 4

Logical Consequences  When rules are broken in our classroom the result will be a logical consequences.  The more the consequence fits the behavior, the greater understanding that the student will have of what they did wrong and what they should change (Frandsen).  It is important to me that the students learn that every act is tied to a logical consequence.  When rules are broken in our classroom the result will be a logical consequences.  The more the consequence fits the behavior, the greater understanding that the student will have of what they did wrong and what they should change (Frandsen).  It is important to me that the students learn that every act is tied to a logical consequence. 5

What’s the difference? / There are important differences between logical consequences and punishments. / Logical consequences fit the inappropriate action, whereas punishments don’t necessarily relate to the action at all. / With logical consequences the student is able to understand what they did wrong and how it resulted in the consequence, but punishments often appear unfair to the student and create resentment which often leads to more negative behavior. / There are important differences between logical consequences and punishments. / Logical consequences fit the inappropriate action, whereas punishments don’t necessarily relate to the action at all. / With logical consequences the student is able to understand what they did wrong and how it resulted in the consequence, but punishments often appear unfair to the student and create resentment which often leads to more negative behavior. 6

Reality Therapy  One tool that will be used to help students understand what they have done wrong when a rule was broken and how to correct the inappropriate behavior or action will be a technique referred to as “Reality Therapy” created by Glasser.  Reality therapy is a series of questions that help the student evaluate his or her behavior and gives the student the opportunity to re-think their actions and create a new plan to correct the misbehavior and still get their needs met (Frandsen TRB 9).  One tool that will be used to help students understand what they have done wrong when a rule was broken and how to correct the inappropriate behavior or action will be a technique referred to as “Reality Therapy” created by Glasser.  Reality therapy is a series of questions that help the student evaluate his or her behavior and gives the student the opportunity to re-think their actions and create a new plan to correct the misbehavior and still get their needs met (Frandsen TRB 9). 7

How to Apply Reality Therapy… 1. “What are you doing?” / Merely ask the student what they are doing and allow them to evaluate their actions. 2. “Is it helping you learn?” / Ask a question that allows the student to consider what this behavior is affecting or achieving. 3. “What else could you do?” / Give the student the chance to think of an alternative behavior or action. 4. “Can you make a new plan?” / Allow the student to think through their alternative option and take control of their actions. 1. “What are you doing?” / Merely ask the student what they are doing and allow them to evaluate their actions. 2. “Is it helping you learn?” / Ask a question that allows the student to consider what this behavior is affecting or achieving. 3. “What else could you do?” / Give the student the chance to think of an alternative behavior or action. 4. “Can you make a new plan?” / Allow the student to think through their alternative option and take control of their actions. 8

Lets make a Contract  If a misbehavior continues, or is serious enough to need action to be taken right away, then I will form a contract with the student to prevent the behavior from reoccurring.  How the contract will be created:  We will sit together and first identify the problem and discuss why it is not acceptable.  Together we will come up with a way to prevent this problem from reoccurring.  I will create a contract that states the misbehavior as well as the solution.  The student and I will both sign the contract as an agreement to follow our plan for a solution and correct the problem.  If a misbehavior continues, or is serious enough to need action to be taken right away, then I will form a contract with the student to prevent the behavior from reoccurring.  How the contract will be created:  We will sit together and first identify the problem and discuss why it is not acceptable.  Together we will come up with a way to prevent this problem from reoccurring.  I will create a contract that states the misbehavior as well as the solution.  The student and I will both sign the contract as an agreement to follow our plan for a solution and correct the problem. 9

Courtesy Chair  There will be times when I am teaching where it will not be appropriate or possible for me to take a student aside and talk to him or her.  At these times I will use the courtesy chair.  The courtesy chair will be a chair available in my classroom for a student to go and sit and think about what they are doing or have done.  The courtesy chair will not be a punishment but rather a place for students to go and think.  There will be times when I am teaching where it will not be appropriate or possible for me to take a student aside and talk to him or her.  At these times I will use the courtesy chair.  The courtesy chair will be a chair available in my classroom for a student to go and sit and think about what they are doing or have done.  The courtesy chair will not be a punishment but rather a place for students to go and think. 10

What next…  If the courtesy chair is ineffective in preventing the disruption caused by the student then the student will be asked to “take two minutes.”  This is much like the traditional “timeout” but is structured in a way that allows the student to control themselves and change their actions so that they may return to the activity at hand.  It is important that when taking two minutes the student is given the opportunity to regain control of his or her behavior (Ryan).  If the courtesy chair is ineffective in preventing the disruption caused by the student then the student will be asked to “take two minutes.”  This is much like the traditional “timeout” but is structured in a way that allows the student to control themselves and change their actions so that they may return to the activity at hand.  It is important that when taking two minutes the student is given the opportunity to regain control of his or her behavior (Ryan). 11

Take Two Minutes  The student will sit out for two minutes, at the end of the two minutes if the student recognizes what they did that caused the need for them to take two minutes and how they can prevent this in the future then they are welcomed back to the classroom.  If the student is unable to recognize why they had to take two minutes then they will take two more, this will continue until the student is able to say what they did that was inappropriate and what an appropriate behavior would have been.  The student will sit out for two minutes, at the end of the two minutes if the student recognizes what they did that caused the need for them to take two minutes and how they can prevent this in the future then they are welcomed back to the classroom.  If the student is unable to recognize why they had to take two minutes then they will take two more, this will continue until the student is able to say what they did that was inappropriate and what an appropriate behavior would have been. 12

Learn or Leave  The very last resort that I will turn to for misbehavior will be the choice to learn or leave.  If a student continuously misbehaves, despite my efforts, then I will respectfully and courteously give the student the choice to stay and learn, or to leave the classroom and report to the office or another designated area.  I will never simply kick a student out of my class, it will be a choice that they are involved in making.  The very last resort that I will turn to for misbehavior will be the choice to learn or leave.  If a student continuously misbehaves, despite my efforts, then I will respectfully and courteously give the student the choice to stay and learn, or to leave the classroom and report to the office or another designated area.  I will never simply kick a student out of my class, it will be a choice that they are involved in making. 13

Thanks for Visiting! The environment in my classroom is something that is very important to me. I want my students to always feel safe and respected. I want them to feel like they belong in the classroom and recognize that they are an important part of it. However, I will not tolerate misbehavior especially when it disrupts the learning environment for other students. I want to work with my students to have a cooperative and safe learning environment. I want to thank you for taking interest in our classroom and invite you to visit us any time! The environment in my classroom is something that is very important to me. I want my students to always feel safe and respected. I want them to feel like they belong in the classroom and recognize that they are an important part of it. However, I will not tolerate misbehavior especially when it disrupts the learning environment for other students. I want to work with my students to have a cooperative and safe learning environment. I want to thank you for taking interest in our classroom and invite you to visit us any time! 14

Works Cited  Castle, Kathryn, and Karen Rogers. "Rule-creating in a constructivist classroom community." Childhood Education 70.n2 (Winter 1993): 77(4). Academic OneFile. Gale. St Edwards University. 12 Mar  Ryan, Joseph B., Sharon Sanders, Antonis Katsiyannis and Mitchell L. Yell."Using Time-Out Effectively in the Classroom." Teaching Exceptional Children 39.4 (Mar.-Apr. 2007):  Wong., Eugene H., et al. "A model for school psychology practice: addressing the needs of students with emotional and behavioral challenges through the use of an in-school support room and reality therapy." Adolescence (2004): Academic OneFile. Gale. St. Edward's U. Lib. 12 Mar  "School Rules Poster." Cartoon. Menagerie Publishing. 15 Mar  Castle, Kathryn, and Karen Rogers. "Rule-creating in a constructivist classroom community." Childhood Education 70.n2 (Winter 1993): 77(4). Academic OneFile. Gale. St Edwards University. 12 Mar  Ryan, Joseph B., Sharon Sanders, Antonis Katsiyannis and Mitchell L. Yell."Using Time-Out Effectively in the Classroom." Teaching Exceptional Children 39.4 (Mar.-Apr. 2007):  Wong., Eugene H., et al. "A model for school psychology practice: addressing the needs of students with emotional and behavioral challenges through the use of an in-school support room and reality therapy." Adolescence (2004): Academic OneFile. Gale. St. Edward's U. Lib. 12 Mar  "School Rules Poster." Cartoon. Menagerie Publishing. 15 Mar