Classroom Management Plan

1938 Words8 Pages
Introduction Classroom management defines the learning environment. A classroom management plan sets the tone for teachers, students, parents, the physical environment, and the multitude of relationships connecting these elements. For pre-school settings, the most critical aspect of classroom management is the arrangement of the physical environment. “The difference between chaos and an orderly atmosphere that facilitates learning depends in great part on how the teacher prepares the environment” (Crosser, 1992, p.23). Because a child-centered curriculum depends heavily on a child’s interaction with the classroom and its materials, taking careful consideration of all furniture, learning centers, and learning materials, creates the foundation for a successful classroom management plan. Once the physical environment has been arranged, the teacher can begin to consider the philosophies, personalities, and procedures that will dictate the school year. Eggen and Kauchak describe the typical classroom with the following phrases: “multidimensional and simultaneous,” “immediate,” “unpredictable,” and “public” (Eggen & Kauchak, 2007, p.369). These four descriptions seem particularly adept at capturing the lack of control a teacher has over the school day. To counteract the chaos that can erupt in a classroom, I find it more helpful to form a loose foundation that structures the potential ideal environment than to enforce a strict code of conduct that dictates the actions of personalities. A high level of rigidity can disturb the emotions of young children leading to more conflict than learning. By envisioning classroom management as a foundation rather than a plan, expectations rarely disappoint and the behavior of young children can inspire insight rather than conflict. In his description of Discipline without Stress, Punishments, or Rewards, the author relates the
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