How has the plan been working?

Here is the classroom management plan that I am now using:

My rules are:
1) Follow directions
2) Raise your hand
3) Be kind

My consequences are
1) A reminder
2) A modification - change seats or activity or partner (1 minute to comply or move to step 3)
3) Break - in or out of the classroom as needed depending on the students behavior (1 minute to comply or move to step 4)
4) Parents contacted

My biggest challenge with the plan is being consistent. I worry that students won't like me if I follow the plan or that they won't like class. I think I want kids to say that class is fun or that they like learning.

So I made a list about what could happen if I am consistent or if I am not consistent

All of the cons of being Consistent

  • I might make a mistake and give a kid a consequence for something they didn't do. It sometimes is surprisingly hard to know what is happening. 
  • I might embarrass a student 
  • I will have to feel uncomfortable. It is uncomfortable to give a student a time out and hold the line. I'm not sure why - I have no problem giving my OWN children a time out, but students are harder for me. 
  • I have to confront that sometimes I have low expectations for certain students
  • I feel bad giving consequences.
  • I worry that students won't like me if I give consequences. 
  • What if a kid really doesn't have impulse control. Am I being fair to them?
  • What if a kid is on an IEP and has specific behavior goals that are different from my plan. Will it confuse the class if I have different expectations of a few children. (Most classes do not have a student with this situation, just 3). 
  • Some kids will always be in timeout. 
All on the cons of NOT being consistent or NOT following my plan 
  • Behavior is considerably worst
  • It feels easier in the moment, but causes me stress. 
  • I worry more about classroom behavior after a day where kids are not following rules
  • The room does not feel peaceful
  • I don't enjoy teaching as much
  • I can't plan as many fun activities, because kids will get out of control. 
  • The students don't actually learn as much
  • I feel more anxious on the weekends about Monday
  • I don't get to learn if a child can't control themselves or simply doesn't want to if I have low expectations
  • If a child really can't control themselves, I don't have the opportunity to teach them the skills they need to control their impulses.  
My lists have really helped me. While it is easier in the moment to not following the plan - when I follow my classroom management plan I actually enjoy my job. So, I have been committing to myself each morning that I will follow the plan. I actually say it out loud. And at the beginning of class every day, I review the plan with the students. (They only see me once or twice a week, so some classes need the weekly reminder. Especially classes where the homeroom teacher does not have a classroom management plan. Or has a plan that is NOT consistently enforced.) 

Am I following the plan with everyone? 
No. I have about six students between all my classes and grades with very special needs and IEP goals specifically around behavior. For those students I work on having them meet their IEP behavior goals and not preventing other students from learning. I am working on developing these students executive function skills - things like impulse control. Slowly I am building my expectations for individuals, as they meet different benchmarks. 

One of those students has gone from needing to be removed from the classroom every time we met from the behavior coach of the social emotional classroom to actually staying in class for the whole period without being violent or preventing other students from learning. 

Is he doing what we are doing? No. But being able to sit in a chair (or rocking chair or exercise bike), not scream, yell, make high pitch sounds, throw objects or swear is an incredible improvement from day one. And there are moments where he is paying attention or participating. It has only been the last month that he has managed to stay in class. So, progress is happening. Even though it feels like it is sometimes very slow progress. 

Overall, being consistent has made my life so much easier. It is harder in the moment, but it is worth it! 

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