Comprehensive Management and Organization Plan

 Philosophy

Research has shown that an engaged learning environment increases students’ attention and focus, promotes meaningful learning experiences, encourages higher levels of student performance, and motivates students to practice higher-level critical thinking skills. The learning environment includes an intellectual, social, emotional, and physical environment of a classroom; all of which may affect learning. The process of learning becomes something that students easily adapt to and look forward to in a positive environment. A positive classroom environment is essential as it enables students to be inquirers and explorers and true leaders of their learning. I understand that a positive environment helps improve attention, reduces anxiety, and supports the emotional and behavioral regulation of students. This philosophy has helped me tremendously in developing the minds of the 19 4th-grade students I pour into each day.

Learning Environment

            In a classroom, it is an environment that contains multiple learning differences and personalities with diverse backgrounds. It is crucial to promote respect for diverse learner backgrounds. To do this, I must implement activities where students can introduce themselves by using Web 2.0 tools. I must also model to students how to maintain consistent and respectful communication. The culture in the classroom must consist of respect and being kind to one another.

            To establish positive relationships in the classroom environment, I must implement activities that are of students’ interest. For example, my students enjoy creating videos and discussing what they have learned in class. They are custom to using platforms such as TikTok and YouTube. This is a great way to establish positive relationships and include the student’s interests.

            Building positive relations requires the students along with myself to always practice respect and kindness for one another’s opinions or perspectives. The best way to maintain a climate of openness, inquiry, fairness, and support is by implementing classroom procedures. There must be procedures in place to ensure sure students are well aware of to treat their peers daily. I will organize, allocate, and manage the resource of time, space, and attention by posting and thoroughly discussing the daily schedule for students. Students will be provided a workspace that consists of a group of 3 to 4 students. Within each group, the students will be knowledgeable of procedures that are included in the classroom management plan and respect each other.

            To teach students to collaborate on shared values and expectations, I must teach students how to listen to one another by setting clear expectations and goals. Rules of language and collaboration will also be in place to ensure students are clear of expectations. Another strategy that I will implement is team-building activities. For example, in an effort of implementing students’ interests; the students will collaborate to collectively create a video to discuss how to solve a two-step word problem.

            To ensure learning as discussed is promoted, I must create a safe learning environment that consists of processes and procedures. It is my responsibility to create an environment that is comfortable for students to learn and produce. This refers to classroom ecology. The ecology of the classroom gives the students a sense of belonging. The atmosphere of the classroom is key to creating a positive learning experience. Communication is also an important factor in a safe and welcoming environment. Being polite, being respectful, taking turns, listening, and caring are all forms of creating a safe environment for students.

I believe that preventative measures should be taken to avoid misbehavior before it begins. Good discipline depends more on preventing misbehavior than correcting it, although both are necessary. It takes keen preparation and planning to prevent the behavior from occurring.

I will ensure that my students have a comfortable classroom, where the temperature is appropriate, the lighting is befitting, and the seating is accommodating. This is important to me because I know that discomfort will not help them concentrate and will not aid in us accomplishing class goals. I have experienced that when someone is uncomfortable this leads to irritability and the chances of focusing on anything become very slim. Irritability can lead to misbehavior so I will ensure that my students are as comfortable as they can be.

I will learn my students’ behavior patterns and triggers. I will use language that encourages them and not language that demeans or belittles them. In addition, I will use effective motivating language when I praise my students. I will let them know when they are doing well and emphasize what it is they did. I will foster classroom relationships with my students and get to know them to determine why they have the desire to misbehave. Show them that I care and am concerned with what they are going through, and their behavior will surely deteriorate.

It is important to remember that conduct provides students and parents with the difference between good and bad behavior. As processes and procedures are discussed, the code of conduct is also thoroughly discussed. Each will be provided an electronic and hard copy of the code of conduct along with a copy of both the classroom and online rules, rewards, and consequences.

There is no group of students who obtain information the exact same way. It is crucial to understand the importance of implementing effective differentiated instruction. Students will enter the classroom with different needs that will increase achievement. Differentiated instruction is the process of creating lessons to meet each student’s individual interests, needs, and strengths. Differentiated instruction is a style of teaching that provide students with choice and flexibility in how they learn, and it allows the teacher to be creative in providing instruction. Learning styles are often sorted and grouped in the following way: visual, auditory, reading or writing, kinesthetic, and writing or drawing diagrams.

I will address students whose first language is not English by providing the students with visuals. I will also collaborate with an ESL teacher to gain a better understanding of the student's language and culture, and I will incorporate the student's language through technology.

In student-centered learning, students’ interest drives education. Students are treated as individuals with their own ideas and viewpoints. In a student-centered classroom, there is a shift. The students are taking leadership, and the teacher is no longer the sole deliverer of instruction. This strategy is a great source for students with different learning styles. As a 4th grade educator, it becomes difficult to help students understand different standards. There have been circumstances when implementing peer-to-peer instruction, the students are more successful than when receiving teacher instruction. 

According to Howard Gardner, the best way to lay out a classroom to support multiple intelligences is to have places in the room that works for each ty of intelligence. 

While conveying high expectations for students, I will ensure students know that I believe in them. Each student will know they have the potential to be successful. I will provide high levels of support for students. I will also promote effort and excellence. 

To model clear, acceptable oral and written communication skills: I will speak clearly, I will provide anchor charts and videos for clarity, and practice active listening to ensure students' understanding. 

I will integrate information and technology by creating an environment that will consist of interactive learning experiences. For example, implementing an edpuzzle or nearpod to teach students will provide interactive learning experiences. Using smartboards in the classroom to model or demonstrate as students are collaborating on their devices is another way I will integrate information and technology. Allowing students to play educational games with one another (kahoot or quizizz) is also a great way to integrate communication and technology. 

    With the various types of learners (self-directed learners, collaborative learners, face-to-face, or virtual), it can be challenging to complete any task when you are unfamiliar. Using game-based strategies is one way I will provide learning experiences for the various types of learners. I will also teach students to have a growth mindset instead of thinking negatively as a learning experience to help students. 

I will utilize current and emerging technologies that enable students to participate in high-quality communication interactions such as screenomatic, blog posts, youtube channels, prezi, google docs, google hangouts, and google forms. There are so many forms of technology that are emerging to enable students to participate in high-quality communication; therefore it is important that I never stop evolving to implement more innovative technologies to enhance students' learning. 

I am aware that I can promote or dissuade a student's life. It is my plan to possess the following characteristics: organization, passion for teaching and learning, effective management, and self-motivation. An environment with these characteristics is not only conducive to learning, but it is an environment that promotes students’ achievement through technology, and it contains classroom management with differentiated teaching in an effective and safe learning environment.