1. Lena Zammataro
Behavior Management Plan
GED 604
Background:
I would ideally like to work in a collaborative teaching model as a special education in-class support teacher.
However, I wouldn’t mind taking on the role of regular educator. My ideal class would be a third grade with
a communication impaired student, a gifted student, a few ADHD boys, and a multiply handicapped student.
I find ADHD to be a challenge and it would likely give me an accurate idea of how my behavior plan holds up
against difficult to control behaviors. This plan is generic in its design and intended for implementation
within the regular education setting. Parts of it may have to be adapted according to the developmental levels
of the children I am teaching.
The First Day!
The first day in my classroom will focus on getting to know one another, as well as, discussing
and practicing daily procedures. A variety of class-building, cooperative learning structures will
be used to help students get to know one another and help me to understand student personalities.
Examples of class-building structures will likely include, Me-T’s or Find Someone Who. A Me-
T is a paper t-shirt that has the student’s interests drawn or written in each corner of the shirt and
his name in the middle. The shirt will be constructed by the student and worn in class. Students
are asked to present the Me-T’s to the class on a voluntary basis. For those who do not volunteer,
I will question them sporadically about the t-shirt during class. Find Someone Who is an activity
where each student mingles around the room with a set of questions. The questions will have
been developed by me and are intended to extract information regarding students’ interests,
special talents, families, and personal qualities. Under each question is a blank space for
signatures. Students must find other students to answer their questions. They must collect a
different signature for each question. After each student’s questions are answered, the teacher
reviews the questions and volunteers participate in information sharing about others in the class.
These class-building activities will give me an idea about students’ personalities, verbal ability,
cognitive levels, likes, dislikes, cliques, and so on.
In addition to class building, we will talk about making choices. I will explain to the students that
we make our own choices, despite the influence of other. These choices are based on our need to
succeed and belong. I will explain to the students that choices can affect our behavior and
learning. We will discuss misbehavior vs. appropriate behavior by using a T-Chart to describe
each type of behavior. A T-Chart is a chart in the shape of a T. One side of the T has “looks like”
written above it the other side has “sounds like” above it. I will elicit what appropriate behavior
“looks like” and “sounds like”. Then I will elicit what inappropriate behavior “looks like” and
“sounds like”. For example, appropriate behavior may look like students raising their hands to
talk. Appropriate behavior may sound like “thank you” or inside voices are heard.
At the end of the day I will hopefully have an idea of how to group my students into
heterogeneously mixed cooperative groups. I will have also defined behavior with the students
and practiced some daily procedures. I expect that continued practice of daily procedures would
be necessary over the next couple of days depending on the age level of the students. The
students should have a sense of my expectations for procedures and expectations for behavior.
They should understand the difference between appropriate and inappropriate behavior.
-Based on Glasser, Albert, and Kagan

2. Lena Zammataro
Behavior Management Plan
GED 604
In the days to follow…
Setting the Tone:
I believe that setting “a tone” in the morning one way to let students know that there is a
business-like atmosphere in the classroom. I would like to begin the most mornings with having
the lights down low and the overhead projector on with an assignment (connected to prior
learning), brainteaser, or announcements projected onto a screen. The dull lighting will hopefully
promote an aura of calmness and the light from the projector will likely focus the student’s
attention on the task at hand. Classical music may be an option too!
Establishing a Code of Conduct:
It is critical that the students in my classroom understand the importance of conducting
themselves in a way that makes learning attainable for everyone. In order to best facilitate this, I
will develop a code of conduct with my students so that guidelines for behavior can be
established. This sample outline is directly from Albert’s work:
Teach the Code of Conduct:
1. Identify appropriate and inappropriate behaviors
2. Clarify appropriate and inappropriate behaviors (role play, explain)
3. Involve parents (students write a letter to parents explaining the code and teacher asks parents to
discuss the code with their children)
Enforce the Code of Conduct:
1. Check for understanding
2. Problem-solve
3. Post the code in the classroom - refer to it
4. Write the number of the principle being violated and put it on student’s desk
Reinforce the Code of Conduct:
1. Review it daily
2. Model self-correction
3. Encourage self-evaluation
Involve students and parents as partners:
1. Teach students that behavior is based on choice, everyone needs to feel like they belong,
attention, power, revenge, and avoidance are reasons for misbehavior, discuss the 3 C’s
…students contribute and feel capable and connected
2. Involve student’s in formulating the code and establishing consequences
3. Notify parents when student misbehaves
Avoiding and defusing confrontations:
1. Focus on the behavior
2. Take charge of negative emotions
3. Avoid escalating the situation
4. Discuss the misbehavior later when clamed down
5. Allow student to save face
Implementing consequences:
1. Four R’s of consequences – Related, Reasonable, Respectful, and Reliably enforced
2. Examples of consequences – delay or loss of privileges, loss of freedom of interaction
restitution, re-teaching (practicing correct behavior)

3. Lena Zammataro
Behavior Management Plan
GED 604
Code of Conduct – Severe Clause:
I like Albert’s six-D resolution plan and I like Curwin and Mendler’s Discipline with Dignity. I
will use a combination of both as outlined below.
Albert’s six-D conflict resolution plan is as follows:
 Define problem
 Declare what makes it a serious problem
 Describe the feelings of both parties
 Discuss possible solutions and pros and cons
 Decide on a plan and when it will begin
 Determine the plan’s effectiveness with follow-up meeting
Curwin and Mendler recommend:
 Long-term behavioral change, not quick fixes
 Dealing with student behavior as a daily part of the job
 Rules must make sense
 Be a model of what you expect
 Always treat students with dignity
 Responsibility is more important than obedience
 Stop doing ineffective things
 You can be fair without always having to treat everyone the same
Preferred Activity Time (PAT):
Pat is taken directly from Jones. I like PAT because it is simple and make sense. It also helps
children establish a sense of self-awareness and improves self-monitoring. I believe strongly in
self-monitoring because it helps promote a sense of self. Having a sense of self is key to
understanding our learning style and it essentially helps us know what we need to do in order to
learn. To implement PAT I will do the following:
1. Establish a list of PAT activities with the students
2. Explain how to earn minutes toward PAT for example you have three minutes to get
settled once in the classroom. Any time after that will be deducted form PAT If students
get settled in two minutes one minute goes toward PAT. Or if students can switch classes
quietly one minute is automatically given toward PAT.
3. Give PAT time at the end of each day if students are in the primary grades or at the end
of the week for students in 3-8.
4. Use omission training to involve students who misbehave repeatedly

4. Lena Zammataro
Behavior Management Plan
GED 604
Positive Reinforcement:
I do believe in using Skinner’s positive reinforcement to shape behavior. I will use praise in my
classroom with all children; however, some may need specific behavior shaping through
successive approximation. I will be cautious to give intermittent feedback after the desired
behavior has been attained. Many children do not receive praise in any other aspect of their lives,
except school.
Identifying the Reason for Misbehavior:
I like how Albert and Kyle, Kagan, and Scott identify reasons for misbehavior as initial steps in
their discipline systems. I especially like Albert because she gives many practical and easy to
implement strategies that help prevent, support, and correct misbehavior. I will use many of
Albert’s suggestions and I will keep intervention as low profile as possible to allow students to
save face. The following is based on Albert:
Look for reasons for misbehavior –Attention, Power, Revenge, and avoidance of Failure
Attention: abundant recognition of positive behavior, I-messages, moving
toward student, develop a signal, name-dropping, written messages
(on post-its), grandma’s law following when-then format, distract the
student –what was the direction I just gave?, ask a favor, use target-stop-
do(Jim, stop tapping, do your spelling).
Power: give options(to empower student).. you can do___ or ___ you pick!
delegate responsibilities to student, graceful exits, shared decision-making/
hands joined style.
Revenge: build caring relationships, teach appropriate expression of feelings
such as through talking or developing a personal anger management
plan.
Avoidance: provide encouragement, use concrete teaching materials, use
computer-based learning, teach students to accomplish one step at a
time, encourage positive self-talk, tutor, “I can’t funeral”(ongoing).

5. Lena Zammataro
Behavior Management Plan
GED 604
Teaching Style – Further Interventions
The following are strategies that I will use in my classroom to be sure students are learning and
behaving in a way that is non-disruptive to their own learning or the learning of others. Some of
the following is based on Kagan and Albert. Some is based on my own prior knowledge and
experience in the classroom as a speech-language specialist:
Focusing: I will be sure that I have the attention of everyone in my classroom before starting the
lesson. I will not attempt to teach over the chatter of students who are not paying attention. Some
teachers may think that by beginning their lesson, the class will settle down or that the students
will see that class is underway and it is time to get to work. Sometimes this works, but the
children are also going to think that you are willing to compete with them. Most special needs
students are non-discovery learners and they need to be told directly what to do. Gaining focus
prior to beginning class is a procedure that will likely have to be rehearsed. I will be soft spoken
to help ensure a calmer quieter classroom and to help myself keep calm!
Direct Instruction: I believe that uncertainty can increase the level of excitement in the
classroom. I will use the technique of direct instruction by telling the students exactly what will
be happening. I may outline what the students will be doing. I may set time limits for some tasks.
To avoid being too controlling, I may have centers set up so that students can feel they are in
control. However, the centers will have direct instructions for the children to follow!
Monitoring: I will circulate around the room while my students are working and while I am
teaching. I will check on progress. I believe an effective teacher makes passes through the room
after the students have started a written assignment. This allows the teacher to check that each
student has started, that the children are on the correct page, and to provide individual instruction
as needed. I will not interrupt the class unless several students are observed to have the same
problem.
Modeling: I believe that modeling behaviors such as patience, courteousness, promptness,
enthusiasm, organization, and control set examples for students. For those who may not be
discovery learners, I will directly call attention to these traits to help them understand the value. I
do not believe in "do as I say, not as I do". I think it only sends mixed messages.
Non-Verbal Cuing: Silent cues can redirect misbehavior without calling attention to it. I will
develop hand signals, use proximity, give the “eye”, and use written messages on post-it notes to
redirect behavior in my classroom. I will initially explain these cues through direct teaching and
modeling.
(teaching style continued)

6. Lena Zammataro
Behavior Management Plan
GED 604
Environmental Control: I will have a classroom that is warm and inviting no matter what grade
level I am teaching. I also believe in an environment that changes periodically such as
cooperative groups, room arrangement, centers, and decor. I will use centers to give the students
a feeling of freedom and choice. I will include personal items such as pictures of my pets, family,
and vacations. I believe that as the students get to know me better they will trust me and be less
likely to misbehave.
Cooperative Learning: I am a big believer in cooperative learning as long as it is used correctly
to promote positive interdependence, individual accountability, equal participation, and
simultaneous interaction. Theorists such as Johnson and Johnson, Slavin, and Kagan promote
wonderful teaching strategies that help children contribute, feel capable, and feel connected. I
also believe in Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligence theory and I will use intelligence surveys
in my classroom to help me understand learning styles so I can gear my teaching toward all
students. By doing this the student will likely be contributing, connected, and capable.
End of Behavior Plan