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Part  I:  Classroom  Organization    A:  Physical  (Desk  arrangements,  learning  centers,  small  group  work  area(s),  computers,  audio-­‐visual  or  instructional  equipment,  and  bulletin  boards,  etc.)        Welcome  to  my  classroom!      

The  moment  my  students  walk  into  my  classroom  they  will  be  surrounded  by  a  friendly  and  welcoming  learning  environment.  The  goal  of  my  classroom  setup  is  for  my  students  to  have  the  best  opportunities  to  learn  as  possible.  My  classroom  is  organized,  which  will  give  my  students  stability  in  their  daily  classroom  routines,  procedures,  and  ultimately  their  learning.    

  Once  a  student  walks  into  my  classroom  door,  they  will  see  the  unit  bulletin  board.  I  think  this  is  important  to  have  right  when  they  walk  in  so  that  every  student  knows  what  they  will  be  learning  about,  as  well  as  sparking  interest  for  the  subject.  I  also  have  bathroom  passes  right  by  the  door  so  that  students  do  not  need  to  disturb  instructional  time  when  picking  up  and  dropping  off  their  passes.  My  classroom  has  a  large  whiteboard  in  the  front  of  the  classroom  where  each  student  can  see  it.  This  is  where  I  would  teach  all  of  my  major  lessons.  This  is  also  where  the  projector  screen  is  located  so  that  when  I  

incorporate  media  into  my  lessons,  it  will  be  an  easy  transition.  I  have  a  rolling  cart  with  a  projector  and  an  ELMO  so  that  I  can  easily  roll  it  to  the  front  of  the  projector  screen  for  multimedia  presentations.  There  is  a  large  rug  for  students  right  in  front  of  the  whiteboard  for  when  I  have  an  especially  interactive  lesson  where  student  will  come  up  to  the  board  often.  This  will  take  less  instructional  time  to  have  them  seated  close  to  the  board,  instead  of  having  them  walk  all  the  way  from  their  desks  to  write  on  the  board.  

 My students’ desks are arranged in groups of four. Each student has a view of the front the classroom, where the majority of the learning will take place, as well as the back of the room, where there are maps and other helpful tools which will be used during lessons. I have my students in small groups to make cooperative learning and group work easier. This is also a great way for students to get to know each other and form a sense of camaraderie. There is plenty of space in between pods of desks so that I can easily get to student to answer individual questions, and so that students can easily get around their learning environment. I plan on putting a lot of thought into where I seat students based on how they learn and I will switch them often enough so that they get to work with all of their classmates. I believe that students learn through interaction with both the teacher and their peers, and my desk arrangement helps to facilitate this social learning theory in my classroom. However, in the very beginning of the school year I will start my students off sitting in rows. The reason I do this is to make sure that my students get the hang of the rules and procedures of my classroom before they sit in an arrangement that lends itself to chatter. When my students are about to follow my classroom expectations, then we will have a discussion about switching the desks into pods and how my expectations for their behavior in this new seating arrangement will not change. This will set my students up for success, as well as keeping my rules and procedures at a high priority.  

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  The  teacher  desk  is  set  in  a  back  corner  so  that  I  have  my  own  space,  but  I  can  also  see  each  and  every  child  as  they  sit  in  their  desks.  I  will  have  a  view  of  the  entire  classroom  and  I  will  be  able  to  catch  any  troublesome  behavior  and  keep  students  on  task.  My  desktop  has  a  computer  for  my  personal  use,  along  with  a  bell  to  get  student’s  attention  and  a  turn-­‐in  basket  for  any  student  assignments.  I  also  have  a  lot  of  space  behind  my  desk  for  storage,  as  well  as  a  filing  cabinet  so  I  can  keep  track  of  each  student’s  progress.  I  have  a  G/C/F  (grade/copy/file)  organizer  so  that  I  can  stay  on  top  of  all  important  documents.  Next  to  my  desk  is  a  bulletin  board,  which  has  the  lunch  count  and  the  weekly  job  listings  on  it.  Each  day  when  my  students  walk  into  my  classroom  before  the  morning  bell,  they  will  find  their  name  on  the  lunch  count  board  and  pin  it  under  which  lunch  option  they  want  for  that  day  (you  can  also  do  this  with  magnets)  this  is  also  a  way  to  do  attendance  without  wasting  any  class  time.  Each  week,  students  will  have  a  classroom  job  to  do  in  order  to  teach  them  responsibility.  These  jobs  will  be  rotated  each  week  and  are  posted  on  the  bulletin  board  to  combat  forgetfulness.  Next  to  this  bulletin  board  I  have  shelving  for  student  supply  and  craft/art  supplies.  This  is  where  students  can  find  any  classroom  items  such  as  scissors,  colored  pencils,  mini  whiteboards,  and  glue  sticks.       The  reading  center  is  surrounded  by  bookcases,  which  will  hold  a  wide  variety  of  books  to  make  sure  that  each  student’s  reading  level  is  represented.  Series  of  books  or  books  by  the  same  author  will  be  in  bins  so  that  students  can  easily  access  them.  This  section  of  the  classroom  is  meant  to  be  a  reading  sanctuary,  and  students  will  be  expected  to  keep  their  voices  to  a  whisper  in  this  section  of  the  classroom.  There  are  also  a  couple  comfy  chairs  in  this  area  so  that  students  can  relax  and  read  their  books  during  sustained  silent  reading  time.  Next  to  this  reading  area,  I  have  the  read  aloud  area.  This  has  a  rug  for  students  to  sit  on  while  the  teacher  can  sit  and  read  out  loud.  I  also  have  an  easel  in  order  to  be  able  to  write  out  words  or  do  mini  lessons  that  may  be  necessary.  Above  this  reading  space,  there  is  a  bulletin  board  named,  “The  Star  of  the  Show.”  Each  week  one  student  will  be  highlighted  and  they  will  get  to  bring  in  pictures,  keepsakes,  or  other  images  to  decorate  their  board  for  their  week.  At  the  end  of  each  week,  the  star  of  the  show  will  give  a  brief  presentation  of  the  board  and  their  classmates  will  be  able  to  ask  any  questions  they  have  about  this  person.  The  teacher  will  model  this  process  the  first  week  of  school.    

  Next  to  this  is  the  cooperative  learning/  reading  table.  This  is  where  small  groups  can  work  with  the  teacher  to  work  on  areas  that  they  might  need  special  attention  on.  It  also  works  great  for  the  teacher  to  differentiate  instruction  and  work  with  groups  who  are  at  relatively  the  same  level  or  have  the  same  need.  This  gives  students  a  chance  to  really  get  that  extra  attention  that  they  often  need  from  their  teacher.  Next  to  this  are  some  student  activity  and  workstations.  The  first  is  an  animal  and  plant  center.  During  

different  units,  I  plan  on  having  students  grow  their  own  plants,  as  well  as  having  small  animals,  fish,  or  even  caterpillars  turning  into  butterflies  in  this  space.  Students  will  learn  about  different  forms  of  life  and  how  to  care  for  it.  The  next  station  is  a  world  center.  This  is  where  there  will  be  a  globe,  along  with  maps  of  the  world,  the  United  States,  and  also  the  state  that  I  will  be  teaching  in.  It  will  give  the  students  a  perspective  of  the  world  and  will  help  them  with  geography  lessons.  The  next  station  is  a  computer/technology  station.  I  think  that  incorporating  technology  into  learning  and  teaching  is  very  important,  so  I  want  my  students  to  have  access  to  media  to  use  in  projects,  and  presentations,  as  well  as  to  do  

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research  on.  There  are  also  tons  of  education  game  sites  for  students  to  go  on  during  free  time  to  practice  math  or  reading  skills.  Above  this  station  I  have  the  school  rules  as  well  as  the  classroom  rules  posted  so  that  each  student  knows  what  is  expected  from  their  own  behavior  and  so  that  they  can  be  held  accountable  for  their  actions.       On  the  next  wall  I  have  a  wheeling  cart  with  a  DVD  and  a  VHS  player  so  that  I  can  incorporate  media  from  previous  years  that  I  might  not  be  able  to  find  on  the  Internet.  This  can  be  a  great  way  for  students  to  learn.  Next,  there  is  a  long  counter  with  tissues,  a  pencil  sharpener,  a  sink,  as  well  as  a  drinking  fountain  for  student  use.  Underneath  this  counter  there  is  a  cubby  for  every  student.  This  is  their  “take  home  cubby,”  so  everything  that  goes  into  that  cubby  during  the  day  is  either  homework,  or  something  to  take  home  to  their  parents.  They  can  also  store  any  books  that  they  are  reading  and  borrowing  from  my  classroom  to  take  home  to  read.  All  other  student  materials  should  be  stored  in  their  desk.  Each  student  will  have  a  locker  outside  of  the  classroom  to  put  any  coats  and  backpacks.  Above  the  long  counter  there  are  many  cabinets  for  my  own  storage.  This  is  where  I  can  keep  any  supplies  that  I  might  need  during  the  school  day.  Next  to  the  counter  there  is  a  trashcan  and  a  recycling  bin.  I  want  to  teach  my  students  the  importance  of  recycling  so  having  a  bin  next  to  the  trash  can  is  a  good  reminder  to  students  to  stop  and  think  if  what  they  were  about  to  throw  away  could  be  recycled.  Next  there  is  a  telephone  for  teacher  and  student  use,  and  an  intercom  for  any  office  announcements.  I  plan  to  have  an  American  flag  hanging  over  this  area,  along  with  the  pledge  of  allegiance,  so  students  don’t  feel  embarrassed  if  they  do  not  know  the  words.       I  will  make  sure  to  have  a  clock  in  the  back  of  the  room  so  that  I  can  see  it  while  I  am  teaching  to  make  sure  that  I  am  on  time,  but  also  so  that  my  students  cannot  see  it  while  they  are  focusing  on  learning.  I  hope  that  my  classroom  provides  my  students  with  a  sense  of  security  as  well  as  providing  them  with  the  best  opportunities  to  learn.  My  classroom  is  set  up  for  the  ultimate  learning  experience,  now  all  it  needs  is  a  group  of  students  who  are  as  excited  about  learning  as  their  teacher  is.      B.  Operational      1.  Record  Keeping     Technology  is  becoming  more  widely  used  in  schools  and  classrooms.  Because  of  this  trend,  I  plan  on  recording  all  of  my  students’  grades  on  a  computer  system.  All  grades  will  be  recorded  by  subject,  date,  student,  and  specific  assignment.  By  using  this  type  of  system,  I  can  easily  enter  grades  as  percentages,  or  as  letter  grades.  At  the  end  of  each  week  I  will  print  out  each  student’s  grades  for  that  week  and  put  them  in  their  individual  portfolios  so  that  I  can  easily  access  them.  Printing  them  off  at  the  end  of  the  week  will  also  serve  as  a  sort  of  back  up  system.  Having  these  paper  copies  will  help  me  if  the  computer  system  ever  crashes.  Having  the  students’  grades  available  at  all  times  in  these  portfolios  allows  students  to  keep  track  of  their  grades  and  take  responsibility  and  ownership  for  their  learning.  These  portfolios  will  also  be  very  useful  during  conference  time.  I  can  easily  pull  out  a  student’s  scores  and  grades  to  show  their  parents  their  weekly  progress.  It  will  also  be  helpful  for  me,  as  the  teacher,  to  look  at  a  student’s  scores  to  determine  what  I  need  to  do  in  my  instruction  to  cater  to  each  of  my  students’  needs.      

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   2.  Attendance  and  Lunch  Procedures     My  attendance  and  lunch  procedures  will  be  intertwined.  I  will  have  a  magnetic  whiteboard  right  next  to  my  desk  with  magnets  for  each  student  in  my  class.  Each  magnet  will  have  a  student  name  on  it.  On  this  whiteboard  I  will  have  the  lunch  choices  posted  for  that  day.  There  will  be  the  lunch  options  that  the  school  is  offering,  as  well  as  a  home  lunch  option.  Each  morning,  my  students  will  get  into  the  routine  of  coming  up  to  this  whiteboard,  finding  their  name,  and  moving  their  magnet  under  the  lunch  option  that  they  would  like  for  that  particular  day.  This  will  be  a  classroom  procedure  that  will  be  practiced.  Each  child  will  be  expected  to  move  their  magnet  before  the  morning  bell  rings  and  class  starts.  I  can  easily  

count  up  the  number  of  lunches  under  each  option  to  send  down  to  the  office  as  the  class  starts  their  morning  routine.  This  doubles  as  an  attendance  procedure  because  I  will  easily  be  able  to  see  who  is  not  in  my  class,  by  looking  at  who  did  not  move  their  magnet.  Of  course,  I  will  double  check  to  see  if  the  students  are  actually  not  in  class  or  if  they  just  forgot  to  move  their  magnet,  especially  during  the  first  few  weeks  of  school.  This  allows  me  to  take  lunch  count  and  attendance  without  taking  any  class  time  away  from  my  students,  and  it  maximizes  their  learning  time.    

 3.  New  Students     Being  a  new  student  can  be  a  very  scary  experience,  and  it  is  the  job  of  the  classroom  teacher  to  help  make  their  transition  into  a  new  classroom  as  easy  and  seamless  as  possible.  In  the  beginning  of  the  school  year,  each  student  in  my  classroom  will  be  a  new  student  to  my  class  on  the  first  day.  To  ease  their  transition  into  a  new  year  and  a  new  teacher,  I  will  send  a  letter  home  to  the  parents  as  well  as  to  the  students  before  the  school  year  starts.  This  letter  will  contain  information  on  how  to  be  successful  in  my  class,  along  with  contact  information,  a  list  of  needed  school  supplies,  my  classroom  management  plan,  a  list  of  important  dates  to  remember,  and  most  importantly,  my  letter  will  say  how  excited  I  am  for  the  new  school  year  to  begin  and  to  have  each  student  in  my  class.       On  the  first  day  of  school,  I  will  stand  by  the  door  and  introduce  myself  to  each  student  who  walks  in  with  a  smile.  I  will  have  nametags  on  their  assigned  desks  so  that  each  student  knows  where  to  sit,  and  there  will  be  a  fun  assignment  for  the  students  on  their  desk  for  them  to  complete.  I  will  make  sure  that  my  classroom  is  a  welcoming  and  safe  environment  so  that  each  and  every  student  feels  at  ease  on  their  first  day  in  a  new  class.       For  new  students  that  enter  my  classroom  throughout  the  year,  I  will  be  sure  to  make  this  transition  as  easy  as  possible  for  them.  Before  they  arrive  in  my  classroom,  I  will  prep  my  class  for  having  a  new  student.  This  will  be  a  great  way  to  have  a  discussion  about  what  it  might  feel  like  to  be  “the  new  kid”  or  how  they  could  help  this  new  student  feel  at  home  in  our  classroom.  On  the  day  that  the  new  student  arrives,  I  will  already  have  a  desk  set  up  in  my  room  for  them  with  a  nametag  on  it.  I  will  give  them  a  folder  of  handouts  of  classroom  rules  and  procedures  that  the  rest  of  the  class  talked  about  in  the  first  weeks  of  school.  I  will  be  sure  to  go  over  these  rules  with  the  student  and  it  might  even  be  helpful  to  review  this  with  the  whole  class  if  some  students  need  some  reminders  of  what  is  expected  of  them.  I  will  be  sure  to  make  the  new  student  feel  at  home  in  my  class  by  doing  activities  that  will  let  

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them  be  involved  in  the  class  and  meet  their  new  classmates.  I  will  also  make  sure  to  remember  that  this  is  a  new  student,  and  that  they  need  time  to  acclimate  to  a  new  class.  I  will  continue  to  help  them  and  to  remind  them  of  the  rules  and  procedures  when  necessary  until  they  have  had  enough  time  to  get  the  hang  of  my  classroom.  I  will  make  each  new  student  feel  special  and  safe  in  my  classroom  so  that  they  can  learn  and  grow  to  their  fullest  potential.      

“A place for everything and everything in its place.”

-Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs

4.  Classroom  Order     The  best  way  to  keep  your  classroom  orderly  is  to  make  sure  that  there  is  a  place  for  everything  in  your  classroom  and  that  each  student  knows  where  everything  should  go.  I  would  do  this  by  labeling.  There  would  be  labels  on  drawers,  bins,  and  storage  containers  that  say  exactly  what  is  contained  in  them.  This  way  students  can  find  what  they  need,  as  well  as  able  to  put  everything  back  into  the  correct  spot.  Things  that  will  be  in  labeled  containers  can  range  from  art  supplies  and  game  pieces,  to  books  and  worksheets.       I  will  also  be  sure  to  give  students  enough  time  at  the  end  of  activities  or  at  the  end  of  the  day  to  make  sure  they  put  everything  that  they  used  away.  Each  student  will  be  expected  to  keep  track  of  everything  they  borrowed  from  a  labeled  bin,  and  to  put  each  item  back  into  the  correct  bin.       As  the  teacher,  I  will  make  sure  that  I  am  very  orderly  and  organized  in  my  classroom.  I  will  keep  my  records,  lesson  plans,  and  supplies  where  I  can  access  them  easily  and  where  they  will  not  be  lost.  I  will  make  sure  that  my  classroom  is  organized.  By  displaying  my  expectations  for  order  and  organization  with  my  own  actions,  my  students  will  see  the  modeled  expectations  and  follow  my  lead.  If  the  teacher  is  organized,  then  their  students  are  more  likely  to  be  organized  as  well.       Another  way  to  keep  order  in  my  classroom  is  to  keep  a  daily  schedule  visible  to  all  students.  Having  a  daily  routine  is  very  important  in  an  organized  classroom,  but  daily  specials,  such  as  gym  class,  or  music/art,  schedules  are  often  different  from  day  to  day.  This  is  why  I  would  have  the  schedule  for  the  day  posted  so  that  each  student  knows  what  to  expect  for  the  day  and  knows  what  they  should  be  doing.  This  schedule  will  be  in  the  same  spot  in  the  classroom  everyday  so  the  students  know  exactly  where  to  look.  A  spot  on  one  of  the  whiteboards  in  my  classroom  will  be  reserved  for  this  schedule.  This  will  minimize  confusion  and  help  facilitate  easy  and  smooth  transitions  between  subjects  and  activities.      5.  Student  Desks     My  students  will  be  expected  to  keep  their  desks  clean  and  organized.  I  will  teach  them  strategies  on  how  to  keep  their  desks  as  organized  as  possible,  such  as  having  notebook  and  folders  on  one  side,  and  books  on  the  other.  I  will  also  require  each  student  to  

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have  a  pencil  case  inside  their  desk  to  keep  all  of  their  pencils  and  other  loose  items.  This  keeps  the  amount  of  lost  items  at  a  minimum  as  well  as  makes  it  easier  to  keep  their  desks  clean.       Each  day  my  students  will  be  expected  to  keep  their  desks  clean.  They  all  have  “take  home  cubbies”,  so  everything  in  their  desks  should  be  what  stays  at  school.  Everyday,  before  lunch  and  recess,  my  students  will  need  to  clean  their  desktops.  Everything  that  they  might  have  used  in  the  beginning  of  the  day  must  be  put  away  in  its  correct  place.  The  only  thing  that  should  be  on  the  top  of  their  desks  will  be  their  planners.  When  they  are  at  recess,  I  can  check  to  see  if  their  parents  signed  their  planners.  This  is  just  one  way  that  I  will  use  to  communicate  with  parents.  Students  will  also  be  required  to  clean  their  desktops  at  the  end  of  each  day  before  they  are  able  to  leave  my  classroom.  I  expect  each  student  to  be  able  to  take  care  of  his  or  her  own  space.  I  will  also  set  aside  a  few  minutes  of  class  time  once  a  month  (or  every  time  the  students  move  seats)  to  do  a  big  clean  out  of  desks.  This  is  where  students  can  go  through  everything  and  throw  away  stray  papers  or  scraps.  This  cleaning  process  should  not  take  long  because  my  students  are  expected  to  have  their  desks  clean  and  organized  everyday.  Being  organized  is  very  important  and  it  will  teach  my  students  to  take  care  of  their  own  belongings  and  be  responsible  for  their  own  space.      6.  Displaying  Student  Work     Displaying  the  work  of  your  students  is  a  very  important  aspect  of  a  welcoming  and  supportive  classroom  community.  Every  classroom  should  be  a  reflection  of  the  students  who  learn  in  it,  and  this  can  be  done  by  displaying  students’  work  both  inside  the  classroom,  either  on  bulletin  boards  or  hanging  from  the  ceiling,  as  well  as  out  in  the  hallway.  Having  their  work  put  up  for  everyone  to  see  allows  students  to  have  pride  in  their  effort.  Seeing  their  work  gives  them  a  sense  of  accomplishment  and  is  a  great  motivation  technique  to  use  in  the  classroom.  Although  I  believe  putting  up  students’  work  is  important,  the  decision  will  ultimately  be  left  up  to  my  students.  I  will  be  sure  to  tell  my  students  ahead  of  time  if  I  plan  on  displaying  their  work,  and  if  a  student  does  not  want  their  work  displayed  for  some  reason,  then  they  can  simply  draw  a  small  X  by  their  name.  Displaying  student  work  not  only  gives  the  classroom  a  sense  of  community,  but  it  also  increases  student  enthusiasm  and  gives  them  satisfaction  in  their  work.      Part  II:  Disciplinary  Policies  and  Professional  Ethics    A:  Disciplinary  Policies    1.  Consequences     With  every  rule  or  expectation,  there  are  consequences.  In  my  classroom  there  will  be  positive  and  negative  consequences.  Negative  consequences  will  be  dispersed  because  of  classroom  or  school  rule  infractions  or  misbehavior,  and  positive  consequences  or  rewards  will  be  given  out  for  following  both  classroom  and  school  rules.    

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My classroom behavior will be monitored by a clip system. Each student’s name will be on a clothespin and each child’s clip will start on the green section of the clipboard each day. The clipboard has a green section, a yellow section, an orange section, and a red section. The students will need to move their clip if they misbehave or break the rules of my classroom. The yellow section is a warning. If the student moves their clip to yellow, they know they have broken a rule and have gotten a warning to change their behavior. The orange section means that the student will need to fill out a “think sheet.” Student will have to sit at the back table until they have finished filling out this sheet. A think sheet has three questions on it that force the student to think about their behavior and how they could fix it. The first question asks them what their behavior was. The second asks them to explain why this behavior is not acceptable in the classroom. The third question asks the child to describe what they can do next time. In this section they can describe how they can change their behavior or how they can handle a certain situation better next time. The red section of the clipboard, or “red zone” is reserved for more serious infractions. If a student has to move their clip to this section, then they loose their recess time. This is always based on severity of the misbehavior. If the student needs a break from the classroom to cool down, then I can send them into a partner teacher’s classroom for a few minutes until they are ready to rejoin my class. Multiple “red zones” in a day result in contacting the parents. I will only involve the office as a last resort. I believe it is the classroom teacher’s job to handle his or her class and the principal and office staff are a last resort for behavior issues, and should be reserved for crisis of extreme behaviors. I can also choose to have students skip over certain sections of the chart and move this clip more than one degree depending on the offense and severity of the behavior. After the first few weeks of school the yellow zone of the clip system can be removed after my students have had time to adjust. This would mean that students would no longer get a warning for rule infractions and they would have to go straight to filling out a think sheet about their actions. I will be sure to have a conversation with my students about this change before I put it into actions. I would explain that I have faith in them to follow the rules of the classroom and I expect them to be able to do this without a warning or reminder.

Schools  often  have  set  consequences  for  their  rules,  and  I  will  abide  by  those  in  my  classroom.  If  it  is  a  school  rule  that  a  student  gets  a  detention  or  a  demerit  if  they  are  caught  texting  in  class,  then  it  is  my  obligation  to  follow  through  on  the  determined  consequences.  My  classroom  will  also  work  together  to  earn  “class  points.”  This  creates  a  sense  of  community  and  unifies  the  class  towards  a  common  goal.  Once  the  class  has  reached  100  class  points,  then  they  will  earn  a  reward  of  their  choosing.  The  class  will  be  able  to  vote  on  the  class  reward  that  they  would  like  out  of  the  options  that  I  give  them.  Some  options  will  be  a  class  party,  pajama  day,  or  extra  free  learning  time.  If  the  class  as  a  whole  is  misbehaving  or  breaking  classroom  or  school  rules,  then  they  will  loose  some  of  their  class  points.  This  also  works  for  positive  consequences  and  reinforcement.  The  entire  class  can  earn  points  for  good  behavior  and  following  classroom  or  school  rules.  This  way  they  are  reinforced  for  their  good  behavior  and  get  rewarded  with  something  that  they  want.       Another  way  that  I  will  give  positive  consequences  to  my  students  for  following  my  classroom  expectations  as  well  as  the  school  rules  is  to  give  out  “behavior  bucks.”  I  will  give  out  these  bills  when  I  see  a  child  following  the  rules  and  exhibiting  positive  behavior.  This  will  reinforce  the  behavior  that  I  want  to  see  in  all  of  my  students.  When  a  student  gets  a  behavior  bill,  they  will  write  their  name  on  it  and  then  put  it  in  the  “behavior  bank.”  At  the  end  of  each  month,  I  will  draw  three  names  from  the  behavior  bank  and  the  winners  receive  prizes.  This  will  motivate  the  students  to  follow  expectations,  as  well  as  gives  each  student  

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something  to  strive  for  individually.  This  system  is  a  great  way  to  reinforce  positive  behaviors  and  reward  students  for  being  start  students.      2.  Student  Disrespect     Disrespect  will  not  be  tolerated  in  my  classroom.  Each  student  will  know  this  starting  from  the  first  day  of  school.  One  of  my  classroom  rules  is  “be  respectful”  and  we  will  have  a  discussion  about  what  exactly  being  respectful  entails.  My  students  will  know  what  is  expected  of  them  and  that  disrespectful  behavior  will  not  be  allowed  in  my  class.  Student  disrespect  to  other  students,  other  teachers,  or  to  myself  will  be  handled  swiftly  and  fairly.  I  will  start  out  by  saying,  “that  was  very  disrespectful,  and  it  is  NOT  ok.”  I  will  then  have  the  student  fill  out  a  think  sheet,  describing  their  disrespectful  actions  or  comments,  why  this  behavior  is  unacceptable,  and  then  how  they  could  have  handled  things  differently  or  how  they  will  change  their  actions  for  next  time.  This  allows  the  student  to  reflect  on  their  behavior,  and  realize  that  disrespect  is  not  tolerated  in  my  classroom.  After  the  student  has  filled  out  the  think  sheet,  they  will  be  expected  to  verbally  apologize  to  whomever  they  were  disrespectful  to.  This  could  include  other  students  (even  the  entire  class  in  certain  instances),  other  teachers,  or  to  myself.  They  will  be  expected  to  make  an  apology  for  their  actions  and  then  say  why  they  were  wrong.  This  strategy  of  handling  disrespect  will  allow  my  students  to  realize  quickly  that  my  classroom  does  not  tolerate  disrespectful  behavior,  and  it  will  decrease  the  amount  of  this  disrespect  in  my  classroom  very  quickly.    Disrespect  will  not  be  tolerated  between  students  and  students,  students  and  other  teachers  in  the  school,  or  student  and  myself.      3.  Student  Conflict  on  the  Playground       School  rules  and  policies  are  very  important  for  playground  conflict.  Each  child  must  be  treated  fairly  regardless  of  what  classroom  or  grade  they  are  in.  Schools  should  have  policies  in  place  for  what  to  do  in  the  instance  of  a  playground  conflict.  If  a  fight  breaks  out  on  the  playground,  the  first  step  is  to  remove  all  of  the  other  students  from  the  scene.  Often  

there  will  be  students  who  are  watching  the  fight,  and  removing  them  from  this  danger  zone  is  important.  Have  one  of  the  students  run  and  get  the  authorized  personnel  who  are  designated  to  handle  crisis  and  physical  behavior.  Next  try  to  calm  the  students  down.  Do  not  try  to  solve  the  problem  until  both  parties  have  had  enough  time  to  cool  off.  Only  after  the  students  have  calmed  down  can  you  try  to  problem  solve  any  further.  If  there  is  a  conflict  on  the  playground  that  does  not  

involve  physical  aggression,  separate  the  students  and  give  them  time  to  cool  off,  and  then  problem  solve  with  them  after  they  have  had  time  to  settle  down.  Keeping  each  student  safe  on  the  playground  needs  to  be  a  priority  for  all  teachers  and  staff.  Students  should  know  the  playground  rules  that  are  put  in  place  to  keep  them  safe.  There  should  also  be  a  school  wide  consequences  for  rule  breaking  on  the  playground  so  that  each  teacher  or  staff  member  can  be  fair  to  each  student.      4.  Motivation  

  Good  motivation  techniques  in  the  classroom  can  help  students  reach  their  full  potential  and  learn  to  the  best  of  their  abilities.  Motivation  helps  to  combat  instances  of  students  not  getting  their  work  done,  or  not  trying  to  get  their  work  done.  It  also  helps  to  

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combat  students’  inattentiveness.  Motivation  can  successfully  keep  students  on  task  throughout  the  school  day.  One  way  that  I  will  keep  students  motivated  is  by  using  a  lot  of  verbal  inspiration,  also  known  as  praise.  I  will  do  this  by  using  my  words  to  encourage  students  and  make  them  feel  good  about  their  work.  Kind  words  can  do  a  lot  to  boost  a  student’s  self  esteem.  I  will  be  sure  to  verbally  tell  a  student  when  I  like  what  I  see.  If  they  are  working  really  hard  and  staying  on  task,  I  will  tell  them  that  I  am  impressed  by  their  hard  work.  If  I  see  them  doing  something  positive  in  the  classroom,  I  will  verbally  tell  them  that  I  appreciate  the  behavior  they  are  exhibiting.  This  will  not  only  continue  to  encourage  the  students  who  are  doing  well,  but  it  will  also  promote  positive  behavior  in  other  students  because  they  want  the  verbal  recognition  from  their  teacher.  I  will  be  sure  to  be  specific  in  my  praising  students.  I  will  make  sure  to  praise  the  action  and  behavior,  not  the  child.  For  example,  if  a  student  is  staying  on  task  and  working  hard  on  their  spelling  assignment,  I  

would  say,  “I  really  like  how  you  are  staying  on  task  and  concentrating  on  your  spelling  work,”  instead  of  saying,  “I  like  you  because  you  are  working  on  your  spelling.”  The  praise  will  be  specific  and  related  to  the  behavior  or  actions  of  the  child.  I  will  also  be  sure  to  do  private  praise  for  my  students.  Public  praise  has  its  place,  but  praising  a  student  in  private  helps  them  to  see  that  I  took  the  time  out  of  my  schedule  to  praise  them  and  make  them  feel  good  about  their  work.  This  shows  them  that  I  care  and  that  I  see  how  they  are  working  and  behaving  in  the  classroom.  

It  will  be  very  important  to  include  my  students’  interests  as  I  plan  my  lessons.  This  will  help  hold  student  attention  and  get  them  motivated.  Students  are  naturally  more  motivated  to  learn  about  what  interests  them,  and  I  will  be  sure  to  get  to  know  my  students  well  enough  that  I  can  incorporate  their  interests  to  help  facilitate  motivation.  I  can  use  student  interests  in  all  levels  of  instructional  planning.  I  will  make  sure  to  include  anticipatory  sets  in  my  lessons  to  get  my  students’  attention,  which  will  help  to  get  them  motivated  for  the  lesson.  I  will  also  include  motivation  techniques  throughout  the  lesson  to  keep  my  students’  attention  and  motivational  levels  up.  At  the  end  of  a  lesson  to  review,  I  can  use  motivational  techniques  such  as  using  interest,  class  points,  or  praise  to  make  sure  that  students  are  still  motivated  to  finish  the  lesson  strong  and  so  I  can  informally  assess  if  my  students  understood  the  lesson.    

I  will  be  sure  to  write  specific  feedback  on  all  of  my  students’  formal  evaluations,  worksheets,  etc.  Anything  that  my  students  turn  into  me  I  will  write  feedback  about  what  I  specifically  liked  about  their  project  or  test,  and  what  they  can  do  to  improve  for  next  time.  This  will  help  combat  frustration  from  students  and  will  help  motivate  them  to  do  their  best  the  next  time.  If  a  student  does  well  on  a  test,  instead  of  writing,  “good  job,”  I  would  be  more  specific  and  say,  “I  was  impressed  by  knowledge  of  volcanoes.  This  was  evident  in  the  short  answer  sections  where  you  described  each  type  of  volcano  thoroughly.”  This  helps  students  know  what  I  like  to  see,  reinforces  that  behavior,  and  also  gives  them  praise.     Another  motivation  technique  that  I  will  use  in  my  classroom  is  putting  stickers  on  students’  nametags.  Every  student  will  have  a  nametag  on  their  desk,  and  every  time  that  I  see  this  student  following  directions  really  well,  or  being  a  great  helper,  or  if  they  get  a  100%  on  a  test,  they  will  get  a  sticker.  Once  the  student  surrounds  their  entire  nametag  with  stickers,  they  get  to  choose  a  prize.  Prizes  can  be  things  like  fun  erasers,  pencils,  or  notebooks.  This  will  increase  the  child’s  motivation  to  be  on  their  best  behavior,  to  follow  the  classroom  expectations,  and  to  do  their  best  academically.    

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  I  will  require  my  students  to  get  their  planner  signed  by  their  parents  every  night.  I  do  this  as  a  great  way  to  get  parents  involved,  and  also  to  make  sure  that  each  of  my  students  takes  out  their  planner  each  night  to  make  sure  that  they  finished  all  of  their  homework.  Every  day,  before  my  students  head  out  to  lunch,  they  will  leave  their  planners  on  their  desks  open  to  the  previous  day.  I  will  give  each  student  a  sticker  if  they  have  their  parent  or  guardian’s  signature  in  their  planner.  If  a  child  gets  a  sticker  for  every  day  of  the  week,  then  they  will  get  to  choose  a  small  prize,  like  a  pencil  or  fun  eraser.  Students  will  also  have  the  option  of  putting  off  their  rewards  for  larger  prizes.  For  example,  saving  up  25  stickers  would  reward  the  child  with  a  one-­‐on-­‐one  lunch  with  their  teacher.  This  will  really  motivate  kids,  and  helps  to  bridge  the  communication  gap  between  teachers  and  parents.       Another  motivation  technique  that  I  will  use  in  my  classroom  is  awards.  I  have  already  touched  on  “behavior  bucks”  and  these  rewards  can  be  very  motivating  to  students.  Awarding  class  points  is  also  a  great  motivation  technique  for  the  entire  class.  This  helps  the  whole  class  work  together  as  a  community  and  work  towards  a  common  goal.  This  motivates  students  to  follow  class  expectations,  be  on  their  best  behavior,  and  do  their  best  academically.      5.  Classroom  Disruptions     Classroom  disruptions  will  be  handled  quickly  and  fairly.  Learning  time  is  extremely  valuable  and  disruptions  take  away  from  the  rest  of  the  class’  learning  opportunities.  Each  minute  is  a  precious  opportunity  to  learn.  If  a  student  is  being  disruptive  in  my  class,  I  will  deal  with  the  problem  as  quickly  as  possible  so  as  not  to  take  away  learning  time  from  the  rest  of  my  students.  If  a  student  is  being  disruptive,  I  will  calmly  give  them  limited  choices.  One  choice  will  be  to  stop  the  disruptive  behavior  and  join  the  rest  of  the  class,  and  the  other  choice  will  be  the  consequence  choice.  The  usual  consequence  will  be  to  sit  for  five  minutes  at  the  back  table  where  they  won’t  disrupt  the  rest  of  the  class.  I  will  be  sure  to  follow  through  on  the  consequence  choice  if  that  is  what  the  student  chooses.  If  a  student  has  a  certain  behavior  that  is  constantly  disrupting  the  class,  like  blurting  out  answers  instead  of  raising  their  hand,  I  will  require  the  student  to  come  in  for  a  recess  academy.  This  is  simply  a  3-­‐5  minute  session  where  I  will  have  the  student  come  in  during  the  beginning  of  their  recess  time  to  practice  the  skill  that  is  disrupting  the  class.  This  will  be  a  quick  lesson  and  it  will  include  a  lot  of  positive  encouragement.  This  is  meant  to  be  a  learning  experience  for  the  child  and  to  fix  the  disruptive  behavior  without  using  valuable  class  time.        6.  Tardiness       Tardiness  in  my  classroom  will  result  in  a  tardy  slip,  and  students  will  be  expected  to  make  up  any  work  that  they  may  have  missed  if  they  do  not  have  a  valid  excuse  for  being  tardy.  A  parent  note  or  a  note  from  the  office  is  a  valid  excuse,  but  they  will  still  need  to  make  up  the  work  that  they  missed.  Class  time  is  very  valuable,  and  if  a  student  misses  due  to  tardiness,  then  they  will  be  expected  to  come  in  and  make  it  up  either  during  their  free  time,  recess,  or  even  after  school.  I  understand  that  things  come  up,  and  tardiness  happens,  and  I  am  willing  to  work  

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with  students  with  what  they  have  missed.  If  the  student  does  not  have  an  excuse  for  tardiness  three  times  in  one  week,  then  a  call  home  will  be  necessary.  Parents  should  know  if  their  child  is  not  getting  into  the  classroom  on  time  and  missing  precious  class  time.  I  can  also  talk  to  the  parents  about  how  to  fix  the  situation.  Maybe  leaving  earlier  for  school  is  necessary,  or  having  rewards  at  home  for  tardy  free  weeks.  Making  it  to  school  on  time  is  of  the  utmost  importance  and  I  will  be  sure  to  help  my  students  in  any  way  that  I  can.  My  class  will  start  with  the  bell  and  any  missed  work  will  need  to  be  made  up.      7.  Cheating       Cheating  will  not  be  tolerated  in  my  classroom.  In  the  beginning  of  the  year,  each  of  my  students  will  sign  a  no  cheating  agreement.  This  agreement  will  be  explained  and  discussed  in  detail  so  that  each  student  knows  what  the  consequences  for  cheating  are  and  why  cheating  is  wrong.  If  I  see  a  child  cheating  I  will  give  them  a  zero  on  the  assignment  or  test.  After  the  initial  cheating  instance,  I  will  call  home  to  the  parents  to  explain  the  situation  and  explain  why  their  child  received  a  zero.  The  child  will  also  have  to  write  an  apology  letter  explaining  why  cheating  is  wrong,  and  what  they  can  do  better  in  the  future.  For  the  first  cheating  offence,  I  will  give  the  child  the  opportunity  to  retake  the  test  or  the  

assignment  for  half  credit.  My  students  are  still  young  and  make  mistakes.  This  will  be  a  learning  experience  for  them,  and  I  don’t  want  one  zero  to  weight  down  their  entire  grade.  This  is  why  the  first  offence  has  the  option  to  retake  for  half  credit.  If  they  are  ever  caught  cheating  again,  then  there  will  be  no  option  to  retake  to  test,  quiz,  or  assignment,  and  they  will  have  to  call  their  parents  themselves  to  explain  what  they  did.  They  will  also  have  to  write  an  apology  letter  to  the  principal,  explaining  what  they  did  and  why  it  was  wrong.    

 8.  Classroom  Environment:  

Creating a respectful, safe, and supportive learning environment is a high priority in every classroom so that students can learn to the best of their abilities. I want to create a classroom atmosphere where my students feel safe, both physically and emotionally, respected by their peers and by the teacher, supported by their classmates and by myself, and where they are celebrated for their individuality, talents, and opinions. I want to have relationships with my students that are based on mutual trust, which will help to foster positive attitudes in my classroom as well as participation form the students, which leads to achievement. Each student should feel like they have the ability to learn and they should know that I, as the teacher, will do everything I can do help them learn. In order to create this type of atmosphere in my classroom, I will make sure that my management techniques are fair to each student and that I am consistent when enforcing my rules and procedures. I will not tolerate disrespect from students or students disrespecting each other. I also believe that students need to have respect for the physical classroom and this will be promoted through procedures for cleaning and keeping the classroom clean and organized. Students need to feel safe in order to learn. I will make sure that students know the safety procedures for my classroom so that they know what to do in case of an emergency. I also want my students to feel emotionally safe. To create this type of environment I will make sure my students know that making mistakes is ok, they just need to keep trying. I will support my students at the level they are currently at, and I will scaffold them until they are successful. I will also make

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sure my students realize that trying again is not something to be looked down upon, but applauded. I will be sure to praise my students for trying again, and fixing their work that needed improvement. I will also be sure to incorporate cultural differences into my classroom so that each student feels represented and important no matter where they come from. Differences will be celebrated in my classroom and individuality will be valued. I will care for each and every one of my students. My students will know that they are valued in my eyes and that they are important. I will work hard to form connections with each of my students and get to know them as individuals. I will maintain and reinforce appropriate student behavior through my rules and procedures management system. There will be consequences for broken rules and poor behavior, but positive behavior will be reinforced with rewards or praise. I will make sure to be consistent with both positive and negative consequences with all of my students. Being consistent is one of the biggest things I can do in my classroom to make students feel like they are in a fair learning environment and that they are seen as equals in the eyes of their teacher. This will help boost their self-esteem, their work ethic, and help to prevent behavior problems in the classroom. Specific consequences and rewards are explained in the “Responses to Misbehavior section.” I will promote cooperation between my students by teaching my students how to work in groups, and my expectations for behavior during group work. Students will then be able to recognize appropriate behavior and cooperate with their peers. I will also expect cooperation from my students with myself. I will expect my students to cooperate when I give directions, and when I have to deal with disruptive behavior. I will show my students the respect they deserve, and I expect this respect in return. I believe that if students feel that they are heard and appreciated in the classroom then they will cooperate in the classroom and there will be far fewer management issues. I will make sure that each student feels that they matter and that their opinions and ideas are heard. This will help foster a learning environment that promotes learning and growing.  9.  Parent/Guardian  or  Principal  Involvement     I  believe  that  parent  or  guardian  involvement  is  very  important  when  dealing  with  student  misbehavior.  They  might  have  insight  into  why  their  child  is  acting  out  that  I  never  would  have  known  otherwise.  I  also  think  that  it  is  important  for  the  classroom  teacher  to  work  together  with  the  parents  or  guardians  to  work  towards  a  common  goal  for  the  student.  Parents  will  be  notified  if  their  child  cheats,  and  also  if  they  have  multiple  tardy  slips  in  one  week.  Other  types  of  behavior  problems  that  are  persistent  will  also  result  in  a  parent  notification.  When  parent/teacher  conferences  roll  around,  the  parents  should  never  be  surprised  by  anything  the  teacher  says,  especially  with  behavior  issues.  The  teacher  should  always  be  in  contact  with  the  parents  or  guardians  and  they  should  work  together  to  help  the  child  in  any  way  possible.       Principal  involvement  in  student  discipline  issues  should  be  reserved  for  extreme  circumstances.  It  is  the  classroom  teacher’s  job  to  control  behavioral  issues  in  his  or  her  own  class,  and  principals  should  only  be  called  for  major  issues.  Principals  have  a  lot  to  worry  about,  and  they  should  not  be  called  into  every  classroom  every  time  there  is  a  behavior  problem.  I  would  involve  my  principal  if  there  was  ever  a  crisis  in  my  classroom  where  my  students  are  in  danger.  I  would  also  involve  my  principal  if  a  particular  student  has  had  repeated  problems  that  are  detrimental  to  other  students’  learning,  but  I  would  only  involve  the  principal  after  I  had  tried  many  interventions  myself.  Teacher  should  be  in  charge  of  their  class.  Students  respect  their  teachers  much  more  when  they  see  them  handling  classroom  problems  on  their  own  instead  of  constantly  relying  on  their  principal.    

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 B:  Professional  Ethics    1.  Professional  Behavior     I  will  always  maintain  a  professional  behavior  while  I  am  in  school.  Teachers  are  held  to  very  high  standards,  and  I  will  always  uphold  my  responsibilities  as  a  role  model,  a  caretaker,  and  a  teacher.  Parents  need  to  trust  that  their  children  are  in  good  hands  during  the  school  day,  and  I  will  always  be  professional  and  respectful  to  show  them  that  I  am  a  

very  trustworthy  teacher.  I  will  always  dress  appropriately,  and  everything  that  I  say  will  be  professional  and  suitable  for  the  situation.  School  is  a  place  for  learning,  and  that  will  be  my  ultimate  priority  as  a  teacher.  Everything  I  say  or  do  should  be  to  improve  my  students’  learning  and  time  in  school.  I  will  attend  all  professional  meetings,  and  I  will  always  strive  to  do  my  best.  I  believe  that  teachers  are  life  long  learners,  and  I  will  continue  to  learn  as  much  as  I  can  throughout  my  career.      

2.  Lounge  Gossip     I  will  not  participate  in  any  lounge  gossip,  whether  it  is  about  other  teachers  or  students.  Gossip  is  not  professional  behavior  and  I  will  not  participate  in  degrading  or  talking  about  others.  I  think  that  the  only  instance  where  it  is  alright  to  talk  about  an  individual  student  is  if  you  need  help  or  ideas  on  how  to  make  their  learning  experience  more  productive  or  successful.  Teachers  have  great  ideas  and  it  is  wonderful  to  share  these  plans  with  others.  Talk  among  teachers  should  always  be  professional,  and  I  will  personally  not  participate  in  any  gossip  if  it  occurs.      3.  Colleague  Disagreements     There  will  always  be  disagreements  and  differences  in  opinions  in  the  workplace.  I  understand  this  and  I  will  always  remain  professional  even  if  I  do  not  see  eye  to  eye  with  a  coworker.  Compromise  and  understanding  are  great  strategies  to  satisfying  disagreements,  and  I  will  always  remember  to  respect  my  colleagues  even  if  we  have  differences  of  opinion.  Even  if  I  might  disagree  with  a  coworker,  I  will  only  bring  it  to  the  attention  of  the  principal  if  I  truly  believe  that  my  coworker  is  being  detrimental  to  a  student’s  learning  and  the  situation  is  very  serious.  Every  teacher  has  different  ideas  and  different  preferences  of  teaching,  and  some  methods  may  differ  from  mine,  but  I  will  still  respect  my  colleagues  and  I  will  never  stop  searching  for  new  and  interesting  techniques  and  strategies  that  will  benefit  my  students.      4.  Principal  Disagreements     I  understand  that  I  may  not  agree  with  everything  that  my  principal  says  or  believes,  but  I  will  always  stand  by  him  or  her  on  their  decisions.  I  will  support  my  principal  in  any  way  possible,  and  do  whatever  I  can  to  help.  If  a  disagreement  occurs,  I  will  voice  my  opinion,  when  I  feel  it  is  necessary,  in  a  very  professional  and  non-­‐confrontational  manner.  I  will  always  respect  and  adhere  to  the  final  decisions  made  by  my  principal  and  I  will  always  value  their  opinions  and  knowledge.    

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 Part  III:  Classroom  Routines  and  Procedures    1.  Establishing  Rules  and  Expectations     Classroom  rules  and  expectations  should  be  explained  on  the  first  day  of  school.  I  will  sit  my  students  down  and  have  a  conversation  with  them  about  what  kind  of  behavior  I  expect  out  of  my  students  and  why  these  are  so  important.  I  think  that  having  them  discuss  the  reasons  behind  my  rules  will  help  them  see  why  they  are  relevant. I will also have my students help to create our classroom set of rules because I believe this helps to hold students accountable for their own actions, gives them a sense of ownership, and helps them understand why following the rules is important. Students are more likely to follow rules that they understand and helped to create, than rules strictly set up by the teacher. This allows students to take personal responsibility for their actions, and gives them a sense of power over their classroom experience. I will have a set of rules in mind when I begin the conversation with my students, and I will lead them through discussion to the rules I want to have in place in my classroom. In my classroom I will have my own set of rules and expectations that I will expect each of my students to follow. I will keep this list short, and positive.  In  my  classroom  I  will  have  my  own  set  of  rules  and  expectations  that  I  will  expect  each  of  my  students  to  follow.  I  will  keep  this  list  short,  and  positive.  In  my  classroom,  I  will  call  my  rules,  “expectations”  because  these  are  things  that  I  expect  each  student  to  do.  My  classroom  expectations  are  as  follows:  

1. Raise  your  hand  when  you  want  to  speak  2. Listen  when  others  are  speaking  3. Be  respectful  4. Stay  on  task  5. Try  your  best  

Each  of  these  expectations  are  important,  and  I  will  go  over  each  one  with  the  students  so  that  they  understand  what  each  expectation  entails.  Many  students  might  not  understand  what  “be  respectful”  would  mean,  and  explaining  this  and  having  discussions  with  my  

students  is  very  important  for  them  to  be  able  to  take  responsibility  for  these  expectations.  I would also have a conversation about rule number one explaining that this rule applies to whole group class time when I am teaching. It would not necessarily be appropriate to raise their hand when they are having small group or partner discussions. Each rule will need to be discussed and expanded upon so that students know exactly what each expectation entails and what behavior they will be expected to show. These expectations will be posed on my classroom wall, as a constant reminder of what behavior should look like in my classroom.

I determined my set of classroom rules, or expectations, by first thinking about what I want my students to accomplish in my classroom and what I want the classroom climate to be like. The major influence on my classroom rules came from my many practicum experiences. I thought about what I have seen that worked well in a classroom, and also thought about the problems I have seen in different classrooms and how these issues can be avoided by create classroom expectations that address this type of behavior. I also thought about how I want my classroom to look and sound. For example, I want my students to be quite while the teacher or a classmate is

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talking, so I made a rule to listen while others are talking. I also want to hear respectful comments in my classroom, and I want my students to treat others with the respect they deserve.   I  will  also  have  my  students  create  their  own  class  expectations.  I  will  guide  their  discussion  and  help  them  blend  their  answers,  but  I  want  my  students  to  be  the  thinkers  and  decide  what  their  own  expectations  for  themselves  and  their  classmates  will  be.  This  allows  students  to  take  personal  responsibility  for  their  actions,  and  gives  them  a  sense  of  power  over  their  classroom  experience.  These  student  expectations,  as  well  as  my  teacher  expectations  will  be  posted  on  my  classroom  wall,  as  a  constant  reminder  of  what  behavior  should  be  like  in  my  classroom.       I  will  also  have  the  school  rules  posted  in  my  room.  I  think  that  this  is  important  because  a  school  is  a  community,  and  it  is  important  to  obey  the  rules  of  the  school  in  addition  to  the  rules  of  your  individual  classroom.  These  school  rules  set  the  expectations  for  every  child  no  matter  where  they  are  in  the  school.  These  rules  are  the  same  in  the  classroom,  on  the  playground,  and  in  the  lunchroom,  and  every  staff  member  should  know  these  rules  so  that  they  are  able  to  enforce  them.  This  will  give  the  students  a  sense  of  consistency,  and  they  will  always  know  what  is  expected  of  their  behavior  while  they  are  in  school.    

In addition to communicating classroom and school rules with my students, I will also have to communicate them with parents and even administrators. I will send home a list of my classroom and school rules to parents in a letter home before the school year begins. I will also post my rules and expectations on any classroom blog, as well as post it in the first newsletter or email home to parents. I will be sure to give my administrators copies of this so they are also aware of my expectations for my students.    2.  Student  Sharing-­‐  Discussions  and  Presentations     Appropriate  behavior  during  student  sharing  time  will  be  discussed  at  length  in  the  beginning  of  the  school  year.  This  falls  under  the  classroom  expectation  of  being  respectful  so  each  student  will  know  what  behaviors  are  acceptable,  and  what  is  not  allowed  in  my  classroom.  Students  sharing  can  be  informal,  like  during  classroom  discussion,  or  formal,  like  during  student  presentations.  All  students  will  be  expected  to  listen  to  each  of  their  classmate’s  opinions  or  presentations,  and  be  respectful  and  kind  towards  their  classmates.  Inappropriate  or  disruptive  behavior  will  not  be  tolerated.  Each  of  my  students  will  know  what  their  behavior  should  be  during  student  sharing  from  day  one,  and  I  will  expect  them  to  follow  this  classroom  expectation.  It  is  very  important  to  me  that  my  students  feel  like  their  classroom  is  a  safe  place  where  they  can  share  their  thoughts  and  ideas,  and  in  order  for  my  class  to  feel  safe,  my  students  will  have  to  follow  my  expectations  for  respect.  This  way  each  of  my  students  can  feel  comfortable  in  my  classroom,  and  everyone  will  be  more  willing  to  share  their  ideas.      3.  Classroom  Jobs     Having  the  responsibility  of  a  classroom  job  will  help  teach  my  students  accountability.  I  have  many  jobs  that  will  help  teach  my  students  responsibility,  as  well  as  allow  them  to  contribute  to  our  classroom  community.  I  will  have  all  of  my  jobs  listed  on  a  job  chart.  Each  student’s  name  will  be  on  a  clothespin.  Each  week,  I  will  move  each  clothespin  over  one  space  to  the  right.  This  way,  there  is  no  confusion  on  who  has  what  job,  

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or  whose  turn  it  is  to  do  a  certain  job.  It  is  a  simple  system  that  will  be  easy  for  me  and  my  students  to  use.  Before  school  begins  at  the  beginning  of  the  week,  I  will  change  everyone’s  name  on  the  job  chart.  Each  student’s  name  gets  moved  one  place  to  the  right.  These  job  assignments  will  be  the  same  throughout  the  entire  week.  Each  student  will  have  a  job  every  other  week.  My  student  jobs  that  I  will  have  in  my  classroom  are:    

• Lunch  manager:  This  student  is  responsible  for  putting  up  the  lunch  menu  options  for  the  next  day.  This  job  is  done  at  the  end  of  the  day,  and  the  student  is  also  responsible  for  putting  all  of  the  student  magnets  back  in  place.    

• Line  leader:  This  student  will  be  responsible  for  leading  the  classroom  line  to  all  specials,  lunch,  and  recess.  This  student  will  be  expected  to  demonstrate  correct  hallway  behavior.    

• Lunch  carrier:  This  student  is  responsible  for  carrying  the  bin  of  “cold  lunches”  or  lunches  brought  from  home,  down  to  the  lunch  room  each  day.  

• Date  manager:  This  student  is  responsible  for  putting  up  the  correct  day,  month  and  year  on  the  board  at  the  end  of  each  day.  This  way,  when  students  come  in  the  next  morning  the  date  will  already  be  correct.  This  helps  students  because  they  will  always  know  where  to  look  to  find  the  correct  date,  which  eliminates  the  need  for  them  to  ask.  This  helps  save  valuable  learning  time.    

• Board  eraser:  This  student  is  responsible  for  erasing  all  marks  from  the  whiteboards  at  the  end  of  each  day.    

• Pencil  manager:  This  student  is  responsible  for  sharpening  all  classroom  pencils  at  the  end  of  each  day.    

• Point  recorder:  This  student  is  responsible  for  recording  all  class  points  that  are  earned  and  writing  them  on  the  board.  This  also  helps  with  this  student’s  math  skills.    

• Garbage  collector:  This  student  is  responsible  for  picking  up  any  visible  trash  that  is  on  the  ground  at  the  end  of  the  day  and  disposing  of  it  in  the  trash  can.    

• Recycle  inspector:  This  student  is  responsible  for  making  sure  that  there  are  no  recyclable  items  in  the  trash,  and  no  trash  items  in  the  recycling  bin.    

• Light  manager:  This  student  is  responsible  for  turning  off  the  light  every  time  the  class  leaves  the  classroom  for  lunch,  recess,  specials,  and  at  the  end  of  the  day.    

• Zookeeper:  This  student  is  responsible  for  feeding  any  animals  that  we  may  have  in  the  classroom  and  making  sure  that  the  animals  have  water  throughout  the  day.  This  job  will  also  include  watering  plants  that  we  have  in  the  classroom  during  any  plant  unit.    

• Messenger:  This  student  is  responsible  for  running  messages  to  the  office,  nurse,  or  other  teachers.    

• Librarian:  This  student  is  responsible  for  making  sure  that  the  books  in  the  library  area  of  the  classroom  are  neat  and  on  the  shelf.      

This  is  a  representation  of  what  my  classroom  job  chart  will  look  like  and  how  the  jobs  will  be  rotated.  (Based  on  a  25  student  classroom,  but  can  easily  change  to  accommodate  more  or  fewer  students).      

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Lunch  Manager  

Off   Line  Leader  

Off   Lunch  Carrier  

Off   Date  Manager  

Off  

     

Board  Eraser  

Off   Pencil  Manager  

Off   Point  Recorder  

Off   Garbage  Collector  

Off  

         Recycle  Inspector    

Off   Light  Manager  

Off   Zoo  Keeper  

Off   Messenger   Off  

                         

  I will teach my routines and procedures to my students similar to how we discuss the rules. I do not want to bombard my students with every single procedure on the first day, so I will start with the most important ones and gradually incorporate more over the first couple of weeks. The most important part of teaching students about my routines and procedures is practicing. I will have my students practice until they are able to do it easily. For the first few weeks of school my students may need reminding of procedures, but after the first few weeks I will expect my students to be able to abide by and execute my routines and procedures. It is also important for students to learn and understand why I have certain procedures in place in my classroom, so a class wide discussion will be necessary when teaching the procedures. During the first few weeks, or even at other points during the school year, if I see students not correctly doing my routines and procedures, we will have a conversation and practice the procedure again as a class.    4.  Free  Time     In  my  classroom,  free  time  is  a  reward  for  staying  on  task  and  finishing  your  work.  Every  student  will  have  opportunities  for  free  time  throughout  the  school  day,  but  only  if  they  finish  all  that  needs  to  be  done.  This  is  a  great  way  of  motivating  students  and  keeping  them  on  task.  I  will  always  have  the  tasks  that  my  students  are  expected  to  accomplish  written  on  the  whiteboard.  Once  they  have  finished  every  task  that  is  written  on  the  board,  then  they  can  have  some  free  time.  I  use  free  time  as  a  fun  way  to  continue  the  learning  experience  for  my  students.  Students  will  have  many  options  to  choose  from  during  free  time,  but  they  will  all  be  educational  options  that  are  used  to  support  their  learning.  Free  time  options  will  include  independent  reading,  word  sorts,  literacy  centers,  math  centers  and  games,  science  centers,  social  studies  centers,  and  educational  games  that  are  specific  to  a  certain  learning  area.  All  of  these  activities  will  be  fun  for  my  students  so  that  free  time  will  be  an  exciting  reward,  but  at  the  same  time  their  purpose  is  for  my  students  to  continue  learning.  Sometimes  I  will  control  free  time  a  bit  by  limiting  the  subject  that  my  students  can  

Librarian    

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work  on.  For  instance,  if  we  are  in  our  math  portion  of  the  school  day  and  some  of  my  students  have  finished  their  math  worksheet  or  homework,  for  their  free  time  I  might  require  them  to  play  a  math  game  or  go  to  the  math  center  because  that  is  the  subject  that  we  are  working  on  in  class.  If  my  students  have  free  range  of  what  subject  they  want  to  use  their  free  time  for,  I  might  tell  certain  students  to  work  in  a  specific  subject  area  depending  on  what  they  need  work  on.  Typically,  my  students  will  get  to  decide  what  subject  area  they  would  like  to  spend  their  free  time  doing.  It  is  important  to  remember  that  each  free  time  activity  is  educational  and  will  help  my  students  to  continue  to  develop  their  learning.      5.  Field  Trips     I  believe  that  field  trips  are  wonderful  learning  opportunities  for  my  students  and  I  hope  to  be  able  to  take  them  on  as  many  as  possible.  They  allow  students  to  learn  in  fun  and  new  ways  and  to  connect  what  they  know  to  real  life  examples.  My  students  will  always  know  the  rules  on  field  trips.  The  day  before  we  go  on  a  field  trip,  the  class  and  I  will  have  a  discussion  about  appropriate  field  trip  behavior.  My  students  will  know  that  all  school,  and  classroom  rules  will  still  apply  on  the  field  trip.  My  students  will  be  representing  the  school  on  these  trips  and  they  need  to  act,  dress,  and  speak  appropriately.  This  will  be  discussed  with  my  students  prior  to  the  trip  so  that  each  student  knows  what  is  expected  of  them.       Field  trips  also  involve  a  lot  of  parent  communication.  One  month  before  the  planned  field  trip,  I  will  send  home  a  letter  to  the  parents  explaining  the  logistics  of  the  planned  trip.  This  letter  will  explain  where  we  will  be  going,  what  we  will  be  doing  there,  and  why  it  is  be  

beneficial  to  their  student’s  learning.  I  will  also  ask  for  parent  volunteers  at  this  time.  If  a  parent  has  a  problem  or  questions  about  the  field  trip,  they  will  have  ample  time  to  talk  to  me  about  them.  Three  weeks  before  the  scheduled  field  trip,  I  will  send  home  the  permission  slip  that  needs  to  be  singed  by  the  parent  or  guardian.  This  slip  needs  to  be  returned  to  me  at  least  three  days  before  the  trip  so  that  I  can  accurately  plan  for  the  trip  and  also  find  a  place  for  students  to  go  if  they  will  not  be  coming  on  the  field  trip.  These  students  will  most  likely  be  joining  another  classroom  for  the  period  of  the  day  that  the  rest  of  the  class  will  be  gone.  If  the  field  trip  

requires  money  from  each  student  for  bus  fares  or  for  admission  fees,  I  expect  this  money  to  be  returned  with  the  signed  permission  slip  on  a  minimum  of  three  days  before  the  scheduled  event.  If  a  family  is  unable  to  pay  for  the  trip  themselves,  they  only  need  to  let  me  know  and  I  will  figure  out  a  plan  with  my  principal.  I  believe  that  every  student  should  have  the  same  opportunities  regardless  of  monetary  limitations.      6.  Homework     Homework  is  an  important  extension  of  classroom  learning  and  is  practice  for  my  students  to  work  on  their  skills.  For  my  third  grade  classroom,  students  will  have  approximately  20  to  30  minutes  of  homework  a  night.  This  will  teach  them  responsibility  and  also  will  get  them  ready  for  the  rigorous  homework  in  higher  grades.  My  students  will  be  required  to  spend  20  minutes  independently  reading  a  book  of  their  choice  a  night.  This  will  not  only  help  with  their  fluency  and  comprehension  abilities,  but  reading  for  20  minutes  will  also  help  their  stamina  as  well.  Reading  is  an  important  foundation  and  should  be  practiced  on  a  daily  basis.  Students  will  also  have  spelling  words  to  work  on  to  make  sure  that  they  are  ready  for  our  Friday  spelling  tests.  Other  homework  will  consist  of  what  the  

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student  did  not  finish  in  class.  If  students  stay  on  task  and  finish  their  work  during  the  time  that  I  give  them,  then  they  will  not  have  additional  homework  on  those  days.  Occasionally,  I  will  give  students  worksheets  or  other  homework  if  I  observe  that  they  need  more  practice  with  specific  materials.  Homework  is  an  opportunity  for  students  to  practice  what  they  have  learned  in  class.  It  also  teaches  them  responsibility  and  builds  their  work  ethic.       Homework  from  the  previous  night  will  be  due  when  the  morning  bell  rings.  I  will  have  a  turn  in  basket  on  my  desk  and  every  child  is  expected  to  put  any  worksheets  or  other  assigned  homework  in  this  basket.  This  is  a  great  way  for  me  to  stay  organized,  and  also  

helps  give  my  students  a  reminder  to  turn  their  work  in.  Homework  is  expected  to  be  turned  in  on  time  for  full  credit,  unless  there  is  a  valid  reason  why  it  is  not  completed.  Each  day  that  an  assignment  is  late  will  result  in  one  point  docked  from  their  assignment’s  grade.  I  only  take  off  one  point  because  my  students  are  still  young  and  are  learning  how  to  handle  the  responsibility  of  homework.  I  want  to  teach  them  the  importance  of  turning  in  their  homework  on  time  and  keeping  track  of  their  own  work.    

 7.  Handing  In  and  Passing  Out  Papers     Each of my students will know exactly where to turn in any papers from the first day of school. I will have a turn in basket on my desk and this is where students are expected to turn in homework, in class work, permission slips, projects, and any other assignments that need to be turned in. This way, I can keep track of who has turned things in, and it is a great way for me to stay organized. It will help me to keep all papers in one place and I will not loose any student’s assignments. Each student will know exactly where to turn in their papers and this stops any confusion about how to turn in homework, tests, etc. If I want students to turn in a worksheet or assignment all at the same time, in order to keep traffic in the classroom to a minimum I will call out pods of desks one at a time to come up and turn in their work to the turn in bin. This will reduce traffic in the classroom and help to keep the papers organized. To keep myself organized, I will have a G/C/F (grade/copy/file) organizer so that I can stay on top of all important documents. Once my students have turned in their assignments, I will separate them and move them into my grade drawer on my G/C/F organizer. Once I have graded all of these papers, I will put each paper in my students’ take home cubbies. My students will know to look there for any of their graded work, and they can take them home to show their parents. If I am passing back a test, I will pass them out during the allotted time of the day for that subject so that I can go over the test with my students and answer any questions that they might have. Any other papers, such as announcements or permission slips, will also go into the take home cubbies. Each student will know to look in their cubbies and make sure that they take these important papers home. I will always tell my class when I have put a paper into their take home cubbies so that they know to look for them. I will handout papers to my students in a manner that will not waste class time and keep the lesson moving. I will typically ask students a question and have them talk to their partners about it, and I will then hand out any worksheets that the students will need for the lesson as they are talking. This also gives me an opportunity to informally listen and check on student understanding. I will hand back graded papers to my student’s cubbies, and I will have worksheets and papers already on my students’ desks after they come back from specials if the lesson calls for it.

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 8.  Bathroom  Procedures     My  students  will  be  advised  to  use  the  restroom  before  they  come  to  school  in  the  morning,  and  also  to  use  it  at  lunch  or  recess  so  as  not  to  take  away  from  their  learning  time  in  class.  I  will  never  keep  a  child  from  using  the  bathroom.  If  they  have  to  go  during  class  time,  they  need  to  check  the  bathroom  pass  and  see  if  it  is  available.  This  does  not  require  any  interruptions  because  the  passes  will  be  very  visible  by  the  door  to  my  classroom.  There  will  be  a  pass  for  the  boys  bathroom  and  for  the  girls  bathroom.  Each  pass  is  a  labeled  clothespin  so  that  the  students  can  clip  the  passes  onto  their  shirts  in  order  to  lessen  the  chance  of  forgetting  the  pass  in  the  bathroom.  If  the  student  needs  to  use  the  bathroom  during  quiet  work  time  or  free  time,  then  all  they  have  to  do  is  go  and  clip  the  pass  onto  their  shirts  and  come  up  to  me.  They  do  not  need  to  ask  verbally  because  this  could  interrupt  other  student  learning,  especially  if  I  am  working  with  a  small  group.  They  will  stand  next  to  me  quietly  holding  the  clip  to  their  shirts,  and  all  they  need  is  a  simple  nod  of  the  head  from  me  for  permission.  I  want  to  know  where  each  of  my  students  are  in  order  to  keep  them  safe  so  this  is  why  I  require  my  students  to  ask  for  my  permission.       If  I  am  in  the  middle  of  a  lesson,  the  bathroom  procedure  will  start  off  by  the  child  visually  checking  to  see  if  the  bathroom  pass  is  available.  If  it  is  then  they  will  silently  give  me  the  bathroom  sign  in  sign  language.  This  is  a  simple  sign  that  all  students  can  memorize  easily.  You  make  a  fist  with  your  hand,  and  then  put  your  thumb  in  between  your  middle  and  pointer  finger.  Then  you  rotate  your  first  from  left  to  right.  If  I  see  a  student  signaling  this  sign  to  me  I  will  know  that  they  are  asking  my  permission  to  use  the  bathroom.  This  way  they  do  not  disrupt  the  class  or  my  teaching.  If  it  is  a  good  time  for  the  child  to  use  the  restroom,  then  I  will  give  a  silent  nod  towards  that  student.  If  it  is  not  a  good  time  to  use  the  bathroom,  instead  of  a  nod,  I  will  respond  by  holding  up  my  fingers  to  signify  how  many  minutes  to  wait.  If  I  am  explaining  an  assignment,  I  might  want  the  students  to  wait  to  use  the  bathroom  until  after  I  have  finished  explaining.  In  this  instance  I  would  hold  up  two  fingers  towards  the  student  to  signify  that  I  would  like  them  to  wait  two  minutes.  After  the  two  minutes  and  I  give  the  student  a  nod,  then  they  can  go  get  the  bathroom  pass  and  use  the  restroom.      9.  Getting  a  Drink     Students  should  have  plenty  of  breaks  during  the  school  day  to  get  a  drink  so  they  should  not  need  to  quench  their  thirst  during  class  time.  This  takes  away  from  their  learning.  I  will  let  my  students  know  from  the  first  day  of  school  that  getting  a  drink  should  be  done  before  school  starts,  during  lunch,  or  at  recess.  I  will  allow  my  students  to  bring  water  bottles  into  school  but  these  must  be  kept  in  their  take  home  cubbies.  Students  can  go  and  get  a  drink  from  their  water  bottles  during  any  free  time  or  independent  work  time  throughout  the  day.  I  understand  that  there  may  be  emergencies  where  a  child  needs  to  go  and  use  the  drinking  fountain,  like  if  they  are  dehydrated  or  if  they  are  having  coughing  trouble.  In  these  types  of  instances,  getting  a  short  drink  from  the  water  fountain  would  be  alright.  I  just  don’t  want  my  students  to  use  getting  a  drink  as  an  excuse  to  get  out  of  the  classroom  or  get  out  of  doing  an  activity.  This  is  why  I  will  prefer  my  students  to  get  drinks  at  designated  times  during  the  day.    

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 10.  Hallway  Behavior     I  think  that  appropriate  hallway  behavior  is  very  important,  because  I  do  not  want  my  class  to  disrupt  student  learning  in  other  classrooms.  I  will  have  four  simple  rules  for  my  class  to  follow  in  the  hallway.  These  rules  are:  

• Zero  voices  (mouth  closed,  and  no  noise)  • Arms  at  your  sides  (If  students  have  trouble  with  this,  I  will  

have  them  clasp  their  hands  behind  their  backs)  • One  straight  line  (to  keep  track  of  all  students)  • Eyes  forward  (less  chance  of  a  behavior  problem)  

If  my  students  follow  all  of  these  rules,  they  will  get  class  points  as  a  reward.  If  some  of  my  students  are  struggling  to  follow  the  hallway  rules,  they  may  need  to  come  in  for  a  short  recess  academy  to  review  the  proper  behavior.  I  can  also  award  stickers  to  certain  students’  nametags  if  I  see  exceptional  hallway  behavior.      11.  Dismissals       Dismissals  happen  several  times  each  day  for  lunch,  recess,  specials,  and  at  the  end  of  the  day.  It  is  very  important  to  have  procedures  put  in  place  so  that  these  dismissals  and  transitions  run  smoothly.  For  each  dismissal  for  specials,  I  will  have  students  get  everything  that  they  need  (i.e.  sneakers  for  P.E.  etc.)  and  stand  at  their  desks  quietly.  Once  each  student  is  ready  and  standing  at  their  desk,  I  will  have  students  start  lining  up  at  the  door  by  tables.  The  table  who  is  entirely  quiet  first,  gets  to  line  up  first  so  this  is  an  incentive  to  get  ready  and  quiet  as  quickly  as  possible.  Once  my  students  are  ready  and  exhibiting  appropriate  hallway  behavior,  then  I  will  walk  them  to  their  specials.  For  recess  and  lunch,  students  will  need  to  make  sure  they  have  everything  that  they  need,  such  as  lunches,  coats,  hats,  gloves,  boots,  etc,  and  their  desktops  need  to  be  clean.  This  is  a  great  way  to  keep  my  classroom  clean  and  for  students  to  keep  track  of  their  belongings.  Before  they  leave  for  lunch  and  recess,  they  will  put  their  planners  on  top  of  their  desks  so  that  I  can  check  them  for  parent  signatures.  Then  they  will  line  up  by  the  door  by  tables,  just  like  how  they  are  dismissed  for  specials.  Once  my  students  are  showing  the  correct  hallway  behaviors,  I  will  bring  them  to  lunch  and  recess.  Dismissal  at  the  end  of  the  day  is  very  similar  to  lunch  and  recess  dismissal.  Students  will  get  their  books  and  homework  that  needs  to  go  home,  and  everything  out  of  their  take  home  cubbies.  They  will  need  to  clean  their  desktop,  and  make  sure  that  their  classroom  job  is  done.  Once  they  are  completely  ready  to  leave,  they  will  stand  at  their  desks  and  wait  to  be  dismissed  by  tables.  The  table  that  is  quiet  and  ready  first  will  be  released  first.  These  students  will  then  line  up  by  the  door,  hand  me  their  exit  slips,  and  go  to  their  lockers  to  pack  up.  I  will  dismiss  tables  until  everyone  has  turned  in  their  exit  slips  and  are  out  at  their  lockers.  Dismissals  and  transitions  are  crucial  pieces  of  classroom  management,  and  it  helps  students  to  stay  in  a  mindset  of  learning  and  respect.      12. Transitions into the classroom Students will be expected to follow classroom procedures for coming back into the classroom after specials, lunch and recess, after getting a drink or using the restroom, and coming into the room in the morning. In the morning, students are expected to come into the room and put

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their books and water bottles in their personal cubbies. Next, students should take down their chairs from the tops of their desk. Students will then make their way over to the teacher’s desk to turn in their homework to the turn in basket and to switch their name to their chosen lunch option for lunch count, which also doubles as attendance. Students then go back to their seats and begin their morning math routine, which is written on the board. Transitioning back into the classroom after specials and lunch and recess should be swift and quiet. Students are expected to walk into the room with their voices off, put anything away in their cubbies (i.e. lunch boxes, sneakers), and sit down in their chairs at their desks to begin the next lesson. After specials an assignment to begin the next content area instruction will be written on the board and students will be expected to begin this assignment right away. After lunch and recess it is read-aloud time, so students will be expected to sit on the carpet next to the teacher read-aloud chair with proper carpet behavior (crossed legs, hands in lap, silent voices, managing who you sit next to, and making sure there is space between you and the person next to you). Students coming back into the classroom from a bathroom break, getting a drink of water, coming back from the nurse, or coming back from a resource room are expected to walk directly to their seats, quietly without disrupting the rest of the class. When I am available I will catch these students up on what they should be doing. 13. Providing Students Assistance During independent work time, students should raise their hands to get my attention and I will get to them as soon as I can to help. It is more difficult to provide students with swift assistance when I am running a small group. I will have a section of my front board labeled

“Please Help” where students will write their names down if they feel like they are stuck and need my attention. I can easily monitor which students need my help from my spot at the small group worktable. In between small groups, I will then go to the students who have their names written on the board in the order that their names appear. Students know that they should continue to work when they are waiting for me to come and assist them. If they are stuck, they should move onto the next item of business that they need to accomplish. If a student resolves their problem on their own before I have gotten to them, then they can

erase their name from the help board. 14. Attention Getters I will use a variety of attention getters with my students depending on the situation at hand. One technique that I will use often is speaking in my normal tone of voice, “If you can hear my clap once.” The students that hear me will clap, which gets the attention of more students. I will then say, “If you can hear my clap twice,” and the students should all clap twice. The goal is to not have to clap three times. This can be used when I ask students to talk to a partner about a topic and I want to bring the class back to attention. After transitions, such as student coming up to the carpet, I will say, “hocus pocus,” and my students will say in unison, “time to focus.” This helps set the tone for learning and making sure that my students are all quite and ready to listen. When students are working in small groups it might take a little more to get my students’ attention. I will flip the lights on and off once about five minutes before the end of group time to give my students a head up and to prepare them for the next transition. After these five minutes, I will flick the lights on and off again, and this time begin counting down from 10 aloud as I clap my hands. Students should stop what they are doing and begin to clap and count down with me. When we get

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to zero, we will all say in unison, “zip,” and students will ‘zip their lips’ to remind them to quiet down and look at the teacher. 15. Classroom Order The best way to keep your classroom orderly is to make sure that there is a place for everything in your classroom and that each student knows where everything should go. I would do this by labeling. There would be labels on drawers, bins, and storage containers that say exactly what is contained in them. This way students can find what they need, as well as able to put everything back into the correct spot. Things that will be in labeled containers can range from art supplies and game pieces, to books and worksheets. I will also be sure to give students enough time at the end of activities or at the end of the day to make sure they put everything that they used away. Each student will be expected to keep track of everything they borrowed from a labeled bin, and to put each item back into the correct bin. As the teacher, I will make sure that I am very orderly and organized in my classroom. I will keep my records, lesson plans, and supplies where I can access them easily and where they will not be lost. I will make sure that my classroom is organized. By displaying my expectations for order and organization with my own actions, my students will see the modeled expectations and follow my lead. If the teacher is organized, then their students are more likely to be organized as well. Another way to keep order in my classroom is to keep a daily schedule visible to all students. Having a daily routine is very important in an organized classroom, but daily specials, such as gym class, or music/art, schedules are often different from day to day. This is why I would have the schedule for the day posted so that each student knows what to expect for the day and knows what they should be doing. This schedule will be in the same spot in the classroom everyday so the students know exactly where to look. A spot on one of the whiteboards in my classroom will be reserved for this schedule. This will minimize confusion and help facilitate easy and smooth transitions between subjects and activities.  Managing and Facilitating Instruction  

The  structure  of  my  lessons  will  depend  on  the  material  and  content  that  my  students  will  be  learning.  I  believe  that  different  lesson  structures  lend  themselves  to  certain  subjects  or  content,  and  it  is  the  teacher’s  job  to  determine  when  to  use  each  lesson  type  in  order  for  the  their  students  to  benefit.  I  will  use  proven  methods  to  teach  including  the  inquiry  method,  the  gradual  release  of  responsibility  model,  small  groups  lessons  and  projects,  also  known  as  cooperative  learning,  using  graphic  organizers,  the  content  attainment  model,  and  more.  I  will  constantly  be  on  the  lookout  for  new  approaches  to  my  teaching  and  way  to  make  a  lesson  exciting  for  my  students.    I  believe  that  different  types  of  lesson  structures  lend  themselves  to  certain  subjects.  For  example,  the  inquiry  method  and  cooperative  learning  go  hand  in  hand  with  much  of  science  learning,  and  the  gradual  release  of  responsibility  model  fit  easily  into  literacy  education.    

I  will  always  start  my  lessons  with  an  anticipatory  set  to  get  my  students  interested.  I  think  if  you  do  not  get  your  students  excited  about  what  they  are  going  to  be  learning,  then  they  will  not  be  listening  as  you  teach,  and  ultimately  not  learn  the  material.  I  will  first  make  sure  that  I  

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have  my  students’  attention  before  I  begin  any  teaching.  This  shows  students  that  what  I  am  saying  is  important  and  it  deserves  their  full  attention.  I  will  also  end  my  lesson  by  summarizing  what  we  learned  in  a  form  of  review.  This  will  help  my  students  remember  the  main  points  of  the  lesson  and  what  I  want  them  to  take  away,  and  it  also  leaves  them  with  a  message  that  what  they  just  learned  is  important.  I  will  always  watch  my  time  in  order  to  review  briefly  at  the  end  of  a  lesson,  because  this  shows  students  that  the  material  is  important,  as  well  as  helps  them  remember  the  information.       Throughout  my  instruction  I  will  always  do  formative  assessments,  both  formal  and  informal.  I  will  not  move  on  in  the  lesson  if  the  majority  of  the  class  does  not  understand.  If  I  continue  to  move  forward  when  my  students  do  not  understand,  then  they  will  get  frustrated  and  check  out  of  the  lesson  completely.  I  will  do  this  by  asking  thought  provoking  questions,  clipboard  cruising,  listening  to  students  talk  to  each  other  during  discussion,  thumbs  up/down,  and  any  graphic  organizers  or  notes  that  my  students  complete.  I  will  also  use  this  information  to  tailor  my  next  lessons  to  meet  my  students’  needs.       Grouping  of  my  students  for  instruction  will  be  flexible  and  constantly  changing.  I  do  not  want  students  to  be  put  in  one  group  and  be  stuck  in  this  group  for  the  rest  of  the  year.  I  will  switch  up  my  grouping  as  much  as  possible  in  order  to  benefit  the  students  and  to  not  force  them  into  a  hierarchy  in  my  classroom.  There  will  be  time  when  I  will  need  to  group  by  ability  or  readiness  for  certain  material,  but  I  will  also  be  sure  to  form  groups  based  on  needs  of  the  students.  For  example,  instead  of  always  forming  reading  groups  based  on  high  level  readers,  middle  readers,  and  low  readers,  I  will  create  a  group  of  students  who  need  work  on  aspects  of  prosody,  another  group  who  needs  help  self  monitoring  while  reading,  and  another  who  struggle  with  reading  comprehension  to  teach  them  a  strategy  that  they  could  implement  while  reading.  I  will  change  groups  often  so  that  my  students  do  not  feel  stuck  and  get  frustrated.  I  will  also  keep  in  mind  other  aspects  when  I  am  grouping  students  for  collaborative  group  work.  I  will  make  sure  to  arrange  these  groups  with  a  range  of  achievement  levels  in  whatever  subject  the  student  will  be  working  on.  I  will  also  make  sure  each  group  has  a  leader  personality  student  who  will  motivate  the  group  and  help  to  organize  the  tasks.  Gender  is  another  aspect  to  think  about  when  grouping  students.  I  want  to  spread  out  gender  as  evenly  as  I  can  throughout  groups.  If  I  know  there  will  be  students  who  will  misbehaved  when  placed  together  in  a  group,  I  will  make  sure  to  separate  them.  There  are  many  aspects  to  take  into  consideration  when  creating  groups  for  both  collaborative  group  work  and  for  small  group  instruction,  and  as  the  teacher  I  am  away  that  it  is  my  job  to  create  groups  that  will  benefit  each  student.       Lesson  delivery  is  very  important.  As  the  teacher,  it  is  my  job  to  keep  my  students’  attention  throughout  the  lesson,  and  I  can  do  this  by  first  drawing  on  their  interests.  The  students  need  to  know  what  their  motivation  to  learn  is,  so  I  will  always  provide  them  with  an  objective  or  a  guiding  question  to  help  make  the  lesson  meaningful.  I  will  be  sure  to  conduct  my  lessons  with  enthusiasm,  because  I  believe  that  when  students  see  that  their  teacher  is  truly  interested  in  what  they  are  teaching,  they  are  more  inclined  to  learn.  I  will  use  graphic  organizers  when  appropriate,  especially  for  students  who  need  some  differentiation  during  the  lesson.  Important  aspects  of  teaching  that  I  will  keep  in  mind  while  teaching  are  my  pacing,  tone  of  voice,  clarity  of  directions,  creating  smooth  transitions,  as  well  as  being  mindful  of  my  non-­‐verbal  cues  and  keeping  these  positive  as  well.  It  is  

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imperative  that  the  teacher  monitors  the  students  constantly  to  make  sure  student  are  staying  attentive  and  on  task.  If  the  students  do  not  understand  the  lesson,  immediate  adjustments  need  to  be  made.  I  will  then  provide  closure  for  the  lesson  my  helping  my  students  organize  their  learning  through  review,  and  reinforcing  the  major  points  of  the  lesson.       Differentiation  is  a  very  important  aspect  to  any  successful  classroom.  Differentiated  instruction  means  that  the  teacher  provides  students  with  multiple  ways  to  receive  information,  or  content,  as  well  as  different  ways  to  process  that  information,  including  how  they  show  that  they  understand  the  information,  or  product.  Each  child  is  different  and  will  need  different  ways  of  learning  so  that  they  can  perform  to  the  best  of  their  abilities.  Differentiation  is  so  important  because  every  child  has  different  interests  and  backgrounds  that  affect  their  learning.  It  is  the  teacher’s  job  to  give  each  student  a  way  to  learn  that  will  help  them  to  succeed.  Advanced  learners  may  become  bored  without  differentiation.  They  need  to  be  challenged  and  given  support  to  raise  their  self-­‐efficacy.  Struggling  learners  might  need  extra  help  or  accommodation.  The  might  need  different  ways  to  process  the  information.  Teachers  need  to  provide  students  with  varied  opportunities  in  content,  process,  and  product.  The  teacher  also  needs  to  plan,  organize,  facilitate,  and  manage  differentiated  instruction.  Teachers  need  to  provide  the  scaffolding  that  each  child  will  need  to  be  successful.  Understanding  that  each  child  is  different  and  will  learn  in  different  ways  is  key  to  being  a  successful  teacher.    English  Language  Learners     As  a  teacher  I  need  to  understand  the  implications  of  English  not  being  the  first  language  for  many  of  my  students.  This  will  affect  my  instruction,  as  well  as  my  communication  with  their  parents.  I  will  use  sheltered  instruction  in  my  classroom,  also  known  as  SIOP,  to  help  my  English  language  learners  learn  to  the  best  of  their  ability.  I  will  be  patient  and  make  sure  that  they  are  getting  the  help  they  need  to  succeed.  I  will  also  be  sure  to  create  a  classroom  that  will  help  these  students  learn  important  words  and  phrases  in  English.  I  will  label  items  throughout  the  room  such  as  the  door,  table,  chairs,  desks,  and  clock  with  both  the  English  spelling  and  their  native  language.  Our  word  wall  will  also  be  accompanied  with  pictures  of  the  word  to  help  English  language  learners.  I  will  do  everything  in  my  power  to  help  these  children  learn  and  accomplish  their  goals  in  my  classroom.  When  communicating  with  parents,  I  might  need  to  send  newsletters  and  notes  home  in  another  language.  For  conferences,  there  is  a  chance  that  I  will  need  an  interpreter  to  help.  I  do  not  want  to  depend  on  the  child  to  be  the  interpreter,  so  I  will  try  to  find  another  adult  who  can  help.  I  will  do  everything  in  my  power  to  communicate  effectively  with  these  parents  and  to  help  them  understand  how  their  child  is  doing  in  school.      Technology     In  today’s  world,  technology  is  constantly  growing  and  will  be  a  part  of  all  of  our  students’  lives.  As  teachers,  we  need  to  keep  up  with  the  world  and  incorporate  technology  into  our  classrooms.  One  of  my  major  goals  for  my  students  is  to  help  prepare  them  for  the  real  world,  and  technology  is  bound  to  be  a  major  part  of  that.  I  will  include  technology  in  my  lessons  when  appropriate,  and  I  will  use  a  variety  of  technology  to  do  so  including  youtube,  teachertube,  PowerPoint,  prezi,  voicethread,  and  more.  This  will  help  keep  students  tuned  into  the  lesson  and  will  help  teach  them  valuable  technology  skills.  I  will  also  have  

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technology  in  the  classroom  for  children  to  use  including  computers  and  ipads  if  available.  My  classroom  will  have  specific  rules  and  procedures  to  follow  when  handling  any  classroom  technology.  Students  will  be  expected  to  follow  these  rules  and  procedures  or  else  their  technology  privileges  will  be  taken  away.  I  will  be  sure  to  go  over  each  expectation  before  I  even  let  my  student  touch  the  equipment.  Technology  is  becoming  a  larger,  more  important  part  in  the  classroom,  and  I  will  keep  up  with  the  advances  and  use  technology  with  my  students  to  help  them  learn.      Differentiation  Policy       Differentiation  is  a  very  important  aspect  to  any  successful  classroom.  Differentiated  instruction  means  that  the  teacher  provides  students  with  multiple  ways  to  receive  information,  or  content,  as  well  as  different  ways  to  process  that  information,  as  well  as  how  they  show  that  they  understand  the  information,  or  product.  Each  child  is  different  and  will  need  different  ways  of  learning  so  that  they  can  perform  to  the  best  of  their  abilities.  Differentiation  is  so  important  because  every  child  has  different  interests  and  backgrounds  that  affect  their  learning.  It  is  the  teacher’s  job  to  give  each  student  a  way  to  learn  that  will  help  them  to  succeed.  Advanced  learners  may  become  bored  without  differentiation.  They  need  to  be  challenged  and  given  support  to  raise  their  self-­‐efficacy.  Struggling  learners  might  need  extra  help  or  accommodation.  The  might  need  different  ways  to  process  the  information.  Teachers  need  to  provide  students  with  varied  opportunities  in  content,  process,  and  product.  The  teacher  also  need  to  plan,  organize,  facilitate,  and  manage  differentiated  instruction.  Teachers  need  to  provide  the  scaffolding  that  each  child  will  need  to  be  successful.  Understanding  that  each  child  is  different  and  will  learn  in  different  ways  is  key  to  being  a  successful  teacher.    1.  Struggling  Learners     Some  students  may  need  some  extra  assistance  or  scaffolding  to  be  successful.  I  will  be  sure  to  provide  that  for  any  student  who  needs  it.  I  will  always  be  willing  to  go  the  extra  mile  for  my  students  and  I  will  make  sure  that  each  student  is  learning  and  being  successful  in  my  classroom.  When  teaching  struggling  learners  I  will  make  sure  to  be  very  clear  on  what  the  students  must  know.  I  will  also  help  the  students  to  set  appropriate  goals  for  themselves  and  then  provide  the  scaffolding  needed  to  help  them  reach  these  goals.  I  will  also  be  sure  to  plan  my  teaching  using  many  different  modes  such  as  visuals,  audio,  and  hands  on  activities.  I  also  think  that  it  is  important  to  tell  your  students  that  you  believe  in  them,  and  I  will  be  sure  to  do  that  in  my  classroom.  If  some  students  in  my  classroom  have  IEPs  then  I  will  be  sure  to  cater  my  instruction  to  their  needs.  I  know  that  being  a  teacher  means  being  flexible,  and  I  will  be  sure  to  make  my  instruction  differentiated  for  these  students.  My  goal  will  always  be  for  each  of  my  students  to  reach  their  highest  potential.      2.  Advanced  Learners  

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  Some  of  my  students  will  need  to  be  challenged  more  than  usual  to  reach  their  highest  potential.  For  my  advanced  learners  I  will  not  simply  give  them  extra  work,  but  I  will  give  them  different  work  that  is  going  to  challenge  them  and  make  them  better  learners.  I  will  raise  the  expectations  so  that  advanced  learners  are  competing  with  their  own  potential  instead  of  with  the  norm.  If  the  level  of  challenge  is  right,  then  I  will  need  to  provide  help  and  scaffolding  for  these  students  to  succeed.  I  will  be  sure  to  balance  difficult  and  challenging  work  with  fun  and  joy  so  that  learning  is  still  an  enjoyable  experience.  For  every  student  in  my  classroom  I  will  have  folders  in  alphabetical  order  so  they  are  easy  for  the  students  to  find.  Inside  these  folders,  there  are  some  differentiated  activities  and  work  for  my  students  to  do.  They  might  be  extra  work  in  a  subject  area  that  they  need  more  work  on,  or  they  might  be  an  opportunity  for  them  to  dive  deeper  into  a  subject  that  they  are  interested  in.  This  will  help  my  struggling  learners,  and  advanced  learners,  as  well  as  my  middle  ground  learners.  These  folders  will  always  be  stocked  with  differentiated  materials  for  my  students  to  work  on  in  order  to  continue  growing  in  their  learning.      Parents       Parent  communication  and  involvement  will  be  a  very  important  aspect  in  my  classroom.  I  always  want  my  students’  parents  to  know  what  is  going  on  in  my  classroom  and  how  their  child  is  doing.  I  believe  that  it  is  very  important  to  keep  up  this  constant  communication  with  parents  so  that  my  students  can  grow  and  learn  in  the  best  way  possible.  Parents  can  always  contact  me,  and  I  will  do  my  very  best  to  answer  any  questions  that  they  may  have.  I  will  be  a  very  accessible  teacher  and  I  am  willing  to  work  with  parents  in  order  to  give  their  children  the  best  learning  opportunities  possible.      1.  Communication  

  Communication  with  parents  is  a  key  aspect  of  any  successful  classroom.  Parents  need  to  know  what  their  child  is  doing  during  the  school  day.  I  will  always  be  willing  to  communicate  over  the  phone,  through  email,  or  in  person.  I  understand  that  many  parents  are  very  busy,  so  I  will  make  sure  that  I  respond  promptly  to  any  questions  or  concerns  they  may  have  regarding  their  child’s  schooling.  I  will  start  off  communication  with  parents  before  the  school  year  starts.  I  will  send  home  an  introductory  letter  explaining  a  bit  about  myself,  and  how  I  run  

my  classroom.  I  will  also  give  them  my  contact  information  so  that  they  will  know  that  I  am  always  willing  to  correspond  with  them.  During  the  first  week  of  school,  I  will  call  each  household  of  my  students  to  talk  with  each  parent  briefly  about  one  great  thing  that  their  child  had  done  that  week.  Opening  with  a  positive  phone  call  will  show  the  parents  that  you  are  always  willing  to  communicate,  and  it  starts  off  the  year  on  good  terms.  I  will  also  be  able  to  communicate  with  parents  via  my  blog.  I  will  set  up  a  blog  to  explain  to  parents  what  we  will  be  studying  in  class  that  week  and  what  the  planned  homework  is.  I  will  also  update  this  site  with  important  information  that  parents  need  to  know  such  as  filed  trip  information  or  permission  slips.  Having  this  blog,  and  updating  it  often,  allows  parents  to  get  a  glimpse  into  what  their  child  should  be  learning  in  school,  and  it  should  help  keep  all  parents  informed  about  school  wide  news  as  well.    

Beaty  28  

28  

   2.  Conferences     I  will  prepare  for  parent  conferences  throughout  the  year  as  part  of  my  daily  routine.  I  will  record  student  grade  on  my  online  system  and  print  them  off  at  the  end  of  each  week  to  put  in  each  student’s  folder.  These  folders  will  be  used  during  parent/teacher  conferences.  In  addition  to  these  folders,  I  will  keep  a  record  of  student  projects  and  participation  to  show  parents.  I  will  make  sure  to  keep  track  of  the  benchmarks  and  standards  that  each  student  has  met  and  each  that  they  need  work  on  to  show  parents  the  progress  that  their  children  are  making.  Parents  will  also  be  able  to  see  what  assignments  their  children  did  not  complete  or  did  not  turn  in.       I  will  always  start  off  parent  conferences  on  a  positive  note.  I  will  tell  them  something  good  about  their  child  and  what  I  am  proud  of  them  for.  Each  child  is  special,  and  their  parents  should  know  that.  I  will  then  go  over  test  scores,  and  grades  with  the  parents  and  share  with  them  notes  that  I  have  taken  on  their  student’s  progress  and  abilities  in  each  subject  area.  If  a  student  is  struggling  in  a  certain  area,  I  will  share  with  parents  what  solutions  we  have  tried  and  what  has  worked  and  what  has  not.  I  will  then  tell  them  my  plans  for  their  child  and  what  methods  I  will  try  to  improve  their  understanding.  After  explaining  grades  and  standards,  I  will  talk  to  parents  about  things  to  work  on.  Every  child  has  something  to  improve  on,  and  this  is  when  I  will  discuss  this  with  the  parents.  This  could  be  something  very  small,  or  it  could  be  a  problem  that  has  been  occurring  in  the  classroom.  I  will  finish  each  conference  by  asking  the  parents  if  they  have  any  questions  for  me  and  I  will  answer  them  to  the  best  of  my  ability.  I  will  thank  the  parents  for  coming  and  remind  them  that  if  they  have  any  questions  of  concerns  they  can  always  contact  me.  Conferences  are  an  important  aspect  of  being  a  teacher  and  they  should  be  taken  seriously,  and  prepared  for  well.        

“Teachers who love teaching, teach children to love learning.”