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Hsbef!Dmbtts11n"!
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Ubcmf!og!D1nufnut;!!
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Qbsu!J;!Dmbtts11n!1shbnj{buj1n!!! B/!Qiztjdbm;! Designing a classroom is something that takes a lot of intentional thought in order to have it be an effective and meaningful learning environment. Students will begin their day by entering the classroom through the door, heading to the student coat closet to drop off their belongings, and preparing for their day. The coat closet is positioned along the wall to the left when they enter so they do not have to walk across the entire room to drop off their belongings. It is also located next to the drinking fountain and sink to eliminate distractions if students need these services during the course of the day. The pencil sharpener and garbage and recycling bins are located at the front corner to eliminate distractions from the other more academic areas of the room. The intercom is also located near the front of the room and door, because then a teacher would be able to quickly enter the room and page for assistance if it was needed. It’s also on the opposite side of the room as the phone so there is a means of communication no matter the teacher’s location in the room.
The students are seated at tables, which are arranged to seat four students per table. This is done to encourage collaborative learning, but limited to four in order to not have too many students that they are overcrowded or distracted by too many other learners. The tables are positioned in a manner that students would be able to see the whiteboard or projector at the front of the room from their tables. The teacher’s desk, with computer and phone, is positioned in a prime location to have a view of all five tables in order to monitor seatwork.
The large group meeting area is located at the front of the room in front of the whiteboard, maps, and projector screen. This way there is a location for students to congregate to for morning meeting, a teacher given lecture, or even an additional location for a small group to meet and work from. In addition it gives students a place to sit when the mounted projector is in use or the maps are being used. It also is in a location that the Elmo could be positioned to project information.
In the back of the room there is a reading corner, complete with a rug, bookshelves, and a television and VCR. This is in the back of the room so a group could be meeting in the large group meeting area, while students are in the reading corner without too much distraction. The TV and VCR are positioned here so that students have a comfortable spot to sit while being engaged in what is being played. There is a bulletin board in this area of the room to post various books or authors students should explore in this section of the room. The computers are also in the back of the room so students can be working at the computers without having other students distracted by what’s going on on their screens. Students should be facing away from the screens, so this would minimize a distraction.
Finally, there are several centers and small group work areas positioned throughout the room. The guided reading small group area is by the teacher’s desk and student tables so that the teacher could conveniently work here, since they are close to their materials and supplies and in a position to still monitor their students. The math/science and writing/editing centers are located close to one another so the teacher can bounce back and forth between them to assist student’s needs. Overall, this classroom is set up to encourage collaborative learning, but also minimize distractions where possible to provide the most positive and engaging environment possible.
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C/!1qfsbuj1nbm;
2/ Ebjmz!S1vujnf!
Every morning students will enter the classroom after putting their belongings in their lockers. At the door will be the check-‐in table where they are to turn in their homework to the turn in tray, drop any teacher notes in the designated basket, and complete their lunch count. Attendance and lunch count will be completed by Popsicle sticks with each student’s name on them. Students will put their Popsicle stick in the corresponding cup designating their lunch choice, hot lunch, cold lunch, or salad. Attendance will then be taken based on the remaining Popsicle sticks that were not used for lunch count.
Following their initial responsibilities when entering the room, students will take their seats and consult the board for their next responsibilities. Each morning I will write up their tasks for the morning. Students will know and understand that if they complete all of their morning tasks that they will be working out of their N.F.Y.F. (Not Finished Yet Folder) on any work that was not completed the day before or earlier in the week. The schedule will be placed on the board daily for students to reference on how to prioritize their time when completing unfinished work. They will be conditioned to know that for example if math is the first subject of the day that they should strive to get caught up on all of their math assignments. I will make sure to change the schedule every night before leaving in order for this morning procedure to run as smoothly as possible. !!
3/ Sfd1se!lffqjnh!!
Student records are an important and viable component of teaching and therefore I plan to be organized in keeping track of how students are doing and progressing throughout the course of the year. Records will be kept in several different manners. Records will be kept in a traditional style grade book; however, I will use small binders for each subject. In the binder there will be a sheet that is broken down by the students name, date, and unit. This will be beneficial to compare their progress in a specific subject over a period of time. This data will also be recorded on the computer and backed up frequently,
in order to prevent any viable information from getting misplaced, lost, or in the wrong hands. Apart from actual graded tests and homework assignments, data will also be collected from informal conversations. A “kid grid” will be used while clipboard cruising to take notes on student engagement, work, social skills, or any other aspect that I deem appropriate and important. These “kid grids” can then be hole punched and stored in the corresponding binder for each subject area. That way when a student’s progress is being assessed all the data and information will be in one collective place. Another important form of records I will keep is parent contact. Any
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email, phone conversation, or in person conversation that is had in regards to a specific student will be documented and put into a binder. This will be a preventative measure to keep me from getting in any trouble as well as a nice point of reference for conferences.
!4/ Ofx!Tuvefnut!!
New students will feel welcomed to my classroom because I will be prepared regardless if I was expecting them or not. At the beginning of the year when I am preparing for all of my students and getting everything ready (desk nametag, lunch/attendance Popsicle stick, lunch number or ID, locker tags, cupcake for birthday poster, folder/notebook labels, school supplies, welcome letters, contact information, school policies, class schedule, get to know you forms, and any information to be filled out) I will prepare several extra “zoo packs” to keep on hand. That way when students arrive on their first day, I will not be caught off guard and rather can focus on getting to know them instead of getting materials together.
When the student actually arrives in the classroom, I will do my best to initially present them with only the vital information and allow them to adjust to the classroom setting without inundating them with rules and details. By having them fill out a general interest and information form, I will pair them with a buddy or two who can help them adjust to the classroom routine, procedures, and settings. This will also be an effective way to help them start meeting and interacting with their classmates. I will make it a point to touch base with the frequently in the first several of weeks, always refer to the student by name, answer any questions they might have, and slowly expose them to more of the procedures, rules, and content used within the classroom.
5/ Dmbtts11n!Dmfbnjnh!
!Students will know and understand that everything has a place in the room. The
cabinets, drawers, and file cabinets will all be labeled with specifics as to what goes where. In the first several weeks of school, students will be introduced to the location of all of the materials and supplies and where they get put away at the end of the day. On Fridays, students will have the last five or ten minutes of the day to clean out there desks in order to prevent clutter and overflow. At the end of everyday students will be expected to empty out their mailboxes, put up their chairs, and straighten their desks. If time allows, we will play the secret scrap game. This will be when students straighten up the classroom and pick things up off the floor and whoever picks up or straightens the thing I’m thinking will get to take a piece of candy out of the jar on my desk. This will be a fun way to keep students motivated about cleaning up and do it in a quickly and orderly fashion. In addition, my student helpers for the day “zoo keepers” will be in charge of sweeping and wiping down the tables with wipes.
Students will also understand the expectations that they need to clean up from one task before transitioning to the next. This will also be practiced and modeled for them in the first several weeks of school. When gathering at the carpet for a lesson, I will not begin teaching if students haven’t cleared their workspaces or put their materials away. They will understand this delay and look around the room to fix the problem, because the more time
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that is wasted the less time they will have for reason. By having a clean room and everyone working together to keep it that way, it will promote a more positive and inviting learning environment.
6/ Ejtqmbzjnh!Tuvefnu!W1sl!!
!It’s very important to me display student work
not only in my classroom, but also outside my door or in the hallway so visitors can also see the work that my students create. To begin with I will have a bulletin board decorated with the classroom theme of animals, so as to make the classroom as inviting as possible. On one of the first days the students will complete an animal glyph and will slowly start to introduce themselves to their classmates, me, and any visitors to our classroom. This bulletin board will be titled No “Lion” this work is GRRRRREAT and will continue to evolve throughout the course of the semester in correspondence to whatever we are currently working on in class. Student work will also be displayed by being hung from the ceiling. In the hallway I will try to display some of their bigger pieces or projects and correlate these to the season, holiday, or unit with which we are studying. However, I think it’s important to have a balance between displaying student work and not having the room too clustered in order for students to be able to stay focused.
Qbsu!JJ;!Ejtdjqmjnbsz!q1mjdjft!bne!qs1gfttjonbm!fuijdt!
B/ Svmft0Fyqfdubuj1nt!
!2/ Ftubcmjtinfnu!
!In order for students to take ownership of their classroom, actions
and behaviors, as well as their schoolwork, it is important for them to help create the expectations. Within the first week of school we will sit down as a class and come up with our “Rules of the Jungle.” Students will be encouraged to share their ideas, which will be written on chart paper. At the end of the brainstorming session, I will add anything that I see to be missing from the list and we will narrow it down to a maximum of five. The rules and expectations will be centered on the pillars of Character Counts, specifically respect, responsibility, and caring. The rules will then be transferred to a poster and hung up in the front of our classroom for
students to be able to refer to. Within the first week of school we will also establish a volume chart that can serve
multiple purposes. First I can use it to indicate to students how loud they are allowed to be during any given activity. For example, I can tell them that during a test we will be using level zero on our voice chart explaining that we will be absolutely silent. This will give students a visual reminder of what level of voice they can use. It also includes a number scale to rank volume. This will be helpful to students who think analytically rather than
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visually. The voice chart can also be used to explain to students how loud they are being. For example, if students are too loud I can simply remind them that they are currently speaking at a level five, out of control, voice and need to bring it down to a level two voice. Again, the visual and numerical aspects of this chart will hopefully benefit all students and keep the volume of my classroom under control. We will frequently practice each noise level. For example when students are supposed to be at “Spy Talk” I will ask them to model what this looks like for me before actually having them start their activity.
3/ D1ntfrvfndft-!Sfjng1sdfnfnu-!'!Sfxbset! I will use several different tools and techniques for
behavior management. Individually, students will be on a card system. Students will start everyday on a green card and that can be moved to either purple for showing positive character, being a role model, or being extra helpful. Students can also move down to yellow or red. Yellow would be if students receive a verbal reminder and then need an additional reminder and red is for any offense after that. If a student is moved up to purple they have the opportunity to select a prize out of the character box. If a student is moved down to yellow they will have to move away from the group and reflect or think about their actions, what they did to get to this point, and how they will respond the rest of the day to hopefully switch back to green. If a student flips to a red card they will be asked to miss recess completely. During their recess time they will be working on their reflection and bummer paragraphs. These two paragraphs will explain what they did, how they could have acted differently, and what they will do the next time.
In addition to the card system, my classroom will also act as a token economy. Students will have numerous opportunities to earn or lose money. Some opportunities for students to earn money include turning homework in on time, doing an extra task for the teacher, or getting moved to a purple card. Students can lose money by breaking any of the rules, blurting out, flipping to a yellow or red card, or disrespecting another teacher, their classmates, or myself. Together, we will compile a list of how much each offense costs them and what they will owe me. In addition, we will come up with the rewards they would like. Students can use their money to buy opportunities rather than things. For example, students may buy time in the teacher chair, lunch in the classroom, or an opportunity to chew gum. While we will create a master list of ways to earn and lose money as well as the store list, students will understand that ultimately it is up to my discretion and each will be dealt with on a case-‐by-‐case basis.
Students will also have an opportunity to earn rewards based on small group and whole class behavior. Each table group will be named after a different animal and can earn
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table points for being the first group ready, working quietly and independently, or setting a positive example. The table with the most points at the end of the week will all be paid a predetermined amount. For our classroom as a whole we will have a compliment and positivity jar. Students will receive marbles for compliments received in the hall, special teachers, or other visitors to our school. They can also receive marbles for the entire class doing well on a test, positive behavior in the hallways, or any other situation in which I see fit. Once the marble jar is filled, students will be able to decide on a whole class reward, some examples may be extra recess time, an electronic party at the end of the day, or a pajama party.
!!
C/ Ejtsftqfdu-!D1ngmjdu-!'!W1sl!Fuijd!!
2/ Qmbzhs1vne!!Playground conflicts are something that should be dealt with primarily on the
playground. Reports from the recess teachers will be taken into consideration and students will be asked to flip their cards if they are misbehaving on the playground. If students, are coming into the room and tattling or carrying a problem from the playground into the classroom, they will be asked to solve their own problem. If for some reason this cannot be done, they will both be asked to flip their cards. This is because I do not have eyes and ears on the playground and therefore it is difficult to determine who is telling the truth and who isn’t. As is true with any situation, exceptions to the rules occur and if there is an extreme situation I will deal with it in the best way that I see fit. If there are continued issues on the playground, then the root of the problem will be evaluated. Students may lose recess time if they cannot behave appropriately on the playground.
3/ Ejtsftqfdu!!
!There will be zero tolerance for disrespect in my classroom. Each situation will be
handled on a case by case basing depending on how extreme it is, however the student will always be required to write a letter to the individual they disrespected, whether it be a classmate, another teacher or adult, or myself. Along with the letter of apology, students may be asked to write a letter home to their parents explaining what they did and how they are going to act differently in the future. Students who disrespect others will be asked to flip their card and consequences will follow the behavior management plan that was established within the first week of school.
In order to prevent disrespect from becoming a habit, if a student is required to write a letter, they will also sit down with me to discuss the situation. We will go over what respect is and how the student could have acted differently in order to show respect rather than be disrespectful. I will ask them to help me come up with phrases they could have used rather than what they said. We will also touch briefly upon the fact that you need to treat others the way you want to be treated. I will ask them about how I treat them and then ask how I expect to be treated in return. The focus of this whole conversation will be centered around the importance of respect and how to make that a habit in and out of the classroom.
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!4/ Ubsejnftt!
!In my opinion, tardiness may occur in two situations and therefore would be dealt
with depending on the situation. Students are either tardy as a result of what is going on at home or as a result of their own actions. At the elementary level, there are many situations with which a student has no control over. If a student is tardy due to a factor at home, such as a parent running late, they will not receive a consequence. I will make sure to pull them aside and stress to them how important it is to be at school at time and have a conversation as to what is going on at home that they are late. If it is a trend, I will also have a conversation with the parent to try to fully understand the situation and express my opinion. It is vitally important to keep track and document all of this. The other way students would be tardy is by account of their own actions. For example, if they are dilly dawdling coming in for recess and arrive after the lesson has already started, they will be asked to flip their card. It’s important to recognize the distinct difference in form of tardiness and only punish the students for what they have control over.
!5/ Difbujnh!
!It will be established from day one in my classroom that cheating is absolutely
unacceptable. I will have high expectations for each and every one of my students and therefore students will learn the importance of academic integrity. If students are caught cheating they will be expected to stay in from recess and flip their cards. While inside from recess, they will be asked to complete a similar assignment to the one they cheated on. If the cheating occurred on a test or project they will be asked to complete an alternative assessment in a well-‐supervised environment. The student will be able to earn half credit on their make up assignment.
In addition to the make up assignment, students will write a note home explaining why they cheated and why that was a poor decision. We will also have a one on one conversation explaining and reiterating the importance of doing your own work and why cheating does not benefit you in the long run. I think it’s important for students, especially at the elementary level, to understand that cheating is wrong and be punished appropriate. However, I think it’s most important that they understand the rationale behind it and what they need to do in the future in order to be successful.
!6/ Ejtsvqujnh!
!Each student will have a talking tally sheet taped to his or her
desk that is replaced at the start of each week. If a student blurts out or disrupts the class with side or irrelevant comments they will be instructed to add a tally. Each day when students have recess at the end of the day, students who have tallies will be forced to sit out one minute for each tally.
If students continue to disrupt the class in alternative ways, then they will first be given a warning and after that asked to flip their card. Once flipping their card, their consequences will be based upon
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the color of their card and the behavior plan already in place. I can also help to cut down on disruptions by moving students who are not in a good location to effectively learn as well as establishing classroom procedures and routines. Students will know the expectations and they will modeled in order to try and prevent disruptions from happening in the first place.
7/ W1sl!D1nqmfuj1n!'!N1ujwbuj1n!
!Students will be motivated to complete their work and learn based on the
opportunity to earn money within the token economy. More importantly than that, I plan to keep my classroom and lessons engaging and interesting for students. When students are engaged throughout the course of the lesson they should not have a problem being motivated or completing their work at the end. I also intend to have the students understand the importance of learning and take ownership of their work.
For students who need more than an engaging lesson, I will do my best to provide them with the extra support they need. For some this may be simply doing their work in an alternative location, the hall, by my desk, or away from their peer who is distracting them. For students who have an ongoing issue with motivation, we will work together to write a goal for them for each subject per day and if they achieve their goal then they will be able to get some kind of reward, possibly either money or flipping their card to purple.
D/ Qfst1nbm!Qs1gfttj1nbm!Fuijdt!!
In order to set a good example for my students, I will be sure to always follow the classroom rules along with the school and district rules/policies. I will stand behind other teachers, my principal, and the district when decisions are made. If I do not agree with a decision I will handle it appropriately and professionally and work towards the goals of what is best for the students. I will always carry and present myself in the most professional manner.
I will use my best judgment when deciding when to involve parents and administration. I will not send a student down to the office for blurting out in class, but I also will not be afraid to ask for help when a situation is bigger than myself. I will do my best to collaboratively work with the rest of the third grade team. I will share my ideas and take theirs and run with them. If they are offering me advice or constructive criticism I will make sure to take it and use it to positively influence my teaching.
In addition, I will not be cognizant of what I am saying and not talk poorly about others behind their back. Information that is confidential will be kept as such and I will not talk negatively about students, teachers, parents, or other professionals when they are not around, specifically in the teacher’s lounge. I will be mature when handling disagreements and be willing to listen to both sides of the argument. If I do not agree with someone, we will work it out individually in the best way we can. In my classroom, my students will always be put first and I will not allow the outside politics to interfere with that. Ultimately everything I do and decide is for my students and that is what I will always keep at the forefront of my mind. !
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Qbsu!JJJ;!Dmbtts11n!S1vujnft!'!qs1dfevsft!!
B/ Tuvefnu!Tibsjnh!!
In order for students to become confident speaking in front of others and learn how to be a respectful listener there will be many opportunities for them to present their projects or writing. Before presentations, as a class we will go over what is expected of them as the presenter and as the listener. As the presenter, they need to remember components such as eye contact, volume, and diction. The audience will be reminded of how they should sit, when is the appropriate time to ask questions, and that eyes need to be on the presenter.
C/ S11n!ifmqfst!!Two students will be selected daily to serve as the Zoo
Keepers for the day. These two students will be in charge of being the line leader and caboose, passing out papers and supplies, taking attendance, cleaning the library, managing pencils, and running any notes. At the end of the day, the current Zoo Keepers are responsible for changing the cards and picking a peer to have that responsibility for the next day. There is a chart posted by the cards where they check off the name of who they’ve selected. Students know it is expected that all students have an equal amount of turns working as the Zoo Keeper. There is also a job checklist by the station that lets each student know what he or she needs to be doing. There is one for each morning, lunchtime, and afternoon. By having only two helpers for the day, it will be easier for me to remember whom to ask and then there is a quick turnover of students since they get to do everything for one day. While it may seem like a lot of jobs for two students, they will spend their transitional time fully engaged while helping. This is enough time for them to complete their jobs and then instead of having six to eight students working on jobs and not silent reading, there are only two.
D/ Gsff!ujnf!'!gjnjtijnh!fbsmz!
!Students who finish tasks early and find themselves having free time know they
have three options. The first task is to complete any looming assignments that are in their N.F.Y.F. (not finished yet folder) folders. These folders will be for students to store assignments in that they might not have finished the day before or earlier that morning. These are their number one priorities in completing since the majority of the class has already turned them in. If students do not have any work to complete in their folders, there will be a list of tasks on the board for them to complete. These may be differentiated for them based on their table groups, reading groups, or individually. The final task on the list on the board will always be silent reading. If I have nothing else that I see fit for students to complete at that time they are responsible for finding a book to read and being fully engaged in that until it is time to move on to the next task.
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E/ Gjfme!usjqt!!Field trips are an exciting time for students and should be such for teachers. I do not
want to ever regret the decision to take a field trip or feel negatively toward them. In order for this to happen, students need to understand that classroom expectations are also in effect while on field trips. In addition, I will select my chaperons and parent volunteers wisely. The last thing I need is to have a parent who is causing more problems, acting as another students, or setting a bad example for students. I will ensure this happens based on using my best judgment and prior knowledge of the students. In addition, before each field trip my parents will be informed of my expectations, rules, and what their responsibilities are on the field trip. They will also be given a class list with the names of the students in their group highlighted.
Just as the expectations will be discussed with the parents, they will also be gone over with the students. The students should be familiar with them, but I will make sure to highlight specific expectations for when we are outside of the school building. I will also emphasize the fact that they will be representing not only themselves, but also me, and the school and district as a whole. Students will understand that the behavior plan is still in effect while on field trips and any student not following directions or the rules will spend the remainder of their field trip with me and consequences will also ensue once returning to school.
In order to ensure safety on field trips, a permission slip will go out several weeks in advance. This will allow me enough time to follow up with parents who have not returned it, as well as find the parent volunteers. While on the field trip, I will take attendance frequently, specifically every time we move to another location or when we go from whole groups to small groups. Parents will also be instructed to take attendance frequently. I will not specifically have a group to keep track of and rather will be walking around checking in with each parent’s group and helping handle on children who might need to be separated from their group.
!F/ I1nfx1sl!
!Students will have a boomerang folder. This folder will go home from school and
then turn around and come right back. One side of the folder will be for notes and the other side will be for homework. It will go home from school incomplete and come back finished. Homework is the responsibility of the students. While parents are more than welcome to help, guide, and support, ultimately it is the student’s job and responsibility. With bigger homework assignment and projects, the parents will receive a note giving them detailed descriptions and instructions as to what it is and how to best support their child in completing it.
Late homework will not be tolerated. Students receive money for completing their work on time, just as professionals get paid for completing their work on time. The more days an assignment is late, the less money they make and ultimately they could have to start paying some of it back. If late homework is becoming a habit then it will be up to me to have a conversation with the student and figure out if there is a situation at home that is preventing them from completing their homework.
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Ultimately, students should not have an excessive amount of homework. They will be responsible nightly for reading, spelling, and practicing their math facts and then there may be some additional homework. However, in order to present all students with an equal opportunity to succeed a lot of work will be done at school and for projects they will always be started at school. !
G/ Qbqfs!d1mmfdujnh!'!qbttjnh!1vu!!
If students are working on something individually when they are finished, they will turn their assignments into the turn in bin. If the entire class is handing papers in at the same time, then they will collect them at their tables and I will quickly walk around the room to gather all of the papers. Students will follow the same procedure when bringing in homework and turn it in to the turn in tray by the check in area. This will prevent me from losing papers or them getting misplaced in the shuffle on my desk. There will also be a tray for late homework in order for me to make sure to go back and handle the situation according to my late homework procedure.
Passing out papers will be primarily done by the two Zoo Keepers for the day. They will be responsible for distributing them to each table. If the assignment is graded, the Zoo Keepers will assist me in putting them in the students designated mailbox to ensure that they go home and the end of the day. If it is a test or other high stakes assignment that has a grade on the front of it, I may decided to pass these out and have them face down on their desks when they come back from specials or reading in order to avoid students become embarrassed or competitive.
H/ Mjnjnh!vq!'!Ejtnjttjnh!
!In the first week of school, students will learn how I expect them to
line up and behave in the hallway. Before leaving the classroom I will always ask them if they are in a 4S line. This will be the reminder students need to ensure that they are in a straight line, voices are off, and they are still so they are not disturbing those around them. They will know they need to have their hands to themselves and must be walking. If a student cannot follow these procedures they will be moved up so they can walk beside me and I can monitor their behavior. The Zoo Keepers will always know if they are the line leader or line caboose and this will eliminate any issues of who is first or last. If a student gets out of line, they will go to the end (just in front of the caboose). If two students are fighting they will be split up
in line and one will stand by me, the other at the end. If as a class we are struggling to line
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up appropriately, they will be asked to sit back down and do it again until we get it right. Students will be dismissed based on their mode of transportation home. When the bell rings at the end of the day, it will be up to me to dismiss my students. If they are sitting in their table groups they will be dismissed in this manner, if they are at the carpet then they will be dismissed based on row. Bus riders will leave prior to students who are walking or riding home with a parent. This is to ensure that everyone makes it home on time and in a safe manner. Students will have to give me a high five, hug, or handshake at the end of the day. This is so I know all students have left my room and I can check in as to how they’re getting home or any other logistical components.
I/ Cbuis11n!'!esjnl!qs1dfevsft!!
We will take class bathroom breaks after specials and lunch in order to minimize the amount of disruptions and distractions that occur during the instructional time of the day. During this time students are also encouraged to get a drink. If a student needs to go to the bathroom at a time separate from our break, they will have to spend some of their money and pay the predetermined price. This is to encourage students to fully take advantage of the breaks they are given and to not waste instructional or work time. Students who do need to go to the bathroom will get the pass on the door come over to me, I will give them a head nod and they can distribute their money into my ban. This process is not allowed to interrupt the rest of the class and therefore it will need to be entirely nonverbal, especially while I’m in the middle of a lesson. There will be a drinking fountain in the room that students are able to access during transition or independent work time.
If a student constantly needs to use the bathroom or get a drink I will set up a system with them where they become limited. One way I could do this would be through the use of cubes. Every time they need the bathroom or a drink they have to give me a cube. When they run out of cubes for their day they can no longer leave their seat for these purposes.
!J/ Ejggfsfnujbuj1n!
!b/ Bttjtubndf’!
!Students who need extra assistance will receive time, support, and help in order for
all students to succeed within my classroom. Students will not be given less homework problems or no homework at all, but rather the tools and support necessary to understand what they need to accomplish. This may be more scaffolding, using visuals for directions, or more time within which to complete the assignment. I will work closely with the individual student to reteach the content, further explain the assignment, come up with an alternative that more closely fits their needs, or come up with a way for them to understand. It will be important to collaborate with the special educator and ELL teacher in my building to see if they have a better alternative to helping my students succeed. Parents will be kept in the loop and given specific ways they can not only help their student complete the work assigned in the classroom but additional activities they could do at home to help their student be successful. Resources, such as technology, will also be available to students to help them have the materials needed in order to be successful.
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c/ Dibmmfnhf!^! Since I will have high expectations for all students in my classroom, each and every student should feel challenged. Students who are able to go above and beyond, will be expected to do so. Students will not be assigned more problems of something they’ve already completed or be asked to do an extra worksheet, but rather given extensions and more opportunities to think critically and access higher parts of Bloom’s Taxonomy. As with students who need more assistance, they will be given the time, support, and help needed in order to succeed in these extensions. Students will be asked to use their strengths and build upon them. For example, a student who is reading books really quickly and finishes a series may be asked to prepare a book talk and share their love of reading with either our class or another class. For students who like math for our money unit they may be asked to plan a trip when given a certain budget. They would then explain their rationale as to why they spent their money the way they did. Parents will always be kept in the loop and given ways to challenge their student at home as well as in the classroom. Collaboration and communication may also take place with the gifted and talented teacher in order to truly meet their needs. Technology is one way to ensure that students will have materials accessible to them and used to extend their learning.
!K/ Qbsfnut0hvbsejbnt!
!b/ D1nnvnjdbuj1n!!
Communication with parents and guardians is vital to the smooth running of my classroom. Parents will receive a weekly newsletter through which important information will be conveyed. I will also keep a blog that parents will have access to. This will let them know what we did that day, homework for the evening, and any other information they need to know. Parents will be asked to let me know what the best way to contact them is and this will be stored in my parent binder. This is also where I will document all communication that is had one on one with a parent, whether through email, phone, or in person. Students will help with communication by delivering notes to me that come from a parent. They will be responsible for dropping these in the basket by the turn in tray in the morning when they arrive. They are also in charge of bringing their assignment notebook to and from school. I will initial each assignment notebook at the end of the day and I expect someone at home to sign it that night. This is to ensure that we are all on the same page. This also gives parents a place to write me a note or comment if they so choose and then I am guaranteed to see it.
c/ D1ngfsfndft!
Conferences are a vital part of communication and ensuring that all of my students
are successful within the classroom. Parents will have the opportunity to sign up for
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conferences and if none of the times work for them, I will work with them on an individual basis to ensure that I can meet with all of them. If a student comes from a home of split parents, I would be more than happy to sit down with them either individually or together, depending on their comfort level. Students will help me put together portfolios of the work they are most proud of and that which shows the most improvement. I will be responsible for printing out grades and focusing on the behaviors that I would like to highlight during the conference. Students will be asked to do a self-‐reflection based on their behavior, ability to work with others, and overall academics. I will then go through a mark my opinions in a different color pen so parents are able to see how their child perceives them based on how I perceive them.
During conferences I will be sure to start with one positive thing, talk about what needs to be improved and how we are going to work together to do so, and then end with a positive. If students want to be at conferences I will allow them to do so. However, there will be a table set
up in the hallway with books. They will be asked to sit out here until they are able to come into the conference. This way I can be sure to cover everything I see fit without the holding back because the student is present. Parents too will not have to hesitate when asking questions or wonder if I’m being honest with them. The student led part of the conference will focus on their portfolio and allow them to take ownership of what they are doing in school.
