Jenna Fishoff Classroom Ecology Plan

405C

Building a Classroom Community
Qualities and characteristics I would like to promote as I build community in my
classroom.

Be Respectful
Be responsible/accountable
Be safe
Agency/ownership
Critical Thinkers
Dont be afraid to take risks (risk-taking)
Reflective
Open-minded
Balanced
Principled
Thinker
Inquirer
Communicator
Knowledgeable
Teachable attitude
Caring/Empathy
High expectation

Safety in my classroom encompasses: emotionally, physically, spiritually, intellectually, and
socially. Providing my students with the willingness to explore and challenge, while being
compassionate, supportive, empathetic, explorative, accepting, and equitable.

Theories that inform my ideas about Classroom Community

Barbara Rogoff: Community of Learners
Diaz and Flores
Daniel Solorzano
Luis Moll: Funds of Knowledge
When are you coming to visit?
Neil Nodding
Paulo Freire
Positionality
Ken Robinson
James Gee
Yosso


Action Plan for Building A Classroom Community

Ways to introduce myself to the class:

Powerpoint
Bio Bag
Vision Board
Video of what to expect
Self-Interactive Video
Teachers corner

Ways to learn about my students

Surveys,
Parents stay on the first day
Community circle/ morning meeting
Student of the Week pick a students name out of a hat, learn how to spell name and
co-construct a story etc. ask the student questions etc write it together, read it together
Home Visits
Personal Narratives

List of introductory activities I will use during the first two weeks of school to help
students get acquainted with you and one another. Include any
materials/handouts/books you will use for these activities.

Letter to themselves: goals, fears, expectations
Fill your bucket (positive things)
Bio Bags
Yarn activity
Equity/affinity cards
Three different color post its (Classroom agreements)
o What can your teacher can do to help you learn?
o What can your peer do to help you learn?
o What I can do to help me learn?
Fill your bucket

BOOK RESOURCES:
Rules in School
The Morning Meeting Book
The First Six Weeks of School
The Reluctant Disciplinarian
The Survival Kit for New Teachers
Classroom Management
Agreements
1. Students and teacher generate agreements together to provide ownership and consensus,
hopefully agreements fall under the following categories:
Be respectful
Be safe
Be responsible
Be a risk taker
Be a problem solver

! Activity: What makes a good student? What makes a good teacher?
! Frame Agreements as a constitution. Allow students to sign at the end.

If a student does not follow the agreements:
Talk with the student and ask them to reflect on the agreement they broke. Why? How
does what they did affect the class? Lead them towards recognizing the importance of
the agreement they broke.
Students and teachers agree to pick the consequences for their misbehavior. (beginning
of the school year, made with the rules)
Give students warnings (3) be transparent. Let students know which warning they are
on, so they can self-monitor behavior.
It is important to be consistent with the rules too. Constantly go over the rules so they
know, and are well aware of the consequences for their behavior.
Take away recess or privileges.

Structures
Dont just list the things we CANT do but list the things you CAN do
Be a problem solver, put the responsibility back onto student
Set up the physical classroom environment so that students know where to get what
they need, have clear boundaries for what parts of the room are always open for
business (i.e. paper, crayons, books etc) and what areas are sometimes or always off
limits (i.e. computers, teachers desk, filing cabinets etc)

Classroom Jobs/duties/responsibilities:
Students change jobs every Monday, have as many jobs as ! the amount of student. Jobs can
include:
Paper monitor
Homework Monitor
Breakfast monitor
Office monitor
Phone monitor
Sink monitor
Trash monitor
Line monitor/leaders
Door monitor
Light monitor
Pet feeding monitor
Hand sanitizer monitor
Screen monitor
Board monitor
Stuff organization monitor
Pencil patrol monitor/Pencil surgeon
Compost monitor
PE equipment monitor
Historian
Concierge/janitor
Tech Wizard
Mailman/woman/person
Teachers Aide/assistant