Classroom Management

Plan
Ed 122

Ms. Anna Penlands

nd
Monstrously Magnificent 2
Grade Classroom
1

Table of Contents
Classroom Organization
Physical Environment
Operations
Record Keeping Procedures
Teacher Binder
Grade Books
Calendar
Lesson Plans/Unit
Substitute Binder
New Students
Keeping it Clean
Displaying Student Work

pg. 3&4
pg. 5
pg. 5
pg. 5
pg. 5
pg. 5
pg. 6
pg. 6
pg. 7
pg. 8

Disciplinary Policies and Professional Ethics

Establishing Rules/Expectations
Consequences
Rewards
Disrespect
Conflict
Motivation
Tardiness
Getting Work Done
Cheating
Parent/Principal Involvement
Professionalism

pg. 8
pg. 9
pg. 10
pg. 10
pg. 11
pg. 11
pg. 11
pg. 12
pg. 12
pg. 12
pg. 13

Classroom Routines and Procedures

Student sharing
Room Helpers
Free Time
Field Trips
Homework/handing in paper
Dismissal
Bathroom/Water Fountain Procedures
Specials
Differentiation
Parents
Resources

pg. 13
pg. 14
pg. 16
pg. 17
pg. 17
pg. 18
pg. 18
pg. 19
pg. 19
pg. 20
pg. 20

My second grade classroom will be full of excitement and engaging learning! We will
have a monster theme all across the board. The students will be aware of all my expectations
from the beginning. The better classroom management I have the more learning and success will
take place in my classroom. Here is an explanation of exactly how things will be running in my
classroom.

Part I. Classroom Organization

2

Physical Environment

Operational

My classroom is set up the way it is for a variety of reason. First of all, I placed the
student storage areas right by the entrance to the classroom to help prevent chaos and promote
order. There is also a sink and water fountain between the storage areas for the children to get
drinks during reasonable times of class and wash their hands before lunch. Above the sink and
water fountain is a wall full of cabinets for storage. In these cabinets is math materials, reading
materials and a few games that they students are able to choose from when they have indoor
recess. The students will be able to enter class and immediately put their things away and sit
down in their assigned seats. The students desks are placed near the center of the room in five
groups of four to promote group work, but avoid too many distractions. All of the desks are
placed that the students are able to see the front of the room and the dry erase board and pull
down screen for the projector. On both sides of the dry erase board is two carts. One is for the
Elmo and the other is the TV that will be occasionally used in the classroom. There is an area in
the center of the students desk that is dedicated for turning in assignments. This is placed here
so the students can turn in work as they finish and to prevent commotion since they dont have
too far to move. Next, the teachers desk is placed in the corner of the room where it can
overlook the entire classroom to see all things that are occurring. The pencil sharpener is placed
next to the teachers desk to prevent any clumping of the students. A file cabinet is placed next to
the teachers desk as well to create a place for storing of students work as well as different
subject materials. Directly across the room is the morning meeting rug area. There is a calendar
bulletin board on the wall above where the teachers chair is placed. Next to the calendar, there is
also a list of the rules of the classroom as well as a list of the jobs that the students rotate
through. This area provides a space for the students and teacher to meet and discuss important
matters in the morning to get the day started. Next to the morning meeting rug area, there is a
science exploration center and a social studies area that includes a map of the United States as
well as maps of the different countries on the wall. The science exploration center will be used as
a center as well as storage for different science supplies underneath the table. The social studies
center will have a bulletin board that will change from to different countries each month for the
students to learn. An easel is placed next to the guided reading table for the teacher to be able to
use to her advantage as she is working with small groups. Across the room from the guided
reading table is the library area. There are two bookcases with a wide variety of genres for the
students to choose from. There is a smaller rug and three pillows that the children are able to use
to read comfortably during free reading time. Students will only be able to go into this area
when they have finished their work or when there is designated free reading time. Next to the
library area is the designated computer station for center time or extra practice in a variety of
subjects. It is placed fairly close to the teachers desk to make sure the students are consistently
staying on task. There is also a writing table close to the computer station and library area. This
will be used for peer editing as well as working with the teacher on creating and finishing stories.
Students will be able to publish and read their stories aloud to the class during morning meeting
rug occasionally. There is a wide variety of areas for the students to work independently and in
groups. Everything in my classroom is carefully placed in order to promote good classroom
management and give students the best learning experience possible.

1. Record Keeping Procedures:

One of the most important things to keep in my when keeping records is to always
have a back-up. Our generation will most likely be keeping records in the computer, but it
would be a good idea to have paper forms of records as well to look back on or use as back
up if the computer happens to crash or something along those lines. I will have a few binders
dedicated to keeping records to certain items and materials that are important in keeping my
classroom organized.
Teacher Binders: (All of these binders will be located on shelves that will be
located behind my desk, out of any students reach.)
Student information-This binder will contain all the information that I need to
know about the students. The students name and pictures as well as their
parents contact information. It will also include their form of transportation
to and from school. This binder could contain any comments that were made
by the parents at the beginning of the year during the mini conferences when I
discussed everything they wanted me to know about their child.
School-Year Information-These binder will be divided into two sections. One
of the sections will be designated to the schedules that the students and I will
be following on a daily or weekly basis. This will not be the only place that I
will have the daily schedule or what day we are on that week, but it will be
a good place to keep the information in case I forget for some reason.
Another section will be dedicated to all the district wide calendar events such
as early outs, breaks, and testing weeks.
Grade books:
I will have a written paper record grade book of all the students ongoing
grades they are receiving on multiple subjects. It will be set up like a normal
grade book with a column for all the students names and then columns for
each assignment. I will transfer these grades into the online grade book at the
end of each day or week if time does not permit at the end of every day. I will
also obviously be collecting cumulative grades for the students in the
gradebook to track their progress and success.
Calendar:
I would like to keep a large calendar on my desk that will have any important
dates or activities listed on it. I would also use this calendar as a place to
make any to-do lists for the day or week. I want to keep this calendar on my
desk so it reminds me to keep my desk area clean to set a good example for
the students. I wont be able to see/use my calendar if my desk space is not
clean so if I have the calendar covering up the majority of the top of my desk,
it will be a consistent reminder.
Lesson Plans/Unit Plans:
I will have written up each of my
lesson plans and put them together
in binders to form unit plans. It
may be a lot of extra work my first
year of teaching to compile all of
these lesson plan and unit plans
together, but it will be beneficial in

the end to keep up with organization for the future years. Each of these unit
plans, along with any necessary worksheets or paperwork will be stored in
bins behind my desk that will be labeled according to months. There will be a
bin for August/September, October/November and etc. I will update each bin
when necessary as time progresses and things change in the education world
to make sure my students re benefitting and learning to their best abilities.
These bins would look like something along the lines of the bins I have shown
in the picture above with the labels clear on the outside and lids on top to help
prevent children from getting in as well as relating to our monster themed
classroom.
Substitute Information Binder:
I will have a pre-made binder for all substitutes to refer to when they arrive to
help in my classroom. This binder will include all of the students names and
a picture if available. The binder will also have all of the students parents
contact information and any information about their transportation that will be
necessary for the substitute to know. The next section of the binder will be
dedicated to informing the substitute teacher about our classroom procedures
and rules. They will have a list that will have been provided to the students at
the beginning of the year. The next section will be designated to the lesson
plans that the teachers should refer to for the day/days they will be filling in
for me. Of course, this part of the binder will be subject to change depending
on the day. However, my pre-made lesson plans that will be stored in the
above bins will make it easy to get exactly what the substitute needs in a
timely manner. The last part of the substitute binder will be for any filler
activities that the substitute may refer to if they finish everything that has been
planned for them or need to gain control of the class. This binder will make
my and the subs job easier to keep the classroom management efficient.

2. New Students:
You never know when you are going to be welcoming a new student into your classroom.
The key to keeping your classroom running as efficiently as possible while teaching this new
student all of the procedures and rules in your classroom is to be prepared! The student needs
to walk into the classroom and be introduced to all the policies and expected behaviors right
off the bat. One of the best ways to keep the student up to date is provide them with a buddy.
This buddy will be dedicated to making sure the new student will have an easy adjustment
into the classroom and provide support whenever necessary. This buddy will have been
talked to before the student has arrived to make sure they are aware
There will also be a new student folder provided to the student with all of the materials
necessary for them to learn about the new environment and all that comes with it. This folder
will contain all of the classroom procedures and rules for the student to look back on
whenever they become confused about how things are supposed to work. We will have
found an extra desk to place in the classroom before the student arrives to make sure they do
not feel like they are unwelcome or a hassle. If the student does not have all the supplies
they need the first couple days, we will have an extra set of everything.

I would also try to set up a short time/meeting that I can meet with the new student. I
want to make sure they feel welcomed into my classroom and know I am always available to
answer any questions or concerns they may have. I would also try to contact the parents and
see if they wanted to come in for a mini conference like I had done with each of my other
students parents are the beginning of the year. If they did not have the time to come in, I
would try to gather information about them and their child over the phone. I want both the
parents and the student to feel like they are getting a warm welcoming and they can come to
me for anything.

3. Keeping it clean
The students would be aware from the first day of school that keeping the environment
we are working in is essential. They would be expected to keep their space clean as well as keep
every station or area of the classroom they used throughout the day to pick up. The students
would be consistently reminded that we are working as a team and that everyone puts forth their
best effort to keep our classroom clean and organized so we can have the best learning and
enjoyable experiences.
At the end of each day, the students will be required to pick of a minimum of 3-5 pieces
of scrape paper that lay around on the floor in order to leave the classroom. The students who
are able to do this the quickest and most efficiently will receive a punch on their punch cards for
their reward system. The students will not have to pick up scrape pieces of paper if they are
obviously none to be picked up.
The students will also have limited supplies at their desk. They will have certain folders
for subjects as well as notebooks and writing utensils. However, each of the students will have a
designated box of their art supplies located on a shelf by their name and number that is attached
to their name in my classroom. The students do not need to have glue, scissors, markers, etc. in
their desk at all times because it will just cause messes or distractions when they should be
focused on listening in class. There will also be an area for the students to use any outside
resources that we may need at certain
points during the school year. This
could include anywhere from rulers to
calculators etc. This area will also
include back-ups of just about any
materials the students may need
throughout the school year. However,
this will be an area that must always
be picked up and everything put back
into place at the end of the day and
that students will know that is one of
their responsibilities before leaving.
Ideally, the picture to the left would
be perfect for my monster themed
classroom! However, I could do
something such as just
boxes/containers with labels for the
supplies that are needed.

Displaying Student work:

Showing your students that you are proud of their accomplishments and success in the
classroom is very important. I would have at least one bulletin board in the classroom that will
be known as the Outstanding Work bulletin board. I will randomly choose students pieces of
work to place on this board. It will be a variety of subjects and a variety of students. I will try to
change out the work on the board every 2-3 weeks. This way the students will have time for
everyone to recognize their hard work and accomplishments, but it will give everyone a chance
to be on the board. Making sure I include all the students work is vital to this bulletin board
being a success. No one wants to feel singled out or not good enough to be on the board.
Because of this, I will keep a written record of whose work goes on every two weeks to ensure I
include different students every couple weeks!
I would also like to have a section of my room designated to more art related pieces of
work. Students like to have fun and art work that is related to the core curriculum is fun for
them. For example, they could make a turkey with things they are thankful at thanksgiving or
write three facts they learned about the journey to the moon on an astronaut. The students will
have this dedicated section of my classroom to show off their creative sides while also
demonstrating all the knowledge they are learning.

Part II. Disciplinary Policies and Professional Ethics

Establishing Rules/Expectations:
The students will be aware of the expectations and rules from the first day of school. We
will go over each rule and expectation individually and discuss exactly what it means so they are
not confused. We will also cover each of the consequences that are in place if the students are
not able to perform and act in the way that I have expected for them. The rules and expectations
will be posted all over the classroom for the students to visibly see and return to if they forget
what is expected of them. They will also receive a sheet
of the rules and expectations on the first day of school to
go over with their parents and return with a signature.
Each of the students will sign a contract at the
beginning of the year as well to make sure they know they
1. Face me
are responsible for their actions and to prove that they
2. Eye on me
knew the rules and what was expected of them. I will
keep these contracts in the student binders to refer to if
3. Ears on me
behavior problems become consistent. I will continuously
4. Quiet
remind the children that they are responsible for their
5. Hands and feet
learning. The more we can achieve together as a class, the
better experience we are each going to have.
to self.
One of the references I will use when I want the
students attention is for them to get in body basics and
get ready to for the next subject or activity we are doing
next. I represented the poster I would hang in my
classroom to the right. The students will be aware of what

Body
Basics

body basics are and be able to immediately get into the

correct position as quickly as possible.
I would also give the students a list of the class
rules and discuss the importance of each. I will make
sure the students understand how the class rules will
apply to our room at all times and they will be
responsible for following the rules. We will go over
the class rules at multiple times during the school year
to keep them fresh in the students minds. The
students will be aware that if they are unable to follow
the class rules given, there will be consequences.

Consequences:

Class
Rules
1. Listen
when others are
talking
2. Follow directions
3. Keep hands, feet and
objects to yourself.
4. Work quietly and do not
disturb others.

5. Show respect for people,

I will have a behavior plan set in stone from
school and personal property.
the beginning in order to keep the class acting
appropriately and effectively. I will be using a
6. Work and play in a safe
stoplight system to monitor their good and
manner
misbehaviors. However, the students will also have
punch cards that will be used to award outstanding
behavior that is recognized. This will all be clearly explained to the students on the first couple
days of school in order to prevent any confusion.
The students will all have their own clothespin with their name on it. They will each
begin on the green/happy monster cut out at the beginning of each day. This green happy
monster cut out will represent that the students are ready to learn and behaving in a way that is
expected of them. If the student misbehaves one time they will receive a verbal warning and be
asked what is expected of them. The student should turn their behavior around and get back on
task to eliminate the misbehavior. If the student fails to follow directions and continues to
misbehave, they will have to move their clothespin down to the yellow/straight faced monster.
This monster stands for that the student is struggling to follow directions and behave
appropriately, but they still have a chance to show their responsibility later in the day. If the
student is unable to act in the correct manner and continues to misbehave, they will be asked to
move their clothespin down to the red/angry monster. This monster represents that the student
was not able to follow directions and they were continuously misbehaving. The students will
have a chance for redemption though. If a student is placed on the yellow monster, but manages
to stay on task and display appropriate or outstanding behavior, they will be asked to move their
clothespin back to the green. Same type of situation goes from moving a clothespin up from the
red to the yellow. I want my students to know that I will not be holding any grudges against
them if they are misbehaving. They will always have a chance for redemption.
At the end of each day, the students will fill out a behavior calendar that I will have
provided to them. This behavior calendar will have the five days of the week. The students will
be asked to color in that day for which behavior color they ended on. If the students have 2 or
more red days colored in at the end of the week, they will write a letter (on a form that will be
provided to them) to me and their parents about how they were misbehaving and how they can
improve their actions for the next week. This way, the parents will be involved in the students
behavior and I will be able to keep track of how the student is behaving all year round by
collecting these colored calendars at the end of each month and keeping them for my records.

Rewards:
I want my students to be recognized for good and outstanding behavior. This is why I am
going to be implementing a reward punch card system as well as the stop light behavior plan.
The students will each have a punch card for
their own. This punch card will look something
like the picture to the right. The students will
receive punches on their card for doing
outstanding behavior to reward them for
behaving in the expected manner. This could be
something as simple as returning a paper with a
parents signature (which is something I would
use in the beginning of the year to get the punch
cards going) to being the first student
transitioned into a new subject and ready to
learn. The punch cards will be utilized on a daily
basis to encourage the students to behave in the
correct way. Once a student fills up their punch
card, they will get to pick from a group of
rewards. They will get one reward per card and then start working on a new punch card once
they finish one. The reward options will be the following:
1. Sit in the teachers desk and/or chair for the day.
2. Swap desks with another student for the day.
3. Have lunch with the teacher.
4. Homework extension-get an extra day for turning in your homework.
5. Pick an item from the treasure jar! (Items with range from stickers to erasers to candy)
6. Bring an item from home to show and tell the class
These options may change at the middle of the year to keep students interested in the options and
performing in the expected behaviors! There will also be rewards if the entire class is able to get
so many punch cards completed. For example, at the beginning of the year I would tell the
students that if all of them can fill 3 punch cards by the end of November, they will receive a
reward day as a class. The options for reward days could be something like, wear your pajamas
to school for a day, enjoy a movie, spending an hour of the day using a technology item. These
rewards could be discussed and voted on as a class. This reward system will give the students
something to work towards and hopefully help keep them on task while working hand in hand
with the stoplight system.

Disrespect/Conflict/Lack of Motivation:
On the first day of school, students will be aware of my expectations and rules. One of
the rules I listed above was Show respect for people, school and personal property. I will treat
my students with the upmost respect and will expect it in return. The students will know that
there will be consequences if they are unable to treat me and others with respect as well as the
school district and personal property. I will use the stoplight discipline tactic in addressing
problems with disrespect. If the problem continues to come up, the student, the parents and I
will set up a meeting time and figure out a plan of action to solve the misbehavior.

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The reward system I set up should help with the motivation of the students. The idea of
receiving prizes and rewards for good behavior should help to motivate the students to do what is
expected to succeed. I will also make an effort to cover a wide variety of areas that will attract
multiple students interests. I will do my best to connect the curriculum to an activity or topic
that the students can relate to which will help them be more engaged and motivated to learn the
subject we are discussing. The class will also be working toward rewards as a group. They will
receive whole class awards when they have accomplished any given task, such as each of them
getting three filled punch cards in a designated amount of
time. By the students working together as a class to earn
rewards, it will help develop a sense of community and
teamwork in the classroom.
One of the biggest issues in elementary grades is
tattling on classmates when it comes to conflict. The
students have difficulty recognizing when the
problem/conflict they are having is something that they
can solve on their own or something that needs outside
help. They also struggle with recognizing whether or not
a problem is actually as serious as they are making it
sound. For these reasons, I will cover tattling vs.
reporting/informing. The students need a clear
understanding of how the two are different. The
differences will be hung on the wall on a chart like
something Ive shown to the right. They can refer to this
chart before coming to me with a problem they may be
experiencing with another student. This will teach the
students to be responsible with their own problems and
learn how to solve things on their own before resorting to
the teacher solving everything. I will make sure my
students know that tattling vs. reporting should be used as a method to solve their problems or
conflicts all over the school including the playground and lunchroom. Remind them that being
right is not the most important aspect when it comes to conflict, but finding a solution that is
helpful to everyone involved in the issue. However, I will be available to the students when the
issue is beyond tattling and they need outside help and support. We will work together with
anyone who is involved in the problem to discover a compromise that will hopefully satisfy
everyone. Students may need help recognizing whether they are tattling or reporting at the
beginning of the year. I will make sure they know that I will always be available to discuss what
kind of situation they are in so they become clear when they are tattling or reporting/informing a
serious problem.

Tardiness/Not getting work done/Cheating

Tardiness is not normally a huge deal in elementary school. Majority of the time when a
child is late to school, it is not their fault. They are not the ones that are going to be driving
themselves so it is not always under than control when they arrive at school. However, tardiness
can be an issue if a child is taking their time coming back from lunch or recess and arriving in
class later than the rest of their classmates. If a student comes back late one to two times, it is
not an issue. However, if they are arriving later every day it is something that needs to be

11

addressed. The first thing I would do is pull aside the student during a time when we could
speak privately and ask why they were arriving later than their classmates. Then I would remind
the student of their expectations. One of those expectations is following directions. This relates
to tardiness because if the student knows they are supposed to be somewhere else but are taking
their time or messing around, they are not following directions. I would mention this to the
student and ask them to behave in the manner that is expected and no longer be tardy to class.
Hopefully this method will work. If the student continues to be late, I will use the stoplight
method and have them move down on their lights. However, if the student continues to be tardy
on a regular basis I could implement a meeting with their parents and them and pull out the
contract that they signed at the beginning of the year. The student clearly stated they would be
responsible for these expectations which they are not following. We could discuss consequences
if the student continues to be work and come to a resolution to ensure the student will no longer
be tardy.
Students will be expected to stay on task and get their work done. Students will have a
folder they will take home on Fridays. This folder will contain any important information I need
to get translated to the parents such as newsletters. It will also contain any assignments from that
week that the student did not get done. The parents will have to review these assignments with
the child and help to accomplish them. Then there will be a section of the folder that will have a
sign off sheet for the parents. The parents will sign that sheet every Friday to show that they
looked in their childs folder and know exactly what is going on. However, this folder will not
only contain assignments that the student hasnt gotten done (because they already should have
in class). It will also hold any accomplished pieces of work that I have already graded and want
the students to show their parents to show them their success in school. Besides Friday folders
and asking for the parents help, the students will have plenty of opportunities to accomplish their
work in class. There will be times in which the students will be able to free read if they are done
with everything but those we arent will be working on other assignments. If it becomes a huge
problem and the student is not doing any of their work, they will miss recess time to stay in with
me to work on the assignments together so I can monitor them to make sure they are doing what
they should be doing. However, students should know what is expected of them and be
completing their assignments within the time frame I have given them.
Cheating will be absolutely prohibited. We will go over this as a class within the first
week or so of school. Each child will receive a test taking standing up folder that they can use
when they want to make sure their work is private from others. I will tell the students that this
barrier can be used to protect their work and make sure they never look like they are cheating. I
will also tell children that cheating is a serious issue in my classroom and I will not tolerate it. If
I see a student glancing at someones paper, I will just say something along the lines of
Remember, everyone keep your own eyes on your own paper. This sometimes gives the
students awareness that you are watching them and that could be all it takes. However, if it the
problem continues, I will have the child redo whatever they cheated on and then fill out a
behavior letter (previously mentioned) about their incorrect behavior and how they can fix it to
me. If the problem continues, I will set up a meeting time with their parent or the principal to
discuss the issue and how to resolve it.

Parent/Principal Involvement:
I think a lot of situations and misbehaviors can be handled inside the classroom without
outside involvement. However, there is a point when outside sources have to be consulted. I

12

will never keep anything from the parents that they need to know. If their child is continuously
misbehaving, they will receive notice about that (through behavior letters or phone calls).
However, I will try to avoid setting up meetings with the parents unless their child has
continuously misbehaved or refuses to follow the expectations I have of them in my classroom.
When contacting the parents, I will already have a set plan of how we can fix the problem when
we meet. The child will be taking part in the meeting as well to ensure they are aware of the
problem and how exactly we are going to fix it. I will also make sure to follow up with the
parents in order to keep their support and inform them on the progress we are making with our
previous set up plan. Besides having the parents involved when a child misbehaves, I would also
like to contact them with good things to share about each of their children, but I will go into
detail about that a little bit later.
I will always try to solve any behavioral issues in my classroom before sending the
student to the principals office. The only circumstances in which I will involve the principal
would be if the student was repeatedly misbehaving with angry or emotional outbursts,
repeatedly disrupting class, displaying extreme defiance, or any dangerous or unsafe behavior
that could hard my class. In cases like this, an outside source may be necessary to solve the
childs problems. The issues may be on a deeper level and understanding that appears on the
surface and getting outside help may help to discover what this inner issue is.

Professionalism:
The absolute best policy to avoid getting involved in any gossip or drama that goes on in
the school district I will be working at is to simply keep my opinions to myself. There is a time
and place to voice your opinion. However, stating everything on my mind or getting involved in
disrespectful or inappropriate conversations should not be happening while being a teacher.
Collaboration is a huge part of teaching. I am going to be working with a wide variety of
teachers with a wide variety of personalities and ways of doing things. If a problem arises that I
feel the need to address (with either a colleague or the principal), I should do so in a respectful
and private matter. Setting up a time to discuss the issue and hopefully come to a solution with
whomever the problem is appropriate if the problem seems unavoidable. However, the problem
or solution does not need to be discussed with anyone outside the main circle of the issue. I
should always be open-minded when working with others to form the best teamwork possible
and avoid creating negative relationships with any of the faculty or staff.
Along with keeping professional and respectful relationships, I should dress in
appropriate attire for teaching. I should come to school every day looking professional and well
dressed. My clothes are representing how the other faculty members and students are going to
view how serious I am taking my job. Being aware that I will be consistently looked at and am a
walking advertisement for my job, I should continuously appear professional and well-kept.

Part III. Classroom Routines and Procedures

All classroom routines and procedures will be introduced on the first day or first couple days of
school. There will be consistent visual reminders around the classroom about each of these
routines or procedures as well as practice. The students will physically practice any routines or
procedures that allow them to be up and moving in order to make sure they know exactly what is
expected of them and how they should be behaving during specific times. These routines will be
rehearsed at any point in time during the school year if the class seems to forget what they should

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be doing. It should become somewhat automatic for the students after they have practiced and
learned about all the important routines and procedures.

Student Sharing
I will always encourage my students to consistently share their accomplishments in the
classroom. I will provide multiple opportunities for the students to share their work and success
with others. One of the first things I will implement is that each student will have 4 different
partners. The partners will be called Fall, Winter, Spring Summer. The student will be assigned
a different student for each season. However, we will not just use that partner during that
season; it is just a way to remember which partner is attached to a certain season. For example,
if the students did an assignment on Thanksgiving and had to interview somebody about their
favorite part of Thanksgiving, I could tell the students to get with their Fall partner and share
their discoveries. This would allow the students to quietly and quickly get into groups without
much effort. This will prevent students from being left out or taking the time to draw sticks with
each of the students names on them. However, I will still use sticks to group students for certain
activities to ensure randomness and provide opportunities for them to work with everyone in
their class.
There will be another activity called Morning Meeting. This will be after the students
have done their bell-ringer beginning of the day work once everyone is settled in. I will call the
students to the area of the room designated for the morning meeting or read aloud area. During
this morning meeting, I will discuss anything important or new that is going to go on that day or
that the students should know. Then the floor will be open to the students to share. This sharing
may be to share with everyone something that they learned the day before or it could be their
exciting weekend plans that they have on Fridays. Realistically, I will not be able to do morning
meeting every day, but I will try to do it as much as possible. It can provide opportunities for
students to share their opinion or ideas on topics that they like and care about. It could also be
used as an informal assessment area if the questions for the students to share on are related to the
curriculum currently being taught.
A big part of writers workshop is sharing your published work with your peers. I want
my students to get the chance to share any writing pieces that they are proud of and have spent a
long time on. I will implement an activity every two weeks on a Friday for sharing any writers
workshop pieces. Not every student will be required to share, but the ones who are willing and
have accomplished a new product in those two weeks will be given the chance to share their
accomplishments with their classmates. The audience can provide the student with positive
feedback about their writing piece. This will help boost self-confidence levels in students
learning and will be another great option to allow student sharing.

Room Helpers
Children love to have important jobs and be helpful around the classroom. For this
reason, I will have a wide variety of classroom jobs for the students to be a part of. The students
names will rotate through each of the jobs so everyone gets a chance to do the job that they want
to. Since it is difficult to have a job for every student that would actually seem relevant, the
students without jobs for the day will be vacationers. This way the students will still feel
important because they normally have a job, they just happen to be on vacation on a particular
day! Here is a description of each of the jobs.

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1. Line Leader-the student leads their classmates to every activity that allows them to exit the
classroom. They get to be the front of the line and will be setting an example for each of their
classmates.
2. Door Holder-this student will be responsible for holding open the door for all their peers to
enter. Doors can be to the classroom, to specials, to recess, bathroom breaks, etc.
3. Paper Passer-any time there is paper to be passed out during class time to the students,
this person is responsible for handing it out to everyone. They may choose a partner to help them
during the process. (This job will include passing back some of the assignments completed in
class, but others will be returned through the mailboxes for each of the students.
4. Library Aid-this student will be responsible for making sure that the library area of the
classroom is cleaned and all the books are correctly put away. They will check the library at the
end of reading time as well as at the end of the day.
5. Teachers Assistant-this student will be helping the teacher in any way that is asked. This
could be from putting papers in student mailboxes to answering the phone in the classroom if the
teacher is too far away. (The teacher will utilize the teachers assistant to make sure any
important announcements and messages are handed out to the students in their mailboxes to take
home to their parents.)
6. Caboose-this student will be at the end of the line when the class is lining up. It is their
responsibility to make sure everyone is acting and behaving in the correct manner while traveling
through the school.
7. Class Messenger-this student will be the messenger for the class. They will have to go to
other classrooms if there needs to be communication between two teachers.
8. Attendance Secretary-this student will be responsible for delivering the attendance sheets
to the office in the morning and the afternoon once the teacher has checked to make sure
everyone is present.
9. Calendar Monitor-this student is responsible for changing the date on the board and
moving the monster on the calendar in the classroom to the correct date.
10. Technology Monitor-this person will be monitoring the computer area as well as the
IPad. They will have to make sure the computers are off at the end of the day and that all the
students are using the technology in an appropriate manner.
11. Clean-Up Monitor-this student will make sure that
everyone cleans up their area and the space around them. They will
also check the supply area at the end of the day to make sure
everything is back in its place.
12. Vacationer-Congratulations! You have been working so
hard at helping me that you get to take a few days off! Enjoy your
breakJ
The chart I created below will be what is displayed in the
classroom. Each of the job cards will be in a plastic chart like the
one to the right. The students names will rotate through the jobs
on a daily basis. I will have a list of each of the job descriptions
located somewhere close to the chart so there is no confusion about
who is supposed to be doing what throughout the day. Of course I
will have gone over each job with the students given them a full
description. If I cant remember who has what job, I can simply

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look on this chart and it will be easy to locate with the names and jobs listed right there!

Line
Leade
r

Door
Holde
r

Pape
r
Pass
er
Caboo
se

Librar
y
Aid

Teache
rs
Assista
nt

Class
Messen
ger

Attenda
nce
Secretar
y

Calen
dar
Monit
or

Technol
ogy
Monitor
Vacatio
ner

Cleanup
Monitor

Vacation
er

Vacation
er

Vacatione
r

Vacation
er

Vacatio
ner

Vacatio
ner

Free Time:
There should not be a lot of free time if the students are staying on task and doing
everything I ask of them. Majority of the time, the students will have 2-3 options of different

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assignments or tasks that they could be working on. However, if there is any sort of option for
free time, I will have given the students a list of free time options.
1. Free Reading
2. Practice spelling words with writing them or using them in a sentence on the personal
whiteboards.
3. With permission, log on to the computer and practice their math facts on pre-chosen
web programs.
4. Work on one of your writers workshop pieces.
5. Approved ideas by Ms. Penland
These ideas will be posted on a wall somewhere in the classroom for students to look at and refer
to if something like free time comes up. But I shouldnt ever see students just sitting in their
desks not working on anything. They will know that there is always something that needs to be
done and they should be consistently working on something to better their education. They will
get to have fun days where free time may consist of drawing a picture or something along those
lines. However, I want my students to be on task and working on relevant things during the
school day because they should be engaged and working towards their own personal academic
success.

Field Trips:
I would love to take my class on educational field trips. I will do this whenever the
opportunity arises and make sure the field trip will be worthy of the students missing valuable
class time. Before the students went on the field trip, they would of course have to get
parent/guardian permission to go somewhere besides the school. The students would have plenty
of advance notice to get their permission slips signed so it would be possible for all students to
come along. I would try to make sure that the field trips would cost little to no money for the
students because I do not know everything about their financial background or home life. I want
every student to be able to participate so money should be not a factor.
We would discuss as a class how the expectations I have of them in the classroom applies
to outside of the classroom as well including on this field trip. We would discuss important ideas
of how we need to act and behave in the specific situation of wherever we may be going. I
would also remind the students that if they are to misbehave or not follow my expectation while
we are outside of the classroom, they will still have consequence once we come back to the
classroom.
I will also try to tie the field trip back into the curriculum the day after the field trip and
have the students present information they learned in some sort of format. This could be
anywhere from sharing with a partner or creating a poster with a group on a variety of
information that they learned on the field trip that they might not have discovered in the
classroom. I think field trips are a great way to expand education if they are done properly and
effectively while making sure the students understand the expectations of them outside of the
classroom as well.

Homework/Handing in Papers:
I will not assign homework a ton in this class, but I will when it is necessary and needed.
I will send home a folder with the students homework in it each night. I will have a chart that
monitors who is turning in their homework the next day and who is not. I may give the students
who turned it in a punch of their reward punch card for following directions and completing the

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tasks. If they do not complete it, they will get a chance to stay in from recess to finish it. If the
student still proceeds to not partake in the homework, they will get their homework sent home in
their Friday Folder with a note to their parents explaining what they need to get done and when it
was supposed to be done. None of the homework will be extremely time-consuming for the
students.
However, I would like to try and get the students to read at least 15 minutes every night
outside of class. I will send home a letter about this activity at the beginning of the school year.
The students will receive a reading log for each month that they can log their reading times and
get a parents signature proving they read as long as they did. This wont necessarily be required
of the students, but there will be prizes/reward punches involved for those who choose to get
reading done on a fairly consistent basis. The prizes will be similar to those that the students get
when the fill up a punch card. However, I think they will be motivating to the students to spend
at least 15 minutes a night reading.
We will spend the last ten minutes of every day filling out our planners with homework
or things we need to remember. The students might not be able to remember everything if they
do not write it down. I will be giving them clear instructions on the items that will be due and on
what dates. This way I can monitor the students writing down the instructions and homework so
there can be no question later whether they knew about the assignment or not.
As for handing in papers, the process will be simple and quick. I will have a station that
will be located towards the center area of all the students desk groups. The students will be
aware that this area is designated for handing in their assignments or homework. I wanted it to
be in a location that was easy for the students to reach without having to walk to the other side of
the room. I also wanted an easy way for me to collect all the students papers in order to
maintain organization.

Dismissal:
On the first day when the students hear the bell, I know many of them will try to get up
and leave. This is why I will cover dismissal before they have a chance to do this. I will inform
them that the bell is for the teachers, not the students. It is a signal to us that lets us know when a
period of part of the day is over to keep us on track. It is NOT a dismissal bell. I will tell them
that whenever the bell rings, they are not to get out of their seats until I have given them verbal
permission to begin packing up their belongings and leave. If someone is unable to follow this
direction, we will continue to practice it until it makes sense! If someone does not want to
follow this action, we will make everyone start over and
wait until that student decides to follow the expectations I
have for dismissal.

Bathroom/Getting a drink Procedures:

I will try to give my students as many as bathroom
breaks as well as drink breaks as possible, but still
appropriate. In the morning after we do our morning
meeting activity, I will have the students take a bathroom
break as a class. This will give all students an opportunity
to use the restroom and get a drink before we start our
learning for the day. I will also allow a class bathroom
break in the afternoon in which we will all go together as

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well. This way the students will have opportunities to use the bathroom, but I can monitor it to
make sure it is quick.
However, I will of course have bathroom passes. The students will be aware that the
bathroom passes include getting a drink too. There may be circumstances where the water
fountain is in the classroom instead of next to the bathrooms. If that is the case then the students
will know to get a drink during quiet time, not in the middle of my teaching. If the bathroom and
water fountain are next to each other, the students will use the bathroom passes to use them both.
The passes will hang on a hook close to the door, one for the boys and one for the girls. The
students will simply pick up this pass, head to wherever I am and hold up the pass for me to
notice. If I nod or say it is okay, they are allowed to go to the bathroom. Then the student will
place the pass on their desk in case I need to know where they are at any point in time. The
students will know the appropriate times to use this pass which will not be during my teaching,
but down time. We will practice this procedure in the first couple days of school to ensure the
students know exactly what to do. The passes will look something like the picture up above!

Specials:
The students will be aware of what specials are on
Hallway
specific day from the schedule that will be posted on the
Body
board. They will not be dismissed for specials, until I tell
them. Same type of scenario as we had done for other times
Basics
1. Line
Up
for dismissal. They will wait for my word to line up which I
2. Face forward
will do by desk grouping or girls/boys etc. They will stand in
3. Keep hands
line and be quiet and respectful of their peers personal space.
to your self
The line leader will take the lead and the caboose will be
monitor other students behavior. The students will learn and
4. Be quiet
follow the hallway body basic rules. I will have them posted
5. WALK with
on the wall next to the door for a friendly reminder for the
the group
students as they exit the room. We will have practiced lining
up and walking in the hallways in the expected manner at the
beginning of the year. The students will know that all the
expectations I have of them in my classroom will follow them
to specials. Any misbehavior in specials will be noted in my
classroom as well. Once the students return from their special,
they will enter the room quietly and immdiately get out any materials I have listed on the board
that they will need for the next subject or activity we will do.

Differentiation:
Each and everyone of my students are going to be different learners. There is no way of
telling right off the bat who is going to learn best in certain ways. This is why differentiation is
completely necessary. There will be students that are going to need a little extra help from me as
a teacher to get to the same point as the other students. I will have a wide variety of ways to help
these students. It may be anywhere from working with the student one on one and providing
extra help to giving them a larger start on an assignment or project. The students may need a
visual piece such as directions, a picture, or a book to help them complete an assignment. There
may also be outside help that will come in and work with certain students. Of course I will have
a wide variety of guided reading groups to assist students with whatever level they may be on. It

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is kind of difficult to predict how my students are going to learn now to decide exactly which
way I will be able to help them get to the same product and learning as their peers. However, I
do plan to make sure all my students learn everything I cover and perform to their best abilities.
When it comes to challenging gifted students, I think expanding on their learning is
important. The students may be bored with the basic work which is why they need an expansion
of some sort. This could be anywhere from researching a topic through pre-assigned websites or
books to creating a project with other gifted students. The students could work together on
creating a project over an expanded period of time that will make them think deeper and more
critically about a concept than the rest of the class. They would be able to present this
information to the class to show their findings and achievement. I could also do something in
which the students will have to come up with their own assignment/project to show their
understanding of a concept. I think the type of project/assignment would depend on the students
as well as the topic being covered. However, I would make sure to always require these students
to work harder than they are used to and really challenge their unique and gifted talents. We
want our students to succeed in all ways possible and these particular students will need to do
things outside of regular learning.

Parents:
I will initiate contact and communcation with the parents from the very beginning. I
want to form a goood relationship with the parents of my students which will beneficial to
everything in the end. I will first begin by sending out a welcoming letter the first day of school
to give the parents background info about me and what to expect this school year. I will mention
that I would like to have mini conferences with the parents in the beginning of the year. These
mini conferences would be used to get to know the parents and the students. The parents could
share anything about their child that they think I should know or talk to me about any questions
or concerns. I think this will help to form a relationship right from the beginning.
I will also be in consistent contact with the parents with Friday folders and updating them
on their childrens progress and homework assignments. This will help to make sure the parents
are on the same page as me with everything going on in the classroom.
I will of course contact the parents if there are any behavior problems. I want them to be
aware of how their child is behaving in the classroom. I will also set up any meetings that are
necessary to change the students behavior if it comes to that. However, I will also make random
phone calls or send notes home with the students informing the parents of their accomplishments
or successes. I want the parents to know that I am recognizing their childrens hard work and
success in the classroom.
I will have parent conferences with the student and the parents. Since the conference is
about the student, I think it is necessary that they are there. I will send about notification about
the conferences and times in plenty of time in advance so that the majority of the parents will be
able to attend. Part of the conference time will be spent with me, discussing the student and their
accomplishments or concerns. The second half of the conference will be the child showing their
parents everything they have been working on and accomplishing in the classroom so far at this
year. I think it is important to involve the student as much as possible to ensure the parents know
that the student is aware they are responsible for their learning hand in hand with me.

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Teaching is the hardest thing you will ever love.

-Heidi Albin

Resources:
-Wong, Harry K., and Rosemary T. Wong. The First Days of School: How to Be an Effective
Teacher. Mountain View, CA: Harry K. Wong Publications, 2009. Print.
-http://www.pinterest.com/
-http://www.the-teachers-lounge.com/blog/2011/10/the-best-classroom-management-ideasresources/
-http://mycutegraphics.com/
-http://fabulousinfirst.blogspot.com/p/my-classroom.html
-Mac, Kenzie Robert J., and Lisa Stanzione. Setting Limits in the Classroom: A Complete Guide
to Effective Classroom Management with a School-wide Discipline Plan. New York:
Three Rivers, 2010. Print.

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