My classroom will be very structured but allow for growth and be flexible. It will be a student center environment and they will feel appreciated and valued in my classroom. I believe in building meaningful relationships with my students to not only improve instruction, but behavior as well. I believe in showing constant respect to my students to create respect back, this includes having a student signed class contract that is both teacher and student created. I believe in setting clear expectations on anything done in the classroom and modeling the right and wrong way to do things in any instruction to prevent any confusion or misbehavior. I also believe that song or music centered learning is amazing and beneficial to the students, so I will be implementing it in as much as I can, like for example, in everyday tasks and learning.
Key Routines and Procedures
Establishing set routines and procedures for parts of the day and tasks is super important for a classroom to run smoothly and there be less misbehavior and confusion. Below are some key or general procedures that I would implement in my classroom for each day.
Start of the Day:
There will be a “choice of greeting” at the door when entering. They can choose from a high five, a handshake, a hug, or just a wave. It will be up to the student and be displayed on the door.
Unpack your backpack (put backpack on your chair, take out water bottle and lunch box, and daily folder).
Then students are to start on either previous work or play at a center till the bell rings.
Then students can work on the warmup while Ms.Tushnet takes attendance.
Ms.Tushnet will assign classroom jobs for the week at the beginning of each week and the students will have a choice of their job from the given selection.
Then students will listen to the announcements.
Then there will be community circle time. This is where students can share one thing or answer from a given question.
End of the Day:
Clean up desk and return any supplies.
Pack up quickly and quietly when given the OK (This includes getting their daily folder and water bottle and anything out of their mailboxes that was instructed to do).
Then we will have a second community circle where they can share about their day (For example what went well and or their favorite part)
Then when they are called for their type of transportation home, when walking through the door they will get a choice of a “goodbye saying” that will be posted on the door. (Toodle-oo kangaroo, See you later alligator, See you soon raccoon, etc.)
Hallway Expectations:
The first week of school procedures will be practiced in depth multiple times.
There will be an assigned line leader, door holder, and caboose (these are changed weekly).
The students are to line up on a dot and not talk when called from their seats.
The expectations in line and in the hall are there is a bubble in your mouth (not talking), eyes are forward, hands are behind your back.
There will be taught and known stopping points throughout the hall and they will wait to be given permission to move to the next one.
Early Finishers
The student is to finish any other unfinished work that was given to them or get a developmental center from a the “done” shelf to do quietly.
If they want to read, they can from the class library quietly.
Response To Misbehavior:
Below is the progression that I will follow if a student misbehaves or is having a hard time following the rules or a procedure. Though, every situation is different, and so it might be handled a little differently based on the infraction or situation. But I will try to make the response the least bit distractive to the other in the class, to not disrupt the active learning. The steps of correction or intensity increases by number. Some of the steps might be skipped due to the severity of the behavior.
The student will get a Nonverbal reminder first, as a warning. (Like a look/stand behind them)
There will be a Verbal reminder (For example: quick reminder of expectations verbally).
Their will be a corrective consequence. Example: They will have to sit at their desk for a period of time (Ex: too much talking on the carpet) or if they are wandering around the room or out of their seat without permission, they will have to sit still at their desk to model the correct behavior expectation during play time or recess.
(Behavior continues or repeats after Level 3) There will be a note or email/phone call that will be sent to the parents.
(For extreme behavior or when nothing seems to work or other students are in danger) The principle will be involved and there will be a meeting with the parents.