Blog 3

1. I think that the idea of starting the students on a certain color or a certain level of behavior is a good idea. It is a visual reminder to the student and to everyone else in class that they have to keep their behavior in check. When I was in my level one internship, my teacher used a rocket ship board with the students name on a small cut out of an astronaut. She had a picture of their face so it looked like it was in the helmet which I thought was really cute. She started them all at the top of the board “at the moon” and if they had trouble in class or disrupted her lesson she would move them down a peg. There were about five levels but this was kindergarten so they get more of a chance in this age group. I would like it to be more positive than negative; I like the ideas where if all of the students bring in their homework or they all have perfect attendance they get to have an incentive or party. I like it when it is all inclusive because then it helps to hold each other accountable for bringing in homework or coming to class every day. I know that there has to be a negative aspect where if there is a student who is always causing trouble in the classroom he or she must be disciplined in some way to control the behavior, and most of the time it is a negative way, like changing their color or putting them in time out. But so often students who are well behaved are overlooked because they are not constantly receiving attention, I would like to reward these students as well for their good behavior.

2. My teacher has the students use a code with their fingers to let her know what they need when they raise their hand. If they want to get a drink of water from the fountain in the classroom they hold up one finger. If they need to use the restroom outside of the classroom, they will hold up two fingers. A regular hand up just means that they need help or want to answer a question. This allows my teacher to look at a student who needs to use the restroom or get a drink of water and either nod to tell them it is okay, or shakes her head to tell them they may do it later. My teacher has jobs for all of the students and so she is constantly running around the classroom turning the lights on and off and walking around the whole classroom to pass out papers or collecting all of the homework she has her students split into groups of four. Within these groups, there is a “team leader” she will lay 4 sheets on the team leader’s desk and they pass them out amongst their group members. She has a light person who turns the lights on and off and she has homework collectors. She takes aspects of her job and divvies up the responsibilities between all of her students. The students seem to like their jobs because they have a sense of responsibility about them

3. Classroom management plan:

a. Guiding in principles:

-          students will show respect to teacher and classmates and will receive respect

-          Rules will be clearly laid out

-          Students should have fun while learning

-          Students should feel safe in my classroom

-          Classroom should be treated as a family

b. Classroom set up. I would like my classroom to be set up so that my desk is in the back of the room. The student’s desks will be formed into groups of 4 or five and they will be facing the front of the room. I will have a corner for my library and a few comfy beanbags and stuffed animals.  There will be a sink with soap and paper towels right next to the restroom. I will have the class pet, a hermit crab or some type of lizard, in the corner near the windows. I will have a few lives plants in the room as well. There will be computers in one corner and a couple of learning centers set up along the wall. I will also have a half circle table for small groups in the class, such as reading or extra help groups.

c. Classroom Rules

Treat others the way you want to be treated.

Always show respect

 Complete all classwork and homework

Keep your hand s to yourself

Raise your hand to speak

d. Come into classroom- come in quietly,  put book bag on back of chair take out pencils and sharpen them, start bell work, when finished read quietly.

Going to the bathroom- hold up two fingers to alert me that you need to go. When you are dismissed get a bathroom pass. Go to the restroom with a buddy. In a group, girls and boys will make two separate lines and line up at the door. Go in until the stalls are full, when someone comes out one student goes in. When you are done go to the end of the line and wait patiently.

e. visual warning (look at student so they know you see what they are doing)

 and/or inclusion of name in lesson or call on them to answer a question

verbal warning (Sean, do not do that again)

color change from green to yellow, note in planner to parent about classroom behavior

yellow to red

call parents, send student to office

like I said before, I will allow my students to redeem themselves if I think that they are working hard to change their behavior around.