Classroom MaNagemeNt PlaN

For 3rd Grade by Kevin Zdenek

CurreNt as OF:

11- 19- 2013

TABLE OF CONTENTS Preface: Pedagogy 1 Part I: Classroom Organization

Classroom Design 2 Physical Space 3 Includes: Desk Arrangements, Student Supplies, Rug Area, Reading Center, Teacher Area, Computer Bay, Storage Areas Practices Morning Routine 4 Line Basics 4 Transition Time 5 Classroom Jobs 5 Record Keeping 6 Handling New Students 7 Displaying Student Work 7

Part II: Disciplinary Policies

Rules 8 Behavior Management Chart 9 Cheating 9 Bullying 9 Student Disrespect 10 Playground Conflicts 10 Tardiness 10 Lack of Motivation 10

Part III: Classroom Routines & Procedures

Expectation of respect 11 Classroom Helpers 11 Bathroom Pass 12 Group Work and Discussion 12 Constructive Critisim 12 Drinking Fountain 12 Internet Misuse 12 Field Trips 13 Homework 13 Freetime 13 Handing In/Passing Back Papers 13

Part IV: Differentiation 14 Part V: Parent Communication 15 Part VI: Professional Ethics 15 References 16

PREFACE:

Pedagogy
There was a basic philosophy which informed my thinking and desicion making during the creation of this classroom management plan. Students need to feel safe. That has to be my number one priority as a teacher. Physically they need to feel safe from harm. They also need to feel safe and comfortable in their classroom environment. The classroom needs to be a welcoming place where they feel safe to share their ideas, reach beyond what they know, and understand that failure is part of learning not reflective of ones character.

Part I: Classroom Organization

Physical Space
3. 1. 2. 4. 5A. 6. TEACHERS WORK AREA 7. 8.

Classro 3rd Grade -Speci by Ke

RUG AREA 5B.

DOOR

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10. 21.

1. Student Supplies Paper, Pencils, Pencil Lunch tickets, manip 2. Stool for Teacher w explicitly teaching st gathered in the rug a

3. White Board 4. Pull-down overhe 5A. ELMO Display sy

COMPUTER BAY 13. 11.

5B. Projector mounte 6. Teacher work surfa 7. Teacher bookshelf

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12. STUDENT DESKS

21. 20. 15. 17. ACTIVITY/WORK TABLE 18. READING CENTER 19. 16. 17. 17. 17. 19. 19.

8. Teacher Desk with phone, supplies, etc. 9. Kidney shaped de small group/teacher 10. Waste and Recyc 11. Computer Works 12. Student Desk Are expandable to 14 wo 13. Bulletin Board 14. Work surface with cabinets beneath. 15. Sink 16. Wastebasket 17. Storage Cabinets 18. Bookshelfs for Re 19. Bookshelfs and re 20. Comfortable chai 21. Windows

3rd Grade Classroom Design:

1. Student Supplies Paper, Pencils, Pencil Sharpner, Lunch tickets, manipulatives, etc 2. Stool for Teacher when explicitly teaching students gathered in the rug area. 3. White Board 4. Pull-down overhead 5A. ELMO Display system 5B. Projector mounted on ceiling 6. Teacher work surface 7. Teacher bookshelf 8. Teacher Desk with computer, phone, supplies, etc. 9. Kidney shaped desk for small group/teacher instruction 10. Waste and Recycling 11. Computer Workstations 12. Student Desk Area expandable to 14 work surfaces 2 13. Bulletin Board 14. Work surface with cabinets beneath. 15. Sink 16. Wastebasket 17. Storage Cabinets 18. Bookshelfs for Reading Center 19. Bookshelfs and reading log storage 20. Comfortable chairs for reading 21. Windows

Part I: Classroom Organization

Physical Space
My goal with my classroom layout was to give my students a chance to move about. I wish to create an environment that promotes a mixture of collaboration and self-sufficiency. The structure of my class would involve asking the students to gather at assigned spots on the rug in front of the white board/overhead projector during the 15-20 minutes of direct instruction during a lesson. Then students would then take their notes and books back to their desks or work areas to continue the lesson in a small group or individualized context. The kidney-shaped desk would be available for guided readings, individualized direct instruction and conferencing. The computer bay would be for extension learning or earned rewards during free time. The reading center would be a comfortable environment where students can relax, enjoy their reading assignments and take part in a fruitful discussion about the texts. Students will have the ability to find the space they are most comfortable and work the most efficiently in. Not every student is capable of focusing at a desk. They may choose the reading center chairs, rug or floor pillows. They may need to use the activity table, or simply find a spot on the floor. The structure of the classroom would allow me to separate students who were not focusing on their work or causing disruptions as well as moving about the room freely to check on progress and offer help. The desk arrangements can be two groups of 6 desks, one group of 4 desks, and 4 additional desks could replace the activity/work table if necessary. The information on the walls will be carefully organized with a mixture of informational and inspirational posters along with student work displayed. Students will be able to find classroom rules and daily schedules posted above the student supply cabinets, table as well as above the teacher work area. On the wall above the sink and counter would be maps of the world, inspirational posters, and a timeline, which students can mark events and books discussed in class to give them a greater perspective of their place in history. The teacher would have a prominent yet unobtrusive work area, which affords them a level of privacy from the groups of students working when phone calls need to be made or student conferences need to be held. Setting up clear expectations will be important in a classroom design such as this. Students will need to be taught how they are expected to act in small groups, and where the supplies are for their needs. It is important to teach children not only their subjects of study, but how to be responsible and autonomous learners. A classroom designed such as this allows for that growth as students and as individuals.

Part I: Classroom Organization

Practices
Morning routine
The morning routine is posted each day when the students arrive. Students will know to go directly to their seat and begin working on their Bell Ringer. That may be a question or problem on the board, or there may be a worksheet/ review on their desk. Students will continue to work up to the beginning of class. Before going to their seat however, they will indicate whether they are having hot or cold lunch by placing a close pin next to their name. This also allows me to a quick inspection who is present today without taking time away from instruction to take attendance.

Line Basics

Students will be released from their group pods to line up before leaving the classroom. Pods, which are patient and quiet will be called first to get in line. If the entire classroom is demonstrating they are ready the I will pick random criteria, such as those who are wearing red can line up or people whose name begins with R can line up. If the entire class is talking in line, and not demonstrating desired behavior I can play a quick game of Simon Says. This refocuses their attention onto me, stops conversations and gives the students a chance to demonstrate successful behavior without having to threaten discipline. While in the hall students will walk orderly and quietly directly to the intended destination. Line leaders will be in charge of leading the group to their destination. I will walk at different rates and speeds so that some days I may be towards the front, others I may be in the middle or even at the end so that students never get comfortable knowing where and when they can talk out or not walk orderly and quietly. We will talk as a class about why its important to be respectful in the hallways. We will discuss why its important we do not disturb other students learning as we pass their classrooms. And how important it is to set a good example for the younger grades. We will even discuss time management, and how wasting time when getting ready to leave the classroom, affects how much extra time they will have at the end of the day for choice activities.
Source: Rona McMurphy, 4th grade Shuler Elementary, Waukee Iowa 4

Part I: Classroom Organization

Practices
Transition Time
The same types of conversations had for Line Basics will be held in regards to transition time between subjects within the classroom. Also, since students will have an agenda posted on the board each day, and will be given a warning signal as transition time approaches, I expect students to eventually handle transitions on their own.

Classroom Jobs

Students will be assigned jobs based on both interest and rotation. Line-Leader: will rotate each day between the students. A student who shows nice disciplined line basics may be chosen to be the line-leader the following day. Door-holder: A student placed in charge of holding the door open for students as the class walks to specials, lunch or recess. Each student will have a turn at this job. Librarian: will be in charge of keeping the reading area neat and orderly. Pillows and chairs will be straightened and books will be reorganized on the shelves. This job will rotate daily. I do not intend on trying to maintain a role for each student in the class every day. However, students may lobby for the creation of new classroom roles based on interest or need. Jobs such as I.T. Specialist to be in charge of the computer area, Ecologist, which would be in charge of recycling paper. Archivist which could be in charge of returning student work from off the walls. By having students create their own role within the classroom it promotes my goal for students to take ownership of their own learning and exploration.

Part I: Classroom Organization

Practices
Record Keeping
There will be three aspects of record keeping in my classroom. The first will be the day-to-day assignments, which will be turned in at the assigned spot in the classroom. If papers are collected they will either be passed to the side of the room or be collected by a student, if a student volunteers for the job. The important point is that as the teacher I will not have my back to the students or have an impacted view of them collecting the papers. The second aspect of record keeping will be my own personal observation of student engagement, behavior or attentiveness. These observations will be collected and recorded under each students online file. The third component of record keeping will be from the student themselves. I plan on setting up some simple Google Forms which the students can access either through the classroom computers or anywhere via the internet. These forms will be surveys which allows a student to rate their own performance on an assignment, or unit. The reason behind these personal assessments, which will account for a portion of their overall grade in the class, is because two of the goals I have for students is that they be reflective thinkers and be able to advocate for their own learning. The resulting grade on a paper or test does not always account for the effort put into an assignment. Some students can get good marks without trying hard, and others struggle and struggle and never get higher than a B. This personal reflection and advocating for the effort and work put into a project will not only help a student become more aware of their own learning process, but will help me as a teacher in terms of differentiation. I will be able to get a clearer, documented sense of which students I should continue to push, and which students may need some additional scaffolding moving forward.
Source: 80 interesting ways to use Google Forms in a classroom. http://www.teachthought.com/technology/80-interesting-ways-to-use-google-forms-in-the-classroom/

Part I: Classroom Organization

Practices
Handling New Students
When new students arrive in the classroom they will be given their own student basket. Each student has a basket of their own, and the new student will eventually put their basket alongside the rest on the shelves. However, when they arrive their basket will be filled with a welcome kit. The kit will include a welcome letter, and any and all information sheets such as policies and procedures. But it will also have a positive, fun welcoming items. The new student will also be assigned a classroom buddy who will be in charge of showing the new student around and answering any questions. The two will be allowed special privileges when class time permits as the new student adjusts.

Displaying Student Work

Student work will be displayed on a regular and rotating basis around the classroom with the most recent work Effort and progress is what will be highlighted. Recent assignments will be placed on a bulletin board or on a clothesline. Students may also request their work not be included. Two additional components will be included into highlighting and displaying student work: 1. Certain pieces of example work will remain on the walls throughout the semester. I will not choose these pieces. A student can advocate for their work to be permanently displayed based on effort and merit. This promotes my classroom goal of self-advocacy. Or someone in the class may nominate a students work. This promotes the classroom cooperation, respect and community building goal. 2. The class will discuss, the rehearse ways to talk about their work to other students, teachers or administrators in the building. We call these elevator speechesas if a person only had 30 seconds on an elevator to quickly and succinctly get their point across to another person before the doors opened. This promotes the goal I have for my students to be effective communicators. Also, it shows other students how to value hard work.
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Google Images

Part I: Classroom Organization

Practices
Keeping the classroom orderly
Each student will be responsible for the area around their desk, and any trash or supplies they have left out. Part of being a respectful student is respecting our shared environment. So even if the trash is not in a students specific area, if there is something which needs cleaned and its something they can do, then a student should take it upon themselves to handle it.

Part II: Disciplinary Policies

Rules
Students will have a clear concept of the behavior expected from them each day. Students will generate classroom rules on the first day of school. The entire class will brainstorm a list, which I will write on the board. Every suggestion will be honored. Once students feel as though they have an exhausted list I will work with them to focus the rules into 3 or 4 broad statements, which I will guide them towards. For example, many of their suggestions may fall under the concept of respect which is a goal I wish to promote in the classroom. By having the students generate examples of rules that reflect respect it allows the class to talk about and define what that term means and what it looks like in the classroom. Once the class rules are all agreed upon, we will make a banner/poster for the classroom with the rules clearly visible. Also, a letter and a social contract will be sent home for the students parents to see. The letter will be returned and signed by both the parent and the student. School-wide and/or district wide policies will also be provided for parents, and the protocol for acknowledging these policies set by the school district will also be followed. By having the students generate the list it allows them to take ownership over their role in the classroom and of learning. When infractions occur, I will be able to point to the rules and remind the student that you were the ones who decided what behavior is acceptable in our classroom. More specific classroom policies and guidelines will be solely determined by me, and can be found below.
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Part II: Disciplinary Policies

Rules
Behavior Management Chart
Each student will their own close pin painted yellow with their name written on it. To begin the day each students pin will be at Ready to Learn. I will remind the students that each day is a new opportunity to start fresh. Everyone has a chance to succeed. As the behavior of the day warrants the student will be allowed to move their clip up when displaying excellent behaviors or they will be forced to move their clip down if they are having trouble controlling their actions. Students will always be given a warning before they are asked to move their clip. Students will always have a chance to move their clip back up to ready to learn when their behavior improves. Source: Internet Reference: http://msnoblesclass.webs.com/faqs.htm

Cheating

Is never allowed in my classroom. If a student is suspected of cheating I will have a private conversation with them initially. If there is evidence the student will be forced to redo the assignment for reduced points, they will move their close pin off of ready to learn, and a conversation will be had with their parent(s).

Bullying

Bullying will not be tolerated in or outside the classroom. My top concern is that my students feel they are in a safe environment. No learning will be able to take place if a student doesnt feel safe. Discussions about what is considered bullying will be had with the students early in the year, and then repeated throughout the year. Students will be shown conflict resolution strategies, but also safe I will need to be aware of the student interactions making sure that there is no sense of bullying taking place. If an incident is witnessed the person doing the bullying will be pulled aside or from an activity, and be forced to write an apology letter. Finally, I myself must model respectful, inclusive behavior.

Part II: Disciplinary Policies

Rules
Student Disrespect
Disrespect for other students will never be tolerated. It is important, however, to never escalate the situation. There are several techniques, which help cool down the student and even sometimes the teacher. It is possible to ignore the attitude, while addressing the actions of a student. Consequences need to be pre-established and fair, and the teacher needs to remain firm.

Playground Conflicts

The students and I would first have a conversation at the beginning of the year about when it is important to involve a teacher. This will be in conjunction to the discussion about bullying. I will then have a venting box in my classroom where students can write down their frustrations or concerns. If a conflict arises on the playground it may be written down and dropped into the venting box. I can pull the student(s) aside later during classroom work time or free reading time to discuss the issue if has not resolved itself by that point. This way the rest of the classrooms time is not affected by an individual conflict. An exception to this policy would be if a student was physically hurting another student on the playground and it went unnoticed by the playground attendant that day.

Tardiness

I will remind a student why it is respectful for the entire class not to be interrupted with someone arriving late. If the tardiness continues the student and I can go over some of the reasons why it has become difficult to be on time and together come up with several strategies to implement in the students routine to help that child be more punctual.

Lack of Motivation

Lack of Motivation can stem from factors outside of the class or even school, however, it may also be a sign that as a teacher I am not challenging or meeting this students needs. I am failing to actively mentally engaging the student, and must assess how the activities for the day match their Zone of Proximal Development level. It may be a simple case of differentiation. If the source is from the students home or outside factors then I will give that student a chance

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Part II: Disciplinary Policies

Rules
Principal Involvement
My goal is not to involve the principle or the office in any disputes, conflicts or discipline challenges in my classroom. I feel as though sending a student to the office is simply pushing my problems onto someone else. Its also a sign that I have given up on the student. Some students use disruption to test or push authority figures to see if they can trust them. By sending them away I will lose that trust they are looking for. Once the established classroom methods have been exhausted, I will privately take the student out into the hall while the rest of the class is working. Once there I will inform them their attitude is unacceptable, and I will attempt to learn the source of their trouble. The one case where the office would have to be involved would be if the student was causing physical harm to themselves or others. My job is to protect the students in my classroom, and provide a safe learning environment. A student causing or threatening to cause physical harm will have to be removed from the classroom.
Source: Sarah Borzo, 6th grade Waukee South Middle School, Waukee Iowa

Part III:

Classroom Routines & Procedures

Expectation of Respect
My number one expectation for students in my class is to demonstrate respect. I do not demand respect for me, but instead I expect students to respect each other as learners and respect their environment. My job is to provide a safe environment for students to learn.

Classroom Helpers

Students may be called upon in the classroom to perform certain small tasks to make the running of the school day more efficient and productive for all the students. For classroom jobs on page 7.

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Part III:

Classroom Routines & Procedures

Bathroom Pass
There will be two bathroom passes available to studentsone for boys and one for girls. Students will be allowed to excuse themselves by making eye contact with me and giving me the sign language signal for the bathroom. Once I nod my approval the student may get up and retrieve the bathroom pass. They then must place the pass on their desk before leaving for the restroom. After they have returned they will take the bathroom pass and hang it up again.

Group Work and Group Discussion

Students will be taught how to work within large groups, small groups and with partners. Expectations will be set for effective communication during all group work. All members of a group are expected to contribute their share of the work or thinking exercise. During group work time I will circulate the classroom to ensure groups are following instructions, but also so I can help ignite discussion or direct some groups to higher order thinking. I will use all 4 forms of ability grouping and 6 forms of performance grouping to provide the students with a maximum chance of success.
Source: Rogers, K. B. (2006). A menu of options for grouping gifted students. Waco TX: Prufrock Press, Inc.

Constructive Criticism

Constructive Criticism begins with teacher example. I will provide constructive criticism to students when evaluating their work. Students will be taught and practice ways to constructively criticize another students work.

Drinking Fountain

Students are allowed to ask permission to get a drink of water. If a drinking fountain is available in the room, students will be allowed to go as needed. Students will be asked to refrain from seeking a drink of water during direct instruction unless its vitally important.

Internet Misuse

The internet will only be used for educationally appropriate and pre-selected sites. Any use of the internet without specific, directed permission will result in computer time privileges being revoked. Depending on the nature of the misuse, the students parents may be involved.

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Part III:

Classroom Routines & Procedures

Field Trips
If a student wishes to participate in any class field trips then they are required to obtain a parent or guardians signature on a permission form. The same body and line basics are required of students on the field trip as would be expected in the classroom. The same goes for expectations of respectful behavior.

Homework

Homework will vary depending on the topic being covered. The intention behind assigning homework in my class is to strengthen the skills covered during class. So if there are units which the class scores low on my formative assessments, extra homework will be given. This is in addition to the spelling words to study each week. A list of activities and further exploration opportunities will be posted on our classroom blog and be sent home with the student to give parents and guardians the chance to dive deeper into the areas of study being covered in class. These will be optional, but depending on the level of success of the class during a unit one or more of these activities will become required.

Freetime

Students will be allowed freetime at the end of the day before clean-up based on how successful their time management was during the school day. Students can earn extra time by being ready listeners and demonstrating good line basics without additional prompting from the teacher. If a student has finished their assignment early they may choose to continue on in their free-reading book.

Handing In/Passing Back Papers

If papers are collected they will either be passed to the side of the room or be collected by a student, if a student volunteers for the job. The important point is that as the teacher I will not have my back to the students or have an impacted view of them collecting the papers. When passing back materials my goal is never to stop class in order for me to hand back work. I will return their work by either passing it out when students are working in small groups or during independent work time. My goal is to keep the students actively engaged in learning for as much of the day as possible.

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Part IV:

Differentiation
Meeting the needs of all learners
All students should have a chance to be actively mentally engaged in the work they are doing at school. My goal is not to teach just to the middle of the class, but instead vary my assignment criteria to meet the student just above their personal comfort level. This will not be accomplished by simply giving the gifted learners more work or additional assignments, but make the assignments rich in complexity and requires higher level thinking. This is just as true for the students who have fallen behind. I will not simply take away difficult projects, but I will provide the accommodations and scaffolding necessary for the student to be successful with the assignment. Differentiation not only benefits the student, but it helps with classroom management, and it points to my goal as a teacher to respect every student. I would not be respecting the student who is capable of achieving more by not challenging them to do so. Nor would I be respecting that student by simply giving them more of the uninspiring work or by forcing them to teach those students who did not understand. I believe all students can be successful if they are provided the appropriate level of challenge. The students themselves are also responsible with their learning, and as a class we will have conversations about advocating for you own educational opportunities.
Source: Dr. Sally Beisser, Professor in the School of Education, Drake University, Des Moines, IA

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Part V:

Parent Communication
Communication with Parents and Home
Communication with parents will be an open two way road. They will have my contact information and I will encourage them to contact me with any questions or concerns. I will send progress emails out to parents along with success stories from the classroom. Parents should hear the good their child is doing and not just the bad. I will make contact with them at the beginning of the school year and try and determine which is their preferred method of contact. The key is never to wait until parent/teacher conferences to begin to establish a relationship with your students parents. During parent/teacher conferences the focus should be on continuing any conversations about the student had with the parents, and highlighting their performance over the semester with a portfolio review. I will also create a classroom blog, which will be available for all the parents to view ongoing progress, keep up to date with projects, as well as have access to resources to extend their childs learning at home. Since no one knows my students better than their parents, it is important to keep that line of communication open and available so that any changes which need to be made to that childs education can be quickly implemented ensuring a high probability of success.

Part VI:

Professional Ethics
To summarize, each of these items in my classroom management plan point to my overall professional ethics. I start with a very clear and simple purpose to provide a learning environment where the child feels safe. This means each student and their contribution to the class is valued. It means the students will learn about community and how to become effective communicators. It also provides a structure for personal reflection and goal setting. As an educator I know if my focus remains on setting high standards for each child and believing each student can reach those goals I will be successful. But more importantly, the students will learn how to be successful too.

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Part VII:

References
Wong, H. K., & Wong, R. T. (2009). The first days of school: how to be an effective teacher. Mountain View, CA: Harry K. Wong Publications, Inc. Rogers, K. B. (2006). A menu of options for grouping gifted students. Waco TX: Prufrock Press, Inc. MacKenzie, R. J. (1996). Setting limits in the classroom 3rd edition. New York, NY: Random House, Inc.
Source: 80 interesting ways to use Google Forms in a classroom. http://www.teachthought.com/technology/80-interesting-ways-to-use-google-forms-inthe-classroom/ Rona McMurphy, 4th grade Shuler Elementary, Waukee Iowa Sarah Borzo, 6th grade Waukee South Middle School, Waukee Iowa Dr. Sally Beisser, Professor in the School of Education, Drake University, Des Moines, IA

Internet Reference: http://msnoblesclass.webs.com/faqs.htm Google Image Search

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