Welcome to Ms.

Shorts Kindergarten
Class!

Were
Kindergartene

Classroom Management Plan

Amanda Short
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Table of Contents
Physical Organization of the
Classroom
Learning Centers
Bulletin Boards
Operational
Records
New Students
Clean Up
Mini Nurse Station
Discipline
Consequences
Conflict/Extreme Behavior
Professional Behavior
Classroom Routines & Procedures
Classroom Jobs
Freetime
Leaving Classroom
Differentiation
Parent Communication
Rules

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Appendix A

Physical Classroom Organization

Our room theme is Superheroes. Students will feel welcome

because I will greet them at the door on the first day and their names
will already be on the door when they walk inside the classroom.
Because the classroom dcor will be heroes that the students are
familiar with, the theme will be motivating for them. Desks will be
arranged in groups of four or five students and I will refer to these
groups as tables. This grouping is so that students can easily work in
partners or small groups when needed. The tables are clustered in the
center of the room, allowing for easy traffic flow around them to centers.
My desk is in the center of the back wall so that I can see the entire
room and the door from my desk.

After getting to know the students in my class, I can group

students according to abilities, compatibility and other factors. This can
be done in groups of like abilities or mixed abilities in order to best help
students learn. In the small group area, I will have a kidney shaped table
where I can work with specific groups of students. These groups are
flexible and able to shift as needed for the best interest of students.
There are easy to set up ways to limit visual and auditory
distractions that I can use in the classroom in various areas at
appropriate times. I have trifold posters in my storage and I can use
these for students who need help during certain work times. There is
also space where we can move and exercise in the large group area.
Learning Centers
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There are learning centers around the outsides of the room. This
serves a double purpose of spacing out groups during center time and
providing welcoming environments where students can explore specific
concepts. The computer/iPad center allows for students to play literacy
or mathematic games. They can also be creative with some of the
available apps. The other option here is for students to explore
timelines/maps via websites that have shortcuts on the desktops.
The listening center is an inviting area where students can listen
to music or audiobooks related to the current theme, unit or student
interest. Beside the listening center is the writing center, which is set up
for four students and has low dividers between each student to limit
distractions. The pencil sharpener is right next to these desks so as not
to distract the rest of the class. The art center also has space for four
students at a time and all the supplies for this center are in a cabinet
next to it. The supplies are clearly labeled with both words and pictures.
The science area will have rotating discovery themes depending
on the unit or theme of the instruction at the time. Sensory exploration
will also be encouraged here. Students can experiment with water, sand,
leaves, hay, grass and even mud. In the dramatic play area, students
can act out different parts of the curriculum or create entire scenarios
out of imagination. I will jump in and facilitate if needed in this area.
Costumes and props are encouraged in this area. When students step
into this zone, they should become a character and act out what they
have learned. The class pet is only cared for by the student helper

assigned to class pet each week. This helper should check the pets
water and food each day and bedding once a week.
The library is my favorite area and is designed
like Batmans cave but with a lot more lighting. The
library has many books of all different types as well as
magazines and newspapers for students to explore.
There is comfortable seating including beanbag chairs,
low benches and pillows all provide a welcoming environment for
students to curl up with their books. The reading in the center is silent to
self or quietly to a partner. There is a soft rug under this area and a
bench toward the edge. There is also a soft light lamp to the area and a
string of LED lights in the cave.
Bulletin Boards
On the classroom walls, we will have many
bulletin boards. These are located in the pet
area, the science area, the writing/listening
center and the library. The pet bulletin board
will have different facts, articles and photos of
our pet. It may also have a space for questions
that students have about the type of animal or care of the pet. The
science bulletin board will have questions, facts and ideas about our big
science idea. Students are encouraged to write down questions, ideas or
connections on post it notes and stick them up in the student part of the
board. In the reading center, the board will highlight the current favorite
book or author of up to 4 students at a time. Each student will be
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interviewed about their favorite book or author and their ideas will be
shared along with a picture of the student and his or her book. Student
work is displayed on an Incredible Hulk inspired bulletin board for all the
class and our visitors to see. Finally, the word wall will contain words
that are important to our units of study or that students have found in
their reading. Students can refer to the wall easily from around the
room.
Operational
Iowa Core Standards
Students will be consistently evaluated based on the Iowa Core
standards. Each activity is designed with those standards in mind,
making assessment a simple procedure. Students work toward meeting
the standards through the designed activities, group/independent work
and play or they need work.
Records
I keep a record book of the assignments that each student
completes by percentages according to the rubrics I create for each
assignment. The color-coding helps me to know which
standards/concepts that the student has met, is working on or is
struggling with.

Some assignments will be designed to go into the students

portfolios at the end of each quarter to share with their parents. At the
beginning of the year, students will do their best to write down their
favorite items on an All About Me worksheet and then they will also
draw a self-portrait and a family portrait. I collect a representation of the
alphabet written by students and the numbers 1-10 as well as a visual
representation of the students understanding of each number. They will
write their name and also color, cut and trace a couple of different
projects to see where they are developmentally. These will also be done
again in the middle of the year and at the end of the year so that
students and parents can see the development and improvements.

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The portfolios will also contain a collection of the students

artwork, math work, reading summaries, and writing samples. Students
will then share their portfolios with their parents at conferences before I
meet privately with the parents.
New Students
New students are greeted during morning group when possible.
Students have lots of practice with proper greeting (shaking hands, nice
to meet you, etc.) so this should be an easy process for students.
Students will wear nametags until everyone has learned the names of
their peers. The new student will be assigned a superbuddy. The
superbuddy should be responsible and friendly and have a solid grasp of
all classroom procedures. The buddy will help the new student learn the
classroom routines/procedures and make sure the new student has a
partner in some of the activities where support is needed.
Clean Up
Clean up happens at the end of each center time for sure. This is
built into the transition practice. When the timer goes off, students know
to clean up their work space by putting materials in the clearly labeled
shelves, drawers or containers and move on to the next center by the
time the timer goes off again (1 minute and 30 seconds for each clean
up time). Student work and materials are kept on a shelf near the
student desks to help keep desks clear of clutter. Students should only
have out what they are currently working on at their desks.

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Nurses Station
If students do not feel well, they can start by visiting the mininurses station. This station instructs students to get a drink of water, go
to the bathroom, get a Band-Aid, Carmex or get a mint. These can help
eliminate unnecessary trips to the nurses office and unnecessary
interruptions to instruction.
During large group, students need to raise their hand and request
this station. During small group or independent work, students may
simply walk over and get what they need from this area and then return
to work.

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Disciplinary Policies and Professional Ethics

At the beginning of the school year, our class will spend a lot of
time learning, practicing and mastering the classroom procedures in our
classroom. This can take up to four weeks and even after that time,
these may need to be refreshed as the year goes on.
I will greet students the first day of school and
introduce myself to them. I will explain that when
they walk into our classroom, the seating chart is
on the whiteboard, but they can also look for the
desk with their name on it.
I will explain that when students go into the
classroom each day, they will have a piece of writing paper on their
desk. This paper is for the daily assignment and on the first day,
students will be instructed to draw the superhero version of them.
Anyone off-task during this time will be introduced to the concept of
time as an economy in the classroom.
Consequences
When students engage in off-task behavior that detracts from
instruction time, they will make up the time during the free choice
center time or if its extreme behaviors, from recess or specials. This is
true of inattentiveness and lack of motivation as well. Students will be
reminded that they can do the work in the allotted time or on their own
time.
Students will be given limited choices depending on the specific
infraction they are committing. If students continue to make bad
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choices, he or she will be removed from the situation and forced to do

the teacher directed activity on their own instead.

Conflict
If the student is in conflict with the teacher, he or she will be
moved away from the main group to work independently until the
situation is defused. If the student is in conflict with another student,
both students will be placed away from each other and given the
opportunity to cool down by engaging in teacher selected activities
instead.
When the student is being disrespectful to any teachers, the rule
will be restated and the student will be given a choice again. If the
student continues, he or she will be removed from the area, activity or
person as needed until he or she can make better choices.
Extreme Behavior
If the behavior is extreme or constant and good limit setting does
not help the situation to improve, then the support team will need to be
brought in to help me. Parents will be notified if a behavior is repeated or
if the behavior seems intentionally disruptive. This will allow me to ask
parents for help to best manage the behavior and gain insights into the
behavior. If after calling the parents and holding a conference with the
student and parents, the behavior still continues, the principal will be
notified if not already done.

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If students cheat, their work will be entered as a zero and they

will need to write a letter of apology to the student they cheated off of
and to the teacher, explaining the reasons why cheating is not good for
them in the long run.

ProfessionalBehavior
Iwillhavenopartintheloungegossip.Irealizetheimportanceofprivacyforthe
familiesIworkwithandwillnotbetraytheirtrustinmebytalkingaboutstudentstoother
schoolstaff.
Alleffortswillbetakentoworkeffectivelywithallcoworkers.Ifthereisa
disagreementbetweenus,Iwillattempttoeffectivelycommunicateconcernsandlisten
welltotheotherpersonsconcernsaswell.Allattemptswillbemadetoworktogetherfor
thebestinterestofstudents.
Theleadershipstrategiesfortheschoolshouldbealignedwithlearntheory,
teachingmodelsandresearchbasedmethods.IfthereissomethingthatIdonotfeelmeets
thosestandards;Iwillresearchitindependentlyandthensharemyconcernswithmy
leadershipteamasappropriate.
ClassroomRoutines&Procedures
Student sharing
I will have a student of the week area in the room where a different
student will be able to share each week. They will share their favorite
toys, activities and people throughout the week in large group time in
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the morning. This student will bring in a few photos to put on their wall
space for the week as well.
Classroom Jobs
Students will rotate through jobs weekly. Each
Monday, new jobs will be assigned and
students will complete their job at the
appropriate time during the day or week.
Some examples of these jobs are:
Captain Calendar: In charge of marking the
day off the calendar and leading the group in
counting the days of the month so far.
Super Sharpener: In charge of sharpening pencils in the writing and
art area each afternoon during clean up time.
Super Sorter: In charge of sorting papers for the teacher as needed
during afternoon clean up.
Incredible Caboose: Last person in line, makes sure everyone is out of
the room and shuts of the light when we leave.
Book Boy/Girl: Cleans up library area, makes sure
books are in correct area.
Dr. Science: Puts everything away and cleans table of
the science area during clean up time.
Colossal Cleaner: In charge of cleaning/picking up
blocks areas during clean up time.
Free Time

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If students finish work early (before time for the next task), they
are to go to the Early Finishers board and choose an activity from the
cards there. On this hanging cardholder, there are brainteasers, math
problems, writing prompts and puzzle activities. The student can choose
a card and go back to his or her seat. When the student has completed
the activity he can put it back on the Early Finisher board and get
another activity. These activities are to be turned in with the regular
assignments for teacher review.

Leaving the classroom

When students need to leave the classroom for any reason, they
will get into their line order with the Flash in the front of the line and
the Incredible Caboose in the rear. Students will leave the classroom
with the goal of not disturbing other classrooms. Their bodies will be in
control, hands at their side and voices off. This is the same for specials.

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During a field trip, all students

will stay with the group throughout
the event. All students will have a
buddy to walk with throughout the
field trip. We will do random buddy
checks throughout the trip where
each student needs to find their
buddy and raise their hands together
when they have their buddy with
them.

Bathroom Procedures
If there is a bathroom in our classroom, students may go to the
bathroom at any time without asking if the green card is showing on the
bathroom door. Red card means someone is already in the bathroom and
at that time, no one else may go to the restroom until he or she is done.
The same is true for getting a drink if there is a fountain in the room.
If these items are outside, students may grab the hall pass from
the doorway, put it on their desk and go to the bathroom nearest our
classroom.

Differentiation Policy
Our classroom is designed as an inclusive learning environment
where each student is valued and expected to perform to the best of his
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or her ability. Instructions will be given verbally and in written form in

order to assist students with any language disorders. All grouping will be
flexible so that students are in their best level in each subject area.
Students who are struggling will work with my individually as time
allows. If students are still struggling, we will rearrange learning groups
in an attempt to facilitate better social learning. These students can be
scaffolded by good questioning in content areas, supplying a different
process to get to the goal, different products for assessment, and the
basic learning environments when necessary.
Struggling students may need access to audio books and other
materials for audio as needed. These students may have specialized
spelling lists or math instruction. Reading and math buddies can be used
in some instances when social learning theory may help students to gain
better understanding. We may develop personal agendas for students
who are struggling in order to better address their personal needs.
Manipulatives, time and activities can be altered for students in various
situations. We will have one (or as many as needed) quiet work areas for
students who need fewer distractions. We also have places that foster
student collaboration.
Students who are advanced in some areas will be given
assignments that delve deeper into the subject to meet their current
level and push them just a little. These students will mostly be in the
classroom, but given tasks similar to what the whole class is doing with
more depth to their work. This will not be more in quantity but higher
level thinking work instead.
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Advanced students will also have varying lengths of time for their
tasks in order to their ability. These students may be asked to be
creative in their production of final projects. Students will work
independently and in varied groups to best support their needs in
specific areas. The students will be able to work in the best manner for
their learning preferences as time allows.
Parent Communication
I will make a point to talk to parents early in the year, highlighting
the most positive aspects of their students abilities to learn and
interact. If there are problems in the classroom, establishing this
relationship will help us be able to work it out together. I will ask the
parents for their insights and for ideas on how to best support their child
in the classroom.
There is a weekly newsletter that we will
work together as a class to create each week,
including highlights from our student of the
week, what we are learning in school and
extension activities that could be done at home.
The student of the week will write a small note
to go in the newsletter. This can include items that he or she is proud of
or their favorite drawing.
To prepare for conferences, I will make sure I have all the paper
work necessary before the meeting starts and that all necessary staff
members are at the meeting place on time. I will have evidence for my
concerns and evidence for the students successes as well. This will
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include a portfolio of the students classroom work that demonstrates

the students growth throughout the year.

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