Table of Contents 

Personal Beliefs​………………………...………………………..​3 

Classroom Routines and Procedures​………………………….​6 

Norms and Rules​………………………………………………..​12 

Classroom Environment​………………………………………..​16 

First Day of School Plan​………………………………………​23 

Transition and Sponge Time​……………………………….…​30 

Communication Plan​…………………………………………….​33 

Resources​………………………………………………………..​42 

2
 Personal Beliefs   

I am a caring and detailed oriented person. These two characteristics are 

the building blocks for the foundation of my management plan. Because of this, my 

management plan will be a mixture of both Wong and Wong’s and Jim Fay’s 

management models.  

Both my classroom and management plan will be organized. I am a very 

detailed oriented person so I need things to be organized and orderly. Because of 

this, I align myself the best with Wong and Wong’s management model. I will have 

procedures to outline when and how things will be done within my classroom. 

“Procedures organize the classroom, so the myriad of activities that take place can 

function smoothly in a stress-free manner. Students perform better when they 

know what the teacher expects them to do” (Wong & Wong, 2014, p. 9). Having 

procedures helps keep the classroom organized and orderly. Students will know 

exactly what to do for getting a pencil, going to the bathroom, getting a drink, 

what to do between transitions, etc. These procedures will effectively maximize 

time spent academically learning, instead of having students waste time because 

they do not know what to do or how to do things. I will remind students of the 

procedures by having them posted for all to see and by having students practice 

the procedures over and over again until they have it down (Wong & Wong, 1998).  

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 Also, a clip chart for student behavior will help keep everyone on the same 

page. Students will be able to see where they are at on the behavior clip chart at 

all times. This helps keep track of student behavior in an orderly fashion. One 

thing I will not do is have severe negative consequences for misbehavior. Wong and 

Wong talked about how negative consequences only stop misbehavior and positive 

consequences change the misbehavior (Wong & Wong, 1998). I want my students to 

know that I care about their well being and how I want to help them improve upon 

and change misbehavior. This is why I will have many positive consequences, instead 

of having severe negative consequences. Also, note that these consequences will 

only be for breaking rules because only rules have consequences, not procedures 

(Wong & Wong, 1998). I believe that having many procedures, keeping students 

updated on their behavior, and having many positive consequences is a strength to 

my management plan. It helps keep everyone organized and informed. This ensures 

that the class runs smoothly for effective learning to take place.  

Not only am I a detailed oriented person, but I am also caring, kind, and 

compassionate. Thus, my management plan will also ensure that students feel 

encouraged, included, and safe within the walls of my classroom. This is why I also 

align myself with Jim Fay’s “Love and Logic” management model. I want my students 

to know that they are loved. I can do this by providing them with a cool down 

4
corner. This corner will be supplied with a bin of materials to help students with a 

variety of different emotions. I am giving students many different choices to give 

them control over their behavior and emotions. Students can freely choose to 

reassess their behavior with fidget spinners, coloring books, play dough, stress 

balls, rainbow breaths, mindful puzzles, listening to music, reading a book, etc. 

(Curley, 2019). Students will know that I care about their well being by providing 

them with these different outlets for their different types of emotions. I will not 

send them to the office for behavior that can easily be corrected and/or 

reassessed with a five-minute break in the cool down corner. Some may think that 

being overly caring and compassionate may lead to a teacher being too soft on her 

students. I realize that being caring and kindhearted may be a weakness. At times 

I worry that I will not be “mean enough” to establish control over the classroom. 

However, this is why I will have norms, procedures, and rules and why I will be sure 

to be stern about what to do when these get broken by misbehaving students. 

Students will know that I love them but at the same time, I need their respect. My 

class will have a respectful and caring student-teacher relationship. I will be kind 

but stern when it comes to managing my classroom. 

5
 Classroom Routines & Procedures  

Weekly Schedule:
Time  Monday  Tuesday  Wednesday  Thursday  Friday 

8:00-8:10  Bell Work and  Bell Work and  Bell Work and  Bell Work and  Bell Work and 
Breakfast  Breakfast  Breakfast  Breakfast  Breakfast 

8:10-9:35  English  English  English  English  English 

Language Arts  Language Arts  Language Arts  Language Arts  Language Arts 

9:35-10:10  Read Aloud and  Reading Groups  Read Aloud and  Reading Groups  Read Aloud and 
Snack  and Snack  Snack  and Snack  Snack 

(whole group)  (small group)  (whole group)  (small group)  (whole group) 

10:10-11:10  Math  Math  Math  Math  Math 

11:10-11:40  Lunch and  Lunch and  Lunch and  Lunch and  Lunch and 
Recess  Recess  Recess  Recess  Recess 

11:40-12:40  Science  Science  Science  Science  Science 

12:40-1:25  Specials  Specials  Specials  Specials  Specials 

1:25-2:25  Social Studies  Social Studies  Social Studies  Social Studies  Social Studies 

2:25-2:50  Recess  Recess  Recess  Recess  Recess 

2:50-3:00  Pack Up and  Pack Up and  Pack Up and  Pack Up and  Pack Up and 
Dismissal  Dismissal  Dismissal  Dismissal  Dismissal 

6
 

Daily Schedule:

Time  Activity 

8:00-8:10  Bell Work and Breakfast 

8:10-9:35  English Language Arts 

9:35-10:10  Whole Group Read Aloud and Snack (MWF) 

Small Reading Groups and Snack (TR) 

10:10-11:10  Math  

11:10-11:40  Lunch and Recess 

11:40-12:40  Science 

12:40-1:25  Specials 

1:25-2:25  Social Studies  

2:25-2:50  Recess 

2:50-3:00  Pack Up and Dismissal 

Procedures: 
I chose the following procedures because having these procedures in place 

will minimize class disruptions. Instead of wasting class time, I want to effectively 

spend time productively teaching. These procedures bring order to the classroom. 

Students will not question what to do and how to go about doing things when the 

teacher has procedures specifically set in place to keep everyone on task. Students 

7
will not be disrupting others when they have to go get a drink or go to the 

bathroom. The next ten procedures will be set in place to keep the class organized 

and on task.  

1. Entering the Classroom 

The teacher will welcome students each day at the door. As soon as students 

enter the classroom, they will hang up their backpacks, get their pencils out, 

and start the bell work at their assigned seats. If students were absent the 

day before, they will grab the necessary materials from the absent folder.  

2. Absent Folder 

When students come back from a day of absences, they are responsible for 

getting their work from the absent folder located at the front of the room. 

Students are to retrieve all necessary materials at the start of class time. 

For each day the student misses, they are given two days to make up the 

work.  

3. Getting Students’ Attention 

The teacher will raise their hand and say “give me five.” Students will know 

that they need to raise their hand in response, have their eyes on the 

teacher, be listening to the teacher, and they need to be no longer speaking.  

4. Drinking Fountain 

A battery-operated push light with the word water written over the top of 

it will be placed on the wall next to the door (BoredTeacher, 2020). When 

students need a drink, they will quietly push the light to indicate that they 

are getting a drink of water. Students need to come back in a timely manner 

8
 and push off the light to indicate that they are back from getting a drink. 

Only one student is allowed to get a drink at a time. If the light is turned on, 

then a student must wait for their peer to get 

back for them to get their own drink of water. 

This is a silent indicator to let the teacher know 

that a student is getting a drink.  

5. Restroom  

Four battery-operated push lights will be on the 

wall next to the doorway. Two lights will have “girl” 

written over the top of it and two lights will have 

“boy” written on it (BoredTeacher, 2020). 

Students will push the light to indicate that they 

are going to use the restroom. When students get 

back, they are to push off the light to let the teacher know that 

they are back from using the restroom. If both lights are turned on, then 

students are not allowed to go to the bathroom until someone comes back to 

turn one of the lights off.  

6. Walking in the Hallway 

Students are to quietly walk in a line to and from specials. A leader is 

assigned and told by the teacher what door they want them to walk to and 

stop walking at before turning the next corner. This allows the teacher to 

walk along with the students and watch the back of the line while those in 

the front stop and wait for everyone to catch up. Once the leader gets 

permission from the teacher, they are to continue walking to the next 

designated stopping point.  

7. Classroom Transitions 

9
 The teacher will play music to transition from one activity to another (Wong 

& Wong, 2014). Students will know that by the end of the song, they must 

have all the necessary materials out for the next activity and be waiting 

patiently for the teacher to give directions for the next activity.  

8. Collecting and Returning Papers 

Subject labeled bins will be used to collect work. Students will know to place 

their work in the specified bins when they are done. When the teacher is 

returning papers, students will pass the papers to their peers across the 

rows, not through the columns (Wong & Wong, 2014). This will save time and 

ensure that backs are not being poked to hand papers up to the front. If 

desks are grouped, the teacher will pass the papers back to one person in 

the group. That person is given the job of handing the papers back to their 

peers within their designated group.  

9. Early Finishers Bin 

A bin with folders for each subject will contain educational learning 

activities for students to do if they finish their work early. Students will 

know that when they finish their work, they are to immediately grab 

materials from the “early finishers bin” and return quietly to their seats to 

begin their work.  

10. Dismissal 

Students will check their area to make sure it is clean and free of dropped 

pencils and pieces of paper. Then students will wait quietly at their desks for 

the teacher to dismiss them. Students will make sure that their chairs are 

flipped upside down on their desks before they leave.   

10
 What happens when students are not following the procedures? 

When students are not following these procedures the first time, they will 

get a warning from the teacher. This will be the student’s first offense. If the 

student is still not following a procedure, then they will be given a second offense. 

This is where the student will be given a warning and their clip on the Bitmoji Clip 

Chart will get moved down (Fourth Grade Wonderland, 2020). If the student 

receives a third offense, then their clip will get moved down and they will be given 

a consequence of the teacher’s choosing. For example, if a student is not following 

the class procedure for walking in the hallway, the student will receive the 

consequence of having to walk with the teacher for the duration of the walk. If a 

fourth offense occurs, then the student will get their clip moved down and the 

teacher will contact either their parents or the office depending on the severity 

of the offense.    

11
 Norms and Rules  

Classroom Contract  Classroom Rules 

 

★ Treat others the way you want  ➢ Raise your hand and wait for 

to be treated.  permission to speak. 

★ Be respectful to others.  ➢ Transition quickly, quietly, and in 

★ Be a good listener.  an orderly fashion. 

★ Always try your best.  ➢ Wait for directions and follow 

★ Do not be afraid to ask for help.  them the first time they are 

given. 

 
Bitmoji Clip Chart ​(Fourth Grade Wonderland, 2020) 

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 Note the classroom rules are set by the teacher and the classroom norms 

are set by the students and are subject to change. If the classroom norms and 

rules are not working, then the teacher will reassess them and make slight changes 

as needed to ensure that the classroom runs smoothly. At the beginning of the 

school year, students will create a classroom contract with a set of agreed upon 

norms and expectations for the classroom. They will come up with ideas for the 

norms among their table partners and present them to the rest of the class. The 

teacher will put the class’s ideas on the board. Then, students will vote on which 

ideas should be put in the classroom contract. The teacher will put stars next to 

ideas that students think should go into the official classroom contract. The ideas 

with the most stars will be the agreed upon set of classroom norms to put in the 

contract. When students create their own classroom contracts, they are being 

given the power to have a say in the classroom’s norms and expectations. Richard 

Lavoie mentions in T
​ he Motivation Breakthrough ​that power can be given to 

students without diminishing the power of the teacher (Lavoie, 2007). Students 

are more willing to behave when they know they had a hand in setting the norms 

that they are to be following.  

To maintain and enforce the classroom norms and rules, I will give reminders 

to the class such as “remember to be following our classroom contract” or “thank 

13
you for sharing your thoughts but I need you to be following the classroom rules by 

raising your hand and waiting to be called on next time.” I will ensure that all 

students are compiling with the agreed upon classroom norms and rules by using 

the Bitmoji Clip Chart. Offensives will be given to students who are not following 

the classroom rules.   

What happens when students are not following 

the classroom norms and rules? 

When the majority of the class is not following the classroom norms and 

rules, the teacher will use “enforceable statements” as described by Jim Fay in 

Love and Logic​ (Fay, 1998). For example, when students are breaking the classroom 

contract norms of “be respectful to others” and “be a good listener,” the teacher 

can say “I will begin when everyone is quiet” (Fay, 1998). 

When individual students are not following the classroom norms and rules, 

the teacher will give them first, second, third, or fourth offensives depending on 

how many offensives they have already received earlier in the day.  

14
 First Offensive:   The student will get a​ warning​ from the teacher. 

Second Offense:  The student will get a ​warning​ from the teacher and 

their​ clip moved​ on the Bitmoji Clip Chart. 

Third Offense:   The student will get their clip moved and get a 

“​teacher’s choice​” consequence.  

Fourth Offense:   The student will get their clip moved and get a “​parent 

or office contact​.” 

Without enforcing the classroom contract, students will not be held 

accountable for their actions. It is imperative that students know what the 

classroom norms and rules are and what will happen if they do not follow them. 

Doing this will provide a structured and predictable environment that students can 

trust (Wong & Wong, 2014). They will know exactly what to expect every single 

day. This routine and stability gives students a sense of security. Students may not 

be getting this at home so it is crucial for teachers to set up an environment where 

they feel safe.    

15
 Classroom Environment
 

 
Created Using Classroom Architect. For more information visit http://classroom.4teachers.org/ 
 

I set up my classroom arrangement like this because I want my students to 

feel that they are being encouraged, included, and safe. The teacher, students, and 

environment all contribute to invoking these feelings in an individual. The desk 

arrangement is key to creating this climate. Students will feel safe when they are 

surrounded by their friends and not in individual desks in single-file rows. They will 

also feel included by being surrounded by their peers and situated to be able to 

see the teacher at all times when teaching from the whiteboard that is located 

opposite of the door. They will know that they are the center of attention. Their 

success and learning will take first priority in my classroom. Lastly, students will 

feel encouraged by their peers during group work at their tables. My students will 

16
feel encouraged to dream big and reach for the stars. I also want to promote 

collaboration in my classroom because this will help students feel encouraged and 

included. Furthermore, I want students to feel that they have a safe place to go to 

in the back corner of the classroom. This will be the safe zone for students to cool 

down or to relax on the couches and comfy, plush rugs.  

In this classroom we are…. 

❀​Encouraging 
❀​Included 
❀​Safe 
 

❀​Encouraging 
Tangible 

- Posters​ with encouraging quotes will be posted to 

remind students that it is okay to make mistakes. I 

want to remind my students that making mistakes is 

encouraged in my classroom because it is the only way 

that their brains grow. My students will have a growth 

mindset about making mistakes (Boaler & Dweck, 

2016). This means that they will view mistakes as a 

17
 positive and encouraging learning experience that is appreciated as 

proof that they are trying to improve upon their skills and learning 

abilities. 

- I will ​showcase students’ work ​on a bulletin board. Students will be 

recognized for their achievements. They 

should be proud of their work and, as 

their teacher, I want to encourage them 

to take pride in their effort and hard 

work. Students will be encouraged to go 

above and beyond expectations when they know that exemplary 

work will be showcased for all to see.  

Intangible 

- Encouraging phrases​ will be said to students. Howard Glasser with his 

“Nurtured Heart Approach” suggests that teachers should be praising 

students for their effort, not praising the process (Glasser & Easley, 

2007). I can do this by giving specific praise by saying, “you are 

showing real talent for the assignment in the way you are putting all 

the pieces of information together.” Encouragement will not only be 

given by me but by the students as well. I will teach students to say 

encouraging phrases to each other. For example, when a student is 

sharing their ideas with their table group, the table partners will 

encourage their peer by saying “Thank you for sharing your idea! I 

really like how you noted that ________.” or “You did an amazing job 

explaining________! I appreciate that you shared this point with us.” 

This procedure of encouraging other classmates with supportive 

18
 phrases will be set in place to create an encouraging environment in my 

classroom. 

- Procedures​ will be set in place to encourage students when they share 

their thoughts and ideas with the class. One of these procedures is to 

have the class​ applaud their peers​ when they share answers aloud. 

One out of the many encouraging applause procedures I will have is 

saying “one, two, three ready go” and students will give one strong 

collective clap to their peers when the word “go” is said. Having 

different applause methods helps build an encouraging atmosphere. 

Having an encouraging atmosphere helps students feel more willing to 

share their ideas with the class.  

❀​Included 
Tangible 

- I want students to feel included in my classroom. One way to build 

this atmosphere is to set up my ​seating arrangement​ in such a way 

that makes students feel included. I want my students to realize that 

in my classroom they are considered family. We are all in this 

together. No one will be sitting alone at isolated desks in single-file 

rows but instead, be seated with their peers at tables. Having group 

tables in the center of the classroom will ensure that all students feel 

that they are included in Miss Rogers’s “family.” 

- Posters​ will direct students on how they should conduct themselves 

during group work within their table centers. I want every voice to be 

heard and no one to be left out. Reminding students of procedures for 

19
 including others in group work and discussions is a great way to ensure 

that everyone is included in my classroom.   

Intangible 

- Students will feel included when I greet them every morning at the 

door. Students will know that they are included in Miss Rogers’s 

“family” when I ​greet them cheerfully by name​ every morning. I will 

ask how they are doing today and let them know I appreciate having 

them in my class. One of the three C’s in Linda Albert’s “Cooperative 

Discipline” is being connected or, in other words, being included 

(Albert & DeSisto, 1996). Linda Albert talked about how students 

want to be connected, or included, in the classroom by their teacher. 

Giving students ​compliments, greetings, and other words of 

affirmation​ helps students feel appreciated and included in a 

classroom. 

- Students will feel included by having ​clock partners​ during 

assignments and group discussions. Students will be assigned 

different partners each week. 

Instead of having students pick 

their own partners and having 

someone be left out because no 

one wants to choose them as a 

partner, I will be assigning 

everyone a rotation of four 

different clock partners. For 

example, each student will have 

four different peoples' names 

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 written on a clock sheet at the 12, 3, 6, and 9 numbers. When I say 

“meet with your nine o’clock partners,” students will know that they 

need to go see their partner whose name is written next to the 9 on 

their clock partner sheet. This encourages students to feel that they 

are included in the class especially during group discussions when they 

know exactly who they need to go talk to.   

❀​Safe 
Tangible 

- In my classroom, I will have a ​cool down 

corner​ established as a​ safe zone​ for 

students. I want my students to know 

that my classroom is their safe place to 

fall. All students will know that the cool 

down corner is not a punishment but 

instead a reward for students who 

recognize their emotions and realize that 

they need a minute to recollect 

themselves. At the cool down corner, 

different outlets for different types of 

feelings will be included in a bin for 

students to use whenever they feel 

upset. Jim Fay’s “Love and Logic” talked 

about giving students choices (Fay, 

1998). Allowing students to feel that they are in 

control of their emotions and how to go about handling them is key. I 

21
 will be sure to have many different choices for all different outlets of 

emotions to help students feel that they are in control of their 

behavior and feelings.  

- “I Wish My Teacher Knew” box​ will be a 

way for students to safely tell a teacher 

their concerns and problems. I want my 

students to feel safe to tell me anything 

with confidentiality and without judgment 

from their peers. 

Intangible 

- Words of affirmation​ will be used to show students that they are 

safe to share their thoughts and ideas in the classroom. Students are 

safe to express themselves freely and safe to make mistakes in my 

classroom. I will actually let students know that they can safely make 

mistakes because this is the only way that their brains actually grow 

and learn (Boaler & Dweck, 2016).  

- I will make the effort to have ​individual meetings​ with students. 

During these meetings, students are safe to tell me anything that 

they want to share with me. These will be private in-person meetings 

to help build a strong student-teacher relationship where they feel 

safe to confide in me anything that is weighing heavy on their minds.  

   

22
 First Day of School Plan

Time  Activity 

8:00-8:15  I will already have memorized students’ names with their faces so 
I will greet my students at the door with a smile and say “Good 
morning [student’s name]! Welcome! Go ahead and take a seat at 
the desk with your name on it and start the activity sheet on your 
desk.” Students will have name tags at their seats with a fun 
activity sheet to help the teacher and their peers get to know 
them better. When students are done filling out the sheet, they 
will be asked to share their name and two to three of their 
favorite things that they wrote on their sheets. “Now we are 
going to go around the room and share your name and two to three 
of your favorite things to help everyone get to know each other 
better.” I will collect these sheets for future reference. 

 
(Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah Designs, 2016) 

23
8:15-8:25  I will begin class by giving a PowerPoint to show pictures of 
myself, my family, my favorite things, and where I went to school 
to introduce myself to my students. This will help ease any first 
day fears the students may have about having a “mean” teacher. I 
want to ensure that my students feel that they can trust me and 
that I care about each and every one of them.  
[Script as I show the PowerPoint pictures]: “Good morning 
everyone! I am very excited for this school year and I can not 
wait to get to know all of you better. I am your teacher Miss 
Rogers. A little bit about myself, I am originally from Standish, 
MI which is a small farm town located in Northeast Michigan. 
Here are some pictures of my pets; Oakley is an eleven-year-old 
bullmastiff ridgeback mix, Charlie is our chinchilla, and Willow is 
our outdoor black and orange kitty. I have one twin brother, 
Carter. We went to the same university which is Spring Arbor 
University. I graduated from SAU with a concentration in 
Elementary Education and a major in Mathematics. Here are some 
pictures of my favorite movies, my favorite color is purple, and my 
favorite drinks are strawberry and banana smoothies, apple cider, 
and hot cocoa. A few of my hobbies are reading, drawing, painting, 
photography, and spending time with my family” [pictures will be 
shown throughout the slideshow to elaborate more on all these 
things].  

8:25-10:10  “Now we are going to play some fun ice breaker activities to get 
to know each other more.”  
Students will participate in various ice breaker activities. These 
activities include but are not limited to: 
● Two Truths and a Lie- students tell two truths and a lie 
while their peers try to guess which one is the lie. 
● Autograph Scavenger Hunt- students are given a list of 25 
to 30 boxes that say things such as “I visited a zoo.” Next 
to these boxes, students will get signatures of classmates 

24
 who match the information in the box (Connell, 2018). 

 
(Connell, 2018) 

● Beach Ball Introductions- students toss a beach ball with 

phrases and/or questions written all over it. When they 
catch the ball, they have to finish the phrase or answer the 
question that their hand is touching (Connell, 2018). 

 
(Connell, 2018) 

● Silent Line Up- students have to line up in order of their 

birthdays starting with January 1st and ending with 
December 31st. Students are not allowed to talk and must 
use signs, fingers, and charades to line up in the correct 
order (Connell, 2018). 
● D-icebreakers- Students are split into four-person groups 
and given the D-icebreakers printable (Connell, 2018). 
Students will be given dice and whatever number they roll, 

25
 they must answer the questions on the sheet. 

 
(Connell, 2018) 

Students will also have their morning snack break at this time. 

10:10-10:55  Norms, rules, and classroom procedures will be discussed and 

practiced. Students will create their own classroom contract. 
They will create an agreed upon set of norms and expectations 
for the classroom. Students will come up with ideas for the norms 
among their table partners and present them to the rest of the 
class. I will put each center’s ideas on the board. Then, students 
will vote on which ideas should be included in the classroom 
contract. A vote will take place and I will put stars next to ideas 
that students think should go into the official classroom contract. 
The ideas with the most stars will be the agreed upon set of 
classroom norms to put in the contract. When students create 
their own classroom contracts, they are being given the power to 
have a say in the classroom’s norms and expectations. Richard 
Lavoie mentions in The Motivation Breakthrough that power can 
be given to students without diminishing the power of the teacher 

26
 (Lavoie, 2007). Students are more willing to behave when they 
know they had a hand in setting the classroom norms. 

10:55-11:10  Students will be given a tour around the classroom. Students will 
know where all the materials and supplies are located within the 
classroom. Students can explore the classroom library and the 
relaxing cool down corner in the back of the classroom. 

11:10-11:40  Lunch and Recess 

Students will practice the procedure for dismissal to lunch and 
recess. 

11:40-12:40  Students will participate in a tower building exercise. Students 

will work together in groups of four to build the tallest index card 
tower. However, students are only allowed to add a card to the 
tower once they have written something down on the card that all 
members of the group have in common (Connell, 2018). This is a 
great activity for students to find out how much they have in 
common with one another. It is a great relationship-building 
exercise to do on the first day of school. 

 
(Connell, 2018) 

Students will also create a time capsule. Students will write a 

letter to themselves, put it in a potato chip canister that they 
decorate, and can open it up again on the last week of school. 
Students can write about their favorite music, current height, 
goals for the school year, etc. (Connell, 2018). 

27
  
(Connell, 2018) 

12:40-1:25  Specials 
Students will practice the proper procedure for lining up and 
walking down the hallway to their special for the day.  

1:25-2:25  I will read a book about the first day of school to the class. 
Students will practice the procedure for how to act during story 
time/presentation time. 
Examples of books to read: 

Students will also complete a “Who is in Miss Rogers?” word 

search. Students will have fun finding (and hopefully 
remembering/memorizing) their peers' names in the word search 
(Connell, 2018). 

28
  
 
After this, students will play the “name game.” This is where 
students say their name with what they like and the next person 
in the circle has to remember what the previous person(s) said. 
For example, “First Student: I am Kaitlin Smyth and I like 
kangaroos. Second Student: I am Sungat Patel and I like s’mores. 
She is Kaitlin Smyth and she likes kangaroos” (Connell, 2018).  

2:25-2:50  Recess 

2:50-3:00  Students will pack up and be dismissed for buses and pick up. 
Students will practice the procedure for dismissal by checking 
their area to make sure it is clean and free of dropped pencils and 
pieces of paper. Then students will wait quietly at their desks for 
me to dismiss them. Students will make sure that their chairs are 
flipped upside down on their desks before they leave.  
“Thank you all for today! Have a safe drive or walk back home. I 
look forward to seeing you all tomorrow!” 

I want to build a strong student-teacher relationship and a trusting 

environment. Having the first day be all about procedures and fun activities helps 

build bonds by creating a structured and trusting environment. These bonds are 

built not only between the teacher and students but also between students and 

their peers. This is key to creating an atmosphere where everyone feels 

encouraged, included, and safe.   

29
 Transition and Sponge Time  

I chose the following academic sponge and transition procedures because 

they will help students stay on task and not waste any class time. Having 

transitions between one activity to another makes the class run smoothly, gives 

order to the school day, and helps students keep track of the time spent on 

assignments. Having academic sponge time allows the teacher to keep students 

engaged in academic learning all throughout the day, even if the class finishes 

early. Both academic sponge and academic transition procedures help keep the 

teacher organized and keep students focused on the task at hand.   

Academic Sponge 

1) Bizz Buzz 

Students will gather in a circle and count up by the indicated numbers. The 

teacher will have a preset goal for students to identify correct numbers by 

saying “buzz.” For example, students will count by ones and say “buzz” when 

they come to multiples of threes. Then students can say “bizz buzz” when 

they come to a number that is a multiple of three and five. 

2) Elimination Ball 

Students stand at their desks and throw a ball to their peers. When a 

person catches the ball, a question is asked by the teacher. This could be a 

question for an upcoming quiz to help students study. If the student answers 

the question correctly, they throw it to the next person of their choosing. 

30
 However, if a student gets the answer wrong, then they need to sit down 

quietly and listen to the questions being asked until the next round is played.  

3) Flashlight Vocabulary Words 

Vocabulary words written on stars will be taped to the ceiling of the 

classroom. The lights will be turned off in the room and the class will say 

“Flashlight, flashlight. Oh, so bright! Shine on the word _______ with all 

your light!” with the teacher (Scholastic, 2020). The teacher will draw names 

to pick a student to find the correct vocabulary word by pointing a flashlight 

on the “star” vocabulary word on the ceiling.  

4) Get As Close As You Can 

The teacher will write a large number on the board, such as 1,388. This 

number is the goal. The teacher will then write random numbers on the 

board, such as 45, 66, 78, 9. The students will then use these numbers to 

try to get as close as they can to the goal number. For example, students can 

choose to do the following operation: (78*9)+(66*9)+(45+45)=1,368. 

Students compete to see who can get the closest to the goal number 

(Scholastic, 2020). 

5) Be the Teacher 

The teacher draws names to choose a student to be the new teacher. They 

go up to the front of the class and recap what they have just learned. Those 

sitting down at their desks are encouraged to ask the new teacher questions. 

They can write on the board to give example problems, draw diagrams, etc. 

(Scholastic, 2020). 

Academic Transition 

31
1) Music 

Music will be played over the computer speakers to cue when students are to 

start transitioning into the next activity (Wong & Wong, 2014). Students will 

know that by the time the song is done, they are to be sitting quietly with 

the necessary materials and ready to learn.  

2) Hand-clap Rhythm 

A hand-clap rhythm produced by the teacher will signal transition time to 

students (Wong & Wong, 2014). They will know that they have a minute to 

gather their materials and prepare for the next activity.  

3) Visual Countdown 

A clock on the projector screen will countdown to students how much time 

they have left to transition to the next activity. This is a great way for 

students to visually see how much time they have left. Students know that 

when the timer stops, then they are supposed to be completely ready, have 

complete attention on the teacher, and be waiting for the next directions.  

4) Verbal Countdown 

The teacher will give a slow verbal countdown to indicate how much time 

students have to transition to the next activity. When the teacher says 

“zero,” the students know that they must be completely ready and waiting to 

hear the next instructions.  

5) Ringing a Bell 

The teacher will ring a bell to let students know that they need to transition 

to the next activity (Wong & Wong, 2014). This is great to use when groups 

need to change to a different center. It lets students know when to switch 

to the next center.   

32
 Communication Plan
 
 

Before School 

Students  Sample Welcome Letters  Before the school year 

  begins, I will send out a 
letter to students. This 
letter will introduce 
myself as their new 
teacher for the upcoming 
school year, how eager I 
am for the upcoming 
year, and how excited I 
am to meet them. I want 
my students to feel at 
ease coming into my 
classroom on the first 
day of school. Sending 
out a letter before the 
year begins will help ease 
any fears or anxiety that 
students may have about 
meeting their new 
  teacher on the first day 
(Adventures in 2nd, 2020)  of school.  

33
  
(Harvey, 2020) 
 

 
(Fourth Grade Flipper, 2020) 

34
Parents  Sample Letters  I will send out a letter to 
(The owl parent welcome letter includes both  the parents outlining how 
English and Spanish versions.) 
happy I am to have their 
child in my class. Parents 
are just as worried about 
sending their precious 
little ones to their first 
day of school as the 
students are about 
coming into a foreign and 
new classroom 
environment. This letter 
will highlight any 
important information on 
dates/times, ease any 
worries that the parents 
may have, and give them 
my contact information. I 
will also include a form 
 
for parents to fill out on 
how they would prefer me 
to contact them by either 
email, phone call, and/or 
text through the free 
remind.com app. A list of 
classroom procedures 
(located on pages 8-10 of 
this Classroom 
Management Plan) will 
also be included to help 
inform parents of how 
things are run inside my 
classroom. Communication 
is key between the 
classroom and a child’s 
home life so sending this 
 
(Leal, 2020) 
letter, form, and list of 
classroom information will 

35
 ensure that everyone is 
informed properly before 
school starts.  
 
(Note, the owl parent 
welcome letter includes 
both English and Spanish 
versions. I want cultural 
diversity to be embraced 
in my classroom. So, 
having different versions 
of the same letter will 
encourage this vision of 
having an accepting 
culturally diverse 
atmosphere that I want 
to have in my classroom.) 
 
(French Fun with Mme Evans, 2020) 
 
Parent Contact Preference Form 

36
 During School 

Students  Sample Picture of Students’ Planners  Students will be supplied 

  with planners. I will check 
these planners daily to 
see if parents left me any 
notes with questions or 
concerns they may have. 
I can also leave 
encouraging notes to the 
students telling them how 
great they are doing on a 
certain worksheet, 
  subject, etc. This is also 
a way to help keep 
students organized 
because this is where due 
dates for assignments, 
projects, quizzes, and 
tests will be posted along 
with it being posted on 
the whiteboard schedule. 
This helps keep students 
on track and on the same 
page as the teacher. 

Parents  Sample of Weekly Newsletters  Every Monday I will send 

parents a weekly 
newsletter to keep them 
updated on any upcoming 
events and what the 
upcoming week will look 
like for their students. I 
want to keep parents 
informed on any and all 
information that 
concerns their students. 
This will help keep 

37
 everyone on the same 
page.  
I will also use the 
remind.com free texting 
app to keep in touch with 
parents who prefer that 
I text them about 
important information. 
On the app, I can give 
updates about their 
student’s learning, 
behavior, about upcoming 
events, and any other 
information they may 
need to know about their 
student. This ensures 
that everyone is being 
updated at the same time 
(I’m Finally Wright, 2020) 
with mass text messages 
 
 
or with individual private 
Remind App  messages about their 
(for more information visit ​https://www.remind.com/​)  student’s behavior in 
class that day.  

 
(Remind, n.d.) 

38
  
(Remind, n.d.) 

Principal    I plan to communicate 

and  with the principal and my 
Colleagues  colleagues through email 
and in-person meetings. I 
will update the principal 
on all lessons, grades, and 
behavioral plans. Lastly, I 
will collaborate, share 
ideas, and get advice 
from my colleagues 
through in-person 
meetings, grade level 
curriculum meetings, and 
by joining any committees 
to keep communication 
open between myself and 
my co-workers.  
 

After School 

Students  Sample of Student Postcards  I want students to 

know that I loved 

39
 having them in my 
class. A way to show 
that I appreciate and 
care for each and 
every one of my 
students is by 
handwriting each 
  student a personalized 
postcard. I will 
comment on a highlight 
of the school year, 
event, and/or one of 
their many 
achievements in the 
handwritten postcard. 
This solidifies the 
  student-teacher 
relationship and lets 
students know that I 
care very much about 
them and all that they 
do. 

 
(Willison, 2020) 

Parents    I will make an effort 

to make a phone call 

40
 home to each and 
every parent to tell 
them how much I 
appreciate their child 
and what a joy it was 
to have them in my 
classroom this past 
year. This lets parents 
know that I care very 
much about their 
students. 
 

   

41
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