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Final Classroom Management Portfolio

Rebekah D. Williams

EDFN 440: Classroom Management

Dr. Monte Meyerink

December 11, 2022

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Characteristics of an Effective Teacher

When looking back on my elementary teachers, a few stick out to me. There are

several characteristics of effective teachers that I want to have when I am in my own

classroom. One that sticks out to me the most as effective teachers were those that truly got to

know their students. They would care more about how the student is during than how much

they are getting right on assignments. “Students need to know that their teachers are interested

in them, care for them, know them, and will take care of them” (Dueck, 2021, para. 8). I

believe that a teacher is the most effective when they know their students well and have a

relationship with them. They know how each of their students learns, what each student likes

or dislikes, and the home life of each of their students. Effective teachers create trust in their

students from the first day of school. The students know that the teacher will be there for them

throughout the year and even after moving on to the next grade level.

Another characteristic that comes to mind when I think of the effective teachers that I

have had throughout schooling is that they all have held high expectations for me. They knew

what I was capable of and expected that out of me. They never would give up on me. Not only

would they set high expectations for me, but they would also set them for the entire class.

They would share with the class how they knew each of us could succeed. “The most effective

teachers set no limits on students and believe everyone can be successful” (Walker, 2008, p.

65). An effective teacher should hold all students to the same standard no matter what their

home life may be like or how they have done in past grade levels. When a teacher holds the

same standard for the entire class, they are showing that nobody is better than anyone else.

“They build students’ confidence and teach them to believe in themselves” (Walker, 2008, p.
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65). When I felt like my teacher held high expectations of me, I would put more effort into my

work to achieve those expectations.

A third characteristic that I think is important for an effective teacher to have is having

respect for their students and admitting when they have made mistakes. When a teacher

creates relationships with their students, they can admit when they have made different

mistakes which shows the students that they are respected by the teacher. “The most effective

teachers are quick to admit being wrong” (Walker, 2008, p. 66). They make a point to talk to a

specific student or the entire class about the mistake that they have made and ask for

forgiveness. “The most effective teachers do not deliberately embarrass students. Teachers

who give the highest respect, get the highest respect” (Walker, 2008, p. 66). When a teacher

shows that they respect their students, they make sure that private things stay private. They do

not go around and share with other people aspects of their students that have been shared with

them. “They speak to students in private concerning grades or conduct” (Walker, 2008, p. 66).

Effective teachers make sure that they don’t draw attention to students who are misbehaving

and deal with the issues in private. They also make sure that they are not sharing any

information with the class about how other students are doing in a specific subject.

While there are many more characteristics that embody an effective teacher, these are

ones that I think are ones that I have continued to see in teachers that I have had. I believe that

if you create a relationship with the students, hold high expectations, respect the students, and

admit that you are wrong, then you will develop all the other characteristics that embody an

effective teacher. It is important to know each of your students so that you can create a

classroom environment that makes each of them feel comfortable sharing with their

classmates and learning from each other.

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Beliefs About the Students

Students play an important role in how the classroom is managed. The teacher needs to

adapt their management to the needs of their students for the given year. Not all students will

have the same kinds of needs or be able to handle different environments. When the teacher

creates a learning environment to fit those needs, then the students can interact with each other

and engage with the materials. “The purpose of effective classroom management is to ensure that

student engagement leads to a productive working atmosphere” (Wong et al., 2018, p. 6). When

there are procedures set for the students, they can work together with the teacher or other

classmates, remain on task, and respect those around them. “Students perform better when they

know what the teacher expects them to do” (Wong et al., 2018, p. 9). The students know when it

is acceptable to do certain activities when the teacher has set procedures from the beginning.

They can work on multiple tasks in different areas throughout the day because they know how

the teacher expects them to be at all times of the day. They know when they can pull out work

that they didn't finish prior when they are able to read a book, participate with other classmates in

group work, and/or ask those around them questions about what they are working on.

Beliefs About the Teachers’ Roles

One of the teachers' main roles in managing the classroom is to actively supervise the

entire class. “Presence is crucial to maintaining classroom management and to effective delivery

of instruction and it’s a skill we can develop with effort” (Terada, 2019, para. 18). The teacher

should spend more time walking around the classroom and talking with the students. They

should not spend time sitting at their desk grading papers while the students are in the classroom

doing work. “Although it is tempting to sit at your desk and grade papers, that’s also an

invitation to your students to get distracted” (Terada, 2019, para. 18). While the students are in
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the classroom, it is more important to spend time interacting with them than it is to get things

graded.

Another role that a teacher has in managing the classroom is to create relationships with

all their students. It is important to begin creating those relationships at the beginning of the year

and growing them throughout the entire year. If there is any conflict between the student and the

teacher, the teacher needs to do whatever it takes to repair the relationship. “The stronger the

relationship and the better we understand our students, the more knowledge and goodwill we

have to draw on when the going gets tough” (Terada, 2019, para. 8). A way that a teacher can

build these relationships is through giving the students positive feedback or praising the students

for their work or how they are behaving in class.

Managing the Classroom

When managing a classroom, it is not about the way that you discipline the students. It is

the way that procedures are in place for the students to know what is expected of them. When

there are no procedures set in place, then the students will not know what they are supposed to

do. The students are more likely to act out and disrupt the classroom because they think they can

do whatever they want. There should be clear expectations that are discussed with the students at

the beginning of the year. “Procedures teach students responsible skills that serve them well in

school and throughout life. Procedures organize the classroom so the myriad of activities that

take place can function smoothly in a stress-free manner” (Wong et al., 2018, p. 9). The teacher

and students can switch between activities smoothly and are able to get more activities and

content done throughout the day. The students don’t take a long time to switch between one

activity to the next which does take away from the time that they can spend on a different

activity.
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Approach to Establishing Procedures

Establishing procedures is essential for having great classroom management. If a teacher

doesn’t establish procedures from the beginning, then the classroom will not run as smoothly the

entire year. The first step in my approach to establishing procedures is to spend the majority of

the first few days of the school year going over the procedures with the students. I will “model

them all. Model the wrong way to do them. Then model the right way to do them” (Jessica, 2022,

para. 11). It is important to always teach and model the procedures for the students, even doing it

the wrong way. The students need to be able to visually see what is expected of them. If the

students aren’t following the procedures, then I will go back over them and have them practice

them as a reminder. For example, I will have procedures that are established for what the

students will do each morning. On the first day of school, I will show the students what I want

them to do and how I would like them to do it. While I am showing them the procedures, I will

be acting out the procedures for the students to see.

The next step in my approach to establishing procedures is having the students practice

the procedures. Students need to spend time practicing the procedures with the teacher. The

teacher is there to talk the students through what they are expected to do. The teacher can

redirect students who aren’t doing it right and encourage them to keep trying. “Learning a

procedure is similar to learning a skill, and some students need a great deal of practice to be able

to use a skill accurately and automatically” (Wong et al., 2018, p. 49). After going over the

morning routine on the first day of school, I will have the students go out of the room and

practice the routine. The students will practice how to take care of attendance, where they are

going to place their completed homework or notes from home, and how to do their morning

work.
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Finally, I will reinforce the procedures throughout the entire year. Throughout the year, I

will “verbally coach these students and physically demonstrate what I would like them to do.

Guide students with prompts and encouragement” (Wong et al., 2018, p. 49). This is very

important to do at the beginning of the year. It will take the students some time to remember

exactly how they are supposed to do the procedures. Since it will take some time, it is important

to not get frustrated with the students who may be struggling to remember how they are

supposed to do them. While it is important to redirect students who are struggling to remember

the procedures, it is equally important to encourage those who are doing them accurately.

“Encourage a student who follows a procedure by specifically affirming the action or deed,

rather than by dispensing a generic word of affirmation” (Wong et al., 2018, p. 47).

Although there are some students who may struggle to remember what to do, there will

be students who may not want to do them at all. It is important to stay calm when talking with

the student/s. I will “remind the student that a procedure is not a rule. There is no punishment if a

procedure is not followed” (Wong et al., 2018, p. 48). It is important for students to know that

procedures aren’t rules that have consequences if they don’t follow them. However, if

procedures are not followed, then it will take much longer for the task to get done. “They are

steps used to accomplish a task… Procedures are nonconfrontational and allow you to put your

energy into creating opportunities for students to learn and achieve” (Wong et al., 2018, p. 51).

Managing Student’s Misbehavior

When thinking about how to manage students who are misbehaving, it may be hard to

know exactly what to do in all situations. However, teachers should always have a plan in place

for how they are going to manage misbehavior. The first step in my plan is to be an assertive

teacher. “An assertive teacher expects good behavior but not by using dominance or hope. They
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plan for good behavior, they set clear boundaries and adapt to every situation that presents itself”

(Loveless, 2022, para. 32). I want to be a teacher that focuses on the positive behavior of the

students. I have been in classrooms where the teacher expected good behavior in their classroom,

and there were very few students who misbehaved because they knew what was expected of

them.

Another part of my plan is to use the black dot, white space idea. Too often teachers

focus more on the misbehavior than on all the positive behavior that is happening in their

classroom. “In the black dot, white square idea the black dot represents the misbehavior and the

white square represents good behavior” (Loveless, 2022, para. 40). It is important to

acknowledge the misbehavior using verbal or visual cues that don’t disrupt the class. However,

teachers should not stop the whole class to deal with misbehavior. When I focus on using the

black dot, white space idea, I am going to choose my battles wisely. I am not going to let very

little things bother me and make sure that I am keeping a positive attitude in my classroom.

Hypothetical Scenarios and Possible Solutions

One day, Ashley is constantly talking to the other students sitting by her. She is blurting

out answers without raising her hand and being called on. That day I would use visual cues and

verbal cues to try and solve the problem. For example, if she is calling out answers, then I would

raise my hand and say raise your hand when you know what the answer is. I would say it to the

whole class so that it doesn’t just call out Ashley. “Sometimes all that’s needed to reestablish

positive behavior is for the teacher to move next to a child” (Responsive Classroom, 2011, para.

10). If she continues to talk to those around her, then I would use proximity to try and solve the

problem.
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Over a few days, Nelson has begun to draw all over his work, colors on his desk, and

tries to draw and color on his classmates' papers that are around him. I would start by using

verbal and visual cues that I have stated above. Next, I will use proximity near Nelson to try and

use my presence to stop the behavior. If cues and proximity don’t work, I will have the student

stay in from recess or after school. When the rest of the class is gone, I will have a conversation

with Nelson about the expectations I have about using his pencils and other writing utensils.

After talking about the expectations, I will ask Nelson what ways I can help him stop doing the

misbehavior. If none of those work, then I would use logical consequences. “Logical

consequences are another strategy that teachers can use to stop misbehavior while helping

children see and take responsibility for the effects of their actions” (Responsive Classroom,

2011, para. 12). Logical consequences are relevant, realistic, and respectful, which is different

than what punishment is. It teaches the students what their behavior is doing to the materials and

how it affects those who clean their mess up because of their misbehavior. If the behaviors

continue after the conversation, I will have the students stay in again, this time it will be to have

the student do a logical consequence, such as erasing his scribbles or drawings on his work and

redoing it. If he colored or wrote on any of the desks, I will have him clean the desks. The next

steps would be to have a conversation with his parent/s to discuss what we can do to change the

misbehavior. Hopefully, Nelson will be able to see how his behavior needs to change without

having to call his parents or getting the principal involved.

Entering the Classroom – 2nd Grade

The first procedure that I plan on teaching in my future classroom is for the students to

take care of attendance and where to put their folders, homework, and notes from home. The

students will be expected to take care of all these things prior to sitting down in their seats. Prior
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to the first day of school, I will have the students' mailboxes ready with their name tags, a basket

labeled completed work, and a basket labeled notes from home. Also, I will have magnets with

the students' names on them for the students to place on a board that says if they are eating

school lunch or lunch from home. This will allow me to be able to glance at the board to see who

is absent.

On the first day of school, I will have all the students sit in their seats at the beginning of

class. I will begin by talking the students through the expectations and showing them how to do

the procedure. While I am showing the procedures, I will demonstrate the correct way and

incorrect ways to do the procedure so that the students can see what I do and don’t want to

happen. After going over the procedures, I will ask the students if they have any questions so that

I can clarify anything that the students may not have understood completely. When all the

questions have been answered, I will take the students to the hallway with their take-home

folders. The students will practice the procedure several times. If a student does it incorrectly, I

will redirect them. While the students are rehearsing, I will praise those who are doing them

right. At the end of the day, I will remind the students what is expected of them in the morning.

Over the next few days, I will continue to rehearse with the students until it becomes routine for

the students. Whenever there are students who are not accurately doing the procedure, I will have

the students practice again to remind them about what is expected of them.

Morning Activity – 2nd Grade

Next, I will teach the students the procedure for how to know what they are supposed to

do when they are waiting for class to start. Each day, I will have a morning activity for the

students to work on while they wait for the rest of their classmates to be ready. The morning
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activity will always be posted on the board ready for them to get started. The activity will be

something that they know how to do but will get their brains thinking and working.

After teaching the students how to enter the classroom, I will show the students what is

expected of them while they are waiting for the class to start. I will begin by showing them

where they can find the morning work on the board. If there are any supplies that the students

will need for the morning activity, they will in a basket next to the board. While I am showing

the students how to work, I will show them the basket that is labeled morning work and explain

to them that is where their materials will need to be for their morning activity. I will ask for

different examples from the students of what they think they are supposed to do if they complete

the morning work prior to the class starting. When there have been a few examples shared, I will

have pictures of examples on the board that shows what they are able to do and not able to do.

When we are done talking about morning work and all the questions about it have been

answered, I will have the students practice. They will practice by going back out to the hall and

walking in and doing the procedure already taught to them. When they are done with that

procedure, they will look at the morning activity and get everything that they need. They will get

started. I will let them work on the activity and then practice putting it away. Throughout the first

few days of school, I will review the procedure with the students and have them practice walking

in and getting right to work. If there are times throughout the year when the students are not

getting right to work, then I will review the expectations and have the entire class practice.

Lining Up – 2nd Grade

There are going to be several times throughout a school day that the students will need to

line up. They need to understand how they are expected to stand in line and walk down the

hallway. It is important that the students know how they will be called to line up so that everyone
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is not rushing to the line. I don’t want to have students pushing and shoving each other to be the

first ones in line.

To begin, I will teach the students how I expect them to be when we are getting ready to

leave the classroom. I will have a few students demonstrate what I expect them to do. Also, I will

have a few students demonstrate pushing and shoving, in a safe way, so that the students know

what they are not to do. I will discuss with the class how they are to wait until they are called to

the line. It may be by the table group, their color, or by who is sitting quietly or listening. It may

not be the same each time. If I have a line leader, they will always be called to line up first.

Otherwise, it will be whichever group or person that I call first and lines up right away. After

discussing the procedure, I will have the students sit in their seats and pretend to be doing

something. When I say it is time to get ready to leave the class, they are to sit quietly and wait to

be called to the line. I will then call the students randomly to get in line. We will practice this a

few times each day throughout the first few days of the school year until they have it down. If

there are times throughout the year when the students are not lining up correctly, I will review

and practice lining up more.

Classroom Jobs – 2nd Grade

Throughout the year, each student will receive a different classroom job. The students

will need to know each of the jobs so that when their name is picked to do a certain job, they will

know how to do it. Students need to have responsibilities in the classroom to see that they can

take care of aspects of the classroom. I want all my students to have the opportunity to do each of

the jobs.

When teaching the jobs, I will go over one job at a time. I will walk the students through

the job and describe/show them what is expected of them to do. If the job needs to be acted out, I
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will have a student come up and show it to the class. When I am done teaching one job, I will

teach the next job. I will continue to teach the jobs until I have taught each of them. After I am

done teaching the jobs, the students will be split into groups to practice the jobs. One group will

do one of the jobs while the others do their own job. When all the students in the group have a

chance to do the job, the groups will rotate. I will walk around the room to make sure that all the

students are understanding what they are expected to do. We will spend some time at the

beginning of the school year practicing the groups. When everyone seems to have the procedure

down, I will begin having one or two students doing each job. All the students will rotate through

the jobs throughout the entire year. Throughout the year, I will make sure that the jobs are done

correctly. If there is a job not being done right, I will review it with the class and have them

practice it.

Hand Signals – 2nd Grade

Often when teachers are giving a lesson, students are raising their hands to answer

questions or ask to do something. I will have specific hand signals for the students to do when

they need something other than answering a question. I will have them raise one finger if they

need a tissue, two fingers if they need a drink, and three fingers if they need to use the bathroom.

This will allow me to allow the students to do those things without bringing much attention to

them. It will eliminate hopefully eliminate all the students asking to go because another student

asks.

During the first few days of school, I will go over the different hand signals that the

students are expected to do if they need to do any of the three things. I will demonstrate what it

looks like when they do the signal and what it shouldn’t look like. The students will be expected

to sit quietly and raise their signal to show me what they are asking to do. They should not say
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my name several times or raise their signal and then ask several times if they can do it. The

students will practice the signals throughout the day and they will be displayed in the front of the

room for all of them to see. If a student doesn’t do the signal, I will raise the signal to remind

them what they are supposed to do. I will continue to rehearse the signal until it is a habit for

them.

Bathroom and Drinking Fountain Routines – 2nd Grade

Students often try to get out of work to use the bathroom or get a drink. I plan on having

specific times that are appropriate for the students to use the bathroom and get a drink. The

students will be allowed to bring a water bottle to school. If they do a water bottle, they will only

be allowed to fill it up before they go outside to recess. I don’t want the classroom to get

distracted by students constantly asking if they can get a drink, fill their water bottles, or go to

the bathroom. Whenever one student asks to use the bathroom, then all the other students want to

go to the bathroom.

At the beginning of the first day of school, I will go over with the students when it is

appropriate for them to ask to use the bathroom and/or get a drink. I will discuss with them how

they need to fill their water bottles prior to going outside for recess because they will not have

time to do so when they get back inside. Some of the appropriate times to use the bathroom is

when they are working independently on work, having free time, or if they are doing a group

activity that they won’t miss much from. If the students ask to use the bathroom right before

recess or lunch, then they will be asked if they can wait a couple of minutes until it is time to go.

When the students come inside from recess, they all will have the opportunity to use the

bathroom and get a drink. After discussing when it is appropriate to use the bathroom and/or a

drink, then I will have the students practice it throughout the day. I will have all the students grab
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their water bottles before recess and fill them up, use the bathroom after recess and lunch, and

practice how to ask to use the bathroom or get a drink during class. When a student forgets when

and how to ask, I will continue to remind them what is expected of them and have them practice

it.

Transitions – 2nd Grade

When a teacher transitions from one activity to another, students often get distracted and

talk to one another because they don’t know what to do. A procedure that I will teach the

students is how to transition from one activity/lesson to another. I want the students to know

when it is best to talk with their classmates and when they need to do things quietly. Students

need to know how to transition from doing group activities to going back to their desks, putting

away what they are working on to starting another lesson and coming in from being outside of

the classroom and getting ready for the next activity/lesson.

Within the first week of school, I will teach the students how to do different transitions. I

will demonstrate different ways that are appropriate and not appropriate when transitioning from

one thing to another. I will allow some of the students to demonstrate ways to transition and have

the class decide if it was appropriate. If the class is not on the right track regarding what is

appropriate or not, I will talk to them about what my expectations are. After spending time

teaching the students how to transition, I will give the students several opportunities to practice

the appropriate ways to transition. Whenever students don’t do transitions correctly, I will

remind them what is expected of them and then have the class practice some more. I will praise

the students specifically who are transitioning in an appropriate way.

Finishing Early – 2nd Grade

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Throughout the day, students are going to finish activities prior to other students. They

also may finish it prior to moving on to the next activity. It is important that the students have

something to do so that they are always learning. If students don’t know what to do when they

finish early, they are going to be a distraction to those around them. They are going to want to

have different conversations with those who are trying to do their work. In my classroom, I plan

on using the method of ketchup, mustard, and pickle. This is a procedure that shows the students

what they “must”ard do first, what they need to “ketchup” on, and what they can “pick”le from

to do when they have finished the other two parts. The mustard is always going to be the work

that has just been given out to them. The ketchup is going to be what they have in their work-in-

progress folder. The pickle may be reading a book, coloring a paper, drawing, etc. The pickle

will be a list that is written on the board that the students can choose from. I will have a picture

of a ketchup bottle, a mustard bottle, and a pickle on the board with what they have to/can do

underneath the pictures.

During the first few days of school, I will have pictures of ketchup, mustard, and a pickle

on the board. When I teach the students about the procedure for when they finish early, I will ask

the students what they think the three pictures are for and what they think they mean. After a few

students have shared what they think, I will discuss with them what each of them represents and

where each item will be located for them to do when they need them. The students' work-in-

progress folders will always be in their desks. They will know exactly which folder they need to

pull out when they need to “ketchup” on their work. They will always have books in their desk to

read for their pickle and the other activities in the list of the pickle will be located on a clip

underneath the pickle picture. After I have discussed what the expectations are for when they

finish early, I will have the students practice the procedure. They will be doing it throughout the
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whole year, so it is important that they know how to do it and where to find their things. I will

have the students work on the activity and tell a few students to put what they are doing away

and do the ketchup or pickle option. I will observe to see if they know where they found their

things and if they were quiet while doing so. I will have each of the students do the activity a

couple at a time so that I can observe each of them. If there are any students throughout the year

that are struggling with the procedure, I will review the procedure with the class and review

where they can find their materials for it.

Attention Getter – 2nd Grade

While observing several different classrooms, each teacher has had their own, unique

way to get their students' attention. Some have done nonverbal attention-getters, a clapping

rhythm, or said something and the students responded. In my classroom, I plan on using different

sayings. Some that I plan on incorporating into my classroom include: I say, “Hot Fudge” and

the class responds, “Sundae;” I say, “To infinity,” and the class responds, “And Beyond;” I say,

“All set?” and the class says, “You bet;” I say, “Red Robin” and the class responds, “Yummm;”

and/or I say, “Avengers” and the class responds, “Assemble” (Larson, 2022, para. 15, 17, 18, 24,

26,). I will only use a few attention-getters each year. I will start off with only one and add more

throughout the year if I think that it will help the class.

At the beginning of the year, it is important that the students know what the attention-

getter is and how they are to act when it is done or said. When I begin teaching my students the

attention-getter, I will start by explaining what an attention-getter is. It is important that the

students understand what is before I begin teaching one. I will ask the students if they have had

any attention-getters in other classrooms that they have been in and what they were if they had

any. After discussing what an attention-getter is, I will have a list of attention-getters on the
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board. I will have the students decide what they want the attention-getter to be. While the

students are voting, I will make a note of what the other attention-getters were that the students

wanted to use. This will help me decide which ones to add later in the year if the students are

ready for another one. After we have picked one to use, I will practice it with the students. We

will repeat it several times so that the students know how it is done. Throughout the next few

days, I will practice the attention-getter with the students. I want to make sure that the students

know the expectation of what they are to do when and after it is said. If there are students who

struggle to remember the attention-getter during the year, I will practice it with the class to help

the class remember what is expected of them.

Groups – 2nd Grade

When it is time for recess, leave the classroom, go to lunch, or move around the

classroom, it can often be very chaotic if there isn’t a procedure for how the students will be

expected to move. One way that can eliminate the chaos is to have the students in specific

groups. Whenever the group is called, the students know that it is their turn to go to where they

need to be. This will eliminate everyone always wanting to be the first to where they are going.

In the corner of each of the student's desks, there will be a colored dot. This dot will be either

yellow, blue, green, pink, or orange. This will be how the students will know what group they are

in. I will have a specific order that I will always go in. On Monday, the yellow group will go first

followed by blue, green, pink, and orange. On Tuesday, the blue group will go first followed by

green, pink, orange, and yellow. On Wednesday, the green group will go first followed by pink,

orange, yellow, and blue. On Thursday, the pink group will go first followed by orange, yellow,

blue, and green. On Friday, the orange group will go first followed by yellow, blue, green, and

pink. This will allow each group to be first one day each week.
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At the beginning of the year, I will point the dot out to the students. I will ask them what

they think the dots may be for and why there are five different colored dots. After the students

have made their guesses on what they think the dots are for, I will discuss with them what the

dots are really for. I will talk about how the students will need to know their dot color and be

prepared to move to where I have asked them to when I call their color. It can be when we are

getting ready to go to music or PE, go to recess, leave the classroom for an activity, move to the

carpet for a lesson, go to lunch, or leave at the end of the day. While discussing what the colored

dots are, I will talk with the students about how they are expected to wait for their color to be

called. They should not be talking or distracting those around them. They should wait by their

desks until their color has been called. I will also tell the students that each group will have a day

that they will be the first group each week, so they know that it is even for all the students. After

explaining what the dots are for, then I will practice with the students. I will call a color and have

the color move to a different part of the room. This will encourage the students to listen to what

they are being asked to do while also moving with their groups. We will continue to use this

procedure for the rest of the year. If there are any students who have forgotten what color they

are or how they are supposed to wait, then I will review the procedure with the students.

Transition Time – 2nd Grade

School days can go by extremely quickly. It is important that teachers use their entire day

wisely. A teacher doesn’t like to wait around while students talk and slowly puts their things

away when transitioning from one activity to the next. Having something to signal when the

students need to start getting ready for the next activity is an important procedure for the

classroom.
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Within the first week of school, I will talk to my students about what transitioning from

one activity to the next should look like. I will have a few students demonstrate what it looks like

to quickly transition to the next activity and a few students demonstrate what it looks like to

waste classroom time when transitioning. The students will decide which transition would be the

best use of the classroom time. After discussing why it is important to transition quickly, I will

talk to the students about how they will know when it is time to get ready to do something else

and when it is time to clean up. I plan on using two different songs that will signal to the students

what they need to do. The song may change throughout the year depending on how the students

are doing with the transitions. After I have shared which song is for which transition, then I will

have the students practice. I will have stations set up for the students to participate in. They will

participate until they hear one of the songs. Once the song starts playing, then the students will

do whichever transition matches the song. We will continue to do this until the students start

getting the hang of the two songs and transitions. Throughout the year, I will reinforce the

transitions by reminding the students what the expectations are when they are transitioning. If I

need to have the students practice the transitions, then we will spend time practicing.

Writing Names on Papers – 2nd Grade

Throughout my schooling, I have learned how important it is to ensure that students are

writing their names on their papers. If several students aren’t writing their names on their papers,

it is hard for the teacher to give the correct grades to the correct students. Teachers need to be

able to assess how each of their students is doing in the class; however, they are not able to when

the students aren’t writing their names on their papers.

At the beginning of the school year, I will teach the students how important it is for them

to write their names on their papers. I will begin by asking the students why they think writing
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their names on their papers is important. After some of the students share, I will add to their

statements with why I think it is important. I will teach the students a chant that we will say after

I hand out papers but before they do anything else. The chant is: I say “The first thing I do is

always the same … I pick up my pencil and write my,” then the students will respond with

“name” (Dalrymple, 2022, para. 43). This chant will help the students be able to remember that

they need to write their names. Then, I will talk with the students about how I have a stamp that

is my name stamper. The name stamper will come around and stamp the papers that have a name

on them. This will help the students remember to write their names on their papers. After I have

talked about the chant and the stamp, we will practice the chant a few times. The chant and

stamp will become a part of our routine. We will practice the chant a few times every time I hand

out a paper for the first few days. This will help the students remember what the chant is. If there

are any students who are struggling to remember to write their names even after saying the chant

and the name stamper has come around, then I will review how important it is to write our name

on our papers and why we say the chant.

Reading Any Place time – 2nd Grade

Encouraging time in the classroom for the students to read is important. The students

should feel comfortable while they are reading so that they enjoy reading. In my classroom, I

plan on having an area that is set up with different cozy and comfortable places for the students

to read. There will be things that they will be able to move around the classroom if they don’t

want to read near others in the reading area. It is important to me that I create a climate that is

inviting for the students to read. There will be several different levels of books for the students to

choose from. Every Friday, the students will be able to choose five different books that they can

keep in their desks and pull out whenever they have time to read or it is read any place time.
22

When teaching the students about read any place time, I will begin by talking with them

about why they think that it is important to read every day. The students will be able to share

their thoughts, then I will share why I think it is important. After talking about the importance of

reading, I will discuss with them how there will be certain days each week that we will have read

any place time. The students will be able to spend time reading a book of their choice in any spot

in the room. The students will have a specific amount of time during the day that they will be

able to read in any spot in the classroom. If they do have time at others points in a school day to

read, they are still able to read wherever they would like if they aren’t distracting those around

them. As a class, we will come up with expectations for read any place time and I will write

them on a poster. The poster will be hung up in the room as a reminder of what is expected. After

we have discussed read any place time, then I will allow the students to practice it. They are

expected to pick out a book and read it quietly to themselves. I don’t want there to be any talking

unless they are reading it quietly aloud to themselves. If there are students who don’t follow the

expectations for read at any place time, then I will review what is expected of them during that

time.

Structure for the Day

Throughout the school year, it is important that the activities that are going to be done

each day are displayed somewhere in the classroom. All the students will follow the schedule. It

is important to review what the specials are each day and any other changes to the normal

schedule. Students thrive in the classroom when they know what they will be doing, and they are

not going to ask about what is next or when recess or lunch is. Special education students may

have a small schedule of when they are going to leave the classroom for any services that they

may have.
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Each day, I will begin by walking the students through the schedule. I will explain

everything that we will be doing that day. if there are any changes to the schedule, I will explain

what that change is going to be, why we needed to make the change, and where we will need to

go if it is outside the classroom. At the beginning of each week, there will be a student that will

be able to flip over the corresponding activity that we just completed. This will allow the

students to know where we are in the schedule. When I teach the students how and when to flip

the activity over, I will begin by asking students when they think it will be a good time to flip it

over. Would it be a good time to do it before we begin, in the middle of the activity, or after we

finish the activity? What happens if you forget to flip the activity over? Should you do it in the

middle of the next activity or wait? After the class has discussed when they think it is a good

time to flip it over, I will either agree with what they say or guide them to when it is actually a

good time. Depending on how many students are in my classroom with special needs, I will

allow those with special needs to oversee flipping over the activities after we have done them.

This will help them make sure that they are following along and know when it is time for them to

go to another service that they may have. After we have talked about it, I will practice for the

next few days with the students. I will call a different student after a few activities to flip it over.

Each student will get one turn to practice flipping it over before I make it one of the jobs. If there

are any problems with it, I will review when it is a good time to flip the activities over and

practice the procedure with the students.

Handling Student Anxiety

“When special needs students are included in the general education setting, anxiety and

frustration can occur during instructional lessons” (Wong et al., 2018, p. 224). It is important that

the students know what they can do when they are feeling anxious in the classroom. You don’t
24

want the students to keep doing things that are causing them anxiety. Teachers need to make sure

that their students know that they are about to do something when they are feeling anxious. If

there isn’t a procedure established at the beginning of the year, then anxiety and frustration “can

manifest themselves as yelling, crying, withdrawing, or throwing objects” (Wong et al., 2018, p.

224). In order to minimize these actions in the classroom, it is important for teachers to have a

step-by-step procedure laid out for the students to follow.

On the first day of school, I will have the procedures listed in the room for all the

students to be able to see. The procedures will be written from the perspective of the students,

and it will tell them what to do when they are feeling anxious. Before I get started with many of

my other procedures, I will talk to the students about the procedure for when the students are

feeling anxious or frustrated. I will explain to the students why each step of the procedure is

important and how it will keep the students from becoming extremely anxious or frustrated. I

will have something that each of the students will keep at their desks. It will be on a magnet that

the students can place on the side of their desks when they are beginning to feel anxious or

frustrated. After I have explained each step in the procedure, I will have the students practice

where they need to place their magnet and what to do while they are waiting for me to come to

help them. It will be practiced throughout the first few weeks of school until the students seem to

understand when they need to put it on their desks. Later in the year, I will review the procedure

for the students if they are not following the procedure.

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References

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Learners. Retrieved November 4, 2022, from https://luckylittlelearners.com/2nd-grade-

classroom-procedures-part-1/

Dueck, R. (2021, September 8). Triangles, trains, and excellent teaching. TeachBeyond.

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and-excellent-teaching?

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Jessica. (2022, September 2). Teaching Classroom Procedures in Elementary School. What I

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Larson, J. (2022, January 12). 40 fun attention getters. The Teacher Next Door. Retrieved

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Loveless, B. (2022, March 17). How you can handle the most common misbehaviors in the

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Terada, Y. (2019, August 7). 8 proactive classroom management tips. Edutopia. Retrieved

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management-tips?

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Walker, R. J. (2008). Twelve characteristics of an effective teacher: A longitudinal,

qualitative, quasi-research study of in-service and pre-service teachers'

opinions. Educational Horizons, 87(1), 61-68. https://www.jstor.org/stable/42923744

Wong, H. K., Wong, R. T., Jondahl, S. F., & Ferguson, O. F. (2018). Prologue Classroom

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