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Table of Contents
Part I: Classroom Organization
A. Physical
B. Operational
1. Record Keeping
2. New Students
3. Orderly Classroom
4. Displaying Student Work
Part II: Disciplinary Policies and Professional Ethics
3
3
4
4
5
6
7
7
Student Sharing
Room Helpers
Free Time
Field Trips
Doing Homework
Handing in Papers, Passing out Papers
Lining up, Dismissal for Recess, Lunch, Specials and End of Day
Bathroom, Getting a Drink Procedures
Differentiation Policy
Parents/Guardians
10
10
10
11
11
12
12
12
13
13
14
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ever get stuck on what to do during this area. Besides the areas on the wall, there is also another
learning center, called the Featured Theme Table that sits in the middle of the room. This
table will have all kinds of books, worksheets, information and so on about a theme or unit that
the students will be focusing on. This is a great way to get students interested more about what
theyre going to learn later in the unit.
Small group work areas include the large rug in front of the white board, the large rug in
front of the Student of the Week section, and the Guided Reading Table area. In some cases,
the Computer Work Area is also for small groups because there are not enough computers for all
the students to use at the same time. Morning meetings are focused on the large rug in front of
the white board, the smart board and the bulletin board. The
bulletin board contains lots of things including the calendar, a
money section, patterns, how many days of school the students
have been in, and the Helpers of the Day list. Each Monday,
a Student of the Week will be chosen, and they will have a
whole section dedicated to them. The Student of the Week will
come in and he or she will bring in pictures of their family,
pets, will get to bring in a favorite toy to show to the class, and
will get to talk about the things they bring in. This is a way to
show students that they are all special, and that we must all
respect each other, even if they are different from us, because
they are who they are. The Guided Reading Table will be used
in guided reading exercises, while the rest of the class at this
time would be exploring the learning centers. The Computer
Work Area is for students to explore academic websites and try to figure out a puzzle, a
scavenger hunt or an activity that I have provided for the students.
The teachers desk will be placed in the corner of the classroom where I can see
everything going on. There will be student artwork placed all around the room and walls,
especially behind the teachers desk and creativity area. I will have my own computer for emails
(to access parents and other faculty), enter in grades, and using it to bring up things on the Smart
Board. Behind my desk I will personally have my Teacher Safe, which, for multiple reasons,
will be kept locked and only I (along with a few faculty members) will know the combination to.
(More about the Teacher Safe in Part II: Disciplinary Policies and Professional Ethics.)
B. Operational
1. Record Keeping
I will be keeping grades in my computer in a spreadsheet, periodically (once a week or
so) printing out the sheets so I can have the copies in front of me and also in case of a computer
breakdown. I will have files for each student stored in an area near my desk where I will place
the printed grades in, along with other important files such as assessments. The grading process
will help me to see if students are struggling or are excelling, and will help me differentiate class
instruction to meet student needs.
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2. New Students
The beginning of the school year is an exciting time. Its a time where Im very excited
to meet my future students that Ill be spending a year with. Before the first day of school, I
would send letters to parents about supplies for class, along with a welcoming letter. In this
letter I will introduce myself and what their second graders will be learning throughout the year.
I will include a picture of myself along with ways for parents to get in touch with me (phone,
email). I will briefly talk about what the students will be doing the first week of school and
encourage parents to talk about this first week with their children; asking them what the best
thing about the classroom is, or even asking them to talk about a book or something they read
about in class. I will also explain my grading process and the homework process as well. I
would definitely tell parents/guardians of the students that they are a part of their learning and I
want them to know whats going on in their childs classroom. Having the family involved with
the students learning has a huge impact on the child. I would also explain about the Student of
the Week area and the discipline policies, including the Teacher Safe and the Token Economy. I
would note about important dates for the upcoming year: conferences, breaks, holidays, parties,
anything like that. I would encourage parents to tell me if their child has a food allergy for when
the students bring in treats on their birthdays.
Every day I will do my best to wait outside my door and welcome the students in the
classroom. If I cannot do this every day, I will definitely do it the first week of school, especially
the first day. If parents come to the school with their children I will eagerly introduce myself
and try to remember everyone I see that day.
The first day will be spent introducing the classroom to the
students, telling them about the Token Economy, the Student of the
Week (for the first week it will be myself, the teacher, so the
students can get to know more about myself, my family, and my
likes and interests), the Teacher Safe, all the different centers, and
where everything can be found. I will talk about routines and
procedures (Please see Part III: Classroom Routines and
Procedures for this part), and about the schedule of the school day,
which is always posted in the front of the classroom.
Sometimes, being a new student can be a hard time. I personally went to three different
elementary schools growing up and being a new student made me anxious and nervous yet
excited. I want to help new students feel welcomed and know theyre in a safe environment.
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Before the new student comes to class, I will notify my classroom that there will be a new
student and I will explain what I expect them to do when the student comes; be respectful, dont
judge a book by its cover, take the time and effort to get to know the new student and always
make them feel welcomed. When the new student does
come to class, I will introduce him or her to the
classroom, where everything is, and as a whole
classroom, we all will explain to the new student the
procedures and guidelines of the classroom. This will
get all the students to have a part in explaining the
classroom, and I will allow each student to tell their
new classmate one thing they like most about the
classroom.
If, its the beginning of the school year and
theres a handful amount of new students who are
entering the school, I would collaborate with the other
teachers to try and get the new students together and
introduce them to the school in a little welcoming meeting. The new students can all meet each
other, and that way theyve already met someone before even entering their new classrooms.
This is also a good way just to make the students feel comfortable around other new students and
teachers as well.
3. Orderly Classroom
At the beginning on the first day of school, I will help the students find their desks that
has their name on it (one of those name sheets that has the alphabet, numbers, shapes, etc. on it).
I will explain everything that needs to be in their desks: folders, notebooks, pencils, erasers,
scissors, their money case and a few other things. Depending on how much the desks can hold, I
can store some notebooks and folders in my teacher storage area. I will tell the students that I
expect their areas to always be nice and tidy. Students with orderly and clean desks will receive
a positive reinforcement (such as a token; see Part II: Disciplinary Policies and Professional
Ethics on the Token Economy). At the end of the school day desks should be completely cleared
off of any work and should know where their things go after Ive
explained about it.
As for pencils; on my desk I will place two little
buckets; one will have a sad face, and one a happy face.
These are the Pencil Faces. If a student has a pencil that
needs sharpened, they can simply put that pencil in the
Sad Pencil Face bucket, and then pick up a pencil from
the Happy Face bucket. This will save time and will
also help block away the pencil sharpening noise. One
of the helper jobs will be to sharpen the Sad Pencils
when they have a few moments which will help me a lot
too.
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take the students attention away from their learning. If I see any cell phones or other electronic
devices being used at an incorrect time, I will take the object and put it in the Teachers Safe, and
then will tell the student that I will give them back the object after school only if their parent or
guardian comes in to hear why I had to put it away.
B. Student Disrespect/Conflicts/Disruptions
1. Student Disrespecting Teacher and Others
Especially since it is on the list of rules, disrespecting teachers, faculty, and other
students is not allowed in the classroom. Tokens will definitely be taken away if a student is
disrespectful. That student will then apologize to the student who they disrespected with me
present, so I can overlook that things worked out after the apology.
If the student disrespects another teacher or faculty member, I will
also have them apologize to them in person. If the student
disrespects me, I will set them down and tell them how what they
said or what they did hurt my feelings. It's good to let them know
both sides: my feelings vs. their feelings. I'll ask and make sure the
student understands what he or she did, and to conclude I would tell
them I forgive them.
I would get the parents involved if the situation continues, and only if in an extreme case
would I talk to the principal about it. With the principal I would call in the student with his or
her parents to discuss the issue and try to solve the problem together.
2. Conflicts on Playground
I want the students to know that if anything extreme happens at recess, the situation
should not be brought into the classroom. I've heard things before that should've never been
said, and it affects the students when they back into the classroom. I will encourage forgiving
and forgetting, since usually the next day what happened during recess the day before never even
happened. Repeated remind students that respect is something that everyone needs to do, and if
you hurt someone's feelings than you should apologize, forgive and forget.
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4. Tardiness
Besides depending on the school/district policy for tardiness, I will also emphasize in my
parent letter at the beginning of the school year that I'd love it if students could be in class on
time. This just shows that both the parents and the students are ready for the day to begin, and
students are eager for the day ahead. If students are continuously tardy, I will discuss with
parents about the tardiness. Repeated tardiness will result in taking away tokens.
5. Disruption
It is greatly emphasized that students are not allowed to disrupt because it's disrespectful
to both the speaker and the rest of the class. I will take tokens away if there are disruptions.
This is the Whole Body Listening format that I will be sharing with my students about being a
good audience and a good listener.
Eyes: Look at the person speaking
Ears: Both ears are ready to hear
Mouth: Quiet, no talking, no humming or making sounds
Hands: Quiet in lap, pocket or by your side (if have a question can raise hand)
Feet: Quiet on the floor
Body: Facing the speaker
Brain: Thinking about what is being said
Heart: Caring about what the other person is saying
6. Cheating
Cheating will not be tolerated at all. If a student is found cheating, they immediately get
a zero for that assignment, and many tokens will be taken for this behavior. To prevent cheating
on tests and assessments I will try to provide folders for the students to hide their work, but
sometimes this isn't always the case, especially if I see someone cheat. Parents will immediately
be notified through a personal note written by me for the student to take home and for the parents
to look at it. If it's found that the student repeated is cheating, I may consult the principal, but
only if needed.
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C. Professional Ethics
I will always keep my students and their needs before anything else. My goal is to help
them become the best they can be, and even become more than that. I will never give up on my
students, because if I give up, everyone else might give up too. I will not give up on my students
because they are my students, and I want to help them in any way I can. I will also personally
put my hand print on the guidelines as well, to show that I'm a part of our school community.
My school is my home, where the principal, teachers and
faculty members are all my family members. Together we are trying
to create a community of learning, and it's for this reason that I do
the number one rule: respect, for everyone in that community. I do
not want to hear gossip about another member because we are all
trying to help each other out. If I did hear gossip, I would try my
best to try and speak up to stop anything else from being said. If I do
not get along with a colleague, I will not let that interfere with my
job and my duty as teacher to my students. My principal is the
pinpoint of the school, of our house that connects us all together. I
will stand by them with the utmost respect, and will not hesitate to
back them up.
B. Room Helpers
There will be multiple jobs for students to do throughout the day. Jobs will be switched
weekly, so everyone has a chance to do something throughout the school year. Some of the job
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titles range from the Line Leader, the Door Opener (opens doors for the class if needed), the
Paper-Passer (helps pass back papers), the Sweepers (usually two people each week-picks up
paper scraps off the floor and desks), the Librarian (checks the reading area/library to make sure
books are neat and straight), the Pencil Sharpener (helps sharpen the Sad Pencils, see Part I:
Section 3, Orderly Classroom), the Computer Whiz (checks to see if all electronics are on or off,
depending on the time of day), Board Cleaner (helps erases the boards), the Morning Helper
(helps during the Morning Meeting), the Scientist (makes sure the Science Area is clean and
neat), the Artist (makes sure the Creativity/Art Area is clean and neat), the Mathematician
(makes sure the Math Area is clean and neat), and the Historian (makes sure the Social Studies
Area is clean and neat). There are so many jobs and opportunities for the students; I may add
more jobs throughout the year or get rid of some jobs, depending on how the students work with
their jobs.
C. Free Time
If students have free time or get done with an assignment early before anyone else, I
would allow them, depending on the work they just finished, to go to a learning center and
choose a fun worksheet or activity that has something to do with what they just finished. For
example, if we were studying something in social studies, I would allow students who finish
early to grab a worksheet from the Social Studies Area, which connects with what they had just
been doing. Otherwise, if there are projects or papers that still need to be completed from earlier
in the day, students must finish those first before anything else.
D. Field Trips
Field trips will always be planned ahead of time and
permission slips will be sent out to parents long before the date of
the field trip. Letters of explanation for the field trip will be sent out
to parents along with the permission slips so they know what the trip
entails. Chaperones, depending on the field trip, are always
welcome. It's always exciting when the students see other parents.
Students must be on their best behavior during field trips. I will reinforce positive
behavior by giving out extra tokens to students who do a great job. I'll tell this to the students
before the field trip, and as a class we will briefly remind ourselves what the rules of good
behavior are.
If in the situation where students cannot go on the trip, I will create a packet for them on
things that we will be learning in the field trip. I do not what these students to feel left out. For
example, if we're going to a museum to study the pioneers or something, I would encourage the
students who couldn't go on the trip to play a game: "What would you do if you were a pioneer?"
"What would happen if.?" They could draw a picture of the pioneers, or write a story, or read
a book. There are many things that can be done, my goal will be to keep the student happy.
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E. Doing Homework
Students are required to finish their homework for class.
They will have a folder that they will take home every day after
school is over. Parents are encouraged to look at their child's
work and what they have been doing in school and what they
need to do for homework. Parents are required to actually look
over their child's homework and sign their signature so I know
they looked at it and the students are sharing their work with
their family. There will be two parts of the homework folder:
one part will be titled "Bring Back" which is what the student
needs to do for the next day. The other part of the folder will be titled "Take Home", where the
students can take their work home and keep it there.
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I. Differentiation Policy
For the longest time I had never even heard or thought of differentiation in the classroom.
It makes sense though, looking back in 5th grade. During math, we would always have a few
students from the 4th grade classrooms join us for math. I never really understood why they
were in the class. It never hit me that they had a high ability skill in math and got to spend time
with the 5th graders instead of 4th. Looking back on this experience, I know that those 4th
graders learned a lot from their experience in the 5th grade classroom. I want my high ability or
gifted students to feel the same way.
In my first practicum I ever did, I was in a 2nd grade class, the teacher asked me if I
could give a spelling list to one of the students. I said of course, and the two of us went into a
quiet area where the other students couldn't disturb us as I said his simple five or six vocabulary
word list. Now, although he struggled at first, he steadily kept writing with an intense look on
his face; a look that said "I really want to do my best!" Of course, every time I gave him his few
spelling words he got them all right, and he was proud of himself. Although his classmates were
taking twenty vocab word tests, he was still encouraged to do his simple list. The teacher
assisted him and spent extra time with him to figure out words that he could put on his
vocabulary list instead of her just picking the words for him, he was a part of the process. I want
my students who need assistance to feel this way. I want them to know I'm there and will allow
them extra time to do tasks and I will take the time to clarify with them if they are ever confused.
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J. Parents/Guardians
I will start a blog and update it every week; explaining what's going to happen throughout
the week, what homework will be given out, and other things. This blog will be available for all
parents and guardians. They can also comment back on my blog posts in case they're confused
or interested about anything. My contact information will be on the blog, and I check emails
periodically throughout the day for parents who need to get a hold of me.
I will send personal emails and/or send letters home with the students to tell parents about
conferences. There will be times on the sheet and based on the times parents are free to come, I
can make the conference schedule (or sometimes the office takes care of the times, too).