Taylor Stephens

Educ 1301.BX1
November 2, 2016
Positive Classroom
Section One:
1. Has a statement of positive expectations ready for the first day of school.
For the first day of school, I will have developed a bulletin board that states our classroom
positive expectation statement. This statement will be: We believe we will succeed and achieve!
This statement will express to the students the importance of learning for knowledge as well as
success for the future. One of the first things we will do as a class on the first day of school is to
read the positive expectation statement aloud together. We will work on learning the statement in
sections until the students learn the entire statement and can repeat it from memory. In the book,
The First Days of School, Harry K. and Rosemary T. Wong state that there is but one
correlation with success, and that is ATTITUDE (Wong and Wong, 2009). It is important to set
positive expectations so that students are motivated to be successful and establish a connection
with the teacher as well as the class. Students will feel vested in the classroom if they are
allowed to participate in creating the rules and guidelines for the class. I will have the students
work with their table groups to brainstorm rules and regulations that they feel are important to
the classroom. Once these guidelines have been discussed, a class list will be established so that
the expectations are clearly stated. All rules should be positively worded. If the students come up
with negatively worded statements, I will help them reword them to be stated in a more positive
manner.

2. Creates a classroom climate that communicates positive expectations.

Expressing the reinforcements that are given to students who follow the class and teacher
created expectations will motivate all students to achieve to their full potential. To motivate
students, a positive reinforcement, such as tickets, will be used. When students have shown good
behavior and that they are following all of the classroom rules, they will receive tickets. At the
end of the week, students will count their tickets and be able to use them to buy prizes from my
prize bin. Motivating students by showing them some of the prizes, like a free homework pass or
no shoes pass, will encourage them to be on their best behavior to earn these rewards. According
to the article, The Keys to Classroom Management, by Robert J. Marzano and Jana S. Marzano,
teachers should establish clear learning expectations in addition to behavioral expectations
(Marzano and Marzono, 2003). By letting the students know in advance what is expected of
them both behaviorally and academically, students will be able to strive toward meeting those
expectations. The article points out that the teacher must acknowledge students behavior,
reinforcing acceptable behavior and continually give feedback for further reinforcement
(Marzano and Marzano, 2003). Positive reinforcements will reassure a student that they are on
the right path and will give them continual goals to strive to attain.

3. Conveys positive expectations to all students.

Positive expectations to students will be a continual process in my classroom. Young
elementary students often need several reminders at the beginning of a new school year of the
classroom rules, but they need to be conveyed in a positive manner. When a student blurts out an
answer without a raised hand, a silent reminder such as a raised hand by the teacher and a finger
over the mouth will reassure the students that next time, they need to raise their hand. Also, a
different student will be called upon to answer that has demonstrated the appropriate hand raising

procedure. I would also initiate an attention getter word for the class so that each student
knows when it is time to quiet down and put all eyes on me. This strategy was discussed at
length in the Teachers Voice videos. This word would be established with the first day or two of
school. The students would brainstorm in groups for some of their top favorite words to present
to the class. These words would then be compiled and voted upon to establish one power word.
Having students vote on a special word just for their class that they put into place for attention
getting would give them a voice in the class while allowing for teacher control in a positive
environment (Weiland, 2014).

4. Has a personal attitude of high expectations.

In the Teachers Voice videos, I was impressed by the video Setting the Tone From Day
One (Weiland, 2014). The video clearly expresses the importance that setting the tone from the
beginning is the most important thing that a teacher can do for his/her classroom. It tells the
students that you are in charge of a classroom, and that you have high expectations for each and
every student. If this is not done one day one, students can be confused as to what you expect
from them. An important part of this area is to practice proper behavior skills by setting
expectations clearly. For my early elementary class, I would have the student practice walking to
lunch and back to the classroom several times. They will be expected to place a bubble in their
mouth which will be indicate quiet in hallways so that students in classrooms can continue to
learn. Also, the expectation will be set that hands should be crossed behind their backs. Keeping
hands to themselves ensures that they are taking good care of themselves and others since this
will keep them from touching others as well as objects on the way to the cafeteria. Bubbles in

and hands crossed will signify that each student is ready to walk to lunch. Practicing will
continue until all students understand the expectation (Weiland, 2014).

Section Two:
1. Helps organize a First Day of School celebration.
It is important for students to feel welcomed on the first day of school. Most have been out
of school for the entire summer, and it is an adjustment coming back to a structured classroom
setting. To help ease the tension and make students feel welcomed, I would have a red carpet
experience. Red butcher paper can be taped to the floor to serve as the red carpet. Teachers
from the yearbook staff can have cameras ready to take pictures of students entering the school.
Additionally, teachers and administrators can wave and clap for students as they enter the
building, welcoming students. This will allow for a celebration type experience for the students
and will alleviate some of the stress of the first day. Other teachers can remain in the hallways to
give directions to classrooms and alleviate parental concerns. As Harry and Rosemary Wong
state, [T]he proper day to celebrate in all the schools of a country is the First Day of School
(Wong and Wong, 2009).

2. Plans a classroom welcome for the first day.

It is imperative that a teacher be ready to welcome his/her students on the first day of school.
According to Harry and Rosemary Wong, an effective teacher should be present in the room
or at the door when the students arrive (Wong and Wong, 2009). The classroom should be predecorated with an inviting dcor. For early elementary, I would pick a theme, such as jungle or
circus, so that students are excited to enter the learning environment. I would also have pre-

printed name plates on each desk. The First Days of School speaks of the effective teacher as one
who assigns seating either on the desks or at the door so that students know they belong
immediately (Wong and Wong, 2009). Lastly, an effective teacher will have an assignment ready
for the class upon entering or on the board. (Wong and Wong, 2009). Since it is the first day, I
would have some basic everyday policies posted on each desk. These will be our morning rituals,
and would include emptying backpacks, placing lunch boxes in the assigned bin, turning in
homework, and being ready for our morning positive expectation statement. Our positive
statement will be posted on a bulletin board, and learning it will be our first assignment. This will
also be our opening for class each day as we state our positive expectation statement together as
a class.

3. Ensures the mental and physical wellbeing of all students.

For physical well-being, I believe that recess is an important part of the day for all
elementary children. I would make sure that recess time is valued and is not taken away as a
punishment for discipline reasons. Students need to exert energy at some point in the day so that
they can focus during learning time. I would also incorporate healthy choices into class science
lessons, as physical well-being is important for the human body and its systems. For mental wellbeing, I would institute a be a buddy, not a bully rule in my classroom (Colorado Legacy
Foundation, 2013). Students need to feel empowered to stand up to bullying and tell the teacher
if they witness inappropriate behavior. We could have a lesson on what behavior constitutes
bullying and have the students take a pledge to not bully. This poster can be signed by all of the
class and displayed for all to see as a constant reminder of acceptable actions. The article goes on

to state that schools that implement such programs ended up noticing an overall improvement
towards a positive school climate (Colorado Legacy Foundation, 2013).

4. Creates an environment for all students to succeed.

In order to create a successful environment for all students, it will be necessary for me to
incorporate a variety of learning styles. This will allow for students of varying abilities as well as
varying strengths to learn in a way that best meets their learning needs. By utilizing a variety of
teaching methods, learning styles such as auditory learners, visual learners, kinesthetic learners,
etc. all different types of learners can be successfully accommodated. For example, I have
ADHD and trouble focusing on subjects that may not be as interesting to me. In middle school, I
had a science teacher that made the topics interesting by animating the material in such a way
that I comprehended and retained the information long after the lesson was taught. She would
physically push a chair around the room, pretending it was a shopping cart, and she was placing
parts of the atom into the cart. This physical representation of atoms has stuck with me
throughout the years and is a lesson I have continued to reference in future science courses. As
the Harry Wong states in Going Beyond: The First Days of School, [T]he only factor that is able
to consistently impact student achievement is the significance of a teacher (The First Days of
School: Going Beyond, 2016).

Section Three:
1. Has an inviting personality.
It is important for a teacher to have an inviting personality as it sets the tone for the day. I
will strive to meet each student every day at the classroom door and greet them with a warm

smile. It will be imperative for me to leave my personal concerns at home so that I can give my
students my full and undivided attention. There are many factors that come into play with having
an inviting personality. First, a teacher must be able to empathize with his/her students. Second,
the teacher should show enthusiasm toward learning so that students want to learn. Third,
creativity is crucial with elementary aged students to spark their imagination. Fourth, dedication
is necessary because I will continually expect dedication from my students and want to model
this behavior. Fifth, discipline will be necessary to control the classroom and set up a positive
classroom experience for all (Teacher Personality, 2016).

2. Creates an inviting classroom environment.

In order to create an inviting classroom environment, I will decorate the class according
to a pre-determined theme that will be set up prior to the first day of school. The theme might be
carnival to go along with my ticket incentive plan. I will include bright and colorful decorations
and bulletin boards, as well as organize the classroom so that each student will be able to quickly
locate supplies and learning tools. Desks with be grouped together with students of differing
learning abilities to complement various learning styles. A bulletin board outside of the
classroom welcoming students will be inviting as each name will be placed on the board so that
they feel included and a sense of belonging.

3. Works at being intentionally inviting

As a teacher, it is important to leave my personal life and the things that may be weighing
heavily on my mind at the door each day. I will need to make sure that I am smiling and
welcoming each morning, and that I continue to be intentionally inviting throughout the entire

day. I want my students to feel like they have my complete time and attention during the school
day. Each day, I will need to come dressed for success, showing my students the importance of
being professional in all that you do (Wong and Wong, 2009). Dressing professionally each and
every day will show that I respect my students and deserve the same respect from my students. I
will need to be physically, mentally, and emotional prepared each day so that I am able to be
intentionally inviting. For a teacher, youre caring and love will shine through with every
action (The First Days of School: Going Beyond, 2016).

References
Because Healthy Students and Academic Achievement Go Hand ... (2013). Retrieved November
6, 2016, from http://www.coloradoedinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Best
PracticesGuideUpdatedPages.pdf
Dusenbury, L. (2012). Set Positive Behavior Expectations. Retrieved November 02, 2016, from
http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/pbis-set-positive-behavior-expectations.shtml
Marzano, R. J., & Marzano, J. S. (2003, September). The Keys to Classroom Management.
Retrieved November 06, 2016, from http://www.schoolimprovement.com/classroommanagement-keys/
Teacher Personality. (2016). Retrieved November 06, 2016, from https://teach.com/who/greatteachers-have-personality/
The First Days of School: Going Beyond. (2016). Retrieved November 06, 2016, from
http://www.effective teaching.com/store/products/books/the-first-days-of-school
Weiland, E. (2014, January 24). Video Playlist: Classroom Management. Retrieved November
06, 2016, from https://www.teachingchannel.org/blog/2014/01/24/video-playlistclassroom-management/
Wong, H. K., & Wong, R. T. (2009). The First Days of School: How to Be an Effective Teacher.
Mountainview, CA: Harry K. Wong Publications.