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Miss Karen’s Management Plan

This management plan has been created to help form the ideal classroom based on current knowledge, research, and personal experience.

Karen ShepherdFall 2011

MANAGEMENT PLANTABLE OF CONTENTS

Overview................................................................................................................................................................. 3

Class Setting.............................................................................................................................................................................. 3

Arizona Department of Education Teaching Standards........................................................................................3

Self Introduction................................................................................................................................................... 4

Personal Belief Statement.................................................................................................................................................. 4

Classroom Layout................................................................................................................................................. 7

Diagram...................................................................................................................................................................................... 7

Material/Resource Organization.....................................................................................................................................8

Wall Space................................................................................................................................................................................. 9

Learning Areas......................................................................................................................................................................10

Integration of Technology............................................................................................................................................... 12

Considerations for Individual Differences................................................................................................................12

Classroom Procedures..................................................................................................................................... 14

Procedures/Routines.........................................................................................................................................................14

Considerations for Individual Differences................................................................................................................16

Discipline Strategies......................................................................................................................................... 17

Rules and Consequences..................................................................................................................................................17

Explanation of Discipline Strategies............................................................................................................................17

Diverse Learners..................................................................................................................................................................19

Reflection of Personal Philosophy...............................................................................................................................19

Summary............................................................................................................................................................... 20

Karen Shepherd Management Plan of 28

Communication.................................................................................................................................................................... 20

Family Communication - Sample Family Letter.....................................................................................................22


MANAGEMENT PLANOVERVIEW

CLASS SETTING

I envision myself teaching in a 3rd grade classroom at a school with a high population of low income

students. Though I wish to work with low income students, I’m unrealistically assuming for the

purpose of this assignment that I have access to many academic resources and technologies for my

students, as this is the ideal situation. I realize that not all dreams will be fulfilled, but as a teacher, I

am more than capable of adjusting as needed while still providing a rich classroom experience.

ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TEACHING STANDARDS

This management plan is aligned with the following Arizona Department of Education Professional

Teaching Standards:

Standard 2: The teacher creates and maintains a learning climate that supports the development of

students’ abilities to meet Arizona’s academic standards.

Standard 5: The teacher collaborates with colleagues, parents, the community and other agencies

to design, implement, and support learning programs that develop students’ abilities to meet

Arizona’s academic standards and transition from school to work or post-secondary education.

Standard 8: The teacher demonstrates current professional knowledge sufficient to effectively

design and plan instruction, implement and manage instruction, create and maintain an appropriate

learning environment, and assess student learning.

(Standards copied from: http://www.azed.gov/wp-content/uploads/PDF/Teacherstandards.pdf)


SELF INTRODUCTION

PERSONAL BELIEF STATEMENT

I teach because kids matter. I have developed this global sense of the world. We are many

people, but we are so intertwined as one human race. My children are your children. The children

of Africa are the children of Asia. I teach because all kids matter. These kids make decisions. Their

decisions, especially as they get older, affect each of us. Because I believe this, I think it’s important

for students to have positive role models in teachers. Children are at school for a huge chunk of

their childhood. School must then be more than just academics. School is a place to learn about the

world and how we fit in it. It’s a place where dreams are nurtured, and where confidences grow. I

teach because I think I help foster those. If I didn’t think that I could help a child to believe in

themselves and the world around them, I wouldn’t teach.

I believe in teaching from a perspective that we are all a part of a global village. I embrace

world cultures and each individual’s family culture. I hope to instill in students that each culture

has beauty. There is beauty and strength in their own culture; their own ever changing culture.

Growing up, I had insecurities related to my culture. I didn’t feel confident in what it was. It wasn’t

until I took a course in college about family and human diversity that I truly began to realize that I

do have a culture and that it does affect my daily life. Culture is about more than stereotypes. It’s

about life and how you live it. With this newfound perspective and my continued growth, I feel as

though I can confidently reach the wide diversity of children that I will have in my classroom. We

will struggle together with our identities and will grow as a community of individuals.

I align my beliefs with Maria Montessori who believes that learning involves all of the

senses. Learning should never take place in a classroom that is purely lecture based. Students must

be allowed to feel, smell, hear, see, and even taste their learning environment. It’s important that


children interact with their environment in order to learn. Project based learning is especially

helpful in this. This type of learning allows students to work on real life scenarios and they learn

the information that they need as they need it. It makes school seem less like school and more like

life, which in turn helps students to retain more information. I am a firm believer in project based

learning and student interaction using the senses. This means that in my classroom, I will have a

set up that is conducive to this type of learning. Students will have access to resources and will be

comfortable enough in their classroom to use them. The entire classroom will be a resource to

students with practical, logical set up that helps students interact, explore and learn.

Much of teaching takes place in the exceptions and adaptations. Students don’t all learn at

the same pace. Project based learning helps with that, because students are allowed to work at a

pace suited to them. I will also employ writing workshops where

students work at their own pace as well. As Katie Wood Ray says,

writing workshops are at their best when students are given

choice and freedom. I will also learn to accommodate for students

that need it. I will push them to do their own personal best, while making sure that they are

learning what is required by the state. If students aren’t able to reach the grade level by the end of

the year despite my consistent and strong efforts, the student will remain in the grade, if I have that

option. I am not a supporter of social promotion. Students are at school to learn and must remain

at the levels appropriate to their learning.

By the end of the year I hope to have all of my students proficient at all grade level

standards. To show this, I will assess and grade to the standards, and always specifically refer to

them. Beyond that, I hope that my students will have grown into more socially and globally aware

citizens. We will go over concepts that help to create a better sense of the world and where they

stand in it. They will learn about other cultures and their own culture, which will help them to


"If the child is not learning the way you are teaching, then

you must teach in the way the child learns" - Rita Dunn

achieve that goal. I also hope that by the end of the year students will have made a habit of

appreciating and showing appreciation for other people. It’s something that many people might

look over, but most people enjoy receiving appreciation, so it’s a great trait for students to gain.

They help to make the world a happier place by positively going through their day with saying

please and thank you. One of the biggest accomplishments I hope for my students to reach is that

they become more responsible and accountable for their own actions. As Rudolf Dreikurs says, it’s

important to encourage independence and the assumption of responsibility in students. I will help

them to reach this goal with our use of the Win-Win Discipline in the classroom.

I wouldn’t be able to impact the student to the fullest extent without the help of the

community. As a teacher, I will try to integrate myself in the community. I hope to live in the area

that I teach because I do believe that education is a

social community venture. As Urie Bronfenbrenner’s

ecological systems theory suggests, all of the different

systems in a child’s life are interacting constantly. A

child’s community affects their school, just as their parents’ jobs affect their wellbeing. All of the

systems interact, so as a teacher concerned about a full education for my students, I will involve

myself as much as is practical in the community and family lives of my students.

In order to provide the best learning experience for my students, I will continue to strive for

growth and excellence. It’s important to continue learning. I will observe and read about what

other teachers are doing, and I will be a consumer of educational research. By doing this, I can be

sure that I am making the best decisions regarding how I manage and set up my classroom.


Everyone has theories and differ not in whether they use theory

but in the degree to which they are aware of the theory they use.

- N. L. Gage

F

CLASSROOM LAYOUT

DIAGRAM

KEY


Counter Sink Area

Cabinet StorageStudent Cubbies/Storage

Student Resource

Center

SMART Board

Teacher Resource

Man

agem

ent

Zone

Uni

t Sho

wca

seU

nit S

how

case

1

5

43

2

White Board

Bookshelf

Bookshelf

BookshelfBookshelf

B

B

G

E

D

A

When You’re Done…

C

A – Sign-Out TableB – Extra TablesC – “When You’re Done” StorageD – ComputerE – Carpet Gathering AreaF – Low Backed Share ChairG – Comfortable Reading Nook 1-5 – Student Seating at Horseshoe Tables

MATERIAL/RESOURCE ORGANIZATION

Student resources are located in the very center of the room, so that all students have access

to materials and resources as they need them. The Student Resource Center is the glue holding the

room’s creative processes together.

There are two long tables placed side by side. On top of the tables are jars of utensils (such

as pre-sharpened pencils), boxes of paper and other items that are used most frequently by the

students. The table tops will also be used when special materials need to be used for projects and

some class work. The space allows for the teacher to spread materials out for students to

responsibly retrieve themselves.

Below the tables, there are sets of clear plastic drawers (Figure 1) full of

student materials and resources. They will contain materials such as scissors,

highlighters, post it notes, scrap paper, yarn, glue, tape, stencils, individual white

boards, privacy folders, and pencil sharpeners. There will also be drawers that

contain premade resources such as worksheets, How To guides, and laminated checklists for

writing traits, math steps, etc. This way, students are able to find and actually use the resources on

hand for them.

At either end of the tables, there are bookshelves. These bookshelves are dedicated just to

resource books. There will be student dictionaries, thesauri, and encyclopedias, as well as other

books pertinent to the subjects the students are studying. These can be writing resource books,

such as books on list making and other brainstorming techniques. They can also be books that are

written towards other subjects such as math, social studies, and science that can help students to


Figure 1, containerstore.com

complete their work, or find out information for a story they’re writing. Any books that are deemed

appropriate and realistically helpful for the students are welcome on these bookshelves.

Materials and Resources that are not used often will go in the bulk cabinet storage space

where students won’t be distracted or confused by it. These materials can be brought out as

needed by the teacher. Additional storage space is available under the tables on the left side of the

diagram.

The teacher resource desk is not a place for the teacher to stay, but rather is just a place to

touch base with. The computer is placed on this desk, close to the projector and SMART Board for

technological convenience. If the teacher is sitting at the desk using the computer, to take

attendance, for example, she is conveniently facing the entire class so as to not miss any potential

disruptive behavior.

In the above diagram, the students are placed at horseshoe tables. This is just one way of

using the cluster seating arrangement. The types of tables may change, but the group setting will

not likely change, except in the case of high stakes testing where more

individualized seating is required. With these types of group table

arrangements, there is no individual student desk storage space. Instead,

each table will have an open file box (Figure 2) to hold student notebooks and work in progress

folders. In this way, students will stay organized and will have all necessary materials at hand.

WALL SPACE

The walls will be bright and colorful with relevant information on them. Walls are both

resources and a means for creating an inviting classroom. I agree with Maria Montessori that

learning should involve, and does involve, all five senses. That’s why I think that the use of wall

space is an important aspect of the classroom design.


Figure 2containerstore.com

This classroom will have areas of the wall sectioned off by subject area. Each subject area

will have content related posters that change as class needs change. I’ve been in many classrooms

where teachers don’t refer to the posters that are on the wall, and so students don’t realize their

uses. I’ll be sure in my classroom to have relevant posters and then to take them a step further by

showing students how they can use these posters by incorporating modeling of the resources into

the daily classroom schedule.

Wall space will also be fun and nice to look at. I will incorporate an exciting theme in the

classroom that will be seen on the walls. One such theme

could be African Safari. In this theme, students will see lots

of plant and animal life, or components that reflect such

aspects, indigenous to the continent of Africa. Sections of

the walls will be titled accordingly, such as “Baobab

Business” (management zone), “Savannah Storytelling” (read aloud), “Hyena Humor” (daily

jokes/funny picture post), “Rhino Reading”, “Warthog Writing,” “Serval Science,” “Hippo History”

and “Mandrill Math.” Many of those are tied to animals. To make it seem less random, other than

the fancy alliterations, these animals can act as subject mascots. This theme will help to broaden

student horizons and encourage learning about the fauna in different places around the world.

In research for my child development class at Arizona State University, I discovered that the

children in the classroom I interned at where concerned about the clutter in the classroom.

Therefore, I will be sure to take that into account as I set up my classroom. The walls will be useful

resources, but will not be over burdened and thus deemed not useful by students.

LEARNING AREAS


Children learn and remember at least as much from the context of the

classroom as from the content of the coursework.

- Lawrence Kutner

The basis for the set up of this classroom is that the entire room is a learning area.

Resources are placed in logical locations and everything that is in view for students it something

that can be used to further classroom learning.

Students are seated in a cluster arrangement, which allows for academic peer

conversation and easy transitions to group work. Cluster arrangements work very well in

cooperative learning environments, like the one I intend to have in my classroom. Cluster seating

also allows the teacher to have easy access to the students. The major detractions for this type of

arrangement are generally that student proximity can lead to off task behavior and that some

students’ backs may be to the teacher (ASU Management Class Discussion, 2011). To prevent most

off task behaviors, there will be management techniques in place that the students are aware of

beforehand. These will be discussed later. In the current layout, I’m using horseshoe tables which,

as I have set them up, will allow for the teacher to be seen by all students when the teacher is placed

at the front of the room. Since this will not be a lecture classroom, though, that won’t be a common

problem or solution.

As the diagram stands, horseshoe tables are being used. There are seven chairs at each

table. Only six of the chairs will be regularly occupied by students. The seventh chair placed inside

the horseshoe will be used for group instruction. When students do centers activities where there’s

a center with new knowledge and the instructor needs to be placed permanently at a table that will

be done at table number one. The seventh chair at table one is placed in a location where the

person sitting in it is still able to look over the entire classroom, which makes it the ideal location

for the teacher to sit while groups rotate.

At the front of the classroom, there’s a big oval rug. This is the sharing area. Class

discussions, students’ project sharing, read alouds, and any other group activities will take place

here. On the outer edge of the rug, there’s a special chair that we’ll call the Share Chair. This is


where the leader or speaker will sit when in the sharing area. Students will know to be especially

conscious of their respectfulness to the person sitting in the Share Chair.


INTEGRATION OF TECHNOLOGY

The sharing area with the rug is also conveniently placed in front of the SMART Board. This

allows students to come together to do SMART Board activities at the front of the room. It is

centered at the front of the room with ample floor space around it for students to actively interact

with and use the technology to its fullest capacity. The majority of technology used in this

classroom will be related to the use of the SMART Board because of the expansive nature of its

capabilities.

There is no section of the classroom devoted to any computer use other than at the

teacher’s resource desk. I expect that students will either have rotating grade level laptops that can

be brought into the classroom as needed, or that they will use a school wide computer lab if

computing is necessary for any projects.

CONSIDERATIONS FOR INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES

I have laid out the classroom in a manner that allows for easy maneuvering through the

room. Students who have physical ailments will not be further handicapped by this layout. It is

considerate of this potential student difference.

In the top right corner of the classroom diagram, there are two extra tables. These tables

can be used for a number of reasons, one of which is taking into account considerations for

individual differences. Group seating can be challenging for students, some more than others.

These extra tables can be used as a place for certain students to get away from the group setting

momentarily in order to be at a high productivity level.

It’s understood that students work at different paces. In creating my classroom layout, I took

this into consideration. There is a section of the room titled “When You’re Finished…” which will

allow students to be independent in their search to stay busy. When students are done with


whatever activity the teacher has assigned, they can walk quietly over to this section of the room.

There will be a poster on the wall that students will read to guide them to the correct activity. The

poster will ask questions to help guide student responsibility (Figure 3). Student activities are

located on the table and in storage below the table that’s under the poster. All activities are easily

accessible to students. This supports Rudolf Dreikurs theory that students should be gaining

responsibility in the classroom. The only foreseeable time this section of the room won’t be open for

student use is during high stakes testing where students might only be allowed to read after

completion of the test.

Question Student Action1. Have you finished all homework and class work?

If YES, go on to question 2If NO, go back to your seat and quietly finish that work

2. Is the room supposed to be silent right now?

If YES, choose a silent, independent activityIf NO, go on to question 3

3. Are most of your peers still working?

If YES, choose an independent activityIf NO, go on to question 4

4. Is someone else done with their work, too?

If YES, choose a partner activityIf NO, choose an independent activity

Figure 3Example question poster for “When You’re Finished”


CLASSROOM PROCEDURES

PROCEDURES/ROUTINES


I will say: "Hello *student name*, you're special, and you're going to do great things today!” to each student every morning. This is intended to communicate high expectations and show that I care about and believe in every individual. This supports the Win-Win Discipline aspect of meeting a child's need for attention.

Teacher Welcome

Students will learn to automatically put any negative thoughts in the worry basket each morning, as needed, after the teacher welcome. They can feel relieved knowing it's been taken away from them, even if it just lasts the school day, and focus on school work.At this time, students will turn in any assignments into the basket near the door at the management zone.After putting their backpacks in their assigned cubby and taking care of other business, such as the worry basket, students will begin the day's morning activity in their specified notebook. This supports the Win-Win Discipline aspects of meeting a child's needs associated with anger and avoiding failure.

Student Independent Start

Students will say something nice to a peer and be specific. What is special about them? The other student will reply with thank you. This will help to build manners.Share other class concerns.Only the student holding *special object* can speak, if this is necessary.We will allow for emotion naming and sharing. Emotion regulation is considered an important developmental task. According to Diana Baumrind, authoritative parents do this best. Rudolf Dreikurs uses the term Democratic to explain the same principle in teaching. This supports the Win-Win Discipline aspect of meeting a child's need for attention, confidence and being informed. It gives a chance for clear communication, which helps students to be at an informed state.

Morning Meeting

Students are expected to say please and thank you throughout the day. This will be modeled by the teacher.Manners will be used for all interactions (peer to peer, peer to adult, adult to adult, etc...).Manners are an important part of social development as determined by society.

Manners

Students will line up on the tile by the door when the teacher dismisses them.Dismissal will occur by random listing by the teacher, or by appreciation of good behavior or academic achievement, such as answering a trivia question correctly.

Lining Up

The teacher will be prepared to use all "extra" time wisely. If the class is done early, the teacher can use review flash cards to keep the active, young minds thinking throughout the day.

No Time Wasted


Students will each be given jobs each week that will help with classroom management. Jobs may include, but not be limited to: messenger, door holder/line leader, paper passer, snack and lunch carrier, librarian, playground equipment marshal, supply chief, sweeper, spill crew, white board eraser/washer, mail monitor, recycling manager, plant caretaker, and zoo keeper (for classroom pets). This supports the Win-Win Discipline aspect of meeting a child's need for control, as children will each have something specific to be responsible for each week. It can also help to avoid boredom in the classroom because the children will have roles to be excited about.

Student Tasks

Students will be expected to turn in assignments on time, and will lose privileges if they do not. Recess will be spent completing late work. Late work will not count against subject grades. I care more about whether the students understand the content, and that's what I want my grades to reflect. If student work isn't completed, students will have to complete work during recess.Students who are absent will get the same amount of time to complete work as did the rest of the students, starting when the student receives the assignment.

Student Work

Student grades will consist of the results of assignments and assessments, which will show what the student mastery is in each subject area. Grades will be organized by the standard being met so that I can track directly how students are doing based on the ADE grade level requirements. I will allow students to redo incomplete work so that their grades reflect what they know, not what percentage was completed. Students will be aware of expectations on all graded assignments. For larger assignments, this will mean the use of a rubric that students have at the start of the assignment

Grading

Every day students will fill out portions of their weekly logs. The logs will include information about behavior, assignments, and upcoming events. A letter will be sent home at the beginning of the year describing these logs. Guardians are asked to check for the logs daily to feel up to date on how their student is doing in the classroom.I will only have guardians sign the logs at the end of the week, to be returned on Monday. This way, I can be assured that they at least viewed the week in entirety.

Guardian Communication

Students will sign out to go to the bathroom at the sign out table and take the proper bathroom pass with them.Bathroom privileges may be exercised at all times, however students must remain respectful. To show respect, they will wait until there is no one addressing the class as a whole, unless there is an emergency.

Bathroom

This daily activity will give students a chance to be thankful for what happened in the day, and take the time to thank specific students, or other people.Students will become positive community citizens as they begin to appreciate people around them and acknowledge those who deserve to be appreciated. This supports what is socially acceptable in our society.

End of Day Appreciations

CONSIDERATIONS FOR INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES

The most successful classes are clear about what expectations are. These expectations will

be clearly expressed at the beginning of the year and reinforced throughout. The first few weeks of

school will be spent solidifying these concepts so that students are all given the time to soak in the

procedures to allow them to become routines. At this time, I will be noting how each student reacts

to the expectations. In this way, I will be more prepared to handle future student interactions, first

by preventing any overload or student complications. If I notice a student having trouble with an

expectation, I will address it before it becomes a larger issue. Being aware of this will also help me

to understand where a student is coming from with their struggles later into the year as well.

These procedures and routines were created with Kagan, Scott, and Kyle’s Win-Win

Discipline in mind. The theory focuses on the fact that students and people in general all have

needs that should to be met. As long as these needs are met, students will thrive in the classroom

and class disturbances will decrease in frequency. This theory’s focus is on individual student

needs and being aware of those needs. This is inherently considerate of individual differences as

each child is being looked at as an individual with unique circumstances that form their needs.

Rudolf Dreikurs says that it’s important to encourage independence and the assumption of

responsibility in students. The above procedures and routines are directly in line with that concept.

Each student is being given the opportunity to succeed independently, with teacher support.

Overall, students will come out having more responsibilities. The teacher is in the class to facilitate

learning and to help each individual student achieve success.


DISCIPLINE STRATEGIES

RULES AND CONSEQUENCES

EXPLANATION OF DISCIPLINE STRATEGIES

I chose to focus on the use of general rules instead of specific

rules, because general rules can cover a wide range of behaviors (ASU

Management Class Discussion, 2011). General rules are general in

line with what is socially acceptable in our society, so students will come out used to acting in a way

that is in line with society. The general rules I chose all revolve around the word “respect”. The

students and I will have a discussion together to come up with a good definition of the word respect

so that I know they understand the concept. We will thoroughly go over what it means in our

context as a class.

I have chosen to base most of my discipline strategies on the Win-Win Discipline concept by

Spencer Kagan, Patricia Kyle, and Sally Scott, as it best aligns with some of my inherent beliefs. As


Logical Consequence ExamplesRulesRemoves distractionsIs given independent learning timeRespect Yourself

Writes a letter of apology to learnerFurthers proximity between studentsRespect Learners

Writes a letter of apology to teacherActs as teacher for a period of timeRespect Teachers

Writes letter of apology to principalReplaces materialsRespect Materials

Writes letter of apology to janitorFixes broken itemRespect the Classroom

Discipline is not a nasty word.

- Pat Riley

such, we will focus mostly on preventative measures in my classroom. Procedures that help to

prevent disruptive behaviors have been put into place. I will make sure that I am working to meet

all students’ needs in the classroom as best as I can, and as far as I can be aware. However,

situations will still occur, and there are measures in place for that as well.

When a child causes a class disruption, I will immediately notice what type of disruptive

behavior was present, and I’ll check to see if I know what student position the child was in that

caused the behavior. If I do know, I can then go straight into dealing with the problem. Otherwise, I

will need to talk to the student to determine the cause. Then, the student and I will come up with a

logical consequence together based on mutual understanding of the problem. If time doesn’t

permit this, I’ll let the student know that we will be discussing the consequence at a later time in the

day. Some actions will have consequences already laid out by prior class discussion. This could

include common actions such as sitting incorrectly in a chair, being off task, etc. Either way,

students will be aware of the reason for the consequence, and they will see how it relates to the rule

breaking.

Theorist Rudolph Dreikurs says that logical consequences should be used to follow up rule

breaking. This means that when students break rules, the consequence will fit the rule broken. It

would be illogical for a student to be sent to the principal’s office for not sitting correctly in a chair.

The consequence is not at all directly related to the action in that scenario. A better, more logical

consequence would be to have the student remove the chair and stand for a period of time. Logical

consequences will vary based on situation and are intended to teach the child what is appropriate

by showing that there is a direct connection between rule and consequence. The consequences

shown in the above diagram are in no way comprehensive.

Once the consequence has been implemented, students will be better equipped to handle

future needs. They will understand what the best way is to act when they are in certain student


positions. Teacher and student together will have come up with a replacement behavior while

reestablishing class expectations. In this way, students become more responsible as disruptions

decrease, just as is suggested in the Win-Win Discipline.

DIVERSE LEARNERS

In every classroom there is an assortment of learners. This discipline strategy easily allows

for all of those learners. Because each consequence is individual and based on the rule broken,

students’ individual needs are more aptly met.

I will be sure to take into account student backgrounds when assessing the reasons behind

student rule breaking. For example, if a student of mine was previously homeschooled, they might

not be as aware of the rules that we take for granted in the public school system. In this scenario,

the student may be less likely to follow procedures correctly, when they’re used to a less strict

environment and working at an independent pace. When working with students like this, it’ll be

even more important to go through and explain the reasoning behind the rules and how to act in

particular settings. When students are informed, they are less likely to be at the Win-Win

Discipline’s uniformed position which generally can lead to disruptive behavior. So, by meeting this

need, we are helping to keep a healthy learning environment.

REFLECTION OF PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY

I believe that all students should come out of their educational experience as well rounded

citizens; this includes becoming responsible for their actions. As this is the goal of the Win-Win

Discipline, it aligns perfectly with my personal philosophy. The general rules regarding respect also

are in line as they help students reach a higher level of thinking. They must make the connection of

why certain actions are or are not showing respect. All of my major goals can be reached using this

discipline model.


SUMMARY

COMMUNICATION

On the first day of school, I will begin communicating the ins and outs of the classroom with

the students. They will first begin to develop a sense of community and we will do a fun ice breaker

activity. Once the students feel a little more comfortable in their new room, we’ll begin going over

rules and procedures. I will take the students on a tour of the classroom. This will be done

scavenger hunt style. After the students are placed in groups, they

will have a list of places in the room to find. Once they get to a

section of the room, there will be a quick activity to complete. These

activities will be focused to help students understand how they can use the area of the room, or to

help explain expectations for particular areas. For example, an activity for the reading nook could

be for students to look at a worksheet titled Two Truths and a Lie. They would have to determine

which of the lines on the list were true expectations and which one was the lie. Another example

could be for students to do a crossword puzzle at the resource table. The resources would be the

answers for the crossword. Students will have fun while gaining comfort in the classroom and

learning about expectations. A debriefing would occur after this to make sure that the expectations

are clear to all students.

During another time on the first day of school, we’ll have a talk about respect. All of our

class rules revolve around respect, so it’s important for students to understand this concept. I

would choose a book about respect to read to them, and then we would discuss and share ideas

about what it means. I would then clarify what I expect when I say respect, taking into

consideration where the discussion has gone. After defining respect clearly, we would go into what

expectations fall under each class rule. I would explain logical consequences afterward and give

specific examples of what that means.


Communication works for those who work at it.

– John Powell

In order to be fair and sure that students understand the class rules and procedures, I

would continue to verbalize and model what is expect of students in the first few weeks.

Eventually, I hope that the rules start to become innate and the class won’t need reminding from

the teacher. The ideal outcome is that students gain responsibility through the learning process

and begin to gain accountability for themselves (Win-Win Discipline).

After the beginning fun introductions have ended, I will need to keep children engaged in

doing what is expected. To encourage student participation, I will employ class jobs that help the

students to feel included in the classroom. Jobs can help children to feel in control, which will allow

them to be secure in the classroom. Once they are secure,

they will be more likely to participate in the classroom

community. Students will also have weekly logs that will

go home to guardians to be signed each week. These logs

will document student behavior. If students are

misbehaving in class, this will be communicate to the student, and then to the family through the

weekly log. Though the disruption will be dealt with immediately in class, it’s good follow up to

have communication with family. If everyone is aware of where the student stands, there will be

more accountability and more positive behaviors.


Communication is about being effective, not always about being

proper.- Bo Bennett

FAMILY COMMUNICATION - SAMPLE FAMILY LETTER

Welcome to Miss Karen’s

3rd Grade Safari!Dear Family,

I am beyond excited to begin this year’s safari, and I can’t wait to start a quest for knowledge with

your beloved child(ren).

Please, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Karen Shepherd, but I’ll go by Miss Karen to the

students. I graduated from Arizona State University with a bachelor’s degree in Elementary

Education in May 2013. I am passionate about learning through the context of a global community,

and as you will soon see, it permeates my classroom. This year, our class theme is African Safari.

We will search for knowledge in all of the subject areas while also learning things about the

continent of Africa. I expect that all of my lovely travelers will gain insight to the expansive beauty

that exists on this continent. My greatest hope is that this insight will lead to the start of a global

community view of the world and all of its parts and people.

I will begin the year as the safari tour guide, but because I believe in a collaborative classroom, the

students will all eventually take part in the knowledge sharing job of the tour guide. I even expect

that some enthusiastic students will begin sharing on day one, and I can’t wait to learn!

I also hope to learn from you, yes YOU, the family of my new student. I’m going to relay to you now

what much research points to. Students who have family members that get involved in their

schooling tend to do better academically than students who do not get that support and

involvement. So hear my plea with an open mind. I hope to see you and hear from you often. I am


giving you my email right now ([email protected]) and asking you to please email me at any hour

with any concerns or questions you may have. I want there to be an open dialogue between the

three units: family, student, and teacher. If we can all collaborate and work together, this will be a

successful year. I look forward to seeing you in person, the first of many times, at Meet the

Teacher Night on August 8th, 2014.

Our powerful trifecta (a perfect group of three, urbandictionary.com) will come together each week

with a mandatory Weekly Log. This log will contain all of the basic information that I feel needs to

be communicated to you each day. One section will be for student behavior, where students will

first fill out for themselves how they think they did and I will confirm or fix. If there are any

behavior issues that are out of the ordinary, I will contact you directly. Another section will be for

assignments that are due, including weekly required reading of 50 minutes. Finally, the last section

will contain notes for you, including important upcoming events. At the end of each week, students

will need to ask for your signature on the log. The log is to be turned into me every Monday signed

and dated. I have attached the first week’s Weekly Log for your convenience.

Our behavior management techniques are based off of first assessing and meeting all of students’

basic needs. This is another reason why communication is key. Home life directly affects how

students behave in the classroom. To minimize disturbances and maximize learning

opportunities, it’s important for me to know if there are any troubles the student is having at

home. Again, we need to be a team. If you want to learn more about this theory, search for Win-

Win Discipline or Rudolph Dreikurs. Both with provide you with the background information on

why this works. When students do participate in a less than satisfactory manner, their

consequences will be directly related to the action that got them in trouble. This is called logical

consequence and helps students to change problem behavior and gain responsibility.


I hope that this letter has provided you with some insight into what this year will be like for our

team. I will do my very best to create a positive sharing environment in our Safari room which will

connect to the world outside of it. If you have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to contact

me. My information is below.

And so the adventure begins!

Cordially,

Miss KarenMiss Karen

[email protected]

(###) ###-####


To the young people I say, you are a gift to your communities and indeed the world. You are

our hope and our future.– Wangari Maathai

Weekly LogStudent Behavior

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

1 2 3 4 5 Reason:

1 2 3 4 5 Reason:

1 2 3 4 5 Reason:

1 2 3 4 5 Reason:

1 2 3 4 5 Reason:

Assignments

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Notes

Welcome to the first week of school!Check out the class wish list and help create our ideal classroom. Canned food drive begins August 17th

Signatures

Student ________________________ Teacher _______________________ Guardian _______________________


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