Lynchburg College

Classroom Management Plan

Emily Carmack Britt

EDUC 201B: Classroom Management in the Instructional Context

Dr. Gregory Martin

December 2, 2013

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Classroom Management Plan

Contents

Introduction Letter to Parents..........................................................................3

Developing Class Rules..................................................................................6

Document A: Class rules.......................................................................8

Organizing Paperwork.....................................................................................9

Emotional Feeling.........................................................................................12

Student Diversity...........................................................................................14

A Sense of Community.................................................................................16

Work Spaces..................................................................................................18

Classroom Décor...........................................................................................20

Family Involvement......................................................................................24

Document B: Parent Volunteer...........................................................26

Document C: Class Newsletter...........................................................27

Classroom Diagram.......................................................................................28

Traffic Flow........................................................................................29

References.....................................................................................................30

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Welcome to Third Grade!

Dear Parents and Family of [auto-insert child’s name],

Welcome to Mrs. Britt’s third grade classroom! I am so excited about this upcoming year and getting to know you and [child’s name]! Third grade is an exciting time and your student will face new challenges every day. Working together we can face those challenges! I am looking forward to a happy and productive year!

In third grade we will be studying a variety of different subjects:

For Math, we will be learning about place value, estimation and rounding, comparing two numbers (greater than, less than), adding and subtracting fractions, counting money, multiplication facts, telling time, temperature, geometry, graphs, and basic fact mastery.

For Science, we will be learning about simple machines, matter, physical changes and properties of matter, animal adaptations, food chains, ecosystems, natural resources, components of soil, life and water cycles, and energy.

For Social Studies, we will be learning about exploration of the Americas, ancient civilizations, map skills, resources, economics, rules and laws, diversity and government.

For Language Arts, we will be learning communication and word analysis skills, expanding vocabulary, reading fiction and non-fiction books, writing, editing, and using technology for reading and writing.

Every Tuesday, [child’s name] will bring home their “Tuesday Folders.” This will contain items that you need to look through. Some require that you sign at the bottom and will be clearly labeled. Tuesday folders also contain any personal observations that I have made regarding your child throughout the week. I believe this gives a little insight to a side of your child you may not see! [Child’s name] will bring their Tuesday Folder back to school the next day.

This week’s Tuesday Folder will be especially important because it will contain our class rules. It is important for our class to make the rules and decide the consequences together. That way we all know them and can all enforce them. They will be posted clearly on one of our class bulletin boards.

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Our Activity Period is at 10:00 AM and rotates daily.

Day 1: Gym (make sure your child is wearing appropriate shoes!) Day 2: Music Day 3: Art Day 4: Library Day 5: Gym

Homework will be given out Monday-Thursday and should take no longer than 30 minutes. I encourage you to check [child’s name]’s homework. Each student has a homework work log that will come home every day. This contains the homework assignment for the night. I expect assigned homework to be completed every night. If homework is not completed, it will be finished during the activity period or recess. I also would like [child’s name] to read from a level appropriate Accelerated Reading book for at least 20 minutes a night. They may read to you or alone but not be read to. They have periodic reading goals that they must meet. If they do not meet their goal, they will read during recess or an activity period until the goal is met. Your child’s reading goal will be in this week’s Tuesday Folder. A progress report will be sent in the Tuesday Folder.

Feel free to make any notes in the homework log that you would like me to see. There is a pocket in the log for car/bus notes or early dismissal notes. Your child will know to have their homework logs out on their desk each morning for me to check while they do their Morning Work.

Academic Report Cards go home every nine weeks. I encourage you to keep track of your child’s progress through the PowerSchool site. The link is located on the right hand side of the county website. Your will be given a username and password to access this site on parent conference night. The [county/city] grading scale is as follows:

A = 90-100B = 80-89C = 70-79D = 60-69E = 68 or lower

Our school is always looking for parent volunteers! If you are interested and able to help in any way, please complete the “Parent Volunteer Form” in this week’s Tuesday Folder. I will contact you soon to set up a schedule.

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Staying hydrated is important! Students are allowed to bring a resealable, spill-proof bottle of water to keep on their desk.

I am so excited about this year and cannot wait to get to know [child’s name] better. If you have any questions or concerns, you may send a note in the homework log, leave me a message with the school secretary by calling (434) 544-8100, or send an email to: carmack_e@students.lynchburg.edu. I will make contact with you as soon as possible!

Sincerely,

Emily Britt

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Developing Classroom Rules

There are many reasons that children misbehave. They may be testing their

boundaries (and mine). They may want attention or may be upset about something.

They could be distracted, bored, or just excited. Regardless of the reasons behind

it, misbehavior will disrupt our classroom culture, the learning of other students,

and the effectiveness of my instruction. This is why it is important to establish the

rules early on. Harry Wong believes that the rules and routines must be taught and

mastered within the first three weeks of the school year. If this is accomplished, the

remaining 33 weeks of school should run smoothly and misbehavior will be

substantial decreased (Wong).

I do not want to be viewed as the “giver of punishments” or the “maker of

the rules.” This is why I feel that it is important for students to play a significant

role in the day to day running of their class. After all, it is their class. On the first

day of school we will determine the rules as well as their consequences. The

specifics of the class rules will be guided by me but the students will ultimately be

creators of the rules. This practice ensures that we all know the rules and we all

know what will happen if we do not follow the rules. In addition, it is essential that

parent’s understand what behavior is acceptable and expected from their child. I

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have supplied a sample letter, Document A, which would be sent home in the first

Tuesday Folder of the school year. It outlines the class rules and also explains the

basic consequences for breaking the rules.

Consequences should be appropriate to the misbehavior as well as to the

individual student. The basic consequence for misbehavior is forfeiting their recess

time. A first offense receives a warning; the second offense receives losing half of

their recess time; and a third warning means losing all of it. They have two

options: They may either read an Accelerated Reader book on the sidewalk or walk

or run laps around the playground or another safe location. Having a choice is

important: Some misbehavior stems from an excess of energy; other times, the

student may just need alone time to sit, read, and think.

Ultimately my goal is not to punish children for their actions but to prevent

the misbehavior in the first place. It is important to create opportunities for success.

Conversely it is just as important to prevent opportunities in which they will fail or

lose my trust such as allowing them to be alone in the room or leaving my purse or

any other valuables unattended. A lack of confidence is another cause of

misbehavior (Thompson). By allowing students plenty of practice, they can build

their confidence. As with reading, students that read well they will feel more

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comfortable doing activities that involve them to read. The more comfortable they

feel the more engaged the will become. Good behavior and work can be reinforced

by providing kind words and verbal praise.

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DOCUMENT A9

Dear Parent or Guardian:

This week we discussed what behaviors were acceptable and important in our classroom. Together we generated the following rules to be posted in our classroom:

1. Pay attention and follow directions.2. Raise your hand: no blurting or getting out of your seat.3. Speak politely to all people.4. If it’s not yours, don’t touch it!5. Be prepared to learn!

In addition to the rules, we also created consequences. First the offender will receive a warning. If the behavior continues, they will have their “bird” moved to the “Half” Bird House. This means that they will lose half of their recess time and must walk laps around the playground or spend the time reading on the sidewalk during recess. They may choose. On their next offense, they will lose all of their recess time for that day. After recess, all birds will move back to the “Free Bird” cloud. Any offense that occurs after recess will count for the next day.

All students have signed a contract stating that they understand the rules and their consequences. Please sign and return the bottom portion stating that you have read and understand the rules. If you have any question, please ask your child. He or she should be able to answer them. If the question still persists, feel free to contact me during school hours at (434) 544-8100 or by email at carmack_e@students.lynchburg.edu. I will make contact as soon as possible.

Thank you,

Emily Britt

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I, ______________________________, parent or guardian of __________________________ have read and understand the Class Rules and the consequences associated with the rules. I will work to make sure my child abides by the rules so that Mrs. Britt’s classroom can be happy and safe for all of the students.

Organizing Paperwork

Following the trend of “going green” can be extremely difficult for

elementary teachers. At young ages it is more important for children to manipulate

pencil and paper as they practice their handwriting, math skills, and reading. Many

school systems do not having the funds to supply each child with a computer.

Because of these, teachers are left in a sea of paper that they must organize and

keep that way or else they face disaster.

In my classroom, I have attempted to confront these issues. Firstly, students

are each required to have 4 one-subject composition notebooks. If they are able to

have colored notebooks that correspond to our subject colors (Science: yellow;

Math: Red; Language Arts: Blue; and History: Green) that would be wonderful. If

not, we will differentiate with stickers and labels. Composition notebooks are

ideal because there is less chance of pages getting ripped out and lost. They are

traditionally bound through the fold, meaning that they are folded and stitched

together making them significantly more durable especially in the hands of

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children. Any handouts, maps, or reference worksheets can be glued in to the

notebooks with a glue stick.

Secondly, loose-leaf paper can be important for use as scratch paper to work

out math problems or practice spelling or just as doodle paper during their free

time. I supply this for the students and keep it in a stack in a tray on top of the

Reading Group bookcase. Students can simply grab a sheet when they need it.

They learn early on that the loose-leaf paper is a privilege and can be taken away if

they abuse it. Also, if they only make a few marks one side of the sheet, they can

place it back in the bin to be reused.

Thirdly, I keep my own private student records. Behind my desk is a locked

filing cabinet, preferable with two drawers. Before the school year begins, I

organize in alphabetical order a labeled folder for each child in the bottom drawer

of the cabinet. Throughout the school year, I can place any notes regarding a

student in his or her file. This includes any disciplinary referrals, samples of

student work, parent notes, observation notes, and write-ups of all parent meetings.

In the top drawer of this filing cabinet are worksheets and tests organized by unit

and when each is needed. This drawer, or a third drawer if available, will also hold

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unit and lesson plans, blank referrals, and copy of the schedule and important

information that a substitute may need.

Next, in order to keep the waves of papers going in and going out organized,

I have clearly labeled “In” and “Out” trays that sit on a small table beside my desk.

The “In” box contains collected assignments that need my attention. Each

assignment stack is clamped with a sturdy clip and placed in the tray. The “Out”

box contains all that the assignments and papers needed for the week in the order

they will be covered and labeled with a sticky note. My helper of the day plays a

big role in keeping the “In” box organized. They will be collecting the papers,

clamping them, and placing them in the “In” box.

My last step in organizing paperwork is to assign each student a mailbox.

The mailboxes are located near the entrance to the classroom and near their

backpack cubbies. Each slot in the mailbox is

labeled with the students corresponding number.

On top of the mailboxes, in a file tray, are their

Tuesday Folders. When students receive papers

back they know to put them in their mailboxes

unless otherwise instructed. On Tuesdays, my

12Example mailboxes

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helper will pass out Tuesday Folders and the students will, by pod, go to the

mailboxes and put all of the papers into right side their folders to take home that

evening. Any papers that require special attention, letters from the school, and the

weekly newletter will go into the left-hand pouch. These will be handed out once

all students have emptied their mailboxes and returned to their seats.

I have an acordian folder that I use to take home any papers that need

grading. This folder also holds my lesson planner and any other books that I use as

daily resources.

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Example mailboxes

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Emotional Feeling

Developing positive relationships with each individual student is extremely

important in developing a sense of community. My role as their teacher is to be a”

guide on the side” rather than a “sage on the stage” as I lead and coach them

through the year. I take my role as leader very seriously because if I do not

command the class, someone else will. Each step of the way I am sure to show

how much I care about each student and their welfare.

Classroom immediacy is always in the back of my mind. Lessening the

emotional distance between my students is very important to me. I want them to

see that I like them, respect what they have to say, and care about what they do.

Smiling and being polite are the easiest ways to connect to my children. These

simple gestures immediately convey that you are happy to see them and respect

them. While it is inappropriate to talk about my private life, telling a simple, silly

story about something I did can help student see me as an accessible human being

rather than an authority figure. They are able to relate to me and I am able to show

that I understand them.

Creating a classroom community is important for the emotional wellbeing of

the class (See A Sense of Community.) A small step I can take to make children

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feel a part of something is using inclusive pronouns such as our, we, or us.

Adopting the “we” attitude makes trust a mutual responsibility (Thompson). A

community implies some level of trust and since I am the adult the trust starts with

me. I do not make promises that can’t be delivered. This includes not being a

“pushover.” If I say something I need to stick with it. On the other side of the coin,

I also do not create situations where trust can be broken. Students should never

have the opportunity to lose my trust.

Coaches provide motivation but they also create an environment where

others motivate their peers. Our first class motivation project occurs in the first

week of school. It is an exercise in which students get to work together, be

creative, and create a classroom all their own by

making their own motivational posters. Each

group of desks will think up a saying or use one

they have seen before that promotes a happy

student and classroom. They can also use our class

rules as inspiration or ask me for assistance.

Popular ones include “Shoot for the stars!” and “Be

nice or leave!” Once they have an idea in place, they will receive a piece of poster

board, cut-out letters, and construction paper to design their poster. Their posters

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Sample Motivational Poster

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serve as reminders throughout the entire school year and as inspiration for future

classes.

Student Diversity

A normal classroom contains a wide variety of students. They come from

different backgrounds and cultures. For a teacher, it is important to know about

student diversity and to educate her class accordingly. She should always

remember to not perpetuate stereotypes. Student diversity can mean things other

than racial of ethnic differences. Students vary widely in ability. Some students

may require different instruction to understand the lesson and others may have

attention and other behavioral problems that harm their learning as well as that of

their classmates. These students are important to recognize and not be forgotten.

When it comes to cultural diversity in my classroom, I supply a number of

resources to help create a community. First, I vary my teaching styles and

resources that I use in the classroom. There are a variety of educational and easily

read books that give a detailed insight into different cultures and I encourage

students to read them. Some books students are asked to read aloud in reading

groups or for the whole class. We then discuss the book as a class. As for teaching

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styles, I try to use graphic organizers and other helpful visual study devices to help

students that may not be native speakers of English (Thompson). These visual

devices also benefit native speakers as well. I also have the basic Spanish speaking

skills so that I can communicate with Spanish speaking parents or students if

necessary. I have seen some classrooms where students are subconsciously

segregated. I try to avoid this by arranging students in their pods so that they can

interact with children that may be different from them.

Special needs students are also included in student diversity. Students with

attention problems such as ADHD usually require some intervention and need a

supportive adult to be successful. Clearly defined classroom procedure is essential

in helping these children stay on task. Giving directions one step at a time can be

helpful so that they are not overwhelmed by large tasks. Many students with

attention problems have not yet mastered basic skills such as note taking or

listening. Taking time to show them how to accomplish these tasks can really

benefit them in the long run (Thompson). If the class is having problems with one

student’s behavior it may be wise to education about certain learning disabilities.

They offending student can help with the education of the class by sharing their

experiences if they are comfortable doing so.

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By making sure that all children feel understood and accepted, I am

accomplishing an essential step in creating the ideal classroom environment.

Diversity education should begin at the beginning of the school year and continued

throughout. It should also be meaningful and cover more than shallow stereotypes

that students will keep for the rest of their lives.

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A Sense of Community

The most important part of my job as a teacher is to provide students with a

safe, loving, and respectful community in which they can learn. For a community

to strive, each student must feel as if they are a vital member and care about the

community as well. The first few weeks of school will be particularly important in

establishing this sense of connection and belonging. First they must get to know

me and I them.

On the first day of school, we each take a simple (premade by the teacher)

bird shape and decorate it with things that describe us using glue, construction

paper, string, and buttons. Once we have all finished, we each get to describe our

bird for the class. For example, my bird could have brown hair because I have

brown hair, wear fun boots because I love fashion, and have an apple in its hand

because I love apples and I’m a teacher! Our finished birds go on the wall around

a bulletin board so that they can remain up all year long.

It is also important for students to feel ownership in their classroom. I

decorate the bulletin boards with student artwork or writing and the class-made

motivational posters will remain up all year long and can serve as inspiration for

the next class. Not only do they decorate the classroom, they are also expected to

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keep the room tidy. At the end of the day or the activity, students must stop and

clean up their desks and the floor beneath their desk. Every Friday afternoon, we

do a thorough cleaning of our workspaces. We clean out our desks then wipe off

the top, bottom, and legs of both our chairs and our desks with antibacterial

cleaning wipes.

Every community needs a peer leader and our leader will be different every

day. Each morning a new classroom helper will be chosen by last name,

alphabetically. Helper duties include but are not limited to: passing out papers;

collecting papers, clamping them, and placing them in the “In” box; tallying the

lunch count; being the line leader; and being the end-of-the-line leader the

following day. Being a helper is a huge responsibility and a privilege that can be

taken away if it is undeserved.

My method for teaching requires a hands-on approach and can be very

messy! At younger ages it is very important to feel objects and meanings. It is

imperative for understanding basic mathematical operations. My methods also

require hearing everyone’s ideas and voices. Students will not voice their ideas if

they do not feel comfortable and safe. This is where creating a tight community in

which everyone plays at part is essential to learning.

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Work Spaces

To avoid being the “sage on the stage”, my personal desk is located in the

center back of the classroom. This position allows me to observe every part of the

room if I need to do work from my desk. On my desk there is a school issued

laptop or desktop computer. The background is set to the class photo or a photo

collage that I have made of the current year’s class. This computer is never used by

students. It is for my own work such as creating and submitting lesson plans to the

principal, checking and sending emails, updating my calendar and gradebook, and

other professional duties. The drawers of my desk are labeled and organized

neatly. I straighten up my desk before I leave for the day so that I may start fresh

the next morning.

Behind or near my desk is a storage cabinet that I use for various

professional materials such as teacher edition textbooks, worksheet books, extra

printer paper, construction paper, and my unit plan binders. It also stores my purse

and my teacher tote during the day. Because of its location, I can easily monitor

any nearby activity. My students are told early on that any items on my desk or in

the cabinet are not to be touched unless they have asked permission or been asked

to do so.

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In the front corner of the room sits our reading group round table surrounded

by 4-6 chairs. I use this table to work with reading groups individually. Because

students sit at this table frequently it is extremely important to keep it tidy and

clean. Each group is expected to straighten up and disinfect the table when they

leave. The reading group bookcase is located nearby. Books are placed in colored

bins according the reading level and each reading group is assigned a color. For

example, Blue Group’s books are in blue bins. This way I can easily send a

member of the group to retrieve the books that they will be reading.

Students’ workspaces are harder to maintain. They are expected to keep their

desks straight. If they are unable to do so, I have found that the top of a large box

of printer paper fits perfectly into standard student desks. This gives some of the

messier students a drawer that makes it easier to find items and harder to lose

them. Every Friday afternoon, we clean out our desks and throw away any loose

paper. They each receive a disinfecting wipe to clean off the tops, bottoms, and

legs of both their desks and their chairs.

There are at least two computers designated for student use. Taking AR tests

takes precedence but they are allowed to play education games on the computers if

their work is completed to my satisfaction. Being that the computers are

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“community property” each child is expected to leave the area in pristine condition

when they are finished.

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Classroom Décor

A child’s classroom should feel like a home away from home. They should

feel ownership and be proud of their classroom. Using as much of their own

artwork as possible is a perfect and cheap way of achieving this. Because my room

is bird themed many of the decorations go along with that theme. I also try to

incorporate our learning objectives into the décor as well as provide students with

motivation to succeed or better their behavior. My room is fresh, colorful, warm,

and inviting. Each child can find their place in our classroom home.

The student’s desks are arranged in pods that we call “city states” to relate to

our studying of Greece and Rome. Depending on the space available, there are 4-7

students in each city state. Having students in groups is beneficial to my hands-on

teaching practice. Students are able to work in groups easily without moving. City

states will be rearranged periodically and as needed during the school year. This

allows them to get to know all of the students rather than just a set few. Each desk

will have a colorful name tag with the child’s full name written in my best cursive

handwriting.

The Reading Nest is located in the back corner of the room. The floor is

covered in a nice fuzzy rug and there are colorful pillows scattered around for

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children to sit or lean on. Along one wall is a bookcase that holds a variety of

different nonfiction and fiction Accelerated Reader books in a range of reading

levels to accommodate all interests and ability. These books are not to leave the

Nest or the classroom unless they have been “checked out” by the student. This

area is for students that have met their AR goal for the current time span. It is a

reward for students that have been working hard. All other students must remain at

their seat while they are reading.

As for wall décor, I will use as much student-made artwork as possible. The

birds the students create on the first day will surround the first bulletin board

located near the door of

the classroom titled,

“Mrs. Britt’s Nest.” (See

the digital representation

to the left). This bulletin

board will contain our

class rules after we have

created them and a changeable calendar. Along with holidays, other special school

events will be placed on the calendar.

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The second bulletin board, called “AR Bookworms,” is located near the reading

nest and tracks each

student’s AR goal. New

goals are given every

three weeks to make

reaching the nine-week

goal easier. Every student

has their own bird with

their name on it. At the beginning of the goal period, all birds start in the grass.

Once they reach half of their goal their bird moves to the tree. When they have met

their entire goal, their bird can now fly high in the sky. Only those birds in the sky

are allowed to read in the Nest. This bulletin board serves as a motivation for

students to read more so that they can move their bird along.

The bulletin board behind my desk will be divided by ribbon into two

sections. On half of the bulletin board, students can pin up artwork or things they

have written. Periodically I remove the art and place it in their student folders or

send it home in their Tuesday Folders for their parents to see. The other part of the

bulletin board has information about our current unit of study. During our habitat

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and adaptation section it shows various habitats and different animals in their

habitats along with those that show adaptations that we have covered.

In the front of the classroom above the Smartboard and blackboards, hangs

the cursive alphabet for students to use as references in forming their letters. On

one side of one of the blackboard are two-inch paper

birds with a magnet on the back, three birdhouses,

and a cloud. Each bird has a student’s first name on

it. When a student breaks one of the class rules, they

are in the “bird house” and their bird moves to the

“Warning” bird house. If their behavior continues,

the bird moves to the “Half” house and they lose half

of their recess time. If their bird reaches the “All”

house, they lose all of their recess. All birds become

“Free Birds” again after recess.

All of my classroom’s décor is used to make all of

my students feel safely part of a group and loved by

their teacher. When a teacher takes the time to make

her room beautiful, students will acknowledge and

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appreciate her efforts. By using their own art that they create, the teacher

acknowledges how much she values and appreciates her students.

Family Involvement

It is a common belief that amount of involvement a parent has in his or her

child’s education greatly impacts that education. A parent’s attitude towards school

and teachers can also influence how their student views them as well (Burden).

This is why getting families involved is a large part of my job. One reason that

families are not involved in the school system is because they do not really know if

or how they are needed. My parent volunteer letter sent out in the first Tuesday

Folder hopefully helps clear up some confusion (See DOCUMENT B). In this

letter, I give a short list of some areas that are important for parent involvement in

the school. Included is a need for reading tutors, field trip helpers, class party

helpers, and extra cleaning supplies.

I also send out a class newsletter each week in the Tuesday Folder, called

“The Weekly Tweet” (See DOCUMENT C). This allows parents to stay up-to-date

in the class’s weekly activities as well as what activities we will be doing the

following week. It also includes any upcoming events such as field trips or parent

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conferences, a note from me, a spelling list, and some math review problems. The

newsletter could also contain requests for parent helpers, supplies, or maybe a

student of the week feature.

My first contact with many of the parents comes in the form of my

welcoming letter. It is important for this first contact to be positive and also convey

basic information about what they and their child can expect from my class. In my

letter, I mention that I will send home notes and observations about their child

periodically in the Tuesday Folder. This is my way of letting parents hear good

news more often and hopefully make any troubling contact that may come later a

little easier.

Parent conferences can be overwhelming for teachers. I try to ease the

intimidation by being well prepared. Each student has a folder in which I keep any

of my daily observations, sample work, and any other information. I can review

each folder and make notes about important points to bring up during the

conference. I take notes, if necessary, while the parent is speaking. After they have

finished, I try to be as specific as possible about my concerns and my willingness

to work with them. It is my goal to convey my caring and understanding. When the

conference ends, I go over my notes, document my parental contact in a log, and

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place the log in the student’s folder. Keeping documentation of all contact is

crucial if there is a dispute later on.

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Document B 32

Dear Parents and Guardians:

We need you to get involved in our school! There are a number of ways that you can play an active role in your child’s and other children’s educations. You can help by:

Helping with class field trips: We take 2 class field trips during the school year: one in the fall and one in the spring. Keeping an eye out for more than 80 students can be nearly impossible with just four teachers.

Helping with class parties: Our class has one party the last day before Winter Break. Third Grade has a celebratory party near the end of the school year for students who have met their yearly Accelerated Reading goal.

Listening to children read: This is where we need the majority of helping hands. Just having a listening ear can make a huge difference in a child’s reading level and confidence.

Donating supplies: Near flu season, we are in dire need of supplies such as tissues, disinfecting wipes, hand sanitizer, and hand lotion. Any extra school supplies you wish to donate will be greatly appreciated and used!

If you’re interested in volunteering in our classroom please supply your preferred email address, return the slip in your child’s Tuesday Folder tomorrow, and I will email you the link to our classes “Volunteer Spot.” Volunteerspot.com is a great tool to help with scheduling and coordinating parent volunteers. This allows me to set times that we could use an extra hand or two and for you to sign up for a date and time that works with your schedule.

Thank you,

Emily Britt

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Yes! I, _______________________________________________, am interested in volunteering!

My preferred email is _____________________________________________________________________________.

DOCUMENT C: Sample Classroom Newsletter: “The Weekly Tweet”

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Classroom Diagram*

*Floorplanner.com was used to generate the classroom diagrams.

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Classroom Diagram*: Traffic Flow

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References

Burden, Paul R. Classroom Management: Creating a Successful K-12 Learning Community. 5th ed. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2013. Print.

Thompson, Julia G. The First-year Teacher's Survival Guide: Ready-to-use Strategies, Tools & Activities for Meeting the Challenges of Each School Day. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2007. Print.

Wong, Harry K., and Rosemary T. Wong. The First Days of School: How to Be an Effective Teacher. Mountain View, CA: Harry K. Wong, 2009. Print.

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