Nastasha Green

TWS 9: Learning Environment

Classroom Management:

Classroom management is what makes the classroom successful. The students and
teacher must all work together in order to have an effective year and to make learning
fun. The way to build classroom management is to create a positive climate where
students feel safe and comfortable. Two ways that I would create a positive climate is
through morning meeting and group activities.
Morning meetings are where students will greet one another, share how they feel
or what they have been doing, a class activity, and then the agenda for the day. The
activity will build classroom community through interaction with the students while
teaching them how to become good listeners and speakers. Students will be able to
connect with one another outside of the classroom based on the information they share.
The students are expected to be open minded and respectful towards each other and their
feelings. Another strategy I will use to build a positive climate in the classroom is through
group activities and class discussion. These activities are great for students because it
helps build commutation, social, and critical thinking skills. The students will work
together as a team to develop different solutions for a variety of situations. I believe class
discussion will also provide different perspectives for students and allow them to truly
think about the topic. Students will learn how to explain their opinions during class
discussions, while they use evidence to back up their thoughts up. These two strategies
are the first activities that I will incorporate in the classroom from the beginning to end of

the school year.

The classroom environment will have a positive atmosphere when students know
and understand the behavioral expectations you established. Before setting expectations
for the year, I will provide the students with rules that I believe are accurate and fair in
the classroom. As I am going over these rules, I will ask the students for input or
alternatives that can be used. The students and I will establish three to five rules and
discuss why they are important for the classroom. Here is a list of behavioral expectations
that I believe will suffice in the classroom:
o Students will be respectful toward their classmates and teachers.
o Follow directions when given.
o Be responsible.
o Keep hands and feet to yourself.
o Make learning fun.
The first rule means that students will give each other time to speak by being good
listeners, making eye contact and paying attention. Students will also raise their hands
when they have a question or statement. Following directions when given is top priority
because it helps establish students listening and informal direction skills. Students should
also be responsible for turning in their homework and assignments in on time. Keeping
your hands and feet to yourself is a rule I will use in the classroom to make sure everyone
is safe throughout the classroom. I have ended my rules with a positive statement because
I want students to know that learning can be fun. These rules will be written down on a
white poster board and hung up in the front of the classroom. The students will all sign
their names on the poster board stating that they understand the rules and know that there

will be consequences if rules are broken. Here is a list of consequences that I will set for
the students:
o 1st Offense: Verbal Warning
o 2nd Offense: Walk time during recess
o 3rd Offense: Conference with teacher
o 4th Offense: Note home to parents
o 5th Offense: Office Referral
When the behavioral expectations have been broken, the student will receive a
consequence. If it continues to happen, the student will move down the line of
consequences. I will be sure to explain why he/she is receiving this consequence and state
what rule he/she is breaking. If the students behavior is out of hand, he or she will be
escorted to the principals office. I hope that by building classroom community, I will not
have to resort to sending students to the principals office. These rules and consequences
will be restated when needed throughout the year.
I want the students to know that I appreciate their hard work and good behavior in
the classroom; so, I plan to praise them when they do a great job. One way I will show
my appreciation is through verbal praise. I will provide the students with positive
feedback, such as great job, you did wonderful on that homework assignment; amd thank
you for trying so hard today. Using this intrinsic reinforcement will show the students
that they are appreciated and that their hard work is not going unnoticed. As for extrinsic
reinforcement, I will offer additional recess or free time on Fridays, allow the students to
sit next to friends at lunch, and/or send notes home to their parents. These rewards will
set an example of what good students are and what he/she will receive when they are on

their best behavior. I believe that using extrinsic reinforcements will provide incentives
for the students to behave and follow my expectations throughout the day.

Non-Instructional Routines and Procedures:

I believe that routines and procedures are essential elements that set the
environment of the classroom. These elements help establish boundaries and expectations
for the students and teacher. I will establish routines and procedures in the classroom on
the first day and every day afterward so that students will know what I expect of them. I
will begin class by greeting the students at the door with a handshake or high five and
state that they need to enter the classroom quietly. Once the students are in class, I will
have students take their homework out and place it on the corner of their desks, then
write their homework assignment down for that day in their agendas. When they have
completed that task, the students will place their agendas in their desks, and they will
quietly work on their morning work as I take attendance and lunch choices. During lunch
choices, I will provide the students with the lunch menu and call on one student at a time
to tell me what lunch choice they would like for that day. After I have completed the
morning assignments, the class and I will go over morning work, conduct a morning
meeting and begin class. After I have taught the first subject of the day, I will line the
students up for a restroom break. Every student will have an opportunity to go at this
time. The students will also have a chance to use the restroom after lunch. They may also
go to the restroom during class in case of an emergency. I want to make sure that the
students are not using the restroom as an excuse to leave the classroom; so, I will allow

the students to go one at a time. Before leaving class, the students will line up in the
classroom quickly and quietly. The students will not leave the room until there is a
straight line and no one is talking. When we enter the hallway, the students are expected
to act the same as in the classroom. Their hands should be to themselves, and there
should be no talking.
When it is time to distribute materials, I will choose two students that I believe are
paying attention and following directions to hand out the needed materials. The students
will be assigned a certain area of the classroom to distribute the materials so that they will
be able to work faster, and not rush to pass all the materials out ahead of the other person.
I will also choose two students to collect materials such as classwork or activities
throughout the day. However, if students are completing test or graded assignments, I will
provide a designated area near my desk for students to quietly place their work while
others are finishing. I will also assign jobs for the students throughout the school year. I
will choose students that have been showing responsibility, good behavior, and who have
been following directions for a job for two weeks. These students will be given the job of
line leader, door handler, PowerPoint monitor (meaning they will control the slides as I
teach), bathroom monitor, pencil sharpener and secretary (this student will write the
homework and lunch choices on the board at the end of class). At the end of the two
weeks, new students will be assigned to the different roles.
At the end of every day, I will have the assigned student sharpen a cup full of
pencils for the next day. I will give every student a sharpened pencil to use, if the students
need to sharpen their pencils when I am teaching, I will provide them with a manual
pencil sharpener so that they will not disrupt the class or lesson. When the school day is

coming to an end, the students will be told to pack their book bags with the materials
needed to complete their homework and to put everything else away neatly in their desks.
Their agendas should be placed in the corner of their desks, so I can come around and
write down notes about learning behavior issues for the day. Once I have signed their
agendas, students will place it in their book bags and sit quietly until dismissal. I will
allow the students to talk with a classmate next to them as long as they are using whisper
voices. When it is time for dismissal, the students will line up quickly and quietly and
walk to their designated area.
Those routines will be used every day and reviewed if students do not follow
them correctly. The students will also review procedures to follow during emergencies. At
the beginning of the school year, the class and I will discuss rules and expectations
needed during an emergency. As a class, we will write these expectations down, review
them, and discuss why they are important. If there is an emergency, students will line up
as they normally do. If a student or students act out during this time, I will place a mark
by their names and address the situation when we get back into the classroom. When we
have made it to our designated area, I will call role call and make sure all of my students
stay in a circle that I will be monitoring. Once we are able to go back into the classroom,
I will take attendance again to make sure all of the students are safe and back in the
classroom.
When routines and procedures are incorporated in the classroom, things seem to
run smoothly. As a future educator, I will establish these routines and procedures at the
beginning of the school year and remind students of them when necessary. I will discuss
these elements with the class and explain why they are important. Students truly benefit

from structure and routines so it is a great idea to establish them at the start of the year.