I believe that all children can learn and that all children truly want to learn. Only through social conditioning and negative teachers do they stop enjoying the learning process. As a teacher of early elementary students, I want to ensure that my students realize the joy and love of learning. They are in a crucial time of their lives and I want to be a positive factor and a role model.

Teaching is very different from the authoritarian model I grew up with. We are not in class to be dictators of students, to be the knowledge giver. Education is not a process of depositing information into empty students. Our students come to us with a large amount of knowledge that we need to recognize and celebrate. Each child is unique and must be respected. As a teacher, it is my job to facilitate learning of academic and social skills. I will act as a knowledgeable other that learns along with them. Students will need to learn self-management to govern themselves. Learning will also be student-driven. As their teacher, I will help to shape and mold them into productive, critical, and self-managing citizens.

In terms of classroom management, I will strive to attain self-management of behavior. Teaching transitions and appropriate behavior is very necessary. In addition, a positive classroom environment is important. Emphasizing positive behavior is much more productive to achieving my desired goals.

Rules:
 

Always treat others with respect	Use appropriate voices in the classroom
Respect other people’s property	It’s OK to make mistakes
Listen carefully to speaker	Do your best work

• If you have a question, ask two other students before asking the teacher

Establishing and Teaching Rules:

For rules to be adhered to in the classroom, it is necessary to fully teach the rules just as I would teach any other lesson. I will start by posting all rules in my classroom and large enough so that everyone can refer to them at any time. I would then teach the rules through lessons during the first week in the following ways: modeling, role-play, practice, and making a picture book of rules. From that point on, I would have one rule that we focused heavily on every week, to reinforce what we have already learned. Review of classroom rules is essential for any class, no matter the age.

Classroom Procedures:

• Noise level (talking) must be appropriate for the learning time
• Transitions should be make quickly and quietly after the prompt has been given
• All homework, notes, and other various things will be turned in at a central location so that the teacher won’t be unnecessarily interrupted
• During workshop times, students should first ask two peers before asking a teacher. When asking a teacher, it is imperative that they neither interrupt by calling out or by going to the teacher; instead, they should remain seated and raise hands.

Establishing and teaching procedures is very similar to establishing and teaching rules. The main difference is that you are teaching a specific action that should be done within the class. In order to learn, they must physically do the desired action. I would explain the correct way to proceed, then have the students try. I would focus on the positive aspects that the students where able to accomplish. In the first week, we would repeat the procedures a number of times so that they would know what was expected of them. I would also continue to reinforce these procedures throughout the year by having a weekly focus and using an incentive system that would be gradually faded out as they became proficient.

Assignments, Monitoring, Feedback, and Assessment:

In communicating assignments and requirements, I will be doing it verbally and reinforcing it with a shorter version on a homework board where everyone can read it. The homework board will not only reinforce what has been said verbally, it will allow absent students to find out the assignments that they missed. With larger projects, I will use a rubric that will be passed out to every person in the class. To monitor homework, I will use a system of checks, x’s, and blanks in a grade book. Checks mean full completion, x’s mean partial completion and/or difficulty, and blanks mean not turned in. I will also use portfolios that will contain examples of student work from all parts of the year in order to monitor progress. Feedback is essential for further learning by students. I would strive to give as much immediate feedback as possible for assignments. This would be accomplished through informal talks during learning times, individual conferences, and notes to the student. For assessment, I would use my portfolios of each student and a combination of the various reader’s and writer’s notebooks that each student will have. These authentic sources would be combined with my written observations taken throughout the semester and my gradebook in order to gain an accurate assessment of each student.

Teacher/Student Relationships:

In order to facilitate better communication with my students, a variety of methods are needed. It is essential to know each student on a personal basis. One of the ways in which this will happen is through the use of a message board in my classroom. It will have a pocket for each student and myself. Every student will be encouraged to write letters to each other and to the teacher. We will have a special basket with stationery for them to choose the appropriate paper. This not only helps for teacher/student relations, but it is also encouraging literacy in the classroom. I will be writing at least one note a week to each student; they won’t necessarily be long, but frequent. Rules will be posted for the use of the message board with certain times for checking and responding.

Teacher/Parent Relationships:

In order to facilitate better communication with the parents of my students, I plan to write personal letters home at least once every three weeks. At the first of the year, every student will be getting one every two weeks to form an initial relationship. These notes will emphasize the good behavior of the student and possible suggestions for improvement. Students will also be writing notes home to their parents. These will sometimes take the form of newsletters and other times just simple notes. In addition, I plan to conduct home visits within the first two months. Frequent phone calls will also be a part of the communication with parents.

Incentive System for Whole Class:

At the front of the classroom, I will have two jars, one being full of some type of chips. The other represents the number of chips that the class has earned towards a menu of choices. The class will earn one chip every time they are able to successfully complete the behavior we are focusing on for the week. Examples include quick and quiet transitions, lining up, walking correctly in hall, productive work time, etc. I plan to give out about 5 chips per day for the first month or so of the year. As the year continues, we will cut back on the number of reinforcers that are needed. The following are to be voted upon by the class when they have accumulated enough points: Extra Recess (15 min) 30 – Free Time (15 min) 30 – Lunch with Teacher 35 – Popcorn Party 40 – Watch a Film 40.

Incentive System for Individuals:

For individuals, a similar token economy will be used, but with poker or plastic chips. I will carry chips in my pocket at all times to reinforce positive behavior that I see occurring in the classroom. Examples include on-task work, working cooperatively with peers, being respectful of others, etc. As I give them a chip, I will thank them and state the specific behavior that they are doing correctly. After a few weeks of general use, I will then focus on certain behaviors for the week. At the end of each day, the students will turn the chips in to me to be recorded on a chart at my desk. They can check to see how many chips they have accumulated and choose when to cash the points in for the following rewards: Choose Song for Class to Sing 10 – Popcorn 15 – Computer Time (15 min) 20 – Do Art Project 20 – Sit at Teacher’s Desk (15 min) 25 – Sit by Friend 30 – Stay in at Recess with Friend to Play Game 35 – Lunch with Teacher 35.

Fostering self-management on the part of the students is the goal of a comprehensive management plan for a classroom. It is essential that students have a sense of ownership in their classroom. This can be accomplished by rotating classroom jobs. For example, students can take their own attendance and lunch count. The classroom must not belong only to the teacher. With ownership comes pride on the part of students.

Routines are also important in the classroom. Students should know what to expect from the teacher. By establishing clear routines at the start of the year and posting a daily schedule, students are able to prepare mentally and physically for the upcoming learning activities.

Students must be involved in the inner workings of the class. They can be called upon to assist in the making or rules and in the determination of consequences when such rules are broken. They can determine group role expectations and ground rules for conferring with peers. Students need to be a partner in the classroom to fully succeed with self-management.

Assessing Student Needs and Criteria for Referral:

To assess student needs, it is essential that clear records of student achievement are kept in the classroom and that observational notes are taken. This data needs to be shared with parents, teachers, and administrators when referral becomes necessary. The criteria for referral will be determined by the school district and building. Communication is key to assessment and eventual referral for extra support.

Suggestions for Mainstreaming and Supplementing Instruction:

In an inclusive classroom, it will always be necessary to adapt instruction so that all students have a chance to succeed. Teachers can also erect support structures to help those in need. Open-ended activities not only help those with less ability, but also allow those with high ability to go beyond what is necessary. Support networks of classroom buddies and tutors (parents and older students) are equally effective for students of all ranges of ability. It is essential that behavior expectations remain the same, regardless of ability level. Finally, within any inclusive classroom, individualized instruction will be necessary. Once the rest of the class has started an activity, the teacher can then attend to those that would benefit more from an altered curriculum. The inclusive classroom generally requires a little more effort, but the advantages outweigh all else.