Classroom Procedures

This week we started the conversation on classroom procedures.

Here are some of the articles that I read around classroom procedures

Setting Students Up For Success
My favorite thing from this article is using American Sign Language. I loved that you could teach the students the sign for needing to go to the bathroom and you could sign back. This way it doesn't interrupt the class session. I also like the idea of teaching them the "me to" sign so that you can see which of your students had the same idea or answer.

Warm-Ups/Self-Starts
This is a document that has some ideas as to activities the students could do the first 5-10 minutes of class.


Seating Challenges
This article is really interesting. It talks about a 5 day seating chart challenge. Each day you have the students arrange themselves differently. As you observe them you learn more about their traits. It's a great way to really get to know the type of students you have and could help you figure out a better way to put your students in groups so that every student is successful.

The Power of Procedures
This talked about a teacher who was introduced to Harry Wong's book, "The First Days of School" (I so gotta get this book!) She then wrote her own procedures with presentation. I downloaded her presentation and really want to implement some of her guidelines and procedures with my own classroom

Chelonnda's internet version from Karin Dunaway-Petty

Making Substitute Days Count
This article describes how one teachers handles their classroom for substitutes. I like some of the aspects of team points and earning those extra points. I may want to consider implementing something like this in my own classroom.

Here are some of my favorite ideas that I want to implement in my own classroom.

Ideas for Arranging Your Classroom

Today I was reading the Ninth Edition of "Classroom Management for Middle and High School Teachers." Here they outlined 5 ideas for room arrangement. I wanted to write these down to help me with arranging my future classroom. Most of my ideas will be coming from this book and recommend readings from the book.

Keys to Good Room Arrangement

• Use a room arrangement consistent with your instructional goals and activities
• Keep high-traffic areas free of congestion
• Be sure students are easily seen by the teacher
• Keep frequently used teaching materials and student supplies readily accessible
• Be certain students can easily see instructional presentations and displays. 
• Be sure to leave room around student desks so that it is easily approachable while monitoring activities

How I want my walls and bulletin boards:

• A place for agenda (today items, homework due, and homework assigned)
• A place for classroom rules
• Content related display (I.e. Accounting - have a picture of the account process)
• Calendar wall - important dates coming up (school activities, student activities, etc

I've also heard of some classes having a "pet." Granted this is mainly in the elementary classrooms. This question is for all you high school teachers out there: What are your thoughts on having a fish as part of your classroom? Is it too distracting to students? 

I was thinking of using the fish as a classroom job to teach students responsibility. 

This site provides an easy to use tool for drawing a classroom layout. Another site that does the same thing is here.

I really want to read this book. It is an analysis of how students' behaviors are influenced by the environment created at school. I will want to make sure I create an environment that influences good behavior not bad.

Checklist Room Preparation (this list was taking from the book mentioned above)

• Bulletin boards and walls
• Floor space
• Student desks/tables
• Teacher's desk and equipment
• Computer workstations
• Bookcases
• Work areas
• Centers
• Pets and plants
• Storage space and supplies
• Textbooks
• Frequently used instructional materials
• Teacher's supplies
• Other materials
• Equipment
• Seasonal items
• Special project materials

Teacher/Student Relationships & Classroom Community

This week in class we talked about teacher/student relationships & Classroom Community. One thing that really stood out to me was that by having a good student/teacher relationship it could even go as far as saving a students life. It just made me aware of how much impact I may have on a life and not even know it. Here are some links that my teacher shared to go along with this week topic.

36 Interesting Ways to Get to Know your New Class
This is a very beneficial presentation. It gives 36 different activities that you can do in your classroom to get to know your students.

What is your technique for Memorizing Names
This one talked about this guys technique for memorizing students names and then through out the question what is your technique. It's been quite interesting reading all of the comments. One of my favorite ideas from the comments was the telephone game. I think it would be cool to have everyone in a circle and all students have to try to list off all students name.

Red Light Green Light Behaviors
I have a feeling I will be reading this document A LOT! One of my biggest concerns is ensuring I do not cross the link on interacting with my students. This is a great reference by Utah State Office of Education.

Tee up the New School Year with Tips from Connected Educators
The place is a really cool idea. I really liked that the teacher had the students set up the format of the classroom which encourages collaboration and getting to know each other.
In the purpose section I liked the advice: "Listen more, talk less." I do have this tendency to keep talking and interrupting. I need to shut-up and listen more.

Lighter Classroom Atmosphere, Tighter Classroom Management
I really like the idea of using a train whistle to get students attention during group activities. I'm still learning about procedures but maybe there is a way I can mix this up with another procedure.


In one of my other classes I really liked the "get to know you" stuff she did. What she did on the first day is bring in 5 random objects around her house. After introductions and syllabus/class talk she moved to this. We each had to look at the objects and then write down our "analyze" of her and how we thought each of the items described her. The next class period every student was suppose to bring in 5 items from their house and in groups we each analyzed that person. Then we got up and introduced that person to the whole class. It was a great way to interact with each other and learn personal/random things about the students.

Last semester I observed this one classroom where the teacher got up at the beginning of the class and ask students to name off three positive things for that day. It could be personal or school related. Some students mentioned that it was Friday, another mentioned that they have a dance that night, etc. Afterwards I talked to her about this procedure. She told me that she noticed on days she didn't do this the class was just off and very negative. She said starting the class off on a good note put the students into a better mood to learn and be engaging.

What is classroom management?

These are just some links that my teacher shared with us this week for the topic "What is classroom management." I thought a handful of them were interesting and would be very beneficial while I was out teaching in the field.

Classroom Management: More than a Bag of Tricks
This article made me realize how a lot of teachers think that classroom management is all about providing rewards for good behavior. From my own beliefs and what I have learned so far in my point in my career it can't just be about providing rewards for good behavior. I want to teach my students to think for themselves and be independent.

Another cool thing I liked about the article is how it defined classroom management "...includes all the actions teachers take to develop an environment conductive to social, emotional, and academic learning."

How to Maintain Classroom Discipline - 1947 Video

I recall having a math teacher like this in high school. I remember we didn't know an answer to a problem he was explaining he got so mad he threw his ruler down and just started yelling us telling us how stupid we were and to now pay attention to him so that we could solve the problem. I need to start making a list of things that I didn't like my teachers doing so that I can make sure I don't do it in my own classroom.

Beyond Compliance: Rethinking Discipline and Codes of Conduct
I loved the quote they used in the second paragraph: "Kids don't care how much you know until they know how much you care." I really liked the overall concept of this article. It really talked a lot about the things I believe myself: how to guide students for them to learn right and wrong instead of telling them.

Take back that class room video clip
Darren Barkett outlines 5 simple steps for managing a classroom. He has a lot of cool ideas of how to implement each of the steps. I just outlined the steps below but you may want to watch the video clip to hear all of his cool ideas.

1. Learn every students name by the end of the first week. 
2. Establish and teach your classroom expectations. 
3. Remind students every day of your expectations. 
4. Create a reward for students meeting these expectations
5. Consistently enforce your expectations

Creating the Environment for Learning - Video
This is a webinar on classroom instruction and creating an environment that works for learning. I'm putting this in here because I want to watch it but don't have time right now.

Jump$tart

This is a good resource to learn about Personal finance to teach it: http://jumpstart.org/state-activities.html

Modeling

Modeling - coming up with physical or visual representations of the concepts

Communication Activities & Links

I received this from my BMED 4250 class and thought it would be beneficial to use some of these activities.

Communication Activities & Links.pdf