This was an assignment completed for my graduate/teaching credential work at University of the Pacific.
Class: SPED 195/295E: Positive Behavior Supports
Date: Oct. 8, 2018
Points Received: 27/30
(A) Classroom Management Philosophy:
Welcome to my classroom! This year expect to be challenged, pushed, developed, cared for, and most importantly, to have fun. You all are young adults and will be treated as such. This means I will hold you to a standard of professionalism and respect and I expect the same in return. My goal is to ensure you all learn something new each day that can be applied to this course, another course you are taking, or applied to life outside of school. I want to ensure all of my students are successful in and out of class. Over the next few months you will engage in group discussions, projects, and other interactive assignments to increase knowledge and build understanding of the material learned in class and the world around you. We will discover each of our learning styles and how we best process information so we can apply them to our learning to ensure our greatest success. I want to make sure you feel safe and welcome every day you step foot into this classroom and allow this to be your home. If there is any way you want to make this room feel more like home, let me know! I am so excited to being this school year with you all and I cannot wait to see how much we all grow, thrive, and succeed.
(B) Classroom Agreements:
1. Be Respectful
-Treat your peers and teacher with kindness, fairness, and love allowing people the chance to make mistakes and helping everyone achieve their personal best!
-Being respectful also means putting away all electronics unless I tell you to take them out. Electronics are great however can become a distraction to your learning and growth as well as the learning and growth of your peers.
2. Be Responsible
-Whether that is turning your homework in on time, asking for help, or taking ownership for a mistake you make, we are all here to grow!
3. Learn Something New Every Day
-No matter how big or small, we can always take away something from the day to help us in our future.
4. Have FUN!
-School should be fun! Find something in this class that’ll make education exciting!
(C) Behavior Expectations & Routines:
1. Turning in homework
-Bring homework to class on the date it is due.
-All homework must be turned into the correct period bin located on the left side of the classroom. Homework must be in the bin within the first 5 minutes of class. Any time after that, it will be late and an automatic 5% deduction from the assignment.
*I will demonstrate this to the students on the first day of class and then again the first time they turn in their first homework assignment.
2. Cellphone usage
-There are no cellphones allowed in class, unless I say otherwise.
-If it is seen, you will be given a warning and asked to put it away. If it is seen one more time, you will have to place it in the phone box and it will be returned to you at the end of the day.
-If they are expecting a call (ie: an emergency), notify me at the beginning of class so you will be excused.
-Also, before going to the bathroom, cellphones need to be placed in the phone box and can be picked up when they return from the bathroom.
* I will demonstrate this to the students by me having my phone put away at all times. I will also show the students where the phone box is located so they know that while it is in my possession, it will be locked away in a safe place.
Attention Signals:
For each class period, students will create an attention signal that is specific to them whether that be a popular saying, phrase, or song lyric. Another attention signal that I will use would be a mimicking clapping rhythm. To enforce these, I would have students practice them during the first 2 days of class. Throughout the year I will enforce the attention signals when the students are beginning to elevate their noise level. I will make sure I do not move on with the lesson until the students are fully responsive and engaged with the attention signal.
(D) Positive Acknowledgment System:
Students will earn raffle tickets and “class bucks”. Raffle tickets are earned and the class raffle will occur at the end of each quarter. Students have the opportunity to win a shirt, a free meal, 5 extra points on a test, or whatever the students decide the raffle prize will be for that quarter. Class bucks can be spent every Friday in the “Class Shop” where they can purchase candy, chips, or drinks using their class bucks.
Students will have a choice between 1 class buck or 2 raffle tickets.
Raffle tickets are given but not limited to:
- Random acts of kindness shown to other students
- Birthdays
- Class participation
- Cleaning up after someone else
- Consistently improved behavior
- Dressing up for spirit week
Class bucks are given but not limited to:
- Answering the hidden website question correctly
- Improving on a test or quiz
- 3 raffle tickets can turn into 1 class buck
- Correcting test answers and explaining why they are correct
- Dressing up for spirit week
- Turning in 3 missing assignments
(E) Corrective Consequences:
When students do not adhere to the classroom expectations, I will notify the parents depending on the severity of the situation (a fight or bullying).
Because it is a professional environment, foul language is not allowed. If it is said, students will have to write 5 sentences per cursing word or inappropriate comment (“I will not curse in Ms. Harper’s class). The sentences are their ticket out of the door. If they cannot finish them by the end of class then they will have to come in during their lunch to finish them. Once sentences are finished, they are able to go about their day. I will also have biweekly one-on-one meetings with my students to go over assignments, answer any questions they have or for them to talk to me about what is on their mind. Building this relationship can help increase positive behavior.
If I notice a student has multiple missing assignments, they will not get a chance to participate in the raffle or buy items from the “Class Shop”. I will also notify the parents through email or a phone call of their student’s grades falling behind and what we can do as a team to improve them.
If a student’s problem is too severe where they are consistently putting myself or other students in physical or emotional harm, they will receive detention, suspension, or expulsion.
(F) Classroom Layout and Organization:
Being in secondary education, students need to feel welcomed and feel like they are entering into a safe space. I designed the desks in a U shape in order to promote the sense of community and belonging. I am able to see all students and they are able to clearly view the whiteboard. With the U-shape, I am able to use proximity and freely move around the room.
In the back corner I created a relax/discussion corner with a rug and two comfortable chairs. Throughout the day, students may begin to feel anxious, stressed, or need to get up and move around, that is what the corner is designed for. It is also a place for students during group discussions or any other issues they need to hash out.
Along the left wall are color-coded filing cabinets for each class period. This is where they will drop off their homework assignments, grab materials needed for the day, or place anything in there pertaining to their class. The cabinets will hold pencils, pens, extra paper, worksheets, scissors, notebooks, and other supplies needed specific for each class period. (Example: a coloring or doodle sheet for an ADHD student in my 5th period to help them focus during lectures can be found in the 5th period cabinet.)
(G) Positive Communication:
Communication with the students and family is extremely important in creating a safe and respectful classroom environment. In order to do so I will create a classroom website. On the website, the parents and students will be able to subscribe to emails in order to stay up to date with assignments or other events occurring in the classroom. Every month I will hide a question somewhere on the website. The first 3 students to find and answer the hidden question on the website, will receive extra credit. Through the website I will email out a monthly newsletter to the parents to let them know of upcoming assignments or other things that I have planned for that month.
(H) Culturally Responsive Classroom:
For each cultural month, I will decorate 1 wall in the classroom that pays homage to that culture. Our assignments, activities, and projects will be centered around the culture in some aspect in order for students to gain knowledge and understanding of their peers. Another way I will be culturally responsive is finding a way to connect with the students every day life whether that be music, arts, entertainment, current events, or assisting them reach their educational goals. Lastly, acknowledging a student’s birthday, if they celebrate birthdays, would be an avenue to connect and be culturally responsive.
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