First week of School Activities
Recognizing Birthdays
Student Job Application
Having a positive relationship with my students is of the utmost importance for me. Knowing my "kids" is the best way to be preventative with classroom discipline issues. I make every attempt for students to feel important and valued in class - by recognizing their birthdays, by respecting if they don't want us to sing to them, by asking for input into what classroom jobs they may want to help with. There are too many to list! I don't know how I can quantify the quality of these relationships.
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Class Motto & Logo
Todo es posible (Anything is possible)
This logo was also added to my Back to School letter for parents. Classroom Objectives & Goals
Can-Do Statements by proficiency level are posted in the classroom.
Learning goals are posted on the back chalkboard. Rules & Procedures
Beginning of Class Routines
I have a music video playing when students enter class.
After I see that most of the class is there (or after the video), we go through the following slides: Routines, not rigidity, are extremely important - to students and to me. It makes the classroom a less stressful place for everyone because we all know what to expect. A new addition this year is my "branding" of the Todo es Posible motto and logo.
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Signing Out a Book from the Classroom Library
Student Supply Area & Paper Turn In Area
Selecting Groups
Each marking period students select DIFFERENT partners by country.
They must work with at least one person of the opposite gender. Transitions Between Activities
Magic Hand Clap and the "Hay un Cuento" song Procedures for Non-Instructional Tasks
I made some changes this year. First, I brought back student jobs. They are very popular in 6th and 7th grades. I created a job application (a Google Form) with their first and second choices. Next I decided AGAINST a complex check out system for books in my classroom library. Admittedly, over time I have abandoned certain
non-instructional management strategies because they were too cumbersome to manage. Thus, the selfie with the book was created. Students love taking selfies, and it is EXTREMELY easy for me to manage. |
Parent Contacts with Behaviors
Posted Rules
Student Policing Each Others' Behavior
Having a relationship with each of my students is my "secret" to managing their behavior. I'm a big proponent for treating students with respect, integrity and understanding. Because of the mutual trust and respect we have, students have gone so far as to police each others' behavior - or behavior that I may have missed. When I dealt with an issue of academic dishonesty earlier this year, the guilty student and I sat down together and talked calmly about a logical consequence for his behavior. This was MUCH more effective than yelling at or embarrassing him.
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Classroom Walls as an Extension of Learning
A Tour of the Room
I took a big risk in getting rid of my teacher desk. I did a lot of reading over the summer of how other teachers manage not having a desk. Honestly, mine was in extremely poor shape. Using a tool box and being smarter with my space has been very successful. In the beginning of the year, I was hoping to have more flexibility with my space - to be able to move around the furniture based on class activities or to even have the students be "deskless". The reality of my situation is that a lovely teacher has an enormous class in my room, and it would be impractical as well as inconsiderate to move the furniture on a whim. I still would like to experiment with more flexible seating configurations.
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