Classroom Procedures and Expectations

Classroom Procedures

ARRIVAL

When students arrive in my classroom, the following procedures are expected to be completed:

1. Head straight to your desk.  Remove chair from on top of your desk & place underneath.
2. Remove all jackets, coats, book-bags, or lunchboxes.  If homework was assigned the night before, remove your HW Folder and place it in Mr. Vincent’s Mailbox located next to the classroom door.  Move Attendance stick from “Absent” to “Present”.
3. Place your jackets, coats, book-bags, or lunchboxes in your cubbies, located at the back of the room.  Return to your seat and follow the remaining directions.
4. Once back at your seat, remove your Morning Exercises worksheet(s) from your desk folder, located on the side of your desk.  Morning Exercises are represented by the Yellow-colored tab.
5. When the Morning Exercises are complete, place them in the Today’s Work Drawer, located on Mr. Vincent’s desk.
6. Once you have completed all Arrival procedures, read quietly at your desk until given further directions.

CLASSROOM TASKS

Students will have the opportunity to receive a daily “Classroom Task”.  Here is a brief list of some tasks the student’s may be able to complete:

·         Cleaning the chalkboards

·         Emptying the trash

·         Feeding Squirt, the class turtle

·         Tank maintenance

·         Flag raising/removal 

Tasks will be rotated every week.  Students who chose to partake in the “Classroom Task” program will earn “Vince-Cents”, redeemable for future purchases at Mr. Vincent’s Market-Day Extravaganza!  This program is designed to motivate students to assume classroom responsibilities, to educate students on the importance and benefits of saving money, as well as, to provide the students with well-earned affirmations for positive behaviors in the classrooms.

STUDENT WORK

Students are expected to participate in daily discussions and activities, complete assignments required or assigned by the teacher.  Students will complete tests over selected material and information.  Students will complete various classroom group projects as well as several smaller individual assignments.  These smaller assignments are given throughout the year by the teacher, and are used to enhance the students’ content knowledge.  Students will have various opportunities for gaining extra credit points.

GAINING CLASS ATTENTION

Throughout the school day, I may need to provide the students with important instructions.  Some instructions may require the use of direct verbal communication, while others may simply require non-verbal visual communication.  Below are a few strategies I intend to use to manage students’ attention.

·         When in need of gaining the entire class’ attention, I will use one of two methods: Clap or Raise.

·                                                                                                                                                          Clap:  I will state rather softly, “If you hear my voice clap once.  If you hear my voice clap twice.  If you hear my

                                                                                         voice put your hand on your head.  If you hear my voice put your hand on your nose.  If you hear my voice put

                                                                                         your finger on your mouth”.

·                                                                                Raise:  I will simply raise my hand, signaling to the students I need their ears open and their mouths closed.  During the

                                                                                         training phase, I may need to verbally state, “When the hand goes up, the mouth goes shut”.

·         To inform students a task or lesson is near to ending, I will flick the room lights twice while stating, “One [or two] more minutes with this activity.  We will soon be moving on to our next lesson”.

ATTENDANCE

Students are expected to attend school each day.  Students are expected to assume responsibility for ensuring their Attendance Stick is removed from the Absent jar and placed in the Present jar.  The classroom teacher will review the jars to ensure the proper sticks have been moved.  If a student forgets to switch their stick the teacher will make a reference to that particular student, but it is the student’s responsibility to fix the mistake.  Attendance will be sent to the Main Office.

DISMISSAL 

Classroom Expectations

     I have 5 General Expectations for my classroom:

• Listen attentively and follow directions.

• Ask for permission

• Be respectful of personal space and property.

• Participate in the group as well as individually.

• HAVE FUN!

          These General Expectations will be shared with my students on the first day of school.  I will use that time to allow my students to create their own classroom expectations, stemming off of my general list.  We will use this time to explore the understanding of each expectation, as well as, to create a list of consequences in case an expectation is violated or disregarded.  This method of using expectations and consequences is intended for the purpose of minimizing teacher-directed discipline and fostering student-driven motivation, choice, and discipline.  As the teacher, I will continue to convey order in the classroom, but will provide students with the skills and opportunities for maintaining self-classroom behavior management and discipline.