Yolanda Garza

Wednesday 9:00AM
Classroom Management
Introduction
I am writing my paper with the idea that I will be in a 2 nd grade to 4th grade range
classroom. Keeping this in mind this will not be the first year of school for the
majority of my students. I want to develop a democratic classroom that is stable
when I am both present and not. I also want to create a safe environment in which
students feel like they can come to me whenever they need to. I would also like to
keep a plan for routine as I feel that this is essential for young children in all
aspects. However I want to try to have backup plans for those occasional variances.
I would like to carry myself in a manner that radiates Kounins definition of
withitness so much so that my students really will say that I have eyes behind my
head.
Philosophical statement
For me, learning is something that happens every day. Learning is what even I, as a
grown up do every day. It is imperative that both social and cognitive skills be
taught and I know that as a teacher I will have much to do with these things in the
lives of all of my students. This has brought me to the realization that I must model
the things that I want from my students in all these areas. I cannot ask students to
do one thing if I myself am not doing the same. I have encountered this hypocrisy
far too often during observations and will strive to reflect on this daily.
First day
(Before school)

Yolanda Garza
Wednesday 9:00AM
Classroom Management
I want to begin a relationship with my
students by sending them a welcome
to my class post cards. This will
helpfully get my students motivated
for school and learning. This is also
neat for students who may not have
ever received mail before.

On the first day of school I will greet students at the door and ask them their name.
I want to allow students to select the desk and people that they feel comfortable
with for the first day. Once I see the chemistry and relationship between peers I will
make a seating chart that will be adjusted as needed to create the most successful
learning environment. Students will have a short survey to fill out and tell me more
about themselves and what their interests are. I think that it is important that
students have some time to get to talk about all the exciting things that may have
happened over their summer break and also to get to know each other to begin
building community. As a class we will play an ice breaker game that will allow me
to become more familiar with names and to show me more of my students
personalities. As a class we will also read First Day Jitters by Julie Danneberg and
make some jitter juice. As a class we will come up with a classroom constitution
and sign it at the bottom.
Class environment

Yolanda Garza
Wednesday 9:00AM
Classroom Management
As I stated before I would like a classroom that feels safe and is most effective for
learning through communities. One of the things that I have noticed is the huge
push for working in groups even in various careers. This is especially true for
children who learn from one another and from interaction. I also want my class to be
very kid friendly. I have seen so many classrooms that the teachers let it go in to a
chaotic mess that seems hard to work and learn in. I do not like to have permanent
messes. I can deal with kids working on projects but I like to have all the materials
and books organized and I think that kids like that too. I want to have a very
thematic classroom. Anyone who knows me knows that I always dress for 80s
themed parties, luaus, Cinco de Mayo, even if I am the only one. Yes, I know that it
can get expensive but it can be reused and I am very crafty and creative. I really
like the colorful look with black accents and would use this type of fabric to cover up
unsightly supplies while still being available for students. Hoping that if I am
organized and routine with where to locate things it will rub off on my students and
they will also want to be this way with their work and belongings. Children also like
things that are visually appealing. I have gone into classrooms where time is wasted
looking through papers and supplies to find what is needed and is very much of a
visual overload, I will try my best to avoid this by taking the time to make sure
every space has a reason.
Realistically my class will look something like the one above although I can only
hope for more space!
I have seen the group desks become a major problem between students when
moving and trying to get them straight between two students. I found a solution for
avoiding that situation that can simply be cut if needed and are only 1$ at the dollar

Yolanda Garza
Wednesday 9:00AM
Classroom Management
store.

I would also like for my class to be my students

class

as well and bring in lamps and other homie feeling

items

that students will feel more comfortable with. As

oppose to what I have seen in my observations
students will actually be allowed to use these
things.

Classroom policies
The policies for our classroom will be short and concise and will encompass most of
the regular golden rules that are obvious for everyone to feel safe and is most
adequate for learning. My students will help me come up with an agreement that
they will all sign and that students will record themselves and take home so that
their parents will know what our classroom expectations are from the beginning. I
feel that getting my students parents involved will help with avoiding behavioral
issues and in the long run also help with any educational issues that may arise. As
2nd through 4th graders most of them will already know what is expected of them in
school however I would like to demonstrate to them how it is that I feel and why it is
important to me that they know these things and that we all follow them to promote
the most effective learning space. I will let students know about policies regarding
level of noise and why it is important in certain instances to be quiet when others
are working because sometimes it may be them who needs the quiet time. I will be
using a model that shows voice levels that is something like this. I want them to
also know that I care, as was stated in the TED talk we watched in class. If students
know that I am genuinely concerned with them they will do anything for you, and I
believe this to be true with the expected class and school policies if we discuss why

Yolanda Garza
Wednesday 9:00AM
Classroom Management
these
things are
done not
only what
happens if
they are
broken.
Classroom procedures
As a group we will discuss the reasons why having and following procedures in our
classroom helps me teach and students learn more smoothly. I would introduce this
on the first day of school as well as all expectations that I would like to see from my
students from the beginning to avoid getting off on the wrong foot. The key to
procedures is consistency which will entail of us going over some of them such as
for how to turn in papers, material placement, where our work goes, how we take
care of books, expectations while Im in small group, just to name a few. We will
take a tour of the school and talk about expected hall and bathroom behaviors. I
will also call on volunteers to help me demonstrate good and bad examples. I also
want all the students to feel as though this was their classroom too because it is! I
will go over where all things are expected to go and where they can find more to
replenish supplies if needed. In our class there will always be something to do. I
have noticed that the problem that many students with behavior problems have is
that they have nothing to do and have idle time, I found a great idea of having
busy bags not sure if I like what they are called but will think it over. Regardless
the concept is great and will be fun games that deal with past lessons so that

Yolanda Garza
Wednesday 9:00AM
Classroom Management
students are able to practice things that they have already
learned and that they dont just forget it.
Steps to addressing misbehaviors
Depending on the situation I feel that most of the events that
involves misbehaviors can be dealt with by me. I do believe
that the students should have accountability and that letting
their parents know at least weekly is a good way to cut down
on some misbehaviors. On the first days of class I want to
make it very clear that things like yelling out, talking while I
am talking, or not doing their work is not acceptable.
Although I want to let students know that they have an
option and that I really hope they think it over and choose wisely. In most cases
students are simply punished and are never asked whether they believe they have
done wrong or how they would feel if the roles were reversed. I especially like the
self-regulating approaches of Coloroso and Marshall (Lee Manning, 2013). If we give
students a sense of dignity and promote the golden rule by talking to students,
many times students will agree with you that what they are doing is not acceptable.
I will allow students to take a moment to think about the situation in a cool down
area, such as the reading area where they can still hear what is going on in whole
group. Here I will have some things for them to look at about keeping cool and
some stress balls that I made from balloons and Play-doh. After choice and
consequences are given to students, one on one, and the misbehaviors continue I
will team up with parents to get the issue fixed. Although I agree with the idea of
self-regulation I do not agree that using rewards and punishments wouldnt work

Yolanda Garza
Wednesday 9:00AM
Classroom Management
and would use a rewarding system as well as a consequences for misbehaviors. For
example work that is not finished in class will
be done on their free time such as at recess.
The dreadful teacher waiting on students,
works on some students but tends to waste
more time than I would like to. Therefor I
would give the look and then if the
behavior continued I will use proximity as
recommend by the Jones Model (Lee
Manning, 2013). Sadly this recommendation

is

not used as often as it should instead students are yelled at while the teacher sits at
their desk. Yelling only causes more interruption to other students and gives the
student more attention. Another major reason for misbehaviors that I always see is
that the lessons are so boring! There is absolutely no additional input made from
the teacher and is really sad for the students because they are not learning and
they are getting in trouble. For this reason I believe in brain breaks where we will
do some sort of Smart Board activity or song that is still educational but fun! My
class will have recess every day. I believe that if there is not recess everyday then
students will not have anything to work towards. During my observations students
would be threatened constantly that they would miss recess and half the time even
the students who did all their homework and were well behaved were not taken
either. To me its pointless to threaten taking away something that they arent given
in the first place, right?
Student motivation

Yolanda Garza
Wednesday 9:00AM
Classroom Management
For student motivation I would use topics that are interesting to my students. I have
noticed that many times the people and the stories that teachers use to teach
necessary skills are very boring and out of date. My goal is to make the information
more relevant to the age level and interest to help promote extrinsic motivation.
Another way I will motivate my students is through a reward system in which they
can win coupons to bring a stuffed pet animal, wear no shoes, and eat outside for
lunch with the teacher, things like this that dont require any extra money but are
still very exciting. Students will receive fuzzies which they are required to take
care of and not to touch. All students will be responsible for their own and I will not
replace them and will not hesitate to take back if the student cannot keep them in
their designated canister. Once a student chooses they can turn in their fuzzies to
get the coupon of their choice. This is great for teaching organizations, ownership,
helping with motivation, and patience. I feel like this may be a bit daunting in the
beginning but will get better once students know all my expectations about the
rewarding system. I would like to try and stay with this system and put in the work
because many classes I have observed in do not do any rewards because they are
either too much work or cost too much money. This idea is cost effective although
still a great deal of work will ease out of that after some practice.

Yolanda Garza
Wednesday 9:00AM
Classroom Management

Conclusion
My overall classroom management consists of a
little bit of all the things that I have learned this
semester. I would hope that I gave a general idea
of what my class would be like but know that there
are still many details that I had maybe not thought
of as of yet and probably wont until I am in that situation. However I feel as though
keeping the bigger ideas of organization,
withitness, and being prepared, will pay
off and create a safe and best learning
environment