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Many of the ideas for my Classroom Management profile have come from Curwin and
Mendler’s Discipline with Dignity philosophy and Harry Wong’s management philosophy found
in his book, The First Days of School. The ideas of these educators are underlying almost every
aspect of my profile, especially in the theories that the first day of school is the most influential
for classroom management, students respond best to discipline if they are treated with dignity,
and discipline should always be carried out in a way that encourages students to take
responsibility for their actions.

I will manage my room in a way that upholds our classroom’s five core values of
trustworthiness, respect, kindness, positivity, and working hard. I will also create an
environment that is safe and structured, calm and relaxing, and I will explicitly teach students
responsibility and other essential life lessons.

These five core values are repeated over and over throughout my profile. They
will be the focus of our classroom’s procedures, expectations, and daily routines.
In this special education setting I think it is important that these values are
simple, shown consistently, and explicitly taught. By the end of the year I want
my students to have a clear understanding of what it means and looks like to
have these values and why they are so important in all settings.

My students will come into our class with behavior and academic frustrations, so
it is my responsibility to make sure the classroom environment remains a
physically, mentally, and emotionally safe place. All procedures and expectations
are set up to communicate to my students that I have high expectations and will
not stand for unsafe or unsupportive behaviors. We will also encourage a
mentally and emotionally safe environment so students can build their
confidence and feel encouraged by others to try.

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 The classroom setting can be extremely stressful and frustrating for students
with disabilities, so my goal is to create a calm and relaxing environment where
students can feel their basic needs are met. I will take great care when designing
the physical layout of the classroom to meet the sensory needs of my classroom
and make sure it is stimulating but not overwhelming. I will also have an
excessive amount of communication with my students to learn their learning
styles and preferences and their academic potential. If my classroom is a place
where students feel safe enough to communicate that, then I can share that
information and help the student in all classroom settings.

Strongly sticking to the responsibility model explained in the Discipline with

Dignity philosophy, I will explicitly teach about responsibility to help students
understand that they can apply what they learn in the classroom to every setting
they encounter. I want my students to know that I am on their side, and while
they may not like the forms of discipline they meet in my class, I am helping
them to become the best person they can possibly be when they leave my class.
I will always discipline for the benefit of the student, never to belittle or demean
them. I will teach them positive alternatives to their negative behaviors.

I think that these styles of classroom management fit well with my strengths and
weaknesses and are very realistic. I am kind, patient, good at communicating, I look for the best
in students, and I am a problem solver. I will go the extra mile to give my students the best
education possible, even if it means sacrificing my own time and resources.
Learning to confront and discipline students will be a learning experience for me, so I
have set in place specific procedures and guidelines throughout my profile that I will be able to
refer to when I have my own classroom. I will over prepare and over communicate so that I can
have a plan and a response to for every circumstance.

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1st hr. 7:40-8:30  One of the first students to arrive will be designated the hand shaker for
(Academic the day and will shake the hands of students as they walk in. I will also be
Support: 6th standing by the door to greet students.
& 7th gd.)  Students will get out their planner and have it opened to the previous day
where a parent should have signed showing they saw the students’
homework and any notes written home by the teacher
 As the teacher walks around to check if students have their planner signed
the students will have grabbed their journals from the 1st hour shelf and
start answering the journal question on the board
 Teacher asks for a few students to raise their hands and share what they
wrote for their journal entry
 Subject work (Math or Language Arts): the class works on a math
assignment together as a class or the teacher reads the book assigned to
the students aloud. (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday)
Or
 Practice with a social/ life/ appropriate behavior skill (Monday and Friday)
nd
2 hr. 8:35-9:25  The teacher greets the students at the door
(Resource  Each student goes around and says a good thing that has happened in the
Reading: 4 past day
students)  Reading strategies work
 Reading strategies practice and worksheet
 Group discussion about how the reading strategy helped or hurt reading
skills. (Did reading seem faster/ easier?)
3rd hr. 9:30-10:19  Greet all students in the class as they come in
(ELA: 7th  Read the daily quote
grade co-  Students journal what they think the quote means and how it might relate
taught class) to them
 Teacher helps struggling students by having them verbalize what they are
thinking
 Both teachers teach about story elements using examples from the story
the class just read
 Students work on story elements outline worksheet while teachers assist
4th hr. 10:24-11:13  Teacher greets the students at the door
(Math: 7th  Class goes over problems in the homework that multiple students struggled
grade) on the overhead
 Teacher reteaches any information that needs to be retaught
 Moves on to the next subject
 Allows time at the end of class to practice the new math skill taught

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Lunch 11:18-11:36  Eat lunch
 Door is open if any students wanted to receive extra help during lunch or
had a concern and wanted to talk to the teacher without other students
around
5th hr. 11:41-12:30  Make copies
(Prep hour)  Grade papers
 Work on co-teaching plans
 Communicate with parents if necessary
 Communicate with other teachers if necessary
 Work on IEP/ behavior plan paperwork
 Bring in students for necessary testing
 Allow students to come in to get extra help when able
6th hr. 12:35-1:24  One of the first students to arrive will be designated the hand shaker for
(Academic the day and will shake the hands of students as they walk in. I will also be
Support: 5th standing by the door to greet students.
grade)  Students will get out their planner and have it opened to the previous day
where a parent should have signed showing they saw the students’
homework and any notes written home by the teacher
 As the teacher walks around to check if students have their planner signed
the students will have grabbed their journals from the 1st hour shelf and
start answering the journal question on the board
 Teacher asks for a few students to raise their hands and share what they
wrote for their journal entry
 Subject work (Math or Language Arts): the class works on a math
assignment together as a class or the teacher reads the book assigned to
the students aloud. (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday)
Or
 Practice with a social/ life/ appropriate behavior skill (Monday, Friday)
th
7 hr. 1:29-2:18  Greet students at the door
(ELA  Introduce students to the book they will be reading together as a group.
intervention:  Teacher reads the story as students work on story elements worksheet
5th grade, 6  Students discuss story elements outline
students)

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(Since every hour of the resource room has a different plan this is basically the weekly schedule
for 1st or 6th hour and my planning hour)

Monday:  Review procedures and expectations/ classroom norms with my class

 Review objectives for the week with my classes
 Hand out weekly schedules with assignments and due dates
 Behavior/ social skills lesson
 Plan the week with co-teacher
 Communicate the plan for the week with paraprofessionals and aids
Tuesday:  Daily journals
 Daily homework review
 Daily math and ELA lessons
 Daily discussion of what we have learned
 Any testing that needs to be done
Wednesday:  Daily journals
 Daily homework review
 Daily math and ELA lessons
 Daily discussion of what we have learned
 Any testing that needs to be done
Thursday:  Daily journals
 Daily homework review
 Daily math and ELA lessons
 Daily discussion of what we have learned
 Any testing that needs to be done
Friday:  Review of the week’s goals and objectives (academic and behavioral)
 Weekly assignment check (did students turn in all assignments? Did
they improve organizational skills this week?)
 Behavior/ social skills lesson
 Reading time
 Review the week with paraprofessionals and aids and make changes
for things that did not work well and a plan for next week
 Review the week with the co-teacher, make a plan for next week

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Procedure: What to do: If procedure is not followed:

Entering the One student is the greeter at the
Classroom door, students are to come into
the classroom civilized and ready
to learn with no horseplay and a
good noise level. When they come
in they set their things at their
desk, grab their journals, and start
working on their journal prompt.
If students come into the classroom
horseplaying or making too much noise they
will first receive a warning from the teacher
and will be redirected to sit in their seat and
begin their daily journals, if the student does
not change their behavior after a warning
they willing be moved or given an
appropriate consequence.

Explanation: The beginning of the class sets the tone for the
entire hour, so it is important for students to have an
efficient procedure that helps get them focused on learning.

Daily Journals When students enter the
classroom they will grab their
journals from their hour’s journal
bin, and start answering the
journal question on the board.
After five minutes the teacher will
lead the class in a discussion about
what they wrote.
The journals will not leave the bin in the
classroom so students will have no excuse for
missing their journal. Journals will be graded
for completion, so the student that gives no
effort will receive a poor participation grade.

Explanation: The journals are to help students focus on the

learning ahead. If a student refuses to work on their journal they
are telling the teacher they are not ready to learn and participate
that day.

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Daily planner Before students work on their
check and journals they are to open their
weekly planner on their desk for the
assignment teacher to check for a parent/
check guardian’s signature. At the
beginning of each week a student
will get a schedule with
assignments due for the week, at
the end of the week the teacher
will evaluate if the student stayed
organized and turned in all
assignments.
Students will be rewarded at the end of the
week for getting 5 parent signatures. If a
student does not show the parent a not the
teacher wrote home, then the teacher will
call the parent and explain what the note
said. If the student missed turning in
assignments that week they will have a
discussion with the teacher on why they did
not turn them in and the two will find a
solution for how the student can stay more
organized/ get their work done.

Explanation: Every day the students will write down their

assignments in their planner and the teacher will write any
necessary notes to the parent. This is for simple communication
between the parent and teacher as well as accountability for the
student to stay organized and complete assignments.

Communication Daily communication can take I will be persistent in communicating with

with parents place with notes home in the parents and creating a way for them to
planner. At the beginning of the participate in their child’s education.
year I will ask parents how they
would like to be communicated
with (i.e. through email, text, call,
letter home) for IEP meetings and
other communication.

Explanation: Notes home from the teacher in the planner can be

concerns the parent needs to know about or positive things so the
parent knows their child is doing well in school.

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What to do If students finish work early and
when work is have reviewed their work with a
done teacher to make sure it is
completely done and done well,
then they should work on other
assignments for other classes or
bring a book to read. I will have a
bookshelf in my classroom for
them to choose a book if they did
not bring anything.
If a student has been working hard and
finishes early and needs a break from
working on homework/ reading I will have a
folder with brain breaks, word/ number
puzzles, and coloring activities that the
students can also work on. If the student is
not staying on task and distracting others
after finishing their work, the teacher will
encourage they work on something or they
might make a poor decision that would lead
to a consequence.

Explanation: Students need to stay busy learning while in school, but

students (especially students with disabilities) can be exhausted by
working hard for a long time, so I think the best thing that can be given
to students is a break where they can relax and enjoy working on a
stimulating activity for a little while. This should be a reward for the
student working hard and completing their work.

Turning work in Since I will be working in a
resource room, most work will be
turned into other teachers.
However, planners and assignment
schedules can help students stay
organized and prepared to turn in
their work in other classrooms.
If a student is not turning in their work in
another class, I will have a discussion with
them to determine why they are not, if they
are having difficulties with completing the
homework I will work with them on some
time management skills, if the work is too
difficult for them to comprehend we can
reevaluate the students’ goals, and if the
student is having organization problems then
we can create a better system that helps the
student stay organized.

Explanation: This is teaching the student important life skills on how to stay
organized and complete a task. I want to teach students skills that they can
take with them into the workforce and possibly college. I want to give the
student strategies and skills that they can apply to other areas of their lives
to help them become better at completing tasks.

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Staying The students will have daily As stated above, if the student is having
organized planner checks and weekly difficulties with organization, the teacher can
assignment schedules. If this is not work with them to find individual solutions.
enough for the student to be
successful, the student will receive
a binder with a section for every
class. The student will be rewarded
if they keep the binder organized
throughout the week.

Explanation: Again, this is a life skill that students need to learn. The goal
of this procedure will be to make the student as independent as possible
in using strategies and skills for organization so they can carry those skills
over to other areas of their lives.

Getting When I do not have the class’s If a student does not heed these three
students’ attention I first will be completely warnings they will be moved away from the
attention quiet and wait a few seconds for friend they were distracted by. Further
students to also become quiet. The disciplinary action will take place if the
next symbol will be me raising my student continues to distract the class.
hand in the air with four fingers,
students are to copy this and stay
quiet. If a student is still talking
with a friend, I will move towards
their desk and ask them to please
be respectful when others are
talking.

Explanation: The student needs to learn that it is disrespectful and also wastes
class time to interrupt someone who is talking.

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Using the Students are to raise their hand
restroom and ask to use the restroom, they
will take the restroom pass with
them and return immediately
after. Students will know that if
someone has already left to use
the restroom I will not permit
another student to go until the
other returns, unless it is an
absolute emergency.
If a student is wasting time or doing
something else when they said they were
going to the restroom they will receive a
lunch detention or another appropriate
consequence. Students will wait until there is
a break in class instruction and will not
interrupt the teacher at an inopportune time
to ask or they will be told to wait.

Explanation: This procedure is for the safety of students leaving the

classroom so they can always be accounted for. If a student directly lies or
disobeys this procedure they will receive a lunch detention for lying and not
respecting the trust I have for them.

Leaving the Students are not to leave the
classroom classroom unless granted
permission by the teacher and
given a hall pass. At the end of the
hour, the teacher will tell the
students when they can start
packing up and students will stay in
their seats until the bell rings.
If students start packing up before the bell
rings I will ask them to stop and trust that I
will give them enough time to prepare for
their next class. If students are out of their
seats before the bell rings, I will remind them
to sit. The students will earn a group
contingency reward at the end of the week if
they have all mastered this.

Explanation: For the safety of students and order of the classroom,

students will stay in their seats. This helps with order and safety, but
also stress and anxiety levels. I want to begin and end every class in
an orderly way so the students can feel prepared for their next class
and learn strategies for how to physically, mentally, and emotionally
prepare themselves for whatever task they have coming up next.

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 Do not cheat
on any
assignments
or tests Look at the
person
Do not gossip talking and
Tell the truth or tell others' give them
secrets your
No attention Respect other
innapropriat student's
personal
Trustworthy e or profane belongings and
language personal space

Example 1: Example 3: Respect

Example 1: Example 3:
Example 2:

Perform
random acts of
kindness Example 2:

Encourage
Pay attention
other students
when others
answering a
are talking
question

Kindness

Example 1: Example 3:

Example 2:

Always Use "I can"

give your statements
instead of "I
best effort can't"
Go the extra Be a leader Always try to Find
mile, do more and role have a something
than what's model for positive great about
expected
others attitude every day
Hard
Working Positive

Example 1: Example 3:
Example 1: Example 3:

Example 2:
Example 2:

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 For my classroom rules and norms I will be using the theme of our five values:
Trustworthiness, respect, kindness, positivity, and working hard. As you can see from the
graphic above, I have created three rules or expectations for each value. These classroom
expectations will be posted in the classroom (in a larger form so it does not look as
overwhelming and difficult to read as the graphic above) I created these values based on
Curwin and Mendler’s Discipline with Dignity philosophy. I want my rules and expectations to
create an environment that helps students learn responsibility for their behavior and learning. I
think that teaching these values explicitly to students will help them learn that.
There is space for three examples with each value. In these spaces students will work in
groups to come up with examples of how each value can be lived out in the classroom.
According to Harry Wong (2010) student involvement is incredibly important in the process of
determining classroom rules and norms. I have already created the expectations, but by
allowing students to process the expectations and think of examples I can gauge how on board
the students are and how realistic the expectations are. After going through the expectations as
a class, students will break into groups and think of examples, the groups will then present their
examples creatively to the class, and the class will decide if it is a sufficient example. After all
rules, norms, and examples have been determined students will each sign a bee on the social
contract promising to abide by these expectations.

We will then talk about the importance of signing a contract and what that means in the
business world. We will move into consequences that will result from breaking the contract and
disobeying a classroom rule. There will be a general guideline for breaking classroom rules that
will be posted in the classroom and explained after we have made our social contract. See the
graphic below for an idea of what this will look like. My method for enforcing classroom
expectations is also coming from Mendler and Curwin’s Discipline with Dignity philosophy.
Classroom rules must be enforced, but the enforcement must be done in a way that upholds
the student’s dignity and offers a learning opportunity for a positive behavior. The enforcement
will always be related to the transgression.

First Offense: Second Offense: Third Offense:

Warning from the teacher Note to parents, In the words of Harry Potter’s
Professor Snape:
Conference with the teacher, The consequence will result…

Or removal from the

situation

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 Hard
Trustworthiness Respect Kindness Positivity Working

In my classroom our theme will be: “We will bee… EXCEPTIONAL”. I have five core
values that I hold highly and believe my students should understand and learn about in my
classroom. They are: trustworthiness, respect, kindness, positivity, and working hard. These
values are incorporated in the classroom’s rules, norms, expectations, environment, feel, and
daily routines. They will be expressed in intangible and tangible ways. Many of the intangible
and tangible ideas have come from observing and talking to Jonell Hasselback, a special
education teacher and the Jackson public schools teacher of the year. Specific examples of
intangible ways I will incorporate these values into my classroom can be seen below:

Intangible Examples: In my classroom I will lead by example. I will hold myself to a higher standard
than I hold my students when it comes to incorporating these values into every day life. If I want my
students to be exceptional, I must first lead by example and set the pace by becoming an
exceptionally trustworthy, respectable, kind, positive, and hard-working teacher.

I will be truthful with my students and

not share any of their personal business
with other students.
I will not gossip about other students or
faculty members in any setting.
Gossiping and cheating will not be
tolerated in my class.

I will model polite language and

appropriate behavior to students.
I will treat students with dignity and
talk to them as young adults, giving
them appropriate amounts of
responsibility.
Using inappropriate or profane language
or disrespecting the personal space and
belongings of others will not be
tolerated.

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 My body language and verbal
communication will show my students
that my classroom is a safe place and
that I am a safe person to communicate
with
I will listen to my students when they
need or want to talk. If the amount of
talking is inappropriate for the time we
have in class, I will make myself
available to spend some time with the
student at lunch, after school tutoring,
etc.
I will perform exceptional acts of
kindness by caring about my students’
lives outside of the classroom. I will
attend athletic events, band concerts,
plays, etc. and go out of my way to tell
the student that I thought they did a
great job.
No matter how stressed, worried, busy,
tired, or frustrated I may be, I will leave
it at the door and model positivity to my
students, coming in every day with a
positive and energetic attitude.
I will encourage and explicitly teach
students that their feelings and the
situations they are going through are
valid, but life is better when you choose
to look at things with a positive attitude.
I will give responsibilities and leadership
positions to students with positive
attitudes so others can see how their
positive attitude effects their life.
 I will work hard to make creative and
fun lessons for my students so they can
enjoy their learning.
 I will verbally praise and reward
students who consistently work hard or
those who make a conscious choice to
work hard.
 I will use multisensory methods of
instruction to engage all students and
give all an opportunity to enjoy learning
and feel successful in hopes that they
will become motivated to work hard
consistently.

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Daily quotes/ Journal prompts: Every day at the beginning of the hour students will have a daily
quote or prompt to write about in their journals for five minutes. These quotes and prompts will
always encourage students to think deeper about the 5 core values and how there are
opportunities for them to be incorporated in every day life.
Classroom setup: My classroom (as you can see below) will be set up to encourage
collaboration. I have desks placed in groups so students can easily work with one another;
however, I also have spaces like the back table and the couch and bean bag chair where
students can go if they need to take a break from being around so many people. I have also
created spaces like the kidney table and teacher’s desk where the teacher can easily work with
students. The classroom is also open enough so that the teacher can walk around and reach
every student.
Theme of the week: Every week we will have a theme of one of the 5 core values. We will do
journal prompts, activities, and lessons to support that theme.
Exceptional student of the week reward: Every week the student who shows the most
exceptional behavior in relation to the theme of the week will be lifted up as a leader and role
model and will receive a reward. That reward may be a prize, an opportunity to sit in the comfy
seat, or an activity of the student’s choice.
Positive décor: I tried to make my classroom layout as simple and underwhelming as possible.
The décor in my room will help create a calming and relaxing environment that will hopefully
help to diffuse some students’ anger, frustration, and hyperactivity. I will decorate with soft
colors, have students take care of a few plants, have relaxing candles or air fresheners, I will
keep my room clean, and the walls will have only essential posters that help students
concentrate and remember. To help students become more positive, I will try to minimize
distractions and frustrations for them.
Learning materials: In my classroom I
included lots of shelf and storage
space. Some shelves will be filled with
books while others will be filled with
different tools that students can use
as learning strategies. For example,
there will be a math shelf filled with
chips, flash cards, blocks, white
boards, number tables, counting
tools, dice, etc. This will support the
value that students should always be
working hard. I will teach students
strategies with these tools to help
them become successful and
motivated to work hard.

17
Trustworthy Respectful

We Will Kind
Bee...

Hard
Positive
Workers

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 This is my scripted plan for my first hour class (academic support 6th & 7th grade). For the first
week of school I will be working on introductions, explaining procedures, and explaining classroom
expectations; so the plans for each hour will be very similar. Wong (2010) states in The First Days of
School that the first days of school are the most important of the entire year. The student’s first
impression of the classroom and the teacher is extremely important and has a lasting effect on the
academic and behavioral standard they will hold themselves to.

Since this is an academic support class with 6th and 7th graders I want to place an emphasis on
getting to know each other and feeling safe and supported. I want my classroom to be a place where
students feel calm and their confidence is built. I want bonds to form between students, so I am
spending most of the first day with students getting to know each other in an interactive way.

7:35-7:40 Greeting Students:

I will start the day standing outside of my door greeting every student and shaking their hands
or giving them a high five, making it fun and relaxed and trying to eliminate as much awkwardness from
high fiving your teacher as possible. I will try to greet every student by their name before they even
enter the classroom.

7:40-7:45 Hand Shakes and Finding Seats:

When the bell rings I will walk in the classroom and say, “alright, anyone who is sitting please
stand up!” When students have all stood up I will say, “Please turn to the person on your right, give their
hand a nice firm shake, and say how ya doin neighbor? Now turn to the person on your left, give their
hand a gentle little squeeze, and say it’s so great to see you today! Now turn to one more person you
haven’t seen yet, give them a solid high five, and say I’m so stinkin happy we are in this class together!

“Alright students excellent job! Now I know you are all fantastic greeters and fantastic human
beings and trust me that will come in handy later because every day we are going to have a different
person at the door as the greeter like I was today. We will pick those people tomorrow when we go over
procedures, but right now I need everyone to take a seat. As you can see there is a planner book on
every desk and there is a name on every planner book. That will be your assigned seat for now, and we
will see how things go and if we need to switch things up in the future.”

7:45-8:00 Teacher and Classroom Aid Introductions:

“I am going to start today off by introducing myself because I am a brand new teacher to this
school and if we haven’t gotten a chance to meet yet you have probably never seen me. My name, as
you should already know, is Mrs. Miller and I’m going to take you through some pictures of my life so
you can get to know me a little better.” Starts a slide show showing where I’m from, what my hobbies
are, the University I went to, how much I love volleyball, something about Younglife, a quick thing about
my husband, how much I love my dog, and finally why I decided to become a teacher and some of the
ways that has been difficult but very worth it. “Do you have any questions about me and my life?”
Answer some quick questions if students have them. “Now we are going to introduce another extremely

19
important member of our classroom family, this is Ms. Smith and she will be our classroom aid for first
hour”. Ms. Smith will give the same kind of introduction I gave.

8:00-8:15 Wall-to-Wall get to know you game

“Now that you have gotten to know a little bit about us, we want to get to know you a little
better. To do this we are going to play a little game called Wall-to-Wall. Here is what is going to happen,
in a minute when I am finished explaining we are all going to stand up, I’m going to move our
PowerPoint to the next slide. It’s going to look like this :
Has Siblings Only Child
You are going to move to the side of the room that
Describes you or what you agree with. Every time I will have someone explain their answer or I will ask
them a question about their answer. Let me hear any questions you have… Ok, everyone stand up”. Play
game with prompts like: Would you rather play outdoors or indoors? Would you rather go skiing or to a
water park? Would you rather visit a space station or stay in an underwater hotel? With every question I
will ask one student from each group why they chose that side. We will play until every student has
gotten a chance to share with the class.

8:15-8:30 Explaining the week’s schedule

“Excellent job everyone! Please have a seat back at your desk. I am now handing out a small
little schedule to help you see what we will be doing for this first week of school. Today we have had a
pretty fun and easy day so far, wouldn’t you agree? That is because I think the stuff we are doing today
is really, really important. It is important that in this room you guys feel comfortable and safe because
we are going to be working on some tough stuff and there will be times where you probably won’t
believe in yourself and what you are capable of, but I’m going to challenge you guys and we are going to
work hard together. I want this room to feel like a family, so this week we’re going to talk about our five
core values and what it looks like to support each other and lift each other up to become exceptional
people.

“If you look at the schedule, you will see that tomorrow we will be going over our classroom
procedures. I will explain what all this stuff is around our classroom, why these posters are here, what to
do with homework, what you should do when you need to go to the bathroom, what we are going to do
every day, what you are going to do with those planners, and we’re going to try and answer any
questions you might have about this room and your time in it. We’re going to practice those procedures
all week and on Wednesday we are going to do an activity to make sure you guys have those
memorized, perfected, and locked in your brain where you will never forget them.

Then, on Thursday and Friday, we are going to be looking at our Classroom rules and
expectations. If you look over here on the wall, this poster that looks like a bee hive that says, ‘We Will
Bee… EXCEPTIONAL’. These are going to be our classroom’s five core values. These values of
trustworthiness, respect, kindness, working hard, and positivity are incredibly important to me, and I
believe that they need to be taught and shared with every person if they want to be truly exceptional.
With each value there are 3 classroom expectations. On Thursday and Friday we will be talking about
those expectations and you guys will come up with examples for what they can look like in our
classroom. These core values will be incorporated into everything we do and I know that they will help
you guys become exceptional people.” Encourage the students to ask any questions they have about the
classroom.

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 To make my class run as efficiently as possible I have created a list of transitions and sponge
activities I can use in my classroom. I will use these activities to enhance student learning, sometimes
that might mean giving them a rest, an opportunity to get energy out, or an opportunity to talk.

Many of these examples have come from Jennifer Gonzalez’s blog: Cult of Pedagogy.

Transition activities:
Playing Music
A timed break to talk to friends
A quick video
Any of the sponge activities listed below that only take a few seconds

Sponge activities:
Competitions
 Get 6: a dice game where the first student rolls and then begins answering math
problems, they answer as many problems as they an until the second student roles the
same number as the first student, then the second person answers questions until the
first person rerolls that same number. The game continues until one person finishes the
worksheet.
 Physical Competition: Shooting into a mini basketball hoop, keeping a balloon in the air,
hula hoop competition, etc.
 Dance Competition: Two willing students boogie and other students cheer to determine
the winner.
Group activities
 Balloon game: All students must hold hands in a circle and keep a balloon in the air
using any body part except their feet. See how many balloons they can get going at
once.
 Hula hoop game: All students must hold hands and pass a hula hoop around the group
without becoming disconnected.
 20/20: Without making any plan or system, students must count to 20. The teacher will
start by saying “1”. If students say a number at the same time the class must start over.
See how long it takes to reach 20.
Brain Break Activities
 Books!: I will have a bookshelf full of books students would enjoy.
 Brain Breaks: I will have a folder of brain break activities like Sokuku puzzles, word
searches, crosswords, math puzzles, and coloring books.
 Music: Listening to relaxing music.

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End of day & Midday activities
 Tweet of the Day: Students write a tweet about one thing they learned.
 1 Minute Speech: A student has one minute to prepare and one minute to give a speech
on something they learned.
 Spring Cleaning: Students are given a few minutes to clean out their binders or organize
their things.
 Compliment Project: One student sits in the “hot seat” and other students write
compliments about the student on the white board behind them. After a minute the
student turns around and reads the compliments.
 Charades review: Students are given a minute to prepare and then act out something
they learned.
 Taking a walk: Take students outdoors to get some exercise and some fresh air by
taking a walk.
 Group story writing: One student starts by writing a sentence, then passes the paper to
the next person, every student writes one sentence then the teacher reads the story
when it gets to the end.
 Mystery Skype (must be set up before hand): A program where students skype with a
random classroom somewhere around the world and must ask yes/ no questions to
figure out where they are from.
 Open Mic: Have a student with a unique talent perform in front of the class. They can
sing a song, dance, play an instrument, dance, martial arts, etc.

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Who: Principal, superintendent, secretaries, janitors, recess aids, cafeteria workers
When: I will keep regular but appropriate communication with administration. They are
extremely busy and I will certainly problem solve to fix issues that are not worth the
administrators’ time, but I will keep them updated regularly so they can have a good
grasp on how my classes are running, how my students are progressing, and how
collaboration amongst teachers is progressing.
How: Phone, email, and in person
Why: I will need the support of my administration so I will work my hardest to keep
open and respectful communication with them. I will keep them updated with student
issues such as behavior so they can have a better understanding of what is going on in
their school. I will also communicate with administration about IEP meetings, when they
are taking place, where they will be, who will be there, what will be discussed, and the
goals I have drafted prior to the meeting. I will also try to keep in contact with
secretaries, janitors, recess aids, and cafeteria workers because they will likely know my
students and having a positive relationship with them will be a great asset.

Who: Parents and guardians, the person most likely to advocate for the child
When: Before the school year begins, daily communication when necessary, IEP
meetings, conferences, before and after school
How: At the beginning of the year I will tell parents how much I would value their
collaboration and communication. I will ask them how they would prefer to be
contacted: through email, phone call, text, in person, notes etc. Some parents will
probably need to be kept in some form of communication daily while others will not
require very much. I would also make it known that I would really appreciate parents
communicating with me about helping in the classroom. I could always find jobs for
them or activities they could do with students to be involved. I will create special events
that the parents will be invited to. Events where students present projects or display
work in the classroom. Anything to help my classroom feel like a welcoming
environment that students can feel proud to share with their parents and their parents
can feel confident that their child is being taken care of. I will also research outreaches
in the area that are specifically for students with disabilities such as programs through
the YMCA, ISD, special Olympics, church groups etc. Anything that can help the student
grow academically, socially, improve their quality of life, grow more independent, and
create fun opportunities for parents to be involved in their child’s life. I will also create
welcoming environments for IEP meetings and conferences so I can be a support for the
parents who have to manage the stress of raising a child with special needs.
Why: Parents are among the most important collaborators because of their passion to
do what’s best for their child. They need to be informed about the progress and

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digression their student is making in the classroom. I also need to know how things are
going at home so I can use that information to better understand and teach the student.

Who: The co-teacher, administration

When: Daily and weekly to plan lessons, prior to each unit
How: Electronic communication that can be shared like google docs, google sheets,
shared calendars, and online scheduling books; face-to-face communication,
professional development on co-teaching strategies
Why: We will need to communication lesson and unit plans, roles and expectations,
what we are doing well and what we need to improve

Who: All teachers who have students on my caseload in their general education class
When: Regularly, when necessary for the student’s benefit
How: Notes, texting, email, progress reports
Why: I will need to be on the same page as the general education teachers so the
student can receive all accommodations necessary to reach their goals. In order to
collect data and make appropriate changes for the student I will need updates on
academic and behavior progress. I will also listen to the teachers’ suggestions for what
might be best for the student in their class.

Who: Paraprofessionals, Classroom aids, other special service providers, anyone who
works closely with the student
When: Daily, weekly, whenever necessary
How: face-to-face meetings, regular updates, email, texting
Why: I will meet with other professionals working closely with the student to make sure
students are working towards their goals. I will communicate things that need to be
changed and what is going well. I will keep paraprofessionals and aids accountable for
giving their best effort to help the students. I will also encourage them and compliment
what they are doing well. I will communicate weekly lesson plans so that they can be
organized and prepared to help the student

Who: All students in my class, general education students in my co-taught class

When: Constantly
How: Daily, open communication with students
Why: I will encourage students to communicate with me and speak about their
questions and struggles. I will make myself available at lunches, before school, and after
school for students to come and talk to me about things that don’t relate to what we
are talking about in the classroom. I will establish a form of communication like email or
google classroom so students can contact me from home if they have questions on
homework or need extra help. Letters in their planners

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Dear Parents/ Guardians,
It is my pleasure to introduce myself as your child’s teacher this year! My name is
Annica Miller and I am a recent graduate from Spring Arbor University. At this University, I
have had excellent opportunities to learn from some of the best educators in the state the art
and science of teaching. This year I am incredibly excited to be working in the middle school
resource room and co-teaching in the 7th grade English Language Arts classroom with your
child.

I would like to introduce you to my classroom by explaining the five core values we will
be focusing on this year: Trustworthiness, respect, kindness, positivity, and working hard.
These are five values that are incredibly important to me and that I believe are necessary for
growing your child into a well-rounded member of our classroom. These values will be
incorporated into our classroom rules and daily procedures.

I would like to further introduce you to our classroom by inviting you to a meet and
greet on Sunday September 1st at 3:00 PM in classroom 105 at Blissfield Middle School. I will
provide desserts and drinks, and I would love to use the time to get to know you and your
child. Open communication is extremely important to me, and I believe it is an essential to
your child’s education.

If you can make it to this event please let me know by emailing me at

annica.miller@bps.edu. If you cannot make it to our beginning of the year party, I would love
to set up a time to meet and get to know you sometime in these first couple weeks of school. I
would also very much appreciate knowing your preferred mode of communication whether
that be through text, email, phone call, notes, etc.

I cannot wait for the beginning of this school year, and to get to know you and your
lovely children! I will see you soon!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Miller

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 7th Grade ELA with Mrs. Miller and Mrs. Barber

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

A.S.: Daily Journal A.S.: Daily Journal A.S.: Daily Journal A.S.: Daily Journal A.S.: Daily Journal
Lesson: Reviewing Lesson/ Activity: Lesson/ Activity: Lesson: Writing Lesson/ Activity:
elements of a Students create Students give 5 our own stories Continue to write
story an elements chart minute with the elements and color draft for
Activity: Filling for the last presentations on of a story elements of
out elements independent book the elements of Activity: Students unique story.
Wkst for The they read. Same their story/ show draft their own Homework: Final
Hunger Games worksheet but their drawings on unique stories on draft due Monday
(both teachers have students the overhead. a similar
assist) draw pictures worksheet. Split
Homework: Finish (Parallel teaching) into two groups
Wkst Homework: with teachers to
Continue working discuss ideas
on this Homework: Work
on drafting story

Kara,

Thank you so much for

attending Brian’s IEP
meeting. Your suggestions
and feedback help so
much and I am so grateful
to have you as a part of
the team!
Sincerely,
Annica

26
Dear Ms. Goss,

I am emailing you as a reminder that Luke’s IEP meeting will be taking place this
Wednesday, February 20th at 1:30 pm in the Middle School office. There have been few changes
since we last spoke, and we will still be working on updating Luke’s goals for this semester. We
will also be talking about the progress he is making on his annual behavior goals. I will be running
the meeting and will bring my slightly updated draft of the math and English goals that I think
will be best for Luke to work on this semester. Also at the meeting will be Mrs. Yeider, Mrs.
Crary, Mr. Leonard, and of course Luke. I have been talking to him in class about advocating for
himself and I think this meeting will be a good opportunity for him to have some control over his
future plans. As always if you have any questions email me or text me. I will see you soon!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Miller

Dear Mrs. Heasley,

I wanted to email you the updated goals I have drafted for Brent’s IEP meeting. After
collecting some more data on his recent behavior issues I have changed some of his
accommodations and goals. Please take a look and let me know what you think. I am also
anticipating the parents being unsatisfied with these goals, as has been my experience with
them throughout the year. Any suggestions you can make would be very helpful, as I am
grateful for your time.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Miller

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Curwin, R. L., & Mendler, A. N. (1988). Discipline with Dignity. Alexandria, Va.: Association

for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Gonzalez, Jennifer. “Cult of Pedagogy.” What to Do on Lame Duck School Days, 23 April 2017.

Hasselback, J. (2018-19). Observations.

Wong, Harry., & Wong, Rosemary. “Wong Classroom Management.” The First Day of School,

25 September 2007.

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