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Table of Contents
RED TAB Classroom Management Philosophy Behavioral Case Study

Developmental Stages Outline Letter of Introduction to Parents Welcome Letter to Students

CLEAR TAB- Classroom Procedures Teacher Procedure Chart Starting the Day Tardy Absences Homework Finishing Early Getting Help Bathroom Use

BLUE TAB- Awards

Young Author Award Student of the Week Perfect Attendance Honor Roll Terrific Helper

Classroom Management Philosophy Classroom management can either make or break your classroom instruction time all year. I believe that teaching good classroom management skills early on in the year will save time in the long run. There will be less distraction and more learning going on in the classroom. I believe that consistency is the key. If I am not consistent with my procedures and rules, the rules mean nothing to my classroom, and therefore my students will start picking up behaviors that are unacceptable in the classroom. Because of inconsistency, you lose time in instructional teaching to take care of your helpless hand raisers, or those students in the red zone of the zone of proximity. Red zone of proximity is the zone where students who are not in the eye level or hearing level of where the teacher is standing. If your students understand that you mean business then they will be more in order to obey your rules and procedures and respect you as a teacher as well as themselves. To make a classroom in order you have to be consistent. I believe that through great time and effort in classroom management in the beginning of the year, students will create an environment that will bring memorable learning experiences to the classroom and to the teacher. I believe the more demanding you are in the beginning of the year, the less stress and headaches you will deal with later on in the year. In my classroom I want a positive learning environment in classroom, and I believe if I stick to a great classroom management plan, the year will go as smooth as I want it to be. My students are just going to have to know that I mean business right from the beginning. There will always be that class you will have that will push your limits. It is up to me as the teacher and educator to not let the students control the classroom management, but together come up with a plan that is fair and reasonable for all students to obey.

Behavioral Case Study

Lauralynn Defngin

NOTE: For privacy issues the name of this child will be protected. I have changed the name of the student, teacher, and school in my behavioral study. Student will be referred as Bobby Mashay, teacher will be referred as Ms. Ray, and the school will be Bryant Elementary.

It was my first day in practicum at Bryant Elementary. I was an excited practicum student ready to be filled with enlightenment and a class full of bright students. The bell rang at 9am exactly, I was anxious to meet this 2nd grade class that I will be with for my whole first semester of the elementary program. Ms. Ray went and stood by the glass door, turned towards me and my dyad partner, and said, You guys ready? We both had a huge grin on our face and nodded our heads. Good morning class, Ms. Ray said while swinging the glass door open. Hang your backpacks up, check yourselves in and meet me at the rug. The students did as Ms. Ray asked until they saw my dyad partner and I sitting in the back of the classroom observing them. It was then that I saw Bobby heading our way. Who are you guys? Bobby asked. Why are you guys here? Alright Bobby, to the rug like I asked, thank you. Ms. Ray scolded. Ms. Ray introduced us to the class. I noticed little Bobby kept interrupting her with questions about us. Bobby was so intrigued by the fact that we will be with them once a week until Christmas break. He had lots to say during instruction, and I noticed his attention span was very short. Since my first day of practicum I knew Bobby would be my case study. Part one: Bobbys behavior seemed to worsen as the weeks went by. Week after week, I would see a different behavioral plan for little Bobby. Around the third week of practicum I noticed Ms. Ray filling out a paper on Bobby. I asked her what the paper was for? She explained that Bobbys parents wanted to test Bobby for ADHD, so she had to keep an eye on him for a couple of days and pay attention to every little detail. Ms. Ray then told me that Bobbys dad had

ADHD when he was Bobbys age and he was concerned that Bobby might have the same thing. One of the questions on this worksheet was: Does the child throw fits and endangers people around him? Ms. Ray marked no, because she never seen Bobby act that way. After she turned in the worksheet, she recognized that Bobby was now throwing fits and had such a bad outbreak one day that he kicked his desk and it went against a child that was sitting right across from him. Ms. Ray then sent him outside the classroom for a short time so he can calm down. Ms. Ray was shocked to see him so angry. She thought it was just an episode, until it happened again and then again. One day Bobby threw a fit because Ms. Ray took away a toy that Bobby brought from home. Bobby was distracting others during instruction time with his toy. Bobby through such a big fit kicked his desk and looked around the classroom to see if he has got any of his classmates attention. I noticed that once someone starts looking at him his behavior level will kick up a notch. Bobby wants attention and he demands a lot of it not only from the teacher, but from his classmates. Bobby constantly cries, and is not afraid to cry in frustration and in anger. I noticed that the students had learned to zone him out when he throws a tantrum. Students in the class dont really react to Bobby anymore. They seem just as tired of his behavior as Ms. Ray. He constantly is bugging them during lecture time. There is just one student that encourages his behavior and assists him in his behavior such as distracting the class by writing each other letters during class. Bobby and his friend get caught on occasion writing each other letters, by Ms. Ray or me and my dyad partner. Students around Bobby constantly ask him if he could please be quiet. Once Bobby throws a fit to where he may hurt someone, students tend to back off and leave him alone and they let him throw his tantrum. When Bobby cries, some students will gather around him to try to make him feel better, many times that will lead to

a bigger situation. Bobby loves the attention so when the class gather around him his tantrum becomes dangerous. Ms. Ray has informed the class to leave Bobby alone when things get a little heated. Recently they have started a smiley book for Bobby. Every hour is recorded in this smiley book, and is brought back and forth from home to school every day. Ms. Ray is to write down briefly what happened every hour of the day at school. She will rate that hour with a smiley face, a mid smiley face, or a frown. Bobby is rewarded at home if he gets an overall smiley face for the day and for every smiley day per hour. Smiley face does not happen often for Bobby. Ms. Ray believes it is not the best solution and that there are no sign of improvements. This last week, Bobby has lost five days of all recesses. Bobby got another pink slip for cursing in the classroom. The other pink slip was for punching someone on the way out of school. So, the faculty believed the best thing to do was to cut his recesses since he loves recess. One day before school started, Ms. Ray called Bobby into class a few minutes before the students, so she can break the news to him, because if she did it when the whole class was in she knew he would distract the class. Good thing she did it before class, because he had a huge break down and was pacing the floor, and crying hysterically, because they were taking away five days of recesses. He walked away from Ms. Ray several times and she kept trying to calm him down. She offered Bobby a deal, that for every time he is doing well in class, he can go and cross off a recess missed and he will gain it back. My dyad partner and I thought that this would be a good reason for him to behave in class, but it didnt work quite easily as we thought. Bobby was obviously not trying to earn his recesses back for that day, he was as hyper, distracting, and loud in class as any other day.

Ms. Ray tries to ignore Bobbys little comments during class in hope that he would stop since he is not receiving any attention from her, but that doesnt work so well. Ms. Ray has filled out pink slips and sent him to the principals office. Ms. Ray and the principal came up with a solution for Bobby to leave school five minutes earlier than usual so he can head home and not bully, or bother any other students on the way home as he usually does. Ms. Ray also has filled out numerous of behavioral sheets to turn in to the principals office and different behavioral plans to help Bobby, but nothing seems to be working from what I can see. Ms. Ray fills out Bobbys smiley face book each and every day and for every hour for Bobbys parents to see if they can reward him for his good behavior, and that seems to be working probably one day out of the week for Bobby. As a teacher I can see all the time and work that could be put into just one behavioral child and how much energy it can take from you as the teacher and also from the students around a behavioral child such as Bobby. Bobby meets with a reading group during 2nd break recess to help with his literacy scores, but he is not low. When we get Bobby to have fun with the lesson that we teach or Ms. Ray teaches, Bobby understands his work and is able to get things done. Academically his behavior problems arent impacting his learning to a certain extent. With positive feedback and assistance Bobby is able to work by himself from what I observed. I just noticed that he would always ask for help, but when I go and help him I just guide him and ask what the next step will be he will tell me I will give him a high five and ask him to do the same to the next problem, and he is good to go. Through observing the teacher, the class, and Bobby as a whole, I noticed, that all was based on a reward in the end. If you behave you will get your recess back, if you do good you

will earn a smiley and get rewarded for it at home, if you sit still you will get your toy back. I never saw anyone recognizing Bobby for what good he does every day. I noticed that praising him for getting out his pencil and his book he is a lot more on the positive end than the negative. I noticed that when I give him high 5 for finishing his worksheet always brings a smile to his face. Instead of recognizing the bad in Bobby I recognized the good in him even if it is the tiniest things, but Bobby loves the positive reaction that a teacher figure gives him. I even observed my dyad partner and her positive reaction with Bobby. She would recognize how intelligent he was or how smart of an answer he came up with. Bobby needs the positive feedback more than the negative. He doesnt always want to go in the back of the room and put his head down. He doesnt always want to sit out in the hallway. Sometimes as the teacher we need evaluate how we are treating the misbehaving child and sit back and try to see what we can do to help a child like Bobby. Part 2: Being in this classroom week after week and seeing no improvement in Bobbys behavior, I believe that there needs to be consistency with Bobby. If Ms. Ray sets rules and are firm and consistent with him all the time about them, then I believe that Bobby will understand the procedure. I realized that the procedures and rules are there, but they are consistently forced. Bobby possibly needs a program that could help him work on behavior issues. I am wondering if sending Bobby to a counselor would help, or if they ever considered having him talk about what is going through his head. There might be family issues that contribute to his behavior at school and around people. This is a touchy area that I hesitate to ask Ms. Ray, but I noticed they are willing to work with Ms. Ray in whatever way possible to help little Bobby behave better in school.

Bobby is a sweet boy and has plenty of potential in the classroom to shine bright, and on occasion he does do very well. It depends on the positive reinforcement, acknowledgement and the positive recognition of even the smallest things. Students like to recognized for the good that they do, so if we keep noticing the good rather than the bad in Bobby, hopefully that can make a difference.

Developmental Stages Outline I. Intellectual Development a. A second grader can comprehend and understand a symbol in relation to other objects. i. For example: A second grader will know that a minus sign means subtraction and they can determine when it is appropriate to use the symbol. ii. This is also part of the second stage of Piagets Stages of Intellectual Development, the Preoperational Stage. b. A second grader is becoming logical. i. At this age, they think they know it all and they will often jump to conclusions, but when they do, adults will still be able to understand what their minds are trying to say. c. Reverse Thinking i. At a second grade age, they are able to recall how their thoughts lead to their conclusions. ii. This is also part of the third stage of Piagets Stages of Intellectual Development, Concrete Operational Stage. d. Understanding number, length, and volume when comparing objects. i. Being a second grader, they will be able to know that in a one gallon pitcher of water, even if distributed amongst many people, they will be able to know that together all their cups amount to a gallon. e. Arts and Intellectual Development

i. When children are introduced and engaged in the creative arts process, they have opportunities to: 1. Express what they see, feel, think, and want to communicate 2. Experiment and explore with sound, texture, color, pretending, and creating 3. Strengthen their ability to imagine, create, and observe II. Physical Development a. 2nd graders usually grow 2-3 inches in a year b. Body, hands, and feet begin to lengthen c. Females are usually ahead of the males in physical development. d. Coordination is improving by the second grade i. Hand-eye coordination is getting better ii. For example: skating, jumping rope, playing ball, and riding a bike. e. Students handwriting, drawing and art projects, are improving, and actually looking like something meaningful. f. Plenty of running, wrestling, and jumping are still part of 2nd graders nature. This is great to get the exercise that their body needs to grow physically strong. g. When 2nd graders are tired they will try to store up energy to keep going h. Along with active play, 2nd graders need the quiet time to let their minds relax and prepare for rest where their bodies can relax and get the accurate rest that it needs. III. Emotional Development a. Even as young as a 2nd grader they worry, and are very self-critical, and sometimes may express lack of confidence.

b. 2nd graders demand more of their teachers times, leading to many interruptions during class periods, and hyper bodies before and after recess. c. Some 2nd graders, depending on their personality dislike being singled out. d. 2nd graders love to talk and a lot of times exaggerate e. Touchy f. They seek for adult evaluation and praise g. Students at this age recognize and believe it is very important to be fair h. 2nd graders dont usually like schedule changes and seeks for consistency in the classroom i. 2nd graders have a hard time being judged j. During this age is a time where children in this age category appreciate their belonging in their family, and they tend to create special gifts and come up with special ideas for people they love k. Along with wanting to be a part of the family, students also want to find their sense of belonging in the classroom/school setting. IV. Psychological Development a. 2nd graders have a vocabulary span of several thousand words b. 2nd graders develop a longer attention span. c. 2nd graders start becoming more thoughtful and reflective. d. They use serious logical thinking. e. They are able to solve more complex problems.

Reference Davy, L. (1999). How a 2nd Grader Thinks. September 3, 2011. www.education.com/magazine/ Article/How_child_thinks_second_graders/ Destefanis, J, and Firchow, N. (2001). Developmental milestones: You 7-Year-Old-Child. September 1, 2011, www.greatschools.org/special-education/health/731-developmentalmilestones-your-7-year-old-child.gs Iowa State University Extention. (2008).Second Grade: Physical and Emotional Development on Middle Childhood-September 5, 2011. www.education.com/reference/article/secondgrade-physical-emotional/ Slater, A, and Muir, D. (1999). The Blackwell Reader in Developmental Psychology. Berlin, Germany: Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Dear Parents & Students, Welcome parents and students!! We have a busy and exciting year in store for

us. I am deeply excited on getting to know you this year. Teaching has been my much. My students learning is my number one priority. I look forward in creating a fun and effective learning environment for every student.

passion for years, and I am honored to have this opportunity to do what I love so

Parents, I realize that teaching your child is a privilege. I will do my best to ensure that each student has a motivating and safe learning experience in the classroom. We will have many wonderful experiences and opportunities to learn and grow in the days ahead. I look forward to getting to know you and your child as we continue our journey this year.

Please feel free to contact me via email, phone, or in person if you should have any questions or concerns. Phone: 555-555-5555 works best for you) Sincerely, Email: mrs.defngin@gmail.com In Person: Before school, lunch, or after school. (Or schedule any other time that

Mrs. Defngin

Dear Students, Welcome to a year full of fun and exciting learning experiences. My name is Mrs. Defngin, and I am so excited to get to know and grow with you this year. Our goal is to leave 2nd grade with a more creative way of learning and a happier insight of education. Learning is fun and we are going to have a year of fun, creative, and discovery learning by doing many hands-on activities. My goal is to make this year a memorable one and I look forward to having you be a part it.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Defngin

Teacher Procedure Chart Ms. Nielsens 2nd Grade Class Assign and Collect Homework There is s box on the side of Ms. Nielsens desk, the students know to put their homework in that box at the end of the week. Ms. Nielsen picks a student that will be the Top Banana for the week. On Mondays a student is picked and they bring pictures of themselves, and family and they share it with the class. After students will say three nice things about the Top Banana person, and it is posted in the back of the room along with the pictures that the student brought. The Top Banana, will be the helper for the week. Top Banana will also assist Ms. Nielsen with distributing items to the class. When students enter the classroom a magnetic name tag is put on the white board under home lunch or school lunch indicating that they will be partaking of a school lunch, or they brought home sacked lunch. This also tells Ms. Nielsen who is absent and who is present in class that day. When students enter the classroom a magnetic name tag is put on the white board under home lunch or school lunch indicating that they will be partaking of a school lunch, or they brought home sacked lunch. This also tells Ms. Nielsen who is absent and who is present in class that day. Ms. Nielsen has a Positive Phone call and Notes sheet that she has gotten from one of her colleagues and she takes notes on this paper randomly throughout the week. At the end of the week she makes phone calls to the parents. It usually isnt the same students. She tries to make an effort to call different parents every week. Attached is a copy of that document. Ms. Nielsen has an Absent Folder that she puts an extra worksheet with the absent students name on it. Depending how long they were absent for they will discuss due dates with Ms. Nielsen when they return.

Pick Class Helpers

Distribute Materials

Take Attendance

Take Lunch Count

Contact Parents

Help a Student Who has Been Absent

Get the Classs Attention

Manage Unacceptable Behaviors

Manage Students who Complete Their Work Ahead of Others

Ms. Nielsen does several things to get the classs attention she uses them spontaneously throughout the day. Some works better than others I noticed. 1. She shakes her marble jar. 2. She will say class, and does silent hand motions and class follows until she has gotten all eyes on her. 3. Teacher says 1-2-3 eyes on me. Students respond 1-2 eyes on you. 4. The stare. 1. She takes away a handful of marbles from the marble jar. Their goal is to get the marble jar full and when they do they get a party. 2. Another thing Ms. Nielsen does is take away table points when a particular table is being rowdy. 3. Lastly, she takes minutes away from recess, she doesnt always do this one because the students need their recess and the teacher needs that space away from the students as well. There is a journal that all students have, and it is to help students learn how to count. It is called the counting club, after every 100 they let Ms. Nielsen grade it then they get a star on top. There is also a gifted and talented activities that are in three drawers students are able to play those educational activities. (They are like file folders, but the activities are in a drawer)