I crave structure as much as students do, if not more (Milner et. al., 2019), so it is crucial to go into the school year with a plan in mind for my classroom rules, communication, and documentation. In this first section, I will dive into how I shall create the rules for my classroom, followed by some procedures I will, and my students will, adhere to. Next, I will articulate how I will document certain violations or actions from students, and then, shortly after, I will discuss in what ways I will communicate with students’ families.
Rules and Procedures:
Artifact #1: collaboratively formulating a rules document
During our second class (as to not overwhelm them during the first class) at the beginning of the year, I plan to have a document projected on the front of the room ready to be typed on. In this period, I will first ask them to discuss with each other what expectations they think are needed in a classroom, then, as a class, we will establish the rules. Every rule on our rule creation document will be unanimously agreed with each student, and, at the end, they will all sign at the bottom of the printed-out paper. After they all signed, they will each get a copy (with their signatures) to keep in the front of their binders, and I will hang a copy on the wall.
Explanation on how I will use it:
For my rules in the classroom, I will work alongside the students to make our expectations in a collaborative way. As we learned through our textbook, “a restorative approach to discipline positions students as actively engaged in the process from the onset, gives them a voice in disciplinary issues, empowers them to take more responsibility for their actions, and teaches them the effective communication skills for success in the classroom and in other areas of their lives” (Davidson, 2014, as cited in Milner et al., 2019). I want the students to start the year knowing that they have an active voice in my classroom, and, by creating the rules as one, this demonstrates that I am also holding myself and them accountable to how we carry ourselves. Together we create this to also show that we are starting on equal terms, that I am not above these rules. I will guide this session as well to make sure we include important rules like being kind to one another and not laughing if someone makes a mistake. I do not want to impose rules on them at the jump in case they feel as though their opinions do not matter to me; the students need to have just as much say in how we should behave as I do. To get their respect, I first need to earn it, and I think this is a good way to start the year on the right foot.
Artifact #2: poster
For this first procedure, I will hang a poster on the wall that says something similar to the following:
Explanation on how I will use it:
I saw this type of poster in the classroom I just completed my first practicum in, and I thought then how it was extremely informative yet simple. I want my classroom to be a safe place for everyone to express themselves. If each student sees this poster on the front wall of the room every day they come in, then hopefully it will help them understand what is appropriate to say out loud. When they speak, I want them to be cognizant that their words hold meaning and weight, and that they are held responsible for what they say.
Artifact #3: a routine for when the students walk into the classroom
In our rules, I will make sure to talk to the students about what they should do once they walk into the room. For my classroom, I will have a poster that states what we exactly agree upon, but, for the most part, it will be something along the lines of: get seated in a timely fashion, get out a sheet of paper for the warmup, and have all the needed supplies for the class on hand.
Explanation on how I will use it:
I do not want to waste my student’s time, so if we set up an effective routine like this from the start, then we will spend little time unsure of what to do. Having structure is vital in maintaining good classroom management, so it is important to me that the students understand that they are here to get as much of an education as I can provide. If we lose time at the beginning of class just talking to one another or not paying attention, then they will have less time to get into the lesson of the day, which will ultimately negatively affect them and their grades. A warmup, as seen in our textbook, gets my students ready for the discussion of the day by getting their thoughts in a coherent form before the group talk happens (Himmele & Himmele, 2017). Every day will have a structure, thus leading us to have a more productive class.
Documentation:
Artifact #1: google sheets
In my google sheets, I will create multiple tabs that denote different concerning/positive student behavior. These are the following situations I find are worth noting (each having their own tab): any instances of students intending to harm me or others (something I will bring up to my boss), any instances of students seeming more withdrawn or inconsistently with their normal (if it becomes a consistent occurrence, even after I inquire if there is something specific going on that if they want to talk about, for at least three days, I will follow up with guardians and/or school counselor), any instances of students being extraordinary, whether in kindness towards others or in academics (where I would follow up with their parents/guardians to express the praise accordingly). In each tab, it will contain the following:
I am not in a school district right now, so this is my plan only if there is not a software already in place at the school I am working for. Keeping track of the extremes of the students is important to catch future problems that may arise, help a student in need, or inspire a student to keep working hard when they see that I acknowledge their achievements. Creating an environment where my students are safe is my main priority here, so if I can catch a problem before it explodes into something non-manageable, I can maintain control over the created atmosphere while expressing my care for my students, which we have learned is extremely important in the classroom (Milner et al., 2019). In case of anything, keeping documentation of any violations is also important for record keeping if something happens later on, as well, especially if a pattern presents itself.
Effective communication with families:
Artifact #1: a sheet for the parents to fill out the first week of class
Explanation on how I will use it:
According to Milner et al. (2019), a teacher should “add a form for family members to fill out regarding what they want and need in terms of communication” because this “can help establish a strong, positive relationship from the beginning” (p. 121). I will use the information from this form in many different ways. First, I will use this to set up the line of communication between the parents and myself. I will email each parent/guardian after I receive this information to introduce myself, thus indicating that I am open to conversation and a connection between us. Secondly, I can use the information gained here if there are any instances of a student’s behavior, whether I am concerned or to praise something they have done, to quickly inform the guardian. I am not a big fan of talking on the phone, so I imagine emails will be the most efficient way for me to get the line of communication flowing. Communication about grades will be most helpful during the major points, one example being mid semester, unless there is a concern with a student’s grades which would require me to reach out earlier. In order to document everything, I can use google sheets to indicate when I reached out, if/when they returned the message, the gist of what was exchanged, and every follow up after that with an explanation of the purpose of the exchange. I want my classroom to be a place where I am completely transparent with their families, and I hope their parents are willing to work alongside me to achieve the most beneficial experience for their children.
To conclude, I hope each of these artifacts and plans are helpful for me to maintain a healthy, thriving classroom environment where the students feel safe, connected, and understood. I want to be clear in my high expectations so that my students see that I only anticipate the best from them. Having rules that are agreed upon by everyone involved will hopefully avoid future disturbances, especially with the ability to point out a specific rule if a student behaves against it. Also, I plan to document both the concerning and well-done actions of my students, and I will keep a sheet that documents my interactions with each parent/guardian I work with. All of these ideas will strengthen my effectiveness as their teacher, enabling a classroom atmosphere that is both caring and vigorous in nature.
References
Himmele, P., & Himmele, W. (2017). Total participation techniques: Making every student an active learner (2nd ed.). ASCD.
Milner, R., Cunningham, H. B., Delale-O’connor, L., & Erika Gold Kestenberg. (2019). “These kids are out of control”: Why we must reimagine “classroom management” for equity (Kindle). Corwin.
[Untitled illustration of parent request form]. Teacher Vision. https://www.teachervision.com/teacher-parent-collaboration/parent-request-for
[Untitled illustration of THINK poster]. All Posters. allposters.com
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