Room Arrangement
In my own classroom, the desks will be organized into tables rather than in rows. When the desks are arranged into tables, group work is easier to manage, and it creates more room to move around throughout the classroom. I have also noticed that when the desks are organized into rows, they easily get pushed and become out of order quickly. As for materials, my materials in my room will be neatly organized with labels and are accessible for the students to reach themselves. Another important factor to keep in mind is creating a spot that the entire class will fit. Most often, this space will be in the front of the room on a rug and in front of the SMART Board. This is important because many parts throughout the day will be whole group instruction and this is a good spot for students to get that instruction. I also like this concept because when they are up front, they will not be distracted by the materials in their desks.
In my own classroom, the desks will be organized into tables rather than in rows. When the desks are arranged into tables, group work is easier to manage, and it creates more room to move around throughout the classroom. I have also noticed that when the desks are organized into rows, they easily get pushed and become out of order quickly. As for materials, my materials in my room will be neatly organized with labels and are accessible for the students to reach themselves. Another important factor to keep in mind is creating a spot that the entire class will fit. Most often, this space will be in the front of the room on a rug and in front of the SMART Board. This is important because many parts throughout the day will be whole group instruction and this is a good spot for students to get that instruction. I also like this concept because when they are up front, they will not be distracted by the materials in their desks.
Managing Student Work
The way my cooperating teacher managed her student work was effective and she always had clear expectations for her students. My cooperating teacher had separate bins for each subject that she taught. For example, her blue bin was for math work and the red bin was for reading work. The color of these bins also coordinated with the folders that the students had in their desk. Their blue folder was for math work, the red was for reading, and so on. I like how this kept things organized for the teacher and also for the students as well. Also, my teacher always had it written on the board along with a picture or some other visual representation of where the students need to hand in their work.
The way my cooperating teacher managed her student work was effective and she always had clear expectations for her students. My cooperating teacher had separate bins for each subject that she taught. For example, her blue bin was for math work and the red bin was for reading work. The color of these bins also coordinated with the folders that the students had in their desk. Their blue folder was for math work, the red was for reading, and so on. I like how this kept things organized for the teacher and also for the students as well. Also, my teacher always had it written on the board along with a picture or some other visual representation of where the students need to hand in their work.
Procedures and Routines
During my six week clinical placement, procedures were taught and discussed from day one. These procedures included classroom expectations and school-wide expectations. As for the classroom expectations, from the beginning of the first day of school my cooperating teacher walked her class through the procedures and modeled them. After she interactively modeled the procedures, the class would practice them together as a whole. This is a concept that I will take away from my six week clinical placement and use it in the future. As for the school wide expectations and procedures, Harriet Bishop had power points already made to review these expectations and they use the BARK system. BARK stands for be prepared, act responsible, respect everyone and everything, and keep safe. They use this in all their different expectations, whether it is the hallway, cafeteria, bathrooms, playground, or even in the classrooms the students are expected to follow these four guidelines.
Rules and Consequences
As for rules and consequences, there weren’t many times within my six week clinical placement where I saw rules being broken and a chance for my cooperating teacher to use consequences. Several times, my cooperating teacher would refer back to the school-wide expectations and give the students reminders of the expected behaviors. However, within my own classroom I would like to collaboratively create a set of rules on a chart paper with my class. I would then like the students to sign the bottom of the chart paper so it leaves them responsible for these rules and following them.
During my six week clinical placement, procedures were taught and discussed from day one. These procedures included classroom expectations and school-wide expectations. As for the classroom expectations, from the beginning of the first day of school my cooperating teacher walked her class through the procedures and modeled them. After she interactively modeled the procedures, the class would practice them together as a whole. This is a concept that I will take away from my six week clinical placement and use it in the future. As for the school wide expectations and procedures, Harriet Bishop had power points already made to review these expectations and they use the BARK system. BARK stands for be prepared, act responsible, respect everyone and everything, and keep safe. They use this in all their different expectations, whether it is the hallway, cafeteria, bathrooms, playground, or even in the classrooms the students are expected to follow these four guidelines.
Rules and Consequences
As for rules and consequences, there weren’t many times within my six week clinical placement where I saw rules being broken and a chance for my cooperating teacher to use consequences. Several times, my cooperating teacher would refer back to the school-wide expectations and give the students reminders of the expected behaviors. However, within my own classroom I would like to collaboratively create a set of rules on a chart paper with my class. I would then like the students to sign the bottom of the chart paper so it leaves them responsible for these rules and following them.