Hannah Hybl

3 December 2015
Student Teaching Kindergarten
Self Study
Area of Focus
My student teaching has taken place in a Kindergarten room in Ellsworth Elementary
School. We started out the year with sixteen students and are currently at eighteen students; nine
girls and nine boys. I was placed with a very experienced teacher who has now taught for
approximately thirty-five years and I truly have learned a lot from her. What I learned from her
along with discussing ideas with my field instructor helped me determine what my self-study
would focus on.
This self-study focuses on classroom management and discipline. From the very first day,
my cooperating teacher and I explained the rules of Kindergarten to our students and we
practiced kindergarten routines. A few of our routines included morning work, lining up at the
door, walking in the hallway, sitting at the learning carpet, and sitting at desks and following
instruction. No classroom is perfect, but I have found that this group of students requires more
management than your typical class. We struggle on a daily basis with remembering and
following the rules. Most often it is a few individuals who are consistently being disciplined, but
once in a while the whole class will act up. I found that it would be beneficial to me to find
different strategies of classroom management and implement them in the classroom, testing
which works the best for the whole group or individual students.
Personal Goal
Classroom management is not an easy ordeal. It requires a lot more than just being
organized, prepared for everything, and knowing what to say. You have to know what to say at
the right moment and set expectations for your students that they can work to meet. It is my
personal goal to find strategies that work and allow me to effectively manage my own classroom.
It is a challenge managing the students I currently have and I find it to be a great experience to
have the challenge of teaching these students. I feel that starting out with a harder group of
students will allow me to find my own strategies and adopt some from other teachers, especially
my cooperating teacher. We have discussed multiple ways to manage the classroom better and
some we have actually implemented. Some were more successful than others, but that is the way
it goes because some students react differently and that just means we have to accommodate to
their needs as well as insist that they follow the rules.
Reflection on Strategies
Going into student teaching, I knew the very basics from EDC 240. When managing a
classroom, it is more efficient to focus on the disruptive students without making a bigger
disruption in the classroom. There is always the teacher look and giving them the look of
disapproval for inappropriate behavior. Students will pick up on your look of disapproval as I

have learned over time. Walking towards a student without saying a word can make them stop
being disruptive, but continuing towards them and standing behind them while continuing to
teach is also effective. Besides the basics, the following strategies are what I have observed,
tried, and adopted, some of which were more successful than others.
1. Clapping Attention-Getters
This was a strategy that I have seen used before and my cooperating teacher used right
from the get-go. I adopted this strategy and it really did work well with this group of students.
This class did very well with adopting new ideas, but had a hard time consistently following
them. Using the clapping was a way to get students to quickly listen without having to raise our
voices and say something multiple times. They quickly picked up on the pattern we clapped and
were able to copy it without hesitation. One downfall that I have noticed with some students
though is that they like to clap on their own and be the teacher when it is not necessary. This is
when we have to turn around and tell those students that it is not their job and that it is not the
right time for it and that they are being disruptive. They know the expectations and the rules to
the clapping; it is just a matter of following those rules.
2. Prize Box
The prize box is something that my coordinating teacher has used in the past. It is her
way of having a reward system in the classroom for those students who follow the directions and
have been well-behaved. I used this one day when I was subbing for Sheila and honestly didnt
have to use it again. I ended up using a different strategy to manage the students. I personally felt
that this worked for a few weeks, but then we both decided that it wasnt as good of a strategy as
we had hoped. We have kind of used it as a very last resort when it comes to rewarding students.

3. Popsicle Sticks
Many teachers use Popsicle sticks in their classroom as a way to implement informal
assessment. I find it a great way to keep students on their toes and always ready to answer a
question. With Kindergarten it isnt a huge emotional deal if they give me the incorrect answer
when I draw their name. I will usually come back to the student who couldnt give me an answer
or struggled to explain their thoughts. Students will most often have something to add after they
have had help from others. Most often I will have the names on the sticks facing up and I will
pick on the student who may seem distracted or needs to be redirected. I have found this to work
even though it is frowned upon.
Popsicle sticks are used more often during math time. I can pull a stick and look right at
the student, especially with the way we have the desks arranged in rows facing the black board.
If a student is being disruptive, I can address them with a teacher look or walk towards them or
through the rows while pulling out a stick. Many students will look up at me when I say their
name with the stick in my hand, pause for a moment, look at their paper, and give me an answer

that is either right or wrong. When it is a wrong answer, Ill ask if they would like help from a
friend and then come back to them if they have something to say.
4. Bathroom Signal
One thing I noticed from day one was that we really did not have a bathroom procedure
during our work time. Students tended to just get up and go or they would blurt out and disrupt a
lesson. It was after my second observation with my field instructor that my cooperating teacher
and I sat down with the students and discussed their behavior with them. This is when I made the
rule that we will from now on have a signal to go to the bathroom and that we would no longer
blurt it out or just get up and go in the middle of instruction. If students had to use the restroom,
they were to raise their arm and use a fist as a signal. I had heard of teachers using this strategy
before, but I have never actually seen it done nor have I enforced myself. What is great is that
Sheila was very open to the idea and she actually loves that I created the idea for the classroom.
She asked me where I found the idea and I told her that it was just something I remembered from
a class.
Overall, this strategy to minimize the common bathroom disruption was very successful
and very welcomed and accepted by Sheila. It is only when a student has an emergency and is
fidgeting in their seat that they have a problem with disrupting the class. We have told the
students before that if they truly have an emergency, they may get up and go to the bathroom
because we do not want to have any accidents; otherwise they are to raise their fist to be
dismissed to the bathroom. Feeling sick and having to throw up is also considered an emergency
and students have been told that if they have that kind of emergency, then they do not have to
raise a fist at all, just get to the trash can or the bathroom.
5. Name Box
Well into week four of school, we still had trouble with students blurting out, turning in
their seats talking to their neighbors, and not following the directions that were given. This is a
more targeted version of assertive discipline. Students are directed on what the rules are in the
classroom and are asked to agree upon those rules and follow them. After a student has had a
verbal warning about their choices, their name is written in the box. This means they have a final
warning. We do not tell them that we are putting their name in the box, it takes too much time to
say their name and turn our back to the class and write out a students name. Students should be
facing forward and will see us writing on the board and notice the name if they really are paying
attention. If the student receives a check mark after their name is put in the box, they will have to
stay inside for recess for five to ten minutes. If the student continues to be disruptive or not
follow the given directions, then they receive another check mark in the box and a phone call is
made home to the guardians. I have heard from teachers in the upper elementary who make their
students make the phone call and it truly makes an impact on the students behavior for the day.
For Kindergarten though, we will either write a note home or make the phone calls home to mom
and dad or whoever the guardian may be.

I have used the name box consistently since we have enforced it. I have had students get
their name in the box and I have had to hold back some students for recess, but I have never had
to call home or send a note or send a student to the principal.
6. Class Tally Box
This is another version of the name box, but is targeted more towards the whole class
instead of individual students. Sheila and I have used this in the classroom on days where there
are a large number of students who are having a hard time controlling themselves and cannot
manage to stay on task. The class tally box was used only a few times over the semester, but it
did work very well.
The one time we used the class tally box was when we were on the letter G as the letter of
the week. The week had already started out rough and was becoming more difficult. Sheila had
planned on having a gummy bear party that Friday after show-and-tell to reward the students for
working hard on the letter G. It got to the point where we had to change how we managed the
classroom because students were coming up with everything you could think of. We drew a
blank box on the board where students could see it and every time we had to remind them, we
marked a tally in the box. We did not tell the students when we were going to mark the box, we
just did it. It made a lot less disruption in the class and it also grabbed the students attentions
seeing that they were getting a tally closer to not having a gummy bear party.
I also used it on a day that I was subbing for Sheila and it turned out that students lost the
privilege to go to our special for the day. Instead, they stayed in their seats and had their heads
down. When their time was up, we took a bathroom and drink break, came back to finish the
work we had trouble finishing, and ended the day with an educational video. Because it was the
first time that Sheila was not in the classroom for a full day and I was the new teacher, I feel that
they thought they could get away with anything. I gave the students chances to try and straighten
up their behavior, but it got to the point where it was too much and they had to have something
taken away in order to know that I meant business and that they could not take advantage of me
with Sheila away from the classroom. Students have not misbehaved for me like that since that
day.
7. Physical Activity during transitions
One of the big things that I have noticed with students today and with the Common Core
is students do not get enough physical activity. We expect so much out of students, especially out
of my five year old students, and it is not remotely possible for them to sit still for a full eight
hours and not function without having a break here and there. I have already done the research
on the lack of physical activity and it is the lack of concentration and effort that result from the
amount of play time students have.
When we were doing two pages of math in a day during a forty-five to sixty minute
block, I noticed that students were having a hard time staying on task and keeping up with my
instruction. I knew after a while that I needed to accommodate to the students needs and give
them some time to move and get out of their seats. So before our math work, between math

sheets, and just before lunch, I decided to start giving student quick brain breaks that involved
some physical movement. We started out with stretching; touching our toes, waist twists, reach
up high and down low, reach side to side. I slowly added in other stretches and physical activities
such as jumping in place like a bunny or hopping on one foot and switching. Students enjoyed
these moments of activity and were for the most part pretty relieved afterwards. Stretching made
a small amount of difference compared to having a YouTube video ready to go on the
Smartboard though. Many videos I found would be related to the topic we were talking about or
it was something that related to students lives and their own personal likes. I gave students time
to dance and be silly, no longer than five minutes at the Smartboard in order to stay on time with
the plan.
8. Bucket of Kindness
The bucket of kindness was recently just introduced in the classroom. Shelia and I originally
wanted to introduce being a bucket filler to the students on the second week of school, but we
ran out of time. We are now using a bucket of kindness where students may have their name put
in a bucket when they are caught doing a good deed or being helpful around the classroom or to
others. We explained to the students that doing a good deed or a random act of kindness may not
always be caught, but it should make them feel good that they helped out. When the act of
kindness is not caught, students should not be boastful about it, which we have some students
who terribly want to be noticed for doing something good so they are trying to do it all the time.
Context and Benefits of three resources
1. Cooperating Teacher Sheila Essenberg
I adopted a lot of information and strategies from Sheila. She has been teaching for
almost thirty-five years and had a lot to offer me. Sheila allowed me to take over the classroom
and practice managing it, and honestly practice is what I really needed. Reading and writing
about classroom management can prepare your mindset for it, but if you dont get in the
classroom and practice it, the first time around is going to be difficult. I have mentioned before
and Sheila and I have had many discussions, but we have a difficult class this year and they need
structure and routine in order to stay on task. Many of the strategies and routines listed above
are ones that Sheila and I came up with and implemented. She introduced Lee Canter to me
which I really like. It works with the group of students we have and like that is more focused on
making a positive classroom environment which is what many of our students need.
2. Lee and Marlene Canters Assertive Discipline
Lee Canter was a resource suggested by Sheila. She explained to me that the teachers
were trained for assertive discipline in a workshop and that the teachers who are now retired used
to use it when they taught in the Ellsworth schools. The name box is an example of assertive
discipline. It allows teachers to have a visual form of discipline, which in this case I had up on
the chalk board where the students could see it. It focused on creating the least amount of
disruption in the classroom while instruction is going on. You explain the rules to the students

and once they know what is expected of them, they are to follow them. It is the role of the
teacher to back up everything that is said and respond immediately to inappropriate behavior.
Sheila has always believed in setting high standards for her students as have I and it is those high
standards and expectations that we as teachers have a right to insist on.
Reading through the chapter, Canter describes three types of teachers. There are hostile
teachers, nonassertive teachers, and assertive teachers. Hostile teachers are the type of teacher
who prefer to lay down the law. They are stern and may not be well liked by students. Some may
dislike them and may not feel as if they are treated fairly. The nonassertive teacher is overly
passive and fails to form specific expectations for students. They are inconsistent when it comes
to dealing with students and may come across as wishy washy. Students can be easily confused
by the teachers expectations and the teacher can easily become frustrated. Then there is the
assertive teacher who is confident, consistent, and models the classroom expectations. They build
trust with their students, they teach their students how to behave, and encourage student
cooperation. I would like to label myself as an assertive teacher, but sometimes I feel I may let a
few things slip. I think though that once I have my own classroom and do not have the presence
of multiple adults, I wont feel that I can be a little passive.
Canters discipline system promotes a pleasant and positive environment where the
teacher specifically gives the students the expectations they need to be successful. He explains
that students do not always know how to behave in certain situations and it is the teachers job to
teach them what acceptable behavior is. This starts from the very first day.
The system encourages positive recognition of students who are doing as they are
expected to do and a proactive approach for those disruptive students. In order for the classroom
to run smoothly, a teacher needs to be consistent with corrective actions and always make a
demand that they are prepared to follow through with. When establishing discipline in the
classroom, Canter describes using a discipline hierarchy. There are three to four steps in the
hierarchy and they include:
1. Give the student a warning
2. Take time away from their free time
3. Have parents called
4. Sent to the office
5. And if severe, a visit to the principal
This is similar to how I have ran the classroom I am in; but it is in the form of the name
box or the class tally box. We give the student a warning by writing their name on the board.We
then put a check mark next to their name if we have to talk to them again, and if they still are
being disruptive then we send home a note or a phone call. We have never had to send a child to
our principal. I personally feel that our is manageable and that we can take care of the situations
on our own. The principal is like an intimidation factor.
3. 6 Classroom Management Tips Every Teacher Can Use by Dave Foley

This article was written by a junior high teacher from Cadillac, Michigan who is now
retired and works as a classroom management coach. In this article, author Dave Foley provides
six tips that every teacher can use in their classroom. The six tips are as follows:
1. Take Charge of Your Classroom
2. Focus on the Disruptive Students
3. Let Students Choose Their Seats
4. Give Incentives to Do Their Best on Assignments
5. Keep an Eye on Your Students
6. Establish Consequences for Misbehaving
As I read through the article, a lot of the information sounded familiar to what I am
already doing in the classroom with my students. As I discussed before, I do focus on the
disruptive students and I and do so quietly without causing any further disruption by giving them
a nonverbal signal of disapproval or walking towards the problem and stopping near their seat.
I also direct questions to students who are not paying attention. Hearing their name at the end of
a question makes them snap back and avoid being embarrassed.
As Foley mentioned in the article, I also try my best to not turn my back to my students.
They only time that I may have to do that is when I am showing them how to write their numbers
and their letters on the chalkboard. For the most part, I try to stand at an angle where I can see
my students and write on the board at the same time.
And as for establishing consequences for misbehaving, I read this and found that is was
similar to reading Lee Canters work on assertive discipline. Foley also suggested writing
students names on the board, but because he was a junior high teacher he suggested keeping
students back after class. With Kindergarten, we keep them from recess or as he suggested
making a consequences students dont want to have happen. I have found it very true after
reading both Canter and Foleys articles that you have to be able to follow through with what you
say. If you cannot follow through with discipline, then students are not going to take you
seriously and walk all over you.
Summary of Benefits and Difficulties
One of the most difficult things I faced with this self-study was actually gathering
numbers to show how management and discipline grew or decreased over the trimester.
Deciphering whether management grew or not cannot technically be put into numbers. Most of
my data was based on observations, mental notes, and discussions with my cooperating teacher.
Sheila and I worked together really well and we were always on the same page. Co-teaching was
something that came really easy to us and it was that much easier to observe how students did
with her compared to me with her presence and without it on days that I was subbing for her.
When I first subbed for her, it was only a half day and the students acted as if it were any
other day with her there. Students knew that I followed the same rules as she did and that I meant
business. I felt that I had begun to build relationships with some students, but others I could tell it
would take some time. Those were the students who gave me a hard time on the first full day that
I subbed by myself without Sheilas presence. It was actually the students who you would least

suspect to cause mischief that gave me some of the hardest time. The students that gave Sheila
the hardest time were actually well behaved for me.
It was also difficult to decide what I was going to do my self-study on. As a few weeks
went by and a few observations had taken place, my field instructor and I agreed that classroom
management was something I could work on and look deeper into. I have successfully found
strategies to use in the classroom and I owe a lot of my practice to Sheila. She allowed me to
take over and do what worked best for me. I did my best to stay within Sheilas expectations of
the students, but there really was not a problem because we teach so similarly. I found out what
strategies worked best with this class, but that doesnt mean that they will work with every class
that I have in the future. I will set my expectations and be consistent with them, but I will also
accommodate to the needs of my classes and make sure that they understand what I want from
them, feel comfortable in my classroom, and trust me.

Resources

Charles, C.M. and Gail W. Senter. Building Classroom Discipline. Lee and Marlene Canters
Assertive Discipline. Chapter 3. (p. 37-54).
http://faculty.washington.edu/dcheney/EDSPE503ClassroomManagement/Readings/Can
terChapter.pdf
Foley, Dave. 6 Classroom Management Tips Every Teacher Can Use.
http://www.nea.org/tools/51721.htm

Self Study
Area of Focus

Classroom Management
Personal Goal
My personal goal is to find different strategies that allow me to enforce classroom
management. I want to find strategies that can be easily introduced to students are they are
clearly understood and they become part of the daily routine.
Strategies of Classroom Management
1. Clapping Attention-Getters
1. A practiced strategy that automatically lets student know that it is time to be quiet,
find the teachers eyes, and listen.
b. Prize Box
1. A reward system for those student who are not disruptive the class and a motivation
for those students to follow the expected behaviors.
b. Popsicle Sticks
1. Popsicle sticks are a way to keep childrens attention because they never know who is
going to be called on. They have to always be following along and ready to answer a
question.
b. Bathroom Signal
1. Students have a hand signal that they use to let the teacher know they need to use be
excused to use the restroom in a non-disruptive manner.
b. Name Box
1. A form of assertive discipline that allows a teacher to quietly manage the classroom.
This strategy mainly focuses on an individual student.
b. Class Tally Box
1. Another form of assertive discipline that focuses more on the group of students as a
whole.
b. Physical Activity During Transitions
1. With the Common Core standards, we see less physical activity time during the day
which is exactly what children need when they have been sitting for long periods of
time. Movement activities allow children to use their muscles and have a brain break
before moving on to the next subject.
b. Bucket of Kindness
1. A strategy to encourage students to perform random acts of kindness and being
caught doing them, rather than expecting a reward in return for being nice to
someone.
Three Resources
1. Cooperating Teacher Sheila Essenberg
2. Assertive Discipline by Lee and Marlene Canter
3. 6 Classroom Management Tips Every Teacher Can Use by Dave Foley
Overall
During my placement at Ellsworth Elementary School, I was able to successfully find new
ways to manage a classroom with the help of my cooperating teacher Sheila Essenberg. She allowed
me to take over her classroom and have the hands-on experience of caring for student and holding
my own expectations for them. She allowed me to think of my own things and enforce them in her

classroom. We worked together very well and had a very similar teaching philosophy. She introduced
me to many things including Canters work which I find to be a positive and useful tool.