Classroom Management
Classroom Management
Classroom Management
My name is Gabrielle Riggins and I am your child’s 3rd grade teacher. I was born and raised in Macon, GA. I graduated from Wesleyan College with a Bachelors in Education. Thank you for sharing your
kids with me this year. Here are some things that I would like you to know.
● Parents are the child's first and most important teacher. I want to support you in that role. You are welcome to sit in on class or volunteer to help anytime. Bring food.
● Your kid is an amazing human being. I look forward to getting to know him/her. I know we will like each other. I want your child to learn and grow. I will provide lots of different ways for
your child to discover and explore.
● Your kid is incredibly capable. I will support your child's independence.
● I will celebrate your child's achievements.
● The classroom is for the children. Children learn through play. This classroom is designed for play.
● In our classroom, we are all teachers and we are all learners. We are allowed to make mistakes. We try. We try again. We try together.
● We dance. We sing. We observe. We create. We laugh. We are thankful. We pretend. We wiggle. We celebrate. We explore. We ask questions. We take deep breaths. We have fun.
● We go outside. Every day. Unless the rain is horizontal. Rain gear is essential. So is a change of clothes. (School clothes need to be play clothes - sometimes we get messy).
● Hugs (or handshakes or high fives) are always available.
● Germs are a fact of life in elementary school. We cough and sneeze into our elbows. We wash our hands. And we still share germs. The best defense is a healthy offence; good, healthy food
and lots of sleep.
● Let's communicate. I will share your child's discoveries, achievements, struggles and successes with you. You are always welcome to spend time in the classroom, drop in after school to chat,
email/text or call me. Please like our class facebook page; it's a great way to see what your child is doing throughout the school year.
● I'm not perfect, but I do my best.
● And I really, really will like your kid - I'll like all the kids. That's a promise. Pinky swear.
Ms. Riggins
Rationale
This is a good way to build community with the parents by
letting them know a little bit of what I am about and also
letting them know that they have a role to play in their
students’ school lives. In this letter I felt a little of
Ron Clarke’s spirit for a strong community base in this
letter.
First Day
Find Desks (Two Worksheets, Playdough, 2 Pencils, 1 Box Crayons)
Invite Parents To Stay For Your Introduction To the Class (Video Story)
Morning Meeting (Discuss 4-6 Procedures- Attention Getters, Lining Up, Transitions, Bathroom, Hallway, and Lunch)
Game (Mingo)
Discuss Procedures (Talk about rules of school, reiterate procedures, talk consequences)
Self Portraits
Dismissal
Rationale
This was written with Jim Fay in mind. I prefer that the
students know the expectations before we start doing
anything remotely academic. If they know what I expect of
them in the long run I won’t have as many problems.
Expectations Lesson
Snacks/Water/Rest/?
Once during every hour of classroom instruction I will play
a gonoodle video. During this time the class is allowed to
relax, get up and stretch,and get something to drink or eat
from the snack basket at the back of the room.
Rationale
Being one of the kids who was constantly hungry in class I
know the importance of a snack. I think that giving the kids
the choice of getting a snack or having a break during the
school day is enforcing our community and shows the students
that I value their time and I respect that they have
opinions. This was leaning more toward Ron Clarke’s
philosophy as well .
Transitions (Procedure of Choice)
Transitions will be kept on schedule by the timekeeper. I
will use the mission impossible theme to transition. I will
use the Andy Griffith Theme Song to re-engage.
Rationale
Kind of like the attention getters this is a set routine
that the students are familiar with and understand. I don’t
have to raise my voice and the class keeps moving.
Bathroom Routines
Set schedule for class bathroom breaks.
This was something that I knew right off of the bat that I
wanted to do with my students and seeing it at RCA and
seeing how well it was going I knew that I would put it into
my plan.
Hallway Expectations
In a fairly straight line, hands by their
sides, feet on the floor, eyes forward,
quiet mouths, and listening ears.
The homework helper will put a check next to the person who
has completed their homework, a x next to the people who
have incomplete work, and leave a blank next to the people
who didn’t bring their homework at all. (If the homework
needs to be taken up he/she will do so and place it in the
homework bin.
Rationale
This is a result of my compulsion to organize. One of the
rules the Whole Brain book gives for teachers is that they
need to be organized and prepared. This rule works well for
me because if it was disorganized I wouldn’t be able to
function.
Managing Materials
Everything will be labeled. Students who want to use the
materials will have to check it out from me on the resource
clipboard.
Timekeeper/ Chronographer
Electric Doorbell
Flat Tire!(SHHHH!)
Rationale
Whole brain gives several attention getters that don’t feel
as natural to me. So I found somethings that I feel
comfortable using.
Lining Up
Students line up in boy-girl order when called on by the
hall monitor. The hall monitor will retrieve the behavior
chart from its assigned place and begin to call students to
get into line only if they are sitting quietly with their
desks cleared. The monitor will then await my instruction by
the exit while monitoring the noise level and behavior of
those in line.