The teacher believes in creating a safe, positive learning environment for students through effective classroom management and consistent discipline, and by setting up the classroom in a welcoming way that reflects a philosophy of individual learning, peer collaboration, and inquiry-based lessons. The teacher will establish clear expectations, motivate students, and build trusting relationships with students and their parents.
The teacher believes in creating a safe, positive learning environment for students through effective classroom management and consistent discipline, and by setting up the classroom in a welcoming way that reflects a philosophy of individual learning, peer collaboration, and inquiry-based lessons. The teacher will establish clear expectations, motivate students, and build trusting relationships with students and their parents.
The teacher believes in creating a safe, positive learning environment for students through effective classroom management and consistent discipline, and by setting up the classroom in a welcoming way that reflects a philosophy of individual learning, peer collaboration, and inquiry-based lessons. The teacher will establish clear expectations, motivate students, and build trusting relationships with students and their parents.
The teacher believes in creating a safe, positive learning environment for students through effective classroom management and consistent discipline, and by setting up the classroom in a welcoming way that reflects a philosophy of individual learning, peer collaboration, and inquiry-based lessons. The teacher will establish clear expectations, motivate students, and build trusting relationships with students and their parents.
In order to create a safe, positive learning environment for all students, I have to make
certain that my classroom management plan is effective and consistently followed. Discipline
also has to be consistent and handled promptly. The classroom should be set up in a way that is
inviting and welcoming and reflects the teacher’s philosophy of learning. I believe in teaching
the whole child and promoting individual learning. I also believe in promoting peer group
collaboration because students can bounce ideas off each other and learn from their peers. I also
believe effect classroom environments are inquiry-based and student-centered. I must build and
maintain trusting relationships with my students and include their parents as much as possible.
To have effective classroom management, I must establish from the very first day, my
expectations for student behavior and achievements in learning. I will also need to do my best to
motivate my learners and show them the importance of the work they and others do.
Philosophy Graphic Support from Theories and Theorists One of the first theorists that I draw my inspiration from is Abraham Maslow, whose
hierarchy of needs model lays a foundation for student learning. Everyone requires their basic
needs, and when these are not met, students are incapable of truly focusing and learning because
they are focused on the need. For example, if a student is scared for their safety, they are unlikely
to listen to my lesson on frogs. When there is a deficiency in the physiological needs, students
are not motivated. Therefore, the lower level needs should be satisfied before learning can take
place. Another theory that I draw inspiration from is inquiry-based learning. This theory allows
students to ask questions, realize that their voices matter, and realize that their curiosity is
important. From this theory, students are studying things they care and wonder about and are
motivated to learn. Letter of Introduction to Students
Welcome to
First Grade Mrs. Munsey’s Classroom 2021-2022 Welcome First Graders! I am so excited for the 2021-2022 school year! I have so many fun things planned, and I am thrilled you will be in my classroom this year! The first day of school is August 16th. I look forward to seeing your smiling face at 7:30am in room 104.
I graduated from Bluefield State College with a bachelor’s degree in 1 plain pocket folder Elementary Education with 1 wide-ruled spiral notebook specialization in Special Education Gym shoes for PE and a certificate in Autism. My husband, RJ, and I have two children. We love to stay busy on
h our farm with our animals. We also enjoy sports. I coach volleyball at a local high school. I love chocolate, teaching, and Dr. Pepper.Letter of Introduction to Parents August 16, 2021 Dear Parents/Guardians, My name is Alexis Munsey, and I’m very excited to be your child’s new first grade teacher. I have a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education with an endorsement in Special Education and a certificate in Autism. My husband, RJ, and I are blessed with two children. When I am not at school, my family and I love going on adventures and caring for our animals on our farm. I am very lucky to do a job that I am very passionate about. To be most effective, I’m writing to ask you to become a partner with me in your child’s education. I will only have you child for a short time, so I want to make a contribution that will last a lifetime. Our school day will begin in room 104 at 7:30 am. Our school day is from 7:30am to 2:30pm. If you are dropping off your child, please drop them off at the cafeteria doors. Your child will also be picked up from here in the afternoon at approximately 2:30pm. Each day your child will be bringing home a folder that contains their daily behavior report in which I ask that you sign and return it back to school. I will be using Schoology to send messages and reminders. PE is every Tuesday and Thursday at 10 am. Please see that your child is dressed for comfort and safety (running shoes and comfortable clothes). I know my teaching must begin with making children feel at home in my classroom and helping all the children come together in a learning community. This community is made up of unique individuals, each with his or her own learning style, strengths, interests, history, hopes, and dreams. I also stress the importance of inquiry-based learning because their voices and curiosity is extremely important. I will be working with your child this year to become fluent readers, learn how to tell time as well as add and subtract within 20, and identify the characters, setting, and major events in stories. Your child will learn how to pronounce the first, middle, and end sounds in a word and how to write simple and compound sentences. Would you please help me by taking a moment to write about your child: what is your child like? What are his or her interests? What are things you, as a parent, know that would be important for me to know? What has his or her school experiences been like so far? How do you see your child as learner and as a person? What are your main goals for your child this year? Please use the attached envelope and kindly send in your response by Friday, August 27th. Please feel free to contact me through Schoology or my email address. Thank you for your cooperation. I am looking forward to a wonderful partnership in your child’s education. Sincerely, Mrs. Munsey First Grade Teacher [email protected] Arrival/ Dismissal Procedures
Arrival 1. Greet Mrs. Munsey at the door 2. Unpack and hang backpack and coat 3. Put Take Home folder in box 4. Greet classmates 5. Use restroom 6. Begin bellringer Dismissal 1. Pack backpack and get Take Home folder and coat 2. Clean our classroom 3. Sit quietly until dismissed
Tardy/ Absence Procedure
Tardy 1. Put tardy slip in tardy slip box 2. Unpack and hang backpack and coats 3. Put folder in box 4. Check absent folder for missed work (make up missed work during free time or as homework) 5. Use restroom 6. Join the class Absent 1. Check absent folder on days missed for missed work 2. Complete missed work during free time or as homework 3. Students have three days to complete and turn in all missed work from the day the student came back to school Homework Procedure
1. Homework will be given Monday- Thursday
2. Any work not completed in class or missed work due to tardiness or absence will be homework 3. Homework will be placed in the Take Home folder and will need to be completed (if necessary) and returned back the following day to the Take Home folder box 4. Some homework will consist of reading a story, studying math facts, studying vocabulary words, and studying spelling words. This will not need to be turned in. 5. In addition to homework, students are encouraged to read 30 minutes each night.
Procedures for Getting Students’ Attention/ Getting Teacher’s Attention
Getting Students’ Attention
1. Teacher will use an attention grabber (ex. class, class—yes, yes; hocus pocus—everybody focus) to get the entire classes attention 2. Teacher could also say “Eyes on me” to get students’ attention 3. To get an individual student’s attention, the teacher will say their name. Getting Teacher’s Attention 1. Students will raise their hand, remain quiet, until the teacher calls on them 2. Students may hold up one finger meaning they need to use the restroom, hold up two fingers to get a drink of water, hold up three fingers to get a tissue, hold up four fingers to sharpen their pencil, hold up five fingers for asking a question, and holding up a fist meaning they have an answer. Lining Up/ Hallway/ Restroom Procedures
Lining Up 1. Students will line up based on teacher’s directions 2. Eyes are forward 3. Voices are off 4. Hands are to yourself 5. Line is straight Hallway 1. Eyes are forward 2. Voice is off 3. Hands to yourself 4. Walking Feet 5. Stay to the right side 6. Follow the person in front of you Restroom 1. Use in the morning before class starts 2. Raise hand and hold up one finger to go to the bathroom 3. Use after lunch and during bathroom breaks 4. Use walking feet to get to restroom 5. Voices are off 6. Check to make sure bathroom is clean before using 7. Wash hands with soap for 20 seconds 8. Leave restroom clean 9. Quickly and quietly return to seat and continue working
Bullying Procedures for Student as Victim and as Bystander
Victim 1. Report situation to teacher as soon as possible Bystander 2. Bystanders should not agree with bully (ex. laughing, ignoring the situation, gossiping, liking mean social media posts, or spreading rumors) 3. Bystanders should become upstanders and report situation to teacher Classroom Rules/ Discipline
Rules 1. Work as a team 2. Be responsible 3. Listen to others 4. Be respectful to everyone 5. Be kind and helpful 6. Do your best Discipline 1. First Offense: Verbal Warning 2. Second Offense: 1 to 5 minutes of recess lost, meeting with teacher 3. Third Offense: 10 minutes of recess lost, meeting with teacher 4. Fourth Offense: Sent to principal, parent call 5. Severe Disruption (ex. fighting, bullying): no warnings, sent to principal immediately, parent call. Map of Classroom Set-Up
door SMARTBOARD Bookshelves
Carpet for silent
Carpet for sitting reading/ calm down and listening time Student cubbies for backpacks, coats, and lunch boxes
Table 3 Table 1
Table 2 Take Home Folders and Absent Folder
Small group table
Teacher’s Table 4 desk and supplies Supplies Rationale for Classroom Set-Up In my classroom, I want students to be seated in a circle pattern to encourage peer
collaboration. I have a carpet in front of the Smartboard for morning meetings, whole group
discussions, read alouds, and more. I have the cubbies for students next to the door so students
aren’t walking across the room if they are tardy or have to leave early. I placed the take home
and absent folders box near the cubbies and teacher area to make it easier for the teacher to put
things in the folders and easy for students to drop off and pick up each day. I placed the supply
area near the desks, so there is little disruption when getting supplies. I also put the small group
table near the teacher area, so students aren’t being disrupted by students in other areas. I placed
the calm down corner and library area in the same corner because it’s a spot away from the tables
and students can get the break they need to calm down or the silence they need to read.
How the Teacher will Greet Students on First Day
The teacher will stand at the door to the classroom and say to each student, “Good morning and welcome to first grade! Please find you seat and sit patiently until all of our new friends have arrived.” Once all students are seated at their table, the teacher will say “Welcome to first grade! I’m your teacher Mrs. Munsey. I’m so excited to see all of your faces this morning.”
Sample Day 1 Bellwork
After all students have arrived, the teacher will give each student a piece of paper and have them write and/or draw things about themselves. For example, a student could write his name on the paper and draw his family and pets. After all students have completed, the teacher will ask for students to share their papers with their classmates. Detailed List of Specific Items to be Accomplished Before First Day of School
1. Arrange materials and classroom as described in classroom set-up
2. Create bulletin boards for the classroom (one for what will be taught and one to welcome all students to first grade) 3. Place name cards at each student’s seat (seating arrangement) 4. Decorate classroom 5. Organize classroom library 6. Write and post rules chart, consequence chart, arrival instructions in the classroom 7. Write Bellringer on smartboard 8. Set-up a turn-in basket, a Take Home folder box, and an absent folder 9. Hang a bathroom, line up, and hallway procedure chart in the classroom 10.Make a poster with the daily schedule to hang in the classroom Description of How Procedures will be Selected and Taught to Students
Classroom procedures will be taught in the order in which they are to be
used. First, arrival procedure will be explained and the purpose will be given, rehearsed, and then reinforced at the end of the day. Next, the tardy and absence procedure will be explained, rehearsed, and then reinforced at the end of the day. Then, lining up, hallway, restroom, bullying, homework, and dismissal procedures will be explained, rehearsed, and then reinforced. I will reinforce procedures by asking students questions about each procedure (Ex. How are we excused? Where do we find our missed work from being absent? How do we line-up?). Agenda of Events for the First Day Arrive at classroom, get 7:15am-7:35am prepared for the day, eat breakfast, start bellringer Morning Meeting 7:35am- 9:00am (Procedure discussion/ practice, classroom rule and consequences discussion, expectation discussion) Reading 9:00am-9:55 am Math 9:55am-10:50am Lunch 10:50am-11:20am Bathroom Break 11:20am-11:25am Resource 11:25am-12:25pm Bathroom Break 12:25pm-12:30pm Recess 12:30pm-1:00pm Review and practice 1:00pm-1:30pm Classroom Procedures Pack-up for the day, give out 1:30pm-2:00pm all papers to be signed and returned, Discuss Dismissal procedure, Identify parent pick-ups and bus riders Dismissal/Bus Duty 2:00pm Resources Classroom Management - Creating a Learning Environment, Setting Expectations, Motivational Climate, Maintaining a Learning Environment, When Problems Occur. (n.d.). Retrieved October 12, 2020, from https://education.stateuniversity.com/pages/1834/Classroom- Management.html Ernst, D., Hodge, A., & Yoshinobu, S. (2017). What Is Inquiry-Based Learning? DOCEAMUS, 64(6). doi:https://www.ams.org/journals/notices/201706/rnoti-p570.pdf Mcleod, S. (2020, March 20). Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. Retrieved October 12, 2020, from https://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html
