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Positive Climate To create a positive climate in the classroom we conduct morning meeting every morning. During this meeting the students greet one another. The students greet each other in a different way every morning. They are also given the chance to share something special every morning. This share can be an object or just simply something fun they did the night before, during the summer, or whenever. Another way that we create a positive environment in our third grade classroom is by letting the students speak and share their thoughts and opinions during any class discussion or lesson. I feel that within the first three weeks of school we have already created a classroom community. Behavioral Expectations The entire elementary school follows the same rules. So of course these rules are enforced in our class also. We call them ROAR. These rules are Responsible, On Task, Always Prepared, and Respectful. We expected the students to always be responsible and take care of what they are responsible for. They should also be on task. The students should always be doing what they are supposed to be doing or what they are asked to do. Every morning Mrs. Goff and I write a morning message on the white board telling our students what they should get out and/or do to get ready for the day. To be on task the students must follow the directions from the morning message and be ready to start their day. Always prepared is having all of your materials and what you will need for the day. The students will be considered prepared if they have all of their materials they use each day as well as their homework. Lastly is respect. The students should always strive to show respect to their teachers, classmates, and themselves. They can show respect by not talking when their friends are sharing during morning meeting or by not

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disrupting while I am teaching. They can show respect to themselves by keeping up their hygiene, and by making sure they keep up with their work so they can keep good grades. These rules are very important to keeping a structured class and school. As well as helping them to run smoothing. Consequences In the third grade classroom we use what we call the circle chart to enforce consequences when students misbehave. If a student misbehaves or breaks one of the rules they receive one circle. This circle stands as a warning. This means we are warning the child, we tell them what they did wrong and how they can fix their behavior. A second circle means that the child gets a note in their agenda. At the end of the day Mrs. Goff or I will write a brief note stating to the parents what problem the child may be having or which rule they are breaking, and we nicely ask if they can address this problem at home. If a student receives a third circle they are referred to the reflection desk. At the reflection desk the child is given a sheet with a variety of questions helping them to reflect on their behavior. There is also a section for the teacher to fill out stating what the child did to be sent to the reflection desk. This sheet is signed by the teacher, sent home for the parent to sign and then returned back to school the next day. If a child receives a fourth circle for not following the rules they are sent to the office. In the office they will sit and discuss with the principal why they have been sent to the office and how they can change their behavior. If a student does something so severe to where they may hurt or threaten the safety of another student or staff member they are automatically sent to the office to speak with the principal and could or could not be suspended from the school for a few days.

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Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivators Intrinsic motivators are used daily in the classroom. A few motivators that are used often are telling the students good work or great job when they do something great. For example, when a student finishes their work on time or they complete an assignment with all of the correct answers a child will receive an intrinsic motivator. These types of motivators are used all throughout the day. Extrinsic motivators are not used as often simply because they are used as a bigger reward. A few motivators used in Mrs. Goff and my classroom is take a chance, compliments, and Lion Lutes. If a student is following the rules and constantly being on their best behavior that student is told to go take a chance. When a student takes a chance they write their name on a small piece of paper and place it in a box. At the end of the week Mrs. Goff or I will pick a name out of the box and that child is given the opportunity to pick a treat out of the treasure box. Compliments are for the entire class. If the class as a whole is following the rules ROAR they may receive a compliment by another staff member. If the class receives a compliment by another staff member they receive a letter. If they get enough letters to spell out Lions That ROAR they will receive something special as a class. For example, Mrs. Goff may bake cupcakes, they can get extra recess, or extra P.E. Lastly a student can receive a Lion Lute for bringing back signed papers. A Lion Lute is like money for the children. A Lion Lute can equal either one or five dollars. This money can be spent in the Lions store that comes around to each class once a month. These motivators work very well in our classroom and help promote good behavior.

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Non-Instructional Routines and Procedures A few procedures that take place every morning are things such as lunch count, attendance, placing homework on ELMO for the students to copy, and morning meeting. First thing in the morning Mrs. Goff or I will write the homework for the day in a planner and place it on ELMO for the students to copy. While the students are copying down their homework I call out the lunch choices for the day. As I scroll down the role each child tells me which choice they want for lunch. This also helps in taking attendance. Once each child has told me their lunch choice, I mark that they are here. Attendance is then marked in the attendance book online. After all of this takes place we then begin our morning meeting routine. Daily routines for the end of the day range from packing their book bag to lining up to go home. At 2:45 each day the last lesson is wrapped up. The students are then asked to pack up the following materials listed on the board. These materials will assist with the homework they have that night. After book bags have been packed and placed on their desk the students are asked to come to the carpet for a wrapping up the day morning meeting. During this meeting each child is asked to tell at least one thing they learned that day. Lastly the students are lined up in two separate lines to go home. One line consists of early and regular car riders and the other line consist of daycare and bus riders. The class then exits the classroom and enters the hallway to hear their name or bus called to go home. At the beginning of the year we create a job chart. Each childs name is placed on the job chart beside one of many jobs. These jobs are all special duties that the students do throughout the day in and outside of the classroom. Each child receives a job at the beginning of the week and keeps that job until the end of the week. Every student has a job; no one is left out. One of

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the jobs is a material helper. This student helps pass out and take up papers and materials throughout the day from each group. Other jobs consist of the line leader, boys/girls bathroom monitor, lamp monitor, reading center, etc. Each student receives a new job every new week. Mrs. Goff and I set in place a routine for most everything in the classroom. To manage things such as pencil sharpening we ask that the students keep five sharpened pencils in their desk each day. If the students pencil lead breaks they are asked to take that pencil home to sharpen that night and then to continue to write with another of their sharpened pencils in their desk. This cuts down on class disruption since the students are not allowed to sharpen their pencils at school unless all five pencils have broken points. Each day we have a set time to go to the bathroom as a class. We go to the restroom three to five times a day. We go once during math, before recess, after lunch, after activity, and during socials studies during the last hour or two during the day. When we make our daily trips to the restroom we ask the bathroom monitors to check each stall to make sure they are empty. The bathroom monitor then calls in the other students a few at a time. Having the bathroom monitor helps cut down on students playing in the bathroom as well as makes the bathroom break go by faster so we can get back in the classroom and get back to work. During hallway transitioning to activity, lunch, bathroom, recess, and media center the students are asked to stay in the white blocks beside the wall. If the students walk in these blocks other classes are able to transition smoothly in the hallway as well. These few management routines really help our day run smoothly as well as help us to get our work done a lot quicker. Emergency plans within our classroom are the fire and tornado drill, as well as the emergency packet. If a fire were to ever break out within the school Mrs. Goff and I would gather our class and walk them quickly to the doors right below our classroom and then outside.
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Once the class is safely outside Mrs. Goff or I will call the class role to make sure all students are there. During a tornado drill the students and Mrs. Goff and I will quietly and swiftly walk to the media center. Once we get to the media center we will enter in to a small room in front of the library. The students will line the wall and sit quietly with their arms covering their heads. Last, we also keep a Emergency packet in the classroom. This packet contains gloves, an emergency management plan and blank paper. If an emergency (fire or tornado) were to occur the teacher(s) need to take this packet with them wherever they go.