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
a. A practiced strategy that automatically lets student know that it is time to be
quiet, find the teachers eyes, and listen.
2. Prize Box
. A reward system for those student who are not disruptive the class and a motivation for
those students to follow the expected behaviors.
3. Popsicle Sticks
. 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.
4. Bathroom Signal
. 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.
5. Name Box
. A form of assertive discipline that allows a teacher to quietly manage the classroom. This
strategy mainly focuses on an individual student.
6. Class Tally Box
. Another form of assertive discipline that focuses more on the group of students as a
whole.
7. Physical Activity During Transitions
. 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.
8. Bucket of Kindness
. 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.