THEORY INTO PRACTICE – EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY IN THE CLASSROOM

PART 6: TWO DAYS OF SCHOOL

The final part of the TIP Portfolio is a culminating exercise. Based upon everything you have learned
about your LCAS classroom from the data and all the information you have created so far in this
portfolio, describe what you will do the day before the students arrive in your class at the beginning of a
school year and then what you will do on the first day of school to honor who your students are and
start the year off right.

THIS SHOULD BE IN AN OUTLINE FORMAT (LIKE A LIST OF “THINGS TO DO”) ALONG WITH A RATIONALE
FOR EACH “THING” THAT MAKES IT CLEAR EACH STEP OF YOUR PLAN IS DEVELOPMENTALLY
APPROPRIATE.

THE DAY BEFORE THEY ARRIVE:

 Create a behavior management plan/system

Based on my LCAS classroom, students who classify under the preconventional ethics,

will behave well because they know that a reward is available. I will create behavior

punch cards for each of my students. When students are behaving, they will receive a

punch and once they get to ten punches, they will get to go to the treasure box.

 Create a welcome letter

I will create a welcome letter to give to students on the first day of school. Students in the

LCAS classroom had a multiple intelligence of bodily/kinesthetic. By providing a

printout of the letter, students will be able to have a physical copy that will inform

students of what is happening in class.

 Record and create classroom rules and procedures

I will create a chart that displays all of the classroom rules and procedures. Students in

my LCAS classroom also had a multiple intelligence of visual, so I will write out the

rules/procedures which will be posted in the classroom where all students can see it.

Students are also being faced with making decisions, so I will write the pros and cons of

each rules and procedure. This will help students to make the right choices.
 THEORY INTO PRACTICE – EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY IN THE CLASSROOM
PART 6: TWO DAYS OF SCHOOL

 Arrange the student’s desks

I will arrange my student’s desk to ensure that they are all facing the front of the

classroom. I will check to see that each student can see from where they are sitting by

sitting in each student’s seat. I will also sit from my teacher’s desk to ensure that I can

see all student clearly. Good seat arrangement will allow those visual learners to properly

see the board and activities in the classroom. I will create a seating chart and place each

student’s name plate on their desk.

 Set up an emergency folder

Knowing that circumstances can arise on the first day, I will set up a substitute binder

that lists the school schedule and people to contact if any help is needed. I will also have

asked of any allergies that students have which has been provided from parents at open

house.

 Review bulletin boards

I will complete and review the bulletin boards that are in my classroom. There will be a

section/space on each bulletin board to cover the four subject areas (ELA, math, science,

and social studies). I will also have a bulletin board for class news, so that when students

come in, they can read over the class news to be informed on what is happening for the

week/month. This will also help the visual and kinesthetic learners.

 Obtain last minute student and teacher supplies

I will need to obtain any last-minute student supplies and teacher supplies that are needed

for my classroom. I will ensure that there are pencils, pens, markers, crayons, expo
 THEORY INTO PRACTICE – EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY IN THE CLASSROOM
PART 6: TWO DAYS OF SCHOOL

markers, staplers, tape, and erasers in my classroom. All of these items are handheld

objects which will help students with the kinesthetic multiple intelligence.

 Review lesson plans

I will need to review each subject area’s lesson plan for the first day of school. I will need

to collaborate with my neighboring teachers if I have any questions. Since my LCAS

classroom had students who had the musical multiple intelligence, I will ensure to

incorporate music into the lesson plan.

 Obtain library books from the library to display in classroom

Reading is critical for elementary students, so I will check out books from the library

based on the topics that will be covered for the week as well as a first day of school book.

Having handled books in the classroom instead of reading on electronic devices will help

my kinesthetic and visual learners.

THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL:

 Arrive early

As the teacher, I will arrive early to school to prepare for my students to enter my

classroom. I will get the music set up so that when my students walk in, they are put in an

uplifting mood. I will report to the duty spot that I am assigned to.

 Put my name on the board

I will write my name on the board, so that when my students walk in, they will remember

my name. This will also help visual and auditory learners because they can see how my

name is spelled and hear how it is pronounced.

 THEORY INTO PRACTICE – EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY IN THE CLASSROOM
PART 6: TWO DAYS OF SCHOOL

 Greet students

I will then get my students from the hallway and greet them. Before entering my

classroom, I will engage in one of the following options with the students; a handshake,

high five, hug, or fist pump. This will help to build a positive relationship with each of

my students. Students will then enter my classroom and find their desk. A song will be

playing, and students can decide to move around or just sit at their desks. Encouragement

and praise will also be implemented throughout the whole school day.

 Place a morning work activity on the student’s desk

I will first introduce myself and things that I like to do. I will then place a fun morning

activity on the student’s desk. This activity will be a be a get to know your classmate

activity. On the worksheet, there will be certain questions in boxes that students must ask

their fellow classmates. If a student goes up to one classmate and asks if they have a dog

and the student says yes, then that student will sign their name in that given box. Once all

boxes are completed and filled in each student will get a piece of sticker. This activity

will allow students to interact with one another which is part of the preconventional stage

of moral development.

 Play an ice breaker

As a class we will then play the in/out circle. I will go first by telling students that I have

brown hair. If other students in the class has brown hair, they will step into the circle and

say me too. We will go around a couple of times until everyone has gone at least twice.

This activity will help with auditory learners and allow students to know more about their

classmates and teacher. Students can then share something that is unique about them or a
 THEORY INTO PRACTICE – EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY IN THE CLASSROOM
PART 6: TWO DAYS OF SCHOOL

fun fact. Praising and encouraging goes along with the industry vs inferiority stage of the

psycho-social theory which will help to increase student’s confidence.

 Read a first day of school book

We will then read the selected first day of school book that I have chosen. Students will

sit on the carpet and listen to me read the book aloud. This will help visual, auditory, and

kinesthetic learners according to my LCAS classroom data.

 Review the classroom rules/procedures

We will review the classroom rules/procedures chart that I created from the day before. I

will provide students with scenarios that are based on right and wrong decisions and I

will then ask the class to decide what the reward or punishment would be. This will allow

students to have a voice in the classroom.

 Give students a tour of the classroom

I will then give students a tour of the classroom. I will show them which supplies they

can take without asking. During this time, we will also go over when the appropriate time

is to sharpen a pencil, use the bathroom, get water, and when to ask questions during

class. This will allow students to get familiar with the classroom set up and provide them

with the feeling of a safe learning environment. Throughout the tour, I will be able to

monitor how students are behaving as well as their listening skills.