Grace Barker SPED 405 10/31/12 Hello!

My name is Grace Barker, and I am the Introduction to Sociology teacher for juniors and seniors. I am a graduate of the University of Illinois with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history and secondary. I am really looking forward to a wonderful year with this years class, and in order to ensure that this course is fun and engaging for all, I have enclosed some classroom procedures and expectations that are implemented in my classroom. Expectations: First, I have three simple expectations for my students: respect yourself, respect others, and respect property. Respect Yourself: What it looks like: putting your best foot forward every day, being prepared for class, staying on task What it feels like: building self-esteem, being proud of who you are What it sounds like: using positive words, asking questions Respect Others: What it looks like: taking turns, listening to others thoughts and questions, working together, following classroom rules What it feels like: acceptance of difference of opinions What it sounds like: encouraging words, collaborating

Respect Property: What it looks like: returning borrowed items, taking care of supplies, cleaning up messes, organizatio

In this sociology class, we will be discussing many subjects and issues that students face every day or have previous knowledge of. Our personal experiences will play a strong role in our personal opinions, and all opinions and ideas will be thoughtfully regarded and respected. Respect will play a HUGE role in our classroom. Classroom Procedure: Everyday when students enter my classroom, they will embark on the same daily class procedure. This procedure will be established on the first day of school and will be enforced throughout the rest of the year. The procedure is as follows: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Enter the classroom and find your seat. Place any homework due into the assigned homework bin located near the teachers desk. Open notebook and begin completing the bell ringer assignment. Discuss the bell ringer as a class. Begin lesson.

Classroom Positive Reinforcements: When students follow the classroom guidelines and procedures correctly, they should be rewarded! When positive behavior is seen, students will have the opportunity to choose one of the following rewards: late homework pass, comfy class seat coupon or positive note/phone call home. Classroom Consequences:

If students fail to comply with the classroom guidelines and procedures, consequences will ensue. Students will first be issued a warning in order to make students aware of their negative actions in the hopes of diminishing them. The steps taken if negative behavior persists are as follows: 1. 2. 3. 4. Verbal warning from teacher Student-Teacher conference Phone conference with parent/guardian Detention

Students who need an alternative classroom consequence plan will be handled on a case-by-case basis.

Reflection: I would choose to teach my expectation of respect yourself to students. I would choose to teach this expectation to my students because I believe it may be the hardest to understand. I would teach this to my students by asking them what it looks like when they are giving their best self to the class. I would also follow up this original question by asking questions such as: Do you put yourself down? Do you come prepared to class? Do you participate? I would then make a list on the board of what answers students give of what respecting yourself is. Next, I would like students to make a list of what it looks like when the teacher is bringing his or her best self to the classroom. Both lists will be posted on a wall in the classroom as a reference to this expectation. In my opinion, the easiest part of this assignment to come up with expectations. I had a teacher a few years back who summed up all of her expectations of the classroom as respect with three types of respect in mind. When thinking back to those expectations, I found them easy to remember and easy to follow. I didnt want to create a long list of expectations, and I believe these three rules sum up all of the necessary components of good classroom behavior. The hardest part of this assignment for me to complete was a list of positive reinforcements. I wanted to be sure to come up with reinforcements that I could actually follow up on. When I think back to my academic career, I found that the teachers with the worst classroom management were the ones who did not follow up on their positive and negative reinforcements. Students understood that the teacher did not follow up on these behavior management guidelines, and thus, the students began to behave as they pleased.