Behavior Management Plan
There will be a small jar placed on the teacher’s desk. When students perform good behaviors, the teacher will add a marble to the jar. When the jar fills up, the students will have a list of activities to choose from as a reward. The teacher will tell students when he or she observes a good behavior and will show that a marble is being placed in the jar, sometimes even allowing students to put in the marbles themselves. The teacher will also keep track of how many marbles each student is contributing to the jar as well as table marble count. This will allow for individual and group rewards.
Once an individual has been the reason for contributing ten marbles they can choose one of the following:
A homework pass (cannot be used for a major assignment.)
Lunch with the teacher
A book
A prize from the mystery box
Choose the music the class listens to for the day (approved by the teacher)
Whole class prizes for when the jar is completely full
A small class party (it will still relate to a subject we are learning about)
Lunch with the teacher
Free time for the last fifteen minutes of class
Earn class pet (this may be good after the jar has been filled 3 times)
Bring pillow/stuffed animal to class
Watch a movie
Have more class reading time
Class outside for an hour
Board games
How do students earn marbles for the jar?
Working quietly
Showing respect to others and the teacher
Help clean up the classroom
Go the whole day without arguing/talking back
Specials teachers say the class behaved
Etc
Parent Involvement
Beginning of the year:
Before the school year even starts, I will send letters to my students’ family through the mail. I will tell the parents a little bit about myself and my teaching background as well as my expectations for the classroom for the following year. I would include my school email and phone number and let the parents know when is the best time to reach me. I want the parents/guardians to know that they can be involved many ways throughout the year. Finally, the letter will include a list of school supplies that the students should acquire before the first day of school.
I found this letter on a teacher’s website that I believe is a good example:
Back to School Letter
Dear Students, Parents and Guardians,
I would like to take the time to welcome you to the fifth grade! My name is Kelly Engman and I will be the fifth grade teacher this year at the Babbitt-Embarrass School. This is my second year at Babbitt-Embarrass and I am eager to begin another great year at an excellent school!
I just want to take a moment to let you know a little about myself. This is my seventh year of teaching and I find that I thoroughly enjoy it more each year. I live in Virginia, MN with my husband and two boys. I spend most of my time cooking, chasing the boys and my dog, exercising, and reading.
Fifth grade is a very important year. The curriculum is both challenging and exciting. When the school year begins please take time to review the student handbook as well as any forms that will be sent home. During the first couple of days of school, I will be highlighting the classroom procedures and expectations. Students are expected to be respectful, work hard, and do their best everyday.
Below is a list of school supplies and other classroom supplies that will be needed throughout the school year. Please note that our desks are quite small so large folders may be bulky and take up a lot of desk space.
Personal Items: School Items:
Pencils Box of tissue
10 Notebooks A snack to share with the class
(you can buy packs of 5 for 1.00)
Folders(s)
Markers, colored pencils, or crayons
Glue sticks or glue
Scissors
Ruler
Pen
Highlighters
Pencil box
I am looking forward to meeting you at the open house on Tuesday, September 8. The first day of school is on Wednesday, September 9. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns throughout the school year, please call the school (218-827-3101), email me (), or check out our class blog ( Together we will have a wonderful school year!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Kelly Engman
I like how the teacher offered minimal personal information and was able to keep the letter short and to the point. I also like how she listed the school supplies in the same letter rather than sending home multiple papers.
Throughout the year:
Throughout the year I will be sending home newsletters with the students to give to their parents. These newsletters will let parents know what has been going on in our classroom, what students have been learning, who has a birthday that month, and ways for them to get involved. The newsletter will be sent out at the end of the month for the following month. So, the newsletter for October will be sent out at the end of September.
Here is an example newsletter:
I found many sites that offered templates for newsletters, which will be very beneficial when it comes time to actually making them for my classroom. I like how the example listed what students will be learning in each subject, because kiddos don’t always want to share this information with their parents. It gives parents a good idea of what to help their children with.
Student Work/Grades:
Students will use their ½ inch binder to bring home homework and completed work. Homework will go on the left and completed work will go on the right. This folder will be sent home once a week on Mondays. The students will have the whole week to complete their assignments and turn them in on Friday. There will be a sheet hold punched in the middle that will list the assignments for the week as well as a place for parents to sign that they acknowledge that their child has completed the work.
However, rather than the check box, I would have parents initial that their student completed the assignment. I will write in each assignment that should be done on the particular day, that way students know what to focus on for that day. Homework for the week should be completed by Friday. I would write the students grades next to the assignment and parents would be able to see grades the next time the folder goes home.
Volunteering:
As for volunteering, parents will have many opportunities to help out throughout the year. There will be many classroom parties to celebrate holidays such as Valentine’s Day, Thanksgiving, Halloween, and many more. Letters will be sent home with students a few weeks before the event with information on what they can do to help. Parents will also have opportunities to volunteer during class field trips, field day, and other school wide functions.
10/01/2012
Dear Parents/Guardians,
Happy October to all of you! I hope that you are enjoying the school year as much we are! The school year already seems to be going by so fast; Halloween will be here before you know it. We are looking for volunteers to help out with the school’s annual pumpkin carving event. We need parent volunteers to donate pumpkins and help students with the carving. There will be a few days listed below that the carving will take place. There are many students who would like to participate so your help would be greatly appreciated! All of the times will take place after school hours starting at 4:00 and ending at 6:00.We want our children to learn and be in class all day.
Have students return the bottom half of this letter before the end of the week.
Thank You,
Ms. Hooper
------
Name: ______
Name of student: ______
I am able to attend the following pumpkin carving sessions:
October 15 _____October 22 _____
October 16 _____October 23 _____
October 17 _____October 24 _____
October 18 _____October 25 _____
October 19 _____October 26 _____
I am not able to attend a carving session, but I will donate ______pumpkins to the school.
SCHEDULE:
7:45-8:00 Arrival Time
8:00-8:20 Class Meeting
8:20-9:20 Math
9:25-10:10 Specials
10:15-11:00 Social Studies
11:00-11:45 Science
11:50-12:20 Lunch
12:25-12:55 Recess
1:00-1:20 Self Selected Reading
1:20-2:50 Language Arts
2:50-3:00 Pack up and Dismissal
Questions to Ask Mentor Teacher
1)What did you find to be the most difficult thing during your first year of teaching?
2)What is something that you struggle with to this day?
3)Have you taught other grades before? What are some differences you see in the two?
4)How did you come up with your management techniques? What have you found to not work with any of your classes?
5)Do schools require approval before bringing new posters/furniture/etc into the classroom?
6)What is the best way for me to get parents involved?
7)How would you recommend that I handle a student who barely does their work and their parents don’t show that they care?
8)What is a good way to incorporate all learning styles in each subject?
9)What is your favorite thing about being a teacher?
10) What is the best way to manage planning time so that I don’t become too stressed?