EDUC 424: Task Set A

Building the classroom community

October electronic copy is DUE: October 24, 2014

Done / Not done / School Profile Portfolio Items: Store all information in your Field Experience binder
Collect information about your school such as: the school’s year calendar , the school newsletter, school website
Collect information about your classroom such as: class timetable/weekly schedule, a seating plan (include your students’ first and last names- Learn your students’ names!)
Reading: Feel free to read them all…. but choose ONE for this Task Set
These are all available online through the UBCO Library.
Topics: Classroom management and the teacher’s…
Values: Prior, Jennifer. (2013). Focus on Elementary: Love, Engagement, Support and Consistency: A recipe for classroom management. Childhood Education, 90(1), 68 – 70.
Attitudes: Bondy, E. & Ross, D.D. (2008). The teacher as warm demander. Educational Leadership, 66(1), 54 – 58.
Language: Denton, P. (2008). The power of our words. Educational Leadership, 66(1), 28 – 31.
Take on some basic housekeeping duties with mentor teacher support and direction. Examples of what you could do:
-  Photocopying, collating/assembling student work/booklets etc.
-  Cutting/laminating/hole punching/book-binding
-  Basic marking- using an answer key or rubric
-  Checking/recording: student marks, work completion, book or permission/order form returns etc.
-  Straightening book shelves, sink area, supply cupboard
-  Plant or animal care
General Classroom Routines/Procedures: Notice some/all of the following and keep a ‘loose leaf’ inventory for your records. Store your inventory in your Field Experince binder.
-  Expected courtesies/forms of address: ‘please/thank you’, ‘May I …’, getting someone’s attention etc. How are these taught or encouraged?
-  Entry/Exit routines: how are students to enter/exit the classroom? The school? How do students clean-up/get ready for class time?
-  Nutrition break: How do students get their snacks?, How/where do they eat?, What do they do with leftovers, garbage, recycling?, What do they do when they are finished?
-  Lunch Break: same Q’s as above
-  Locker/cloak room: How do students store their outerwear, backpacks, outdoor shoes, etc.?
-  Class jobs: What are they? How are they assigned?
-  Opening exercises/morning meeting etc.: Is there a routine?
-  Review/practice routines: e.g. how are students self-directed during journals, math fact practice, spelling practice, DPA/QDPE, book exchange etc.?
-  Agenda/Home-School Communication: How are agendas filled out? Checked? How are notes home distributed? Collected? (e.g. absentee notes, permission slips, order forms etc.)
Specific Classroom Routines/Procedures: Using the following checklist, develop a ‘loose leaf’ inventory of specific routines/procedures in your practicum classroom. Keep this inventory in your field binder.
Complete a post-visit reflection after each school visit. Use the prompt questions to frame your thinking. Refer to template in this package. (Also posted on the website)
After a few visits, summarize your observations in a holistic class profile. Store all of this information in your Field Experience binder. (Refer to the template in this package. (Also posted on the website)

EDUC 424: Task Set A

Building the classroom community, cont’d (page 2 of 3)

My Practicum Classroom: Inventory of Specific Routines/Procedures

Set up a section in your field binder and develop an inventory of the following essential classroom routines & procedures.

General procedures: / Lesson-specific procedures:
Managing student work spaces:
e.g. storage of assignments, materials, school supplies, personal belongings at desk, desk top and interior etc. / Start of lesson: e.g. quieting a class, coming to attention, introducing the lesson
During instruction: e.g. listening while teacher is talking, asking/responding to questions, participating in discussions, monitoring understanding/checking for attention/engagement
Managing student task expectations:
e.g. setting up notebook or work pages, use of pencil/pen, printing or writing?, checking own work, marking work etc. / During student work times: e.g. expectations for independent work, pair work, group work, seeking help, early finisher options, distracted student options
Managing movement & noise level:
e.g. washroom use, washing hands, getting a drink, walking around classroom, talking/no talking times, use of pencil sharpener, getting supplies, seeking help, moving chairs/desks, lining up, moving to other parts of the school / Movement & storage of paper and supplies/materials:
e.g. passing out, handing in, returning student work, class marking, how are supplies/materials (e.g. pens/pencils, art supplies, books, technology, sports equipment )distributed, organized, stored?
Managing the unexpected:
e.g. interruptions, class visitor, request from office, during school-wide announcements, emergencies (student is sick, medical emergency, student injury) / Transitions:
e.g. changing tasks during a lesson, changing groups, between classes/subjects etc.

Note 1: If you aren’t able to finish your inventory by the task due date, please highlight the procedures you feel you have enough information about. Complete the rest of the inventory during your November school visits.

Note 2: Make sure you become familiar with these procedures… you will be responsible for facilitating them when you are teaching the class!

EDUC 424: Task Set A, cont’d (page 3 of 3)

Reading Response: How do a teacher’s values or attitudes or language shape the classroom community? How was this evident in your practicum classroom? Use your selected article to support your points.
From what you’ve observed and experienced so far, how are your students similar or different from the students you taught last year?
Initial thoughts about my future teaching practice:
At this point, what metaphor would you use to describe the kind of classroom community you want to create? Why did you choose this metaphor?

Criteria for quality:

___ Complete (all required information is included and details are sufficient to convey ideas/information)

___ Critically-thoughtful (attempts to make connections between self/learning/practice are evident; provides reasons/evidence to support insights/ideas)

Task Set A: Post-visit Reflections

(Adapted from: Brownlie, F. & King, J. (2011). Learning in safe schools. Markham, Ont: Pembroke Publishers.)

Create a running record of your observations and emerging insights about your class by record salient details in response to the following prompts:

a) What are the strengths of the class? What some positive aspects about this group as a whole?

b) What are your concerns about the class as a whole? What are their needs? What do you wonder about your students in general?

c) What are the priorities for class community development? (These goals may be based on strengths and/or concerns, on an area of interest, or a curricular priority)

d) What the individual needs (medical, learning, social-emotional, language, or other related to individual students) in your classroom community?

CLASS STRENGTHS / CLASS NEEDS
GOALS / DECISIONS/TO DO
INDIVIDUAL LEARNING NEEDS
Medical / Language / Learning / Social/Emotional / Other

Adapted from: Brownlie, F. & King, J. (2011). Learning in Safe Schools, 2nd ed.. Markham, ONT: Pembroke Publishers