Jenny DiVincenzoDr. FurunessED 327June 26, 2015

Classroom Management Plan

Philosophy of Classroom Management

Thomas Armstrong, author of Neurodiversity in the Classroom, begins his text with a quote by Pablo Casals that sums up my philosophy as an educator:

And what do we teach our children? We teach them that two and two make

four, and that Paris is the capital of France. When will we also teach them

what they are? We should say to each of them: Do you know what you

are? You are a marvel. You are unique. In all the years that have passed, there has

never been another child like you…You may become a Shakespeare, a

Michelangelo, a Beethoven. You have the capacity for anything. Yes, you are a

marvel.

(Armstrong, 2012).

I believe that all learners are unique and have something different and

beautiful to offer to the classroom environment. There is no such thing as a “bad”

student. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs shows us the importance of basic human

needs and how they are all interconnected. If students are supported in fulfilling

their basic needs in the classroom setting, then they will demonstrate the behavior

expected of them by their teacher (Rand, 2012). Every student and teacher has a

story. It is crucial not to judge a student for how they may act because they will view

me as judgmental and cold: they will not see my classroom as a safe space. What I

need to do is acknowledge that my student may come from a difficult background or

may be dealing with something personal. I cannot be their therapist because I am

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not trained to be one: “Teachers are not supposed to be psychological counselors.

When a student has significant emotional problems, teachers should make sure they

don’t try to play that role and should instead refer the student to a school counselor

or licensed therapist. But what teachers can do is create an environment that helps

alleviate the normal problems many students wrestle with and, at the very least, not

add to them” (Phillips, 2014). My goal is to create a classroom environment where

students feel like they can walk in, sit down, and take a deep breath. In order to do

this, I must establish my non-negotiable rules almost immediately. My non-

negotiable rules essentially state that I have a zero tolerance for public shaming on

both my end as a teacher and on the students’ end.

Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences show educators that they need to provide

different methods of instruction, because learning is not “one-size fits all”. All

students have different strengths and weaknesses, and may benefit from different

types of instruction based on these strengths and weaknesses. It is important to

note, however, that students do not fit into one type of learning style based on their

own multiple intelligences: “Someone with high visual-spatial intelligence, such as a

skilled painter, may still benefit from using rhymes to remember information.

Learning is fluid and complex, and it’s important to avoid labeling students as one

type of learner. Gardner states, "When one has a thorough understanding of a topic,

one can typically think of it in several ways" (Edutopia, 2015). I need to be mindful

of this when creating lesson plans—it may be as simple as ensuring I have both a

visual aid for a lesson along with auditory elements. I am a flexible learner and think

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it is important for students to encounter all different types of learning Different

types of learning in the classroom may include having students participate in small

group and large group discussions, working independently on an assignment, and

integrating art and technology in my lesson plans so that students have a wide

variety of instruction that strays away from me lecturing in front of the class.

A.Long Range Goals in your Content Area: Define clear and measure outcomes that you wish all students to achieve in your classroom. Long after students leave you, what will they know and value about your specific content area and about being in a community of learners? What goals do you have for learners that transcend course-level specific content? (i.e. think about your content area as a whole, not as Algebra I, or 7th grade English, or 8th grade US History, or Spanish I, or 9th grade Biology)

1. Students will be able to read a piece of text and identify the “big ideas” 2. Students will be able to understand that each story has a beginning, middle,

and end. 3. Students will be able to analyze a piece of text by examining the characters,

plot, mood, etc. 4. Students will be able to question each other’s opinions on a text while also

questioning themselves. 5. Students will be able to identify their growth in reading and writing skills by

looking at past assessments and learning from their mistakes. 6. Students will use English past their middle and high school careers on a daily

basis, whether it is if they decide to read for pleasure, stay up to date on the news, or study books, movies, and music in English. The English language helps to express ideas, emotions, and important thoughts. Students will use English to express themselves for the rest of their lives, which is why it is important for them to be exposed to different works in English in order to help them gain a greater understanding of the English culture and themselves.

B.Philosophy of Assessment/Evaluation: What do you view the purpose of assessment to be? How does your view of assessment, grading, evaluating, etc., align with your long-range goals? What does your assessment philosophy look like in action? (Homework, Tests, Quizzes, Projects, Rubrics: how much, how often, where will it go, how will it count, and what about late work?

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Fisher and Frey summarize my philosophy of assessment in one sentence: “assessments are the link between teaching and learning” (Fisher and Frey, 2012). Students are continuously learning and growing during their time in school. Because of this, it is unfair for me to assume that their work is always going to be exactly what I envision. One of the main ways that I would like to assess my students is through exit tickets, which allow me to check in with each student and see if I am doing my job of effectively teaching them the curriculum that I am in charge of. I want my students to be able to see their progress throughout the year, and would want them to take ownership over their work through the creation of a portfolio. At the end of each unit, I would ask my students to compile all of the work that they completed such as papers, assignments, projects, etc. I will be able to assess each student based on the bigger picture rather than zoning in on just one high stakes exam WHILE students would be able to compile all of their work together at the end of the semester and/or year to see what progress they have made. Carol Dweck, a renowned psychologist who has studied the growth model, explains the importance of phrasing words when giving students’ criticism or feedback. In an interview, Dweck says:

I’ve also fallen in love with a new word—“yet.” You can say to someone who fell short: “You don’t seem to have this,” but then add the word “yet.” As in, “You don’t seem to have these skills…yet.” By doing that, we give people a time perspective. It creates the idea of learning over time. It puts the other person on that learning curve and says, “Well, maybe you’re not at the finish line but you’re on that learning curve and let’s go further.” It’s such a growth mindset word.

(Glei, “Talent isn’t fixed).

I would like to adopt this mentality in my classroom and try my best to show students that learning is a process that takes time, dedication, and perseverance. I cannot assume that a student will get an A on their first paper, because that would be absurd! There is always something that can be improved upon, and I believe that using a portfolio to show students that academic growth is a process will allow them to see how continuing to revise and rework different assignments and papers will yield in some pretty incredible results.

I do not believe in giving students tests that have questions that ask surface

level questions. For example, it doesn’t matter to me if a student can remember

super specific details in a text. Questions such as “what was the weather?” are not

beneficial and cause more anxiety and stress for students because they feel as

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though they need to memorize every single detail in a story, which takes away from

the overall text. I want to use assessment as a way for students to apply what they

have learned in my class to the real world. In order to do this, I need to ensure that

every assessment I give is intentional and not just busy work. I believe that each

assessment should be “tied to your stance on learning; driven by learning goals;

systematic; tied to instruction; inclusive of the learner; and integrated into a

manageable system” (Fisher and Frey, 2012). I will minimally use standardized tests

as a form of assessment because there are other methods of assessment that allow

students to show me they have mastered the material in a less structured and lower

stakes way. Standardized tests are very much a large part of the education world

today, and I recognize that I need to support my students in taking high-stake

exams. In order to do this, I will ensure that my lessons incorporate main ideas that

students need to learn and be knowledgeable for standardized tests. I will embed

practice for tests throughout the week rather than waiting to prepare students right

before the test so that they feel confident and prepared with the skills they need not

only for the test, but for my English class in general. Nicole Sledge, a teacher and

contributor to Scholastic, provides excellent ideas on preparing middle school and

high school students for standardized tests. She suggests implementing a “game

day” once a week into classrooms, which motivates students to master important

content in a fun, sneaky way. Sledge also suggests being mindful about text selection

in lessons because students can practice answering standardized test questions for

non-fiction works. She recommends selecting texts that are challenging yet

interesting and relatable to students so that the learning process is more exciting

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and enjoyable. Do I fully believe that standardized tests are beneficial? Not

necessarily. However, Sledge makes a point that I would like to adopt as a teacher:

“Regardless of whether you think the amount of emphasis placed on these exams is

valid, helping students conquer these exams is critical. Our job as educators is to

ensure that students are equipped with the weapons that they will need in order to

defeat these challenging assessments” (Sledge, 2015).

Instructional Strategies that Promotes positive Classroom Climate and Culture: How are you meeting students’ academic needs through student-focused strategies? What do you do instructionally to prevent students’ need to act out? How do you differentiate instruction for diverse learners (UDL-universal design for learning)?

A quote that I think is important to consider with classroom management is

to not make any assumptions about what students may or may not understand: “Do

not assume that children will do the things the way you expect. Show them, allow

plenty of time to practice, and guide them into remembering. If children are not

following routines, re-teach them and practice” (Rand, 2012). For example, what

does being polite LOOK like? What does respect look like? Rand gives a suggestion of

creating a t-chart and talking about different expectations: “This chart has two

columns, one in which you list what something looks like, the other to list what

something sounds like” (Rand, 2012). Rand’s suggestion is geared towards

elementary level students, but I believe it may be applied to middle schoolers as

well as high schoolers. Learning how to be respectful doesn’t just end in fourth

grade: we all continue to learn how to be more respectful and mature for our entire

lives.

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All students have different needs and abilities. I must take into consideration

that I will have students with special needs in my classroom and be aware of that

when I am planning my lessons. For example, I will need to be flexible with

transition time because it takes some students longer to finish up a task: “Some

children with disabilities will need more transitioning time than the rest of the

class…you might want to help the child transition before or after the other children,

or to allow the child to wait in a quite location until the next activity begins” (Rand,

2012). On the contrary, there are some students who act out when there is down

time because they do not have anything structured for them. In order to curve this

behavior, I will implement a routine in which students will have a book of their

choice with them ALWAYS in my classroom. If there is any down time, they will

know to sit quietly and read until I start the next activity. Because students will

know they always have some sort of task to do, they will not act out because they

always have something productive to be doing. If students do not choose to read,

they may take out their portfolio folder and work on certain assignments that need

to be revised or tweaked for their final portfolio. If there is an assignment due date

coming up, students may also have the choice to work on that as well.

PBIS World is an incredible tool that provides “hundreds of interventions,

supports, resources, and data collection tools, all of which are organized into the tier

1 through 3 framework. It is designed to help guide users through the PBIS

implementation process, starting with behavior identification and offering

suggestions for interventions and data collection tools.” (PBIS World, 2015). I love

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this tool because it provides clear instruction for almost any negative behavior

imaginable. There are different resources that teachers can use in order to help

students overcome the behavior—this is important because all students respond to

different methods of behavior intervention differently, so it is important to

recognize that one method is cannot be viewed as a “one size fits all” approach.

Building Relationships with Parents and Students before the Start of School: What do you have to think about before students ever arrive? How do you plan to motivate students? How often will you communicate with parents? How will you communicate both positive and negative issues?

Before the school year even starts, I would like to send out a “welcome” letter

to all of my students and their families. I would like to create two separate ones: one

for students and one for parents. Parents should be encouraged to be a part of their

children’s education. Unfortunately, “Too often new teachers enter an environment

in which families are sometimes seen as ‘the enemy’ or at least a frustrating part of

the job” (Rand, 2012). I want to abolish the mentality that parents are “the enemy.”

If I actively make an effort to communicate with parents before school even starts, I

believe it shows I am “inviting them” to be a part of their child’s education.

I would like to regularly communicate with parents after the school year

begins. Rand suggests calling two parents each day, even if it is about good news! “It

is well known that most teachers only contact parents when there is a problem at

the school. This is, of course, unfortunate, and an easy trap to fall into” (Rand, 2012).

Contacting parents via phone for both positive and negative issues will be my main

form of communication. I want to stray away from calling parents for only bad news,

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because they should hear about all of the good things their children are doing, too. I

am sure that more parents will be more willing to talk on the phone than others, and

I am sure I will find out what parents enjoy being contacted about positive

behaviors versus other parents who do not necessarily want to hear about it. I will

communicate with all parents via email once a month with a monthly newsletter,

which will contain the following information:

What the students are learning What activities they have been doing School policy reminders Upcoming events at the school Suggestions for parents at home to support their children’s learning

First Days of School Routines and Procedures: Below is a list of my procedures that my students will learn on the first day of school:

1. Turn in assignments to my desk at the beginning of each class period. I will specify if you shouldn’t turn your assignment in if we happen to go over it together as a class. There will be a box on my desk where your assignments should be placed. If they are not in the box by the time class starts, they will be considered late.

2. When you walk into the classroom, please have your materials ready to go so that we can start class right when the bell rings. It is imperative that you bring your materials to class every day (especially the novel we are studying) in order to refer to it during discussion.

3. Please bring a journal to class every day. At the start of class, I would like you to write until I begin class. There will be writing prompt(s) on the board to help you get started, but if you have any other creative ideas don’t feel obligated to write about the prompt I have given.

4. If you are late to class, please make sure you have a slip from your previous teacher explaining why you are late.

5. If you are absent, please obtain your missed work from the ABSENT binder at the front of the classroom. If you need any clarification on the work you have missed please make an appointment with me outside of class OR ask a peer for help.

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6. Going to the bathroom will be at the student’s discretion. I trust if you have to go to the bathroom! If this is taken advantage of we will work together to come up with a solution. For example, if I notice that three or four students are leaving to use the bathroom at one time, I will implement a policy that only one student can leave the room at a time. All students will have to wait until the student gets back from the bathroom in order to leave. If a student is leaving class for long periods of time (if you are gone for more than ten minutes [yikes] then I may have to ask students to simply go to the bathroom during their passing period, not during class time.)

Transition time: If we are ever transitioning between different tasks or you are working independently on an assignment and finish early, I want you to have a book of your choice that you keep with you in my class. If you finish a task early, read silently until I start up the next activity. If you decide not to read, you may take out your portfolio folder and either revise work or work on an upcoming assignment that is due.

Starting and Ending class

Starting class: I will stand at the door as students walk in every day. This way, I am

able to greet them and show them that I care about them outside of the class period.

I will be able to pick up on nonverbal cues if a student is struggling that day and take

that into consideration when I am teaching my class. I would like my students to

have a journal that they know to take out at the beginning of class. I will always have

a prompt or picture on the board and ask them to write about it until class begins.

Ending Class:

I will utilize exit tickets at the end of each class as a way of formative

assessment for my students. I believe that exit tickets are beneficial because “exit

slips give teachers a snapshot of the overall student learning” (Alber, 2012). I would

change the question of the exit ticket for each class depending on the context of

what is being done in class. For example, one scenario would involve me asking

students to write down any questions that they have on a text. This would help me

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see what I need to help them focus on for the next class. I could also have students

reflect on the class that day, provide suggestions for future classes, and activate

prior knowledge for a reading by me asking them prompting question.

a. Names: How will you get to know your students?

Edutopia has an excellent resource with tips to try when memorizing student names. The document outlines these different strategies:

1. Assign several short written assignments in the first week; practice names (“There you go, Sasha.”) as you return papers.

2. Take photos of students wearing nametags. Review the photos before class. Attach student photos to interest inventories so that you can relate faces with experiences and affinities.

3. Identify a unique physical feature and then think of a funny sentence involving that feature and the student’s name: Tim has a tiny tooth.

4. Create rhymes to aid your auditory and visual memory: Fred eats monkey bread.

5. Prioritize talking to a different group of five students every day for the first few weeks of school. Use their names frequently during your conversation.

6. Greet students by name as they enter the classroom. Ask for help from students whose names you cannot recall.

7. When students tell you their names, say it back to them and confirm the pronunciation.

(Edutopia, How to Remember Names).

b. Seating Arrangements

A seating chart will be created BEFORE the school year starts. I will ask

students to sit in assigned seats for the first few weeks of school so that I can learn

their names better. Once I get to know my students better, I will assign their seats

based on interests, social groups, and academic level. If I can tell that a group of

students are good friends with each other and have trouble working near each

other, I will split them up so that they do not distract each other or others during

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class. I want to create a classroom environment where all students know each other

well, and in order to do that I need to place them in seats next to individuals they

may not know very well. I want students of all ability levels to be mixed together so

that those who may be stronger in a certain subject can be placed with a student

who may need extra peer support. However, students who are able to work at a

faster pace academically will have at least one other peer with them so that they do

not feel as though they aren’t being challenged. I would like to place the desks in my

classroom in groups of four or five. I want students to be in groups so that they are

able to discuss ideas together in a smaller setting if need be. If we are having a

whole-class discussion, I will ask students to create a circle with their desks so that

they are all able to see and interact with each other during the discussion.

While it is imperative students are placed in strategic desks, it is also

important to be aware of where students are sitting in relation to projectors,

computers, windows, the teacher, etc. According to an article on seating from

Edutopia, “…Public school teachers can enhance learning in their classrooms simply

by applying what he calls "no-cost or low-cost" solutions that include making sure

no student is more than 15 feet from the instructional source, whether that's a

teacher, an overhead projector, or a video screen. He also advises being aware of

light sources to prevent glare on computer screens or chalkboards. He cautions

against seating arrangements that either create awkward viewing angles for

students or prevent them from hearing information clearly” (Schibsted, 2005).

c. Your “non-negotiable” Rules.

In order for my classroom to be a safe space and comfortable environment

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for students to learn, I will ABSOLUTELY NOT tolerate any bullying. Bullying may be

physical, but is more typically “sneaky” and verbal in a classroom setting. Bullying

doesn’t just occur between students. Teachers may bully their students through

public humiliation, which goes against the idea of a safe, comfortable learning

environment. “Assure them that you will never publicly demean a student and that

any problems you have with a student will be dealt with privately. You can suggest

that they do the same with you when they have a problem with your teaching or

your treatment of them” (Phillips, 2014). Forms of public humiliation, whether they

are between students or myself and a student, are unacceptable and non-negotiable.

They go against my classroom management philosophy, which is that all students

are unique and all have something positive to offer in my classroom and beyond.

Below is a list of other non-negotiable rules that I expect my students to follow:

1. Listen while others are speaking, including me.

2. Be sitting in your desk writing in your journal when the bell rings. You

should have all of your required class materials at this time.

3. Turn in assignments at the beginning of each period. There will be a bin at

the front of the room that is designated for turning in assignments. There

should be no reason for you to not be turning your work in! Because you will

be revising and resubmitting your work throughout the year, I do not expect

your first draft of a paper or assignment to be perfect. What I do expect is

effort and thought demonstrated in your work. It is imperative that you turn

in every assignment so that your portfolio will be complete by the end of the

semester. If your portfolio is missing different assignments, I will not be able

to access your growth as a whole, which will reflect on your final grade.

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4. No cell phones IF IT IS A SCHOOL POLICY! An element of respect is adhering

to the school’s rules. I will either ask you to go to the office to bring them

your phone for the rest of the day, adhering to school policy.

If cell phones and other devices are allowed, then they will be embraced in my

classroom. However, I will ask students to use their devices for academic

purposes only. I will discuss what using devices for academic purposes looks like

on the first day of school (e.g. when technology is used, I will prompt students to

take their devices out—if I do not prompt students to take their devices out, I

will assume that they may be texting a friend or possibly cheating depending on

the context of when the device is out). If the school has students sign a

technology contract regarding their device usage, I will ask that students respect

the contract and adhere to the consequences if the contract is broken.

5.[4.] Use appropriate language. No swearing or use of offensive words, please!

The use of “That is so retarded” and “that’s gay” fit in the offensive words

category. Be mindful of your classmates and what may offend them.

6.[5.] There is absolutely a zero tolerance policy for cheating. You will receive a

zero for the assignment, paper, or test and the incident will be reported to

the principal as well as to your parents. I understand that there is a lot of

pressure to get that 100 percent on a paper or test and am not naïve to the

fact that students cheat. Because your final assessment is a portfolio of the

work you have worked to improve on over time, I don’t expect each of your

papers and assignments to be perfect. That is a part of the learning

experience! The only zeros you will ever receive in my class are if I see that

you have turned in another student’s paper or copy and pasted copious

amounts of text from a website or book. I want to see growth in your work,

and cheating will not help you grow as a reader and writer! If you are

confused or stuck on a paper or assignment, make an appointment with me

and we can discuss what you are struggling with. We will have sessions in

class where you can work with other students to brainstorm and bounce

ideas off of each other. It is OK to ask for help or advice, but NOT ok to have

outside people do your work for you.

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i. What are the differences between rules, norms, policies, and procedures?

Rules: Prevent negative behaviors and encourage positive behaviors

Policies: Policies state how you as a teacher plan to run your classroom effectively.

Procedures: A method or process for how students should do something in a classroom. They are detailed steps that are required to perform a specific activity.

Norms: Agreed-upon expectations

ii. What is within your control as a teacher?

I am in control of teaching my students the rules, norms, policies, and

procedures I expect them to adhere by. I am in control of modeling positive and

respectful behavior so that my students can do the same. I am in control of creating

a classroom environment that is inclusive and welcoming and safe by creating rules

to ensure a positive and healthy space. I am not in control of where my students

come from or what they may be dealing with at home or internally. If a student acts

out, I cannot immediately jump to conclusions that the student is lazy or “bad”

because no student is. I have the control to keep calm and dig to the root of the issue

a student may be having and do my best to help the student succeed, whether it is

support only from me or an outside support, like a school counselor or therapist.

e. Behavior Management: What happens when a student breaks one of your “non-negotiables”? (Is this consistent with what you said in your philosophy?)

I want my students to exercise their independence as much as possible

before they go off to high school or college, which is where they will be held

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more accountable for their actions. If a student does not turn in an assignment

on time, I will not harass them continuously to turn it in to me. Students will

know my expectations from day one of the school year about turning in

assignments and papers, and I want them to be able to advocate for themselves if

there is a reason as to why they have not turned in an assignment. If a student

breaks one of my non-negotiables, we will have a private conversation. As

mentioned in my non-negotiables, public shaming is not something I ever want

to do to any of my students. I would prefer to talk to them one-on-one because I

don’t want to create a hostile, unsafe classroom environment. All students come

from different backgrounds: if a student breaks a non-negotiable, I need to

consider if it was a cry for help or attention. I also need to consider that perhaps

the needs of the student were not being met, which resulted them breaking the

non-negotiable. If the student is harassing another student or attempting to

create an unhealthy classroom environment by lack of respect to their fellow

students or me, we will have a meeting to discuss why they are displaying the

behavior that they are. If the behavior is becoming a reoccurring issue, I will

want parents and a school therapist to be involved so that we can find a solution

to the issue together.

f. Climate/Environment: how do you want your class to look?

I want my classroom to be a comfortable and inviting space for students. I am

a huge fan of plants…I have a lot of them at my house and find them relaxing. I

definitely want to have plants in my classroom because it will make the space feel

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homier. Studies have shown that working in a space with plants creates an overall

more productive and healthier environment:

Researchers have found that the presence of houseplants in homes and workplaces can reduce eye irritation and stress, motivate employees, improve concentration, and even reduce air impurities. Plants appeared to have a positive effect on headaches and fatigue and hoarseness, and employees even reported having less dry skin when plants were introduced to offices. Interior plants have also been shown to increase work productivity; in one study, employees' reaction time on computer tasks improved by 12% when plants were present.

(Science Daily, 2009).

Because I will be teaching in a middle school or high school setting, there is a

chance that I will be sharing a classroom with at least one other teacher. I definitely

will collaborate with them to find a way to make the classroom a space that fits both

of our styles. I am a huge proponent of organization. I want to have all of my books

organized so that students have easy access to them. I definitely want to have a

classroom library where students can check out novels that interest them. It would

be ideal to dedicate a corner of the classroom as a mini library with a comfortable

chair, bookcase, and a rug.

Rick Wormeli recommends sitting in a student’s desk to gage if your

classroom is an effective learning environment. Wormeli says “When a student is

absent, sit in his desk while the class is working. View the room and class from that

angle. You’ll quickly see that some up-front demonstrations can’t be seen from that

angle, reflection of the overhead lights obliterates what you wrote on the front

board, and it’s a walking minefield of backpacks to get to the supply table or the iPad

storage locker” (Wormeli, 2014). I absolutely love this idea and need to keep it in

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mind when I am setting up my classroom. I need to acknowledge that the set up will

not be perfect the first time around—that is okay! I want to obtain feedback from

my students and have them help with the layout of the classroom as well as what

should be put up on the walls because it is their classroom too.

Absences: what do students do if they miss class or are absent?

If students are absent, I will ask them to obtain their missed work from the

ABSENT binder at the front of the classroom. If they need any clarification on the

work they have missed, I will ask them to please an appointment with me outside of

class OR ask a peer for help. I will show students the absent binder on the first day

of class and where it is located, which will be at the front of the room next to the bin

where they are asked to turn in their homework assignments. The binder will be

organized by class period. I will write the name of the student on each assignment

they need to complete. The student will be given the same amount of day(s) that

they were absent to complete their assignment IF they were excused because of an

illness. If the student has a special circumstance, I will work with the student to

determine an appropriate time for them to turn in their missed work. If the student

missed class for a doctor’s appointment or another appointment that they knew

about in advance, they must:

1. Obtain the work from me BEFORE they miss class or else they will lose five

points on the assignment.

2. If a paper is due and they do not turn it in to me because of an

appointment, I will drop the paper by half a letter grade. If they do not turn in an

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assignment because of an appointment, they will lose five points on the assignment.

They can either turn it in to me before the school day or before they leave for their

appointment. If there is a special circumstance (up to my discretion) they may turn

it in a day late.

Alternative to absent binder: I will have a classroom website, which will outline all

of the different activities and assignments that we will be covering each week. If a

student misses class, it is THEIR responsibility to go on the class website and obtain

any notes or worksheets that they missed that day. Students should ask at least two

peers any questions they have about what they missed that day BEFORE they come

ask me any questions. I will ask the student who they talked to when they come ask

me a question about an assignment, and if they have not talked to any of their peers

yet I will ask them to do so.

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Works Cited

Alber, R. (November 2012). A Favorite Formative Assessment: The Exit Slip. Retrieved June 14, 2015, from Edutopia: http://www.edutopia.org/blog/formative-

assessment-exit-slip-rebecca-alber

Armstrong, T. (2012). Neurodiversity in the Classroom . Alexandria, Virginia: ASCD.

Edutopia. (n.d.). How to Remember Names. Retrieved June 14, 2015, from Edutopia: http://www.edutopia.org/resource/remembering-names-download

Edutopia. (2015, April 9). Multiple Intelligences: What Does the Research Say? Retrieved June 9, 2015, from Edutopia: http://www.edutopia.org/multiple-intelligences-research

Glei, Jocelyn K. (n.d). Talent isn’t fixed and other midsets that lead to greatness. Retrieved June 24, 2015 from 99u.com: http://99u.com/articles/14379/talent-isnt-fixed-and-other-mindsets-that-lead-to-greatness

Fisher, D., & Frey, N. (2012). Improving Adolescent Literacy (3rd ed.). Boston, Massachusetts: Pearson.

PBISworld.com. (2015). FAQ. Retrieved June 14, 2015, from PBISworld.com: http://www.pbisworld.com/faq/

Phillips, M. (2014, June 25). Creating an Emotionally Healthy Classroom Environment. Retrieved May 2015, 2015, from Edutopia:

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/creating-emotionally-healthy-classroom-environment-mark-phillips

Rand, M. K. (2012). The Positive Classroom . Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton Square Press.

Schibsted, E. (2005, June 1). Rearrange the Desks: Reposition the Students' Seats to Help Retain their Attention. Retrieved June 11, 2015, from Edutopia.

Science, A. S. (2009, September 6). Greening University Classrooms: Adding Plants Increases Student Satisfaction. Retrieved June 14, 2015, from ScienceDaily: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090903163947.htm

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Sledge, Nicole. (n.d) Preparing High School Students for Standardized Exams. Retrieved June 24, 2015 from Scholastic: http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/preparing-high-school-students-standardized-exams

Wormeli, R. (2014, October). Building Empathy. Retrieved June 14, 2015, from Association for Middle Level Education : http://www.amle.org/BrowsebyTopic/WhatsNew/WNDet.aspx?ArtMID=88

8&Ar

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