Creating a Caring Environment
Get to Know Each Other:
Name Game:
Each student will get a 3x5 card and will follow these instructions:
-On a notecard write down three things:
Each student will get a 3x5 card and will follow these instructions:
-On a notecard write down three things:
- Where would you like to travel that you have not been yet?
- What is your favorite class/subject in school?
- One word to describe yourself.
Classroom Contract:
Students will all receive, sign, and submit classroom (social) contracts.
We will build a classroom contract in each class. I will talk about the following three things with each class, but I will let the students express what they think is important, with my guidance of course. They are young adults though,and know what works for them and what doesn’t. Plus I feel that they will be more onboard with me if they are a part of the decision making process.
1.Class Rules
See an example here.
We will build a classroom contract in each class. I will talk about the following three things with each class, but I will let the students express what they think is important, with my guidance of course. They are young adults though,and know what works for them and what doesn’t. Plus I feel that they will be more onboard with me if they are a part of the decision making process.
1.Class Rules
- Respect
- Tolerance
- Support
- Attendance Policy
- Discipline
- Birthdays
- Submission
- Headers
- Organization
- Materials
See an example here.
Behavioral Expectations:
All of the behavioral agreements we made as a class in the above contract discussion (which, again, I guide) I will also have my own set of behavioral rules which are non-negotiable. Those will also be on the contract, and posted in the room always. Sent home for parents/guardians to sign as well.
Room Arrangement:
The first few weeks I will explain what I am doing in each corner of the room and everywhere in between. This way students will know where to do what and when and why.
- Objectives are written on the board each day, along with the standards we are meeting.
- The Agenda will be in this spot everyday, students will know to write that down. And will know what we are doing each day.
- Our weekly schedule will always be written in this spot and they can easily know what they missed or can see what is coming for each class.
- Here is where handouts belong, if you were absent go get what you missed.
- Etc.
Seating Chart:
There is assigned seating. Everyday at the start of class students will sit in their assigned seats. I will do a lot of partner and/or group work so they will get to move around a lot. But ideally they will start and end class in their assigned seats. For attendance, but also for intro and closure purposes. Fits with the idea of the 10:2 rule also, by moving them around it chunks up the class so they don’t get burnt out. Having students in their assigned seats let’s them know that it is time to pay attention to me now also. Usually when we will cover assignments and lecture material also.
Here is my ideal Classroom set-up.
Here is my ideal Classroom set-up.
Differentiation Strategies:
- Students may be broken up into their Kagan groups where one student is performing at an advanced level, two are operating at the average, and one student is low-performing. This will allow the lower level performer to utilize his/her classmates, and have them help him/her advance.
- Students may be broken up into groups based on their interests. I will have gathered some basic interests on the first day of school, but will continue to learn more about my students in each class. And if it will benefit the students more to be with their similar interest groups then they will report to those tables for the day.
- Another group students will be broken into is their color groups. Students will have taken their color quiz (personality test) and this information will be used to place students with like-minded individuals.
Citations:
(2014). What is Kagan Cooperative Learning. Retrieved from http://www.t2tuk.co.uk/studentteacher.aspx
Lowry, D. Discovering Our Personality Style Through TRUE COLORS. Retrieved from http://campusrec.unc.edu/sites/campusrec.unc.edu/files/Personality%20Test.pdf
Curwin, R. L. (2014, April 25). Create a Partnership With Your Students When Designing Your Social Contract. Retrieved from http://inservice.ascd.org/ascd-events/conference-on-teaching-excellence/create-a-partnership-with-your-students-when-designing-your-social-contract/
Lowry, D. Discovering Our Personality Style Through TRUE COLORS. Retrieved from http://campusrec.unc.edu/sites/campusrec.unc.edu/files/Personality%20Test.pdf
Curwin, R. L. (2014, April 25). Create a Partnership With Your Students When Designing Your Social Contract. Retrieved from http://inservice.ascd.org/ascd-events/conference-on-teaching-excellence/create-a-partnership-with-your-students-when-designing-your-social-contract/