Classroom management and discipline are not the same thing. Owners don't discipline a store; they manage a store. Coaches don't discipline a team; they manage a team. Likewise, teachers don't discipline a classroom; they manage a classroom.

No learning takes place when you discipline. All disciplining does is stop deviant behavior, which must be done, but no learning has taken place. Learning only takes place when the students are at work, or as we say in education, on-task.

DISCIPLINE: Concerns how students BEHAVE
PROCEDURES: Concern how things are DONE

DISCIPLINE: Has penalties and rewards
PROCEDURES: Have NO penalties or rewards

My first priority when the class starts
is to get the students to work.

Entering the Classroom

Students enter the classroom quietly and calmly. If coming in at the beginning of the day, they put their belongings away quickly and do the morning routine. If it is at another part of the day, the students come in and have a seat in their chairs.

End of Class Dismissal

I dismiss the class not the bell. Students are dismissed when called upon, either individually or by groups.

Bell Work

Each morning there is a "bell work" assignment on the board or overhead projector. Students enter the classroom and get started on the assignment. The assignment is turned in or corrected verbally as a class. When the assignment is completed, students write in their journals or read. Every morning the students write the daily entry from the board into their agenda. This is always a part of their "bell work" assignment.

Quieting the Class

· The teacher raising her hand quiets the class. The teacher doesn't say anything or get upset, but patiently waits with her hand up until the class is quiet.

· Another method used is counting to five and each number symbolizing an action. "1- I need your eyes on me; 2- I need your ears; 3- You should all be sitting; 4- Sit up straight; 5- Five Star (Give Me Five) students ready to begin."

· The teacher ringing the small bell on the desk quiets the class. The bell signals the class to be quiet and listen.

· A clapping pattern started by the teacher is also done. The teacher makes a short clapping pattern and the students repeat the pattern. Once the pattern has been repeated, the room becomes quiet.

Taking Class Roll

I will personally greet my students at the door each day. I will emphasize to the students that they are responsible for tallying their attendance. Students will be assigned jobs. The office runner for the week will take the roll to the office. A key chart will be used to keep track of attendance and also be used to keep track of hot and cold lunches.

 

As students enter the room they will remove their key from the chart and place it in the key box next to the "Keys to Success" chart.  Remaining keys let me know who is absent without disturbing the class.  Start of the day warm up will be posted on the board.  I will note names of students absent when I see the remaining keys as students are doing their warm up assignment. 

As students enter the room and remove their key, they will place a red key on their hook, if they prefer a hot lunch.  All others will be cold. 

Class Motto

Every morning the class says the classroom motto, which is posted on the wall in the front of the room. Everyone stands for this and says the motto together to start off our day.

Collecting Seat Work

Work is collected according to the configuration of the desks. If the desks are arranged in rows, passing the papers across their row collects students' seatwork. They are instructed to place their paper on top of their neighbor's desk and then that neighbor picks it up and continues the passing process. When all of the papers are received at the end of the row, the student, whose job is to collect papers, brings all of the papers to the front of the room and puts them in the finished work basket.

Students' seated at tables collect their work by placing their finished papers in the middle of their table. The student, whose job is to collect papers, walks around the room and picks up each table's stack of papers and puts them in the finished work basket at the front of the room.

Turning in Work

There are two baskets placed in the front of the room. One basket is labeled "class work" and the other is labeled "homework." Whatever type of assignment they have to turn in, the child places the work in the appropriate basket.

Notes From Home

Students are to place any notes from home in the basket, which says "Notes From Home."

Restroom Breaks

Students are excused as a class to go to the restroom during lunch and recess.

Going to Lunch

Students make two lines by the outside door, one for "home lunches" and one for "school lunches." The students buying their lunches line up in alphabetical order.

 

Cafeteria

Students follow the cafeteria procedures as well as the classroom rules. Students clean up their sitting area after they are done. Students should be on their best behavior by using "Please" and Thank You."

Working in Cooperative Groups

Students are placed in teacher chosen groups at all times. They are reminded of the procedure for Support Groups.

1. You are responsible for your own work.

2. You are to ask a "support buddy" for help if you have a question.

3. You must help if you are asked for help.

4. You may ask for help from the teacher when the group agrees on the same question.

Transportation

Students follow the school's rules and classroom's procedures even when riding in vehicles on school outings. When walking to or from the bus or car, the procedures for the halls are followed. Students stay seated while on the bus or in the car and respect the property. Seat belts are worn at all times. A low voice is always used in the vehicle. There is no eating in the car or bus unless the driver says it's ok.

Picking Monitors

Students are chosen to do things in class by picking a Popsicle stick from the can labeled "Pick a Stick." Each student's name is written on the bottom end of a Popsicle stick and the sticks are all placed in a can. The teacher draws a stick in order to pick students for a variety of things.

Pinning Up Art Papers

Students pin up their art work on the clothesline in the front of the classroom. Whenever an activity that requires glue or paint is completed, the clothesline is used to hang the paper to dry. At the end of the day the students remove their dried papers and stack them in the "Class Work" basket.

Keeping the Noise-Level Down

A traffic signal is used to remind the students of the noise level for the classroom. A large cutout stoplight is hung in the front of the room with three black circles and a hook on each circle. Green, yellow, and red circles have been cut to fit over the black circle. The red circle is hung from its hook to indicate silent time, the yellow circle for whisper time, and the green circle for talk freely time.

Classical music is played during class time. Children keep that noise levels lower than the sound of the music.

Sending Notes Home

Notes to go home to parents at the end of the day are placed in the cubbies, if they have them, otherwise I will make them for my students. Students are responsible for sharing all of the notes with parents each evening.

When a Student Is Absent

When a student is absent, an absent folder with a yellow sticker is placed on that student's desk. All papers are passed out during class or any notes that need to go home are placed inside the folder. When the student comes back to school he/she knows to complete the missed work in the yellow folder. The absent work is placed on the shelf in the front office of the school for parents to pick up after 3:00pm.

Changing Groups/Transitions

The teacher gives a verbal announcement of five minutes left before changing centers, lessons, activities, etc. When it is time to change, a variety of methods are used.

1. Play music

2. Snap/clap rhythm pattern led by teacher

3. A bell is rung

Students know what these different signals mean and make the change quickly and quietly. If the Teacher Is Out of the Classroom Students remain on task while the teacher is out of the room. Classroom rules and procedures are followed as they continue their work. The classroom aide or a teacher next door is available for help if needed.

Daily Closing Message

At the end of the day the class reads the daily closing message. This is a short summary of the day's events. One child is chosen to read this to the class as everyone else follows along. The daily closing message is in their take home folders and then shared with their parents that evening. (This is a great communication tool between school and home of upcoming events, important information, and the children's day in school.) The daily closing message is prepared during the day by the teacher and then photocopied for each student.

Saying "Thank you."

At all times remember to say thank you to one another. Along with "thank you," "please" should also be used at all times.

(These are procedures and not rules Students are not to be punished if procedures are not done correctly. Rather, a student will be asked, "And what is the correct procedure,

Lining Up to Leave
Heading on Paper
Disaster Drills
Going and Coming From Recess
Hall Behavior
Managing the Class' Behavior
If Students Finish Work Early
If Students Don't Finish Their Work in Class
Storage for Recreational Reading Books
RAP Time (Read Any Place)
Keeping Students' Desks/Cubbies Clean
Keeping Your Take Home Folder or Daily Journal
Knowing the Schedule for the Day
If a Student Is Tardy
When a Student Needs Help
Returning Student Work
Handing Out Playground Materials
Moving About the Room
Going to the Library
Returning to Task After an Interruption
When a School Wide Announcement Is Made
If Someone Is Suddenly Ill
For a Classroom Party
Restroom Behavior
When Visitors Are in the Classroom
Assuring Names on Papers
Listening to/Responding to Questions
Indicating Whether a Student Understands or Not

Procedures Are a Part of Life

Procedures are important in society so that people can function in an acceptable and organized manner. Likewise, my procedures demonstrate how students are to function in an acceptable and organized manner in the classroom.

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