Classroom Management

Save Time Grading

Student order and numbers

Gradebook

My Gradebook- I do my gradebook differently than most people; this is a perfect example of how I think out of the box… I organize my grade book by (wait for it) first names!! I know, I know; people always want to alphabetize by last names and I get more stressed out reactions when I tell people about this. The REASON I alphabetize by first name is that the students all know each other’s first name; so having them help me remain organized throughout the year is easier if I alphabetize by first name. Setting up my classroom this way allows me to develop systems that make my life easier. I have currently converted all of my gradebook over to Microsoft excel and Google Spreadsheets.

Desk nametags

Everything starts with my gradebook. I don't like to carry around a grade book and a lesson plan book, and a calendar. I found the best combination of all of them in one lesson plan book (and the logo matches our mascot as well, nice perk.) At the beginning of the year I wait a week or two, alphabetize my students by first name, and then write their names in order in my gradebook. Every student has a number next to their name- I then assign each student this number. I do this by writing the student’s number next to their names on the student nametags that I tape on desks. Since we rotate our classrooms, I do this for reading, math, and 4 different Social Studies classes. I created a nametag that allowed me to do that.

I then make the students learn and remember their student number. If a new student comes later on in the year I just add them to the end. The first thing I do is make the students line up in order anytime we go somewhere. This has helped me during fire drills, on my way to specials, on field trips etc. I can quickly tell the student "line up" and within 2-3 minutes I know who is missing; and best of all THEY know who is missing. Once we had an accidental fire drill during recess and my students ran out to the field and lined up in order. I was one of the only teachers who wasn't panicking about where my students were.

Inbox

The second way I use the student’s numbers is on tests. Students know when they write their names on their papers, they also need to write their student number in the top right corner. Students turn in their work to the inbox, which is already divided into 6 Sections 1: Reading class papers. Section 2: Math class papers. Sections 3,4,5,6- Social Studies class papers for each teacher (Ms. Patitz, Mrs. DeHerrera, Ms. Chiuminatto and Homeroom). At the end of the day one of my students has the job of "inbox organizer." That student takes all the papers in one folder, puts them in order by the student number, and then puts the folder into my teacher bag. Now all the pages are automatically alphabetized by first name, AND they are in the same order as my grade book.

Student filing cabinet

I am able to grade the papers and then quickly enter them into my grade book. After I am done with my pile of graded papers 2 things can happen. #1 I hand the papers back to students for Student Data Binders or I file the papers to keep until parent teacher conferences. I keep all the papers in order still so another student, whose job is filer can take those pages and file them my small filing cabinet. Each different subject has color-coded hanging file folders (see below about color coding), each with the students name written on them once again in the same order- so the filer just has to go through the pile and quickly place papers into the correct hanging file.

I have learned over the years students are very quick and willing to make this system work if they are alphabetized by first names, when I did this by last names students were a lot more confused OR tried to use each other’s first names. So I figured why not just always use them. I also realized that grading papers took a lot less time them writing them in my lesson plan book, or handing the papers back out.

Save Time Organizing

I love to have a classroom where items are easy to find and locate, that looks clutter-free and professional and that makes transitions quick. I realized about 3-4 years ago it was impossible for me to do this everyday. I would go through all the folders to make sure students papers were organized, or which books were missing, or putting folders away in the correct places. I decided to work smarter, instead of working harder. I created some systems that allowed me to save time to do "teacher" jobs, and I left the job of organizing and staying organized to my students

Math items

First of all I color-code everything! Reading class is RED, Math class is BLUE, Mrs. Patitz/Writing class is PURPLE, Mrs. De Herrera/Science class is GREEN, Ms. Chiuminatto/Study Skills is YELLOW and Mrs. Nunez/Homeroom is ORANGE. All the fourth grade teachers color code everything the same way, even color-coding or grade book for each different section of the Standards Based Progress Reports. For example math class items- students will have a blue pocket folder to keep their work in, a blue spiral to write notes in, a blue bin to turn homework into, a blue team score sheet for points, and their names will be written on blue random sticks.

Random Sticks

Area for student text books

I use cooperative learning groups in my classroom for all the different subject areas. This helps with language acquisition because my policy is never to ask a question the teams can't discuss first. Students can discuss the question and answers in their home language, but must work together as a team to phrase the response in English. In order to make materials more accessible to students I keep all student work in one corner of the room. Social Studies and Reading textbooks are kept in this location and only one student from each team (materials getter) is allowed to get the materials.

Student supplies

Since students always sit in teams I have community supplies. We switch classes so often I needed a way for students to use an have supplies. Every team has a tote of school supplies for their team, and all the supplies are numbered on them. It does seem like a lot of work, but it helps me maintain school supplies throughout the year. Each team has a tote that is a different color. I also have large bins set up in my room where students keep all of their individual supplies for different subjects, all organized by groups. For example- Reading bins hold book bags, student read and respond spirals, and literacy work folders. Math bins hold Student math journal, student spiral notebooks and white boards and dry erase markers. Each team has one bin with all the necessary supplies.

In addition to large team bins, students have individual cubbies they check at the end of the day. When they transition between classes they stick their homework folders in the correct student cubby so they can retrieve it before they go home at the end of the day. I also have a student job that is "postmaster" where I put all the piles of papers that need to be handed out to students such as book orders, roller-skate night information, curriculum night flyers etc.

Jobs

This brings me to the last way I stay organized and that is with my student jobs. Everyday students have 8 minutes to complete their jobs. I switch student teams once every 1-2 months, and when I switch they will receive a new job. I have a variety of jobs in my classroom and each job is removable, so I can replace it with something different if I have to. Some examples of student jobs are picking up the floor, organizing totes, putting books away in the reading center, running errands, organizing papers in the inbox, filing student work, unhooking the electronic whiteboard, passing out papers, sharpening pencils, taking the attendance to the office, putting papers in student cubbies etc.

Save Time Instructing

Schedule

One of the simplest ways I have for saving instructional time is to have a daily schedule. Since I teach 4th grade students they are in charge of maintaining it. I had seen different schedules to buy but they always had something lacking. Like I said before I like to color code everything and I couldn't find a schedule that was color-coded. A lot of the schedules didn't have icons; which I think are important for my English language learners, and they also didn't have an analog clock. Some schedules came close but you had to constantly write-in the times with a dry erase marker which constantly rubbed off. I decided to create my own schedule on the computer.

I keep the schedule in a pocket chart that can be changed and updated each day. I have an Icon and writing for each event and the background is colored. I write the analog clock in sharpie. It is three separate pieces I tape together on the back with clear tape. Having the schedule up everyday helps transitions go quicker and helps students stay in a routine. The more routine a student has the more time is spent on task.

Since the times change every year I can just retype the times and cut off that section and retape it. I also write on the back what day we have that activity- for example all week or week A, or on Tuesday. Whoever has the job of schedule updates the schedule every afternoon for the next day and it is their job to remind the students of the schedule the next day so all the students know what materials they need for that day and where they are going without being reminded.

Bathroom Procedure

Another area that I was losing time instructing was for bathroom breaks. Students in 4th grade are old enough to go when they have a need, but I was having issues with the same students going all the time or constantly being interrupted asking to go to the bathroom. I solved this problem by created color coded cards for each different class. There is one per student and the they decorated them at the beginning of the year. They are all kept in a recipe box with tabs that separate them.

Students don't raise their hands to ask me to go, they just quietly get the card, have it marked and then put it in clear 3 1/2 X 5 magnetic picture frames on the board. Only 2 boys or 2 girls are allowed the restroom at one time. If a fire drill happens, or transition happen I can tell who is in the bathroom. Students also come tell me when a specific student has been in the restroom for a long time.

When a student needs the restroom they bring me the card and I put a tally mark on the back next to an abbreviation for the month. Student can get 5 tally marks a month. This doesn't seem like much, but it it for each class so if a student has me for reading, math and social studies (which is only once a week) they can have 15 times to go to the restroom. Students know that they are never NOT ALLOWED to go to the bathroom, I will just take a tally from the next month.

Students need to sign out on a log with the time. This form is kept by the office since students were vandalizing the bathrooms. They then get a bathroom pass and go. When they come back they return the card. Usually at the beginning of the year I have a lot of students going to the bathroom many times. When they have a hard time in class I pull the card and we talk about how going to the bathroom during instruction can be difficult to catch up later. If a student is chronically going to the bathroom every subject and is gone a long time I call the parents in and show them the card and time sheet and discuss if there is a medical reason for going to the bathroom that many times. Most of the time the child doesn't need to go to the bathroom as many times after that, or I make specific accommodations for students who do seem to have a medical or physical need for that.

Check in Procedure/homework

One way the teachers communicate with each other as well as with parents is with student agendas. Students write in homework that is due, or teachers write notes to parents that must be signed by the parent and the homeroom teacher. I check these agendas and student homework everyday which could take a lot of time. I usually get this done in 2-3 minutes. Student stand in line in the morning or when we transition between classes with their agenda or homework ready. Student stand in order alphabetically. When they walk into the classroom I look at the completed work and put a check mark next to it if it is complete or a 0 if incomplete. After 3 missed assignments the parents get a homework ticket, which is a two-ply letter that tells them the child hasn't completed homework. I also have a stamp that is english and spanish that I use to stamp the students agendas if homework is not complete.

I also have the students come into the classroom and move their name from absent to present so I can take attendance quickly. The students created names at the beginning of the year that were scanned into the computer and added to the promethean board. It is easy to add in a new student when one comes. Student names are in order again on the board, so after they have their agendas checked quickly in line, they come into the classroom in the same order and move their names; then hang up their backpacks.

Parent Communication

In edition to the agendas being sent home nightly, parents have two monthly communications sent home, one pertaining to the grade level and another pertaining to the entire school. Since the 4th grade team collaborates so closely, the 4th grade newsletter has sections that are written by each teacher and compiled into one document. The school-wide newsletter is comprised of information from each goal team as well as a message from the principal. I gather all the "blurbs" together to create a monthly parent bulletin.

Save time redirecting misbehavior

Class Rules

All the classroom rules for the year are put under the different categories of character counts. At the beginning of the year we discuss all the different pillars of character counts and what that looks like. Then as a class we make a list for each one- Trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, citizenship. That list is later developed into a list of rules for each pillar. I usually go out of my way to match the list to what I already have written on the pillars- every year students come up with the same thing.

Then we spend time in teams acting out what that looks like, and what that doesn't look like. We practice and reinforce that. The whole first 2-3 weeks of school I will stop the entire class if someone is misbehaving and remind them "someone in this class is not being a good citizen. In your teams discuss what being a good citizen looks like, and let's practice."

After the 2 weeks most students know what is expected. If a student still forgets I will pull them aside and have a conversation about which pillar the student is not following. If the student continues after the warning the student will receive a discipline ticket.

Discipline rubric

One year we had over 900 infractions for behavior at our school. We decided to create a discipline team that would develop behavior tickets, discipline rubrics and reward systems for the school. The first step was developing a 3-ply ticket with a checklist of common infractions. One copy to the principal, one for teacher records and 1 for parent signature.

We realized quickly that most students who received one or two tickets when the discipline plan was implemented stopped misbehaving; however there was a core group of students who continued to misbehave constantly. These students were the ones who had most of the previous infractions as well. The team then created individual behavior programs for these students, who we called repeat students. We had parent and student conferences with them as well. Students were also referred to the health and wellness team for counseling.

We then created a rubric for students with consequences when they received a ticket. The infractions are divided up into 4 categories of severity- classroom/playground infractions, Serous infractions, bullying infractions, and severe infractions. The different consequences has varying levels of punishments ranging from a phone call home to suspension.

For the students who behaved well in class, they were nominated for a character counts award during assemblies, they would also receive an academic/behavior award. Students with no infractions were allowed to go on a "bobcats with character" fun field trip at the end of the year. The individual teachers also develop rewards plans in their classrooms. Some teachers offer extra recess or extra free time etc.

Student Teams

One way I help to control behaviors is to put students in groups. I know most people believe that the best way to crack down on noise is to separate all the students. I have tried it both ways and I usually have more control when students are in teams. One reason is I teach students cooperative learning strategies. We discuss what working in teams looks like and sounds like. We talk about gentle reminders and how you can help your team mates to better your group, or how you can be the reason you are always fighting etc.

I change teams every month to every other month depending on student need and I always try to divide up the students heterogeneously in different subject areas. I have six teams in reading and six teams in math and I always name my teams after different sets of books. The book sets I name them after are: Twilight, Chronicles of Narnia, Harry Potter, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Series of Unfortunate Events, Percy Jackson series, Children of the Lamp, Spiderwick Chronicles, and Captain Underpants. I have two sets of team names- one that is hung up on the wall to remind them of their team names and a smaller one that I hang on the white board.

I give each team tally marks throughout the lessons. It really isn't difficult to do once you get the hang of it. I don't give tally marks only for correct answers, it is more of students making effort to answer. I also give tally marks for students working together, using gentle reminders, students helping or translating for each other and also for behaviors. If an entire team has all their materials reading and are sitting at active listening they get points. If a team has put all their materials away and in order they get points etc.

Throughout the week students keep track of the team points on a Team Score Sheet. One student in each team is recorder and it is their job to record points. The team also receives an extra 5 points each day everyone in the team brings the homework. At the end of the week I collect team score sheets and the team that has the most points can get a prize out of the prize box. I also reward teams for improvement and I will talk to them individually. These teams usually have the students with behavior problems who are working really hard to improve for the rest of the team. It isn't fair for the team to never get points because of one student.

As an entire class if each team get more than 25 points each in one day, the students are a "cooperative learning class," which is what we want everyday. When this happens the students earn a letter on the Popcorn and a Movie sign. I move the little film strip to a letter each time and when the class completely spells out popcorn and a movie, the entire class gets to vote on a movie and I bring popcorn and we watch the movie.