champs
One of my main strategies for classroom management is displaying the Conversation, Help, Activity, Movement, Participation, and Success (CHAMPS) expectations for a given activity. These expectations will be reviewed at the beginning of the school year and then displayed for the appropriate activity during the school day. By displaying the expectations for the given activity, my students and I can refer to the guidelines so we know what our responsibilities are and how to stay on-task.
|
Classroom Layout & Organization
The way a classroom is organized has an impact on the flow of lessons and activities. To allow for group activity and differentiation, I have desks in groups of four (heterogeneous groupings). I use Kagan strategies for groupings as well. For instance, each student is at a desk that has a label of either 1, 2, 3, or 4. This makes it a seamless transition for students to be in a variety of different groups around the room.
In my classroom, I also have a table for small groups and flexible seating. There are allocated areas for a classroom library, small group floor space, and a zen zone. This zen zone is an optional area for a student to sit at if they need to calm their mind and body down before returning to their desk. |
Differentiated Activities & Centers
In teaching 4th grade, I have used math and literacy centers. I differentiate my instruction to small groups to support student understanding and learning. To keep track of these differentiated activities, schedules are posted in the classroom, so that students know their tasks for the session.
In teaching 5th grade, students have a to-do list that they need to complete for the guided reading block. This has helped my students become independent learners and develop their time management for their transition to middle school next year. |