Power in Procedures

Procedures. Procedures. Procedures.

I will be honest, my first year of teaching, I don't think I fully grasped the necessity of procedures for every action in class. I say I don't think I did, but I must be honest, I really wondered why there were so many seemingly little things that were outlined. I taught half time in 6th grade with Mr. Blodgett at Valley Elementary. He had everything lined out, what was going to happened and how. I used his procedures and they seemed to work pretty well for the year. The problem is they were his. He owned them in a sense, he knew what he was thinking when he made them. I didn't, I just followed blindly and sometimes half-heartedly.

The next year I was on my own. I had a few things planned, but most of the year with those 3rd graders was...crazy. I didn't have a lot of control, but we made it. The next year I had a really good group of students and had minimal problems with my "set" of procedures. The year following I was destroyed by my class. I hadn't taught them procedures as recommended and I struggled the entire year with discipline, not to mention the dynamics of the class included an autistic boy mingled with many other learning problems from other students. I loved the students, I just didn't love the class dynamic. I wasn't in control.

After that I was in a do or die mentality. I was really burned out on education and teaching. I didn't feel things were going well with administration and I was really negative about it all.

That summer after the nightmare I decided to get serious. I applied for my Master's and I wrote out quite a few typed pages of procedures that were going to happen in my class the next year. I taught everyone of those procedures over and over. I would hit them throughout the year. I will list just a few of them:

Entering the classroom:

Enter the classroom quietly by the first bell, hang up coat/backpack and be ready to work.

Have a sharpened pencil.

Work quietly on bellwork.

Read quietly when finished.

Bellwork will be corrected after announcements are over.

Correcting bellwork:

Follow along as Mr. Corry asks for correct and answers and explains them.

When finished pass papers to the left.

Finished bellwork will result in 20 dollars of Corry Cash.

When you are tardy (late)

Enter quietly

Hang up coat/backpack quietly

Go quietly to your seat and begin bellwork or the assignment the class is working on.

End of Day dismissal

Five minutes before the bell we will clean the room.

Every student must pickup their area and those around them.

Check computer areas.

Check homework folders to make sure homework and reading log are in them.

Sit quietly at your seat until Mr. Corry excuses you. (Not the bell!)

Listening to and responding to questions

While listening do so with your eyes and ears.

Point your body toward the speaker.

When responding to a question raise your hand quietly.

Do not speak unless called upon.

Participating in class discussions

Raise your hand quietly when you need to comment.

If you are not called on do not make any noise.

When you need a pencil or paper

Raise your hand quietly

If we are working independently you may get paper from the paper tray.

If you need a pencil you may get one from the “Runt can”.

You may also buy a new pencil from me with Corry Cash, but only at recess or lunch.

Keeping your desk orderly

Papers for writing will go in your writing folder.

Papers for home will go in your homework folder.

Math papers will go in Math folder.

Any extra papers are to be thrown away.

Indicating whether you understand or need help

You may raise your hand if you need help.

You may post your “help card” if you need help.

When you are absent

You are responsible to collect your homework the next day and complete it.

Or you may have someone bring it to you at home.

It must be completed the day after you get it.

Working cooperatively

Read directions together

Discuss the problem

Treat each other with respect

Put both names on the paper

If you finish earlier than others you will read your AR book.

Keeping your Science/Poetry/Math Journal

Label the top of the page Science, Poetry or Math

Use your best handwriting.

Put a line between different assignments

Going to the office

Student of the Day will walk office errands for Mr. Corry

Student must be on best hall behavior

Moving around the room- Red/Green light

When Circle is Green you are free to move around and work as needed.

During Red Light you are to be seated and absolutely quiet.

Lining up

Quietly

Alphabetical Order

Less than 15 seconds

Walking in the hall

Quietly

Arms folded or to your side

Keep to the right

Knowing the schedule for the day

The schedule is located on the brown chalkboard

Everything will be in order

If you don’t know what something means ask appropriately

Discipline

First time: Name on the board-Warning

Second time-One check: Miss 5 minutes of recess

Third Time- Two Checks: Miss all of recess

Fourth Time-Three Checks: White Slip and call home.

Keeping a reading log

Completely filled out every night

Signed by a parent

Finding directions for each assignment

Look at the top of the paper

If directions are not there Mr. Corry will give instruction on how to complete the assignment.

Passing in papers

Pass to the left across the row.

Partners

Your partner is the person right next to you.

You will work with them at different times as instructed.

Exchanging papers

Trade with your partner.

No questions.

Returning student work

When your work is returned it goes immediately in your homework folder to go home and STAY home.

You are to show all returned work to you parents.

Getting materials without disturbing others

Paper-Paper tray

Pencils-”Runt Can”

Scissors-to be passed out by myself or student of the day down the rows.

Glue-to be passed out by myself or student of the day down the rows.

Music

Students will line up alphabetically at the door.

Students will walk quietly to the outside doors.

Students will enter Mrs. Downward’s classroom quietly and politely.

Students will sit quietly and listen carefully to Mrs. Downward’s instruction for the period.

Coming back students may race to the door, however once they are at our classroom door they must line up alphabetically to come in.

Headings on papers

Name will be on the right side of the paper.

Title of the assignment will be in the center.

When you finish early

You may work on unfinished work.

You may read quietly.

I may ask you for assistance with a project or to help another student.

Returning to a task after an interruption

Mr. Corry will say, “Give me five.”

Students will give him five and the lesson/work will continue as before the interruption.

Asking a question

Students will raise their hands during “Red Time”.

Students may come and ask during “Green Time”.

Students may also write in on a piece of paper and put it on my desk.

When announcements come on

Absolute quiet

Turn and listen to the speaker on the wall.

After announcements are over bellwork will be corrected.

Walking in the hall during class time

Walk quietly

Stay to the right

That's not all of them. I had many more. I went crazy. I will go "crazy" every year from hear on out. The difference in behavior was miraculous. Students knew exactly what to do and I knew exactly what they should do.

The only other thing I learned that made it all work was positive discipline. I was reading Positive Classroom Discipline by Frederic H. Jones. The "blank look" while disciplining a student and the procedures I took the time to write and make my own made all the difference. I had a good class, and I never found out whether they would have had problems otherwise because I was in control from the beginning and the students knew it. We had a wonderful year! The students were great and I had so much fun.

If only I could go back and do those other years over...

Oh well!

Family Help!

I have titled my blog Elementary Survival. It would be really inappropriate if I didn't give a lot of credit to my wife and family for their help with this craft of teaching. When I was first hired in Kane County, Jenna and I were engaged. It was the perfect time for her to back out! When she heard that my first job would be in Orderville, Utah... she cried. Literally. How grateful I am she stayed with me. During our first year, Mr. Blodgett (the principal at Valley Elementary, and a really good friend) made sure we had enough work to do. I was doing half-time teaching and half-time aiding. Jenna was also able to be an aid. It worked out really nicely.
We had our first baby, Dallin in April of that school year. Jenna hasn't been able to work too much after that, but she is still supportive, picking up odd jobs here and there. This has continued throughout our marriage and my career as a teacher. Every year, she has done whatever she could to help me out in the classroom. Even after I transferred down to Kanab Elementary the next year, she still made the effort to travel the 23 miles to assist when ever I needed it, or when she could. She has made bulletin boards, decorated my room for my birthday, and been great to the students I have taught. She has also brought down our children for me to see at work. I really like those children of mine!
My children are young, but they have always been excited to come and see me and my students. Obviously, while I am teaching, my ability to be "dad" is a bit limited, but I sneak in what I can. There are a couple reasons for this. Number one, my wife and children need to know that they are most important to me even at school. Number two, my students that I am teaching need a good example of family life. So when my family shows up, I make sure that for those few minutes (usually) my family gets a little attention. I am obviously on a tight schedule as a teacher, I have an employer who deserves a job well done, but I want my students to see healthy family relations. We are not a perfect family, but we are working at it. In my philosophy of education, I am not there only to teach math, language arts, science, and reading. I am also there to teach them healthy lifestyles and the benefits of good decisions. I, obviously, am not perfect, but I still want to instill the desire of an excellent future in their minds and hearts.
What is my point? Mostly that I couldn't do this alone, that Jenna and my family have been and continue to be so supportive of my teaching. Additionally, that I really, really want my students to know what is important along with everything else I am teaching them.

A Quick Video Post

This video was taken on our Zion Field trip, I am posting it so I can get a little practice for my ten week technology plan. It was a really pretty day in Zion and we all had a great time. I love that with today's technology I can share about anything I do with anyone. Anyway, it's nothing super fancy, but it demonstrates that I know how to post a video I took. Enjoy.

Collaboration

Collaboration. Learning from other learners, teachers, and associates. I am finally getting the hang of this very important skill in the education world. I have taken a while to rise to the challenge. Of being secure enough as a teacher to realize that, simply put, somebody else might have a better way. I used to feel threatened if I couldn't come up with a great idea of my own. Then I realized that I could use their idea and teach it or use it in a way that I was comfortable.
I think that as educators we need to learn to collaborate to survive. Not just survive, but thrive. I have learned through many teachers in the last year some great ideas. One example is the other teacher I teach with at Kanab. She taught pre-school for many years before becoming an elementary teacher. She is great with hands on activities that get the students moving. I am not creative in that area. I am great at making a lesson interesting and exciting, but I needed some help on demonstrations and kids doing hands on activities to learn about math and social studies. Thankfully this teacher, Mrs. Glover, has been more than willing to share ideas. I have been more than willing to let her!
One great example of this was a recent field trip to Zion National Park. I am good at organizing things, setting up field trips, planning them out. So I did. Mrs. Glover (One of the other 3rd grade teachers at Kanab) is great with activities. She came up with a simple, yet great activity for the students to do regarding habitats as we walked the trail. The day was a success. With just me we would have still had a great day in Zion, but with two teachers working together the students were completely engaged in the environment around them.
You think I would have learned this earlier. I have known forever in every aspect of life that two or more heads make things happen better. Just ask my wife Jenna! She keeps our family moving and involved! I do my part to do what I do and keep things together that way. Together we do pretty well.
If more of us teachers would collaborate with each other and our administrators and really work together to meet requirements, offer help, and get these students on the right track, I think our lives at school would be less stressful, more efficient, and a lot more fun! Which, really, is what I like to have anyway!

Teaching a Child

There are a lot of theories out there. There are many assessments, quizzes, assignments, and procedures. There are lots of things for a teacher to do.

But there are also the children, and they are what counts.

I have many mixed feelings when it comes to education. I love to teach. I put up with standardized testing (I know how valuable it is.). I get along with administration knowing they have tough jobs, and I work hard to reach each child as best as I know how. Many of these things change over time as does my feelings towards them. I am getting better at most of them, so I am happier every year as a teacher.

There is one thing that has been constant since the beginning of my teaching career. I love my students. There are some I love more after they leave my class for the year, but nevertheless, I can look at them and say how glad I am to know them. I wonder at times who has the best deal. Students are learning, but I am being loved by them...most days!

In interacting with our students there are a few principles that come to mind. The first two being patience and kindness. I have found that any child will open up to me as I am sincere in my kindness to them. Once I have their trust, I can really teach them some things. They listen like they care. They want to know the things I want to teach them. There is nothing better in teaching than being with students who reciprocate these feelings. It makes all the management, testing, grading, admonishing/correcting, discipline, and planning pay off.

Teachers need to not only be efficient and skilled, they need to care. Through that caring the miracles of education happen.

What is the point of my post? I guess it is to encourage all of us as educators to take a little more time to enjoy the little people around us. They aren't with us forever, they move on. We are obligated to make their time with us memorable and happy and while doing so, we are to teach and get that knowledge inside their heads so they will be the smartest kids we know!

Welcome!

I have been blogging for a couple years, but this is my first time addressing the subject of education in my posts. On this page I plan to share experiences and offer insight that will hopefully be of use to other educators and people interested in teaching. I am not claiming to be the pinnacle of teaching, but I do care about teaching and am always seeking to improve. This will be a place for me to pass along any information I have learned and want to share. So...enjoy!