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APPETIZER: Introduction/Contextual InformationMy classroom management is based on one foundational element: CARE. I based it off

of what Shevalier and McKenzie call “caring for the students” (1090-1091). Because I care for a student, I want to spend time with him, to get to know this student on a personal level, to be someone he can trust. On the flip side, because I do care for a student, I will call the student out on his misbehavior and discuss the consequences of his behavior. This is not because I dislike the student; rather, because I care for him as a human being and want the best for him, I am willing to be honest with his conduct in the classroom setting if the behavior is inappropriate. I strive to be a “warm demander” (Weinstein and Novodvorsky 6) where I listen and give my attention to my students while also upholding high standards for them and being firm in enforcing these standards. I do want to befriend these students, but I also am their teacher. In all that I do, I demonstrate a heart for the students in both their academics and their personal lives.

My personal goals are three-fold: 1. I will know specific approaches to make students excited about learning (and

potentially mathematics in particular). School was originally intended for people to attend for the sake of learning, yet so many factors have pushed this notion to the back burner. Whenever a student asks, “Why do I care about learning this?”, I want to be able to say, “Because by learning something, you are becoming a more educated human being on this wonderful planet.” Yes, it may not be relevant to your passions and interests, but at least seeing a different part of the world should be something students value in schools. The most difficult part, though, is getting students to see education in the manner I have just described it since standardized tests and grades are all students ever think about. The culture of school has shifted so much in the last ten years. I will have to find ways to grab their attention and slowly instill in their minds a passion for learning.

2. I will both actively listen and actively respond to students’ needs and thoughts, discerning when to do either (or both). This is one of the core elements of my philosophy of care, and it’s a huge struggle of mine trying to find a balance of listening and responding. Quite frankly, this is essential in any relationship one has. It does depend on each student as different people want support in differing degrees, some wanting teachers to listen more and others wanting the teacher to tell them exactly what to do all the time. No matter what kind of student I have, though, I will strive to be a teacher who can do both listening and responding well and show that I truly do care for my students. Ultimately, having teacher sensitivity to how students are doing is what this goal boils down to (Pianta, Hamre, and Mintz, “CLASS-S Dimensions: Teacher Sensitivity”); it’s about being aware and alert.

3. I will help students know strategies to trust each other and to work together by modeling it. This personal goal relies heavily on the previous one: by developing relationships with my students and gaining trust by listening/responding to them

appropriately, I can instill a sense of what it looks like to trust someone and to work with someone in spite of their differences. Furthermore, this is a crucial skill for students to learn as they grow older. Life is not always easy when it comes with working with people in a team, but learning how to deal with that early on in life (i.e., in school) is a crucial skill to develop. I recall being the student who didn’t trust anyone and thought I could do it all my own. It taught me nothing in terms of how to properly work with classmates who don’t pull their weight, and I just ended up being way more stressed than I should have been.

This management plan can honestly fit with any kind of school I teach at, but for the sake of being specific, we will set the school as the one I have been going to for field placement this year: Buford Middle School, a suburban middle school that is composed of predominantly African American students of lower SES families. This is crucial for me because I grew up in a high SES predominantly Caucasian school with quite a sizeable Asian representation, so the tone set by my classmates was very different from what it is in Buford. I may need to approach these students in a different light as they most likely are struggling with meeting some of their physiological needs, as noted in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. For example, a student may be unable to complete his homework because he had to work right after school to support his family financially. A student may come in hungry because she literally had no food at home. A student may come in an unstable emotional state because of a fight that happened at home the night before or the morning of school. I need to make myself more aware of this as this was rare to see at my high school.

As for the daily schedule, students typically run on a 7-period day (45 minutes per period) while others run on a block schedule where each class is 90 minutes long; it depends on whether students are taking regular or honor classes (typically honor classes go for 90 minutes while regular classes last for 45 minutes, though there are a few exceptions). The class size can range from 12 to 25 students in each class, and the Buford is comprised of 7th and 8th graders who can take Math 7, Math 7 honors, Math 8, Math 8 honors, and Algebra I (if speaking strictly in terms of mathematics courses). The class size is of greatest importance in the classroom setting because it allows me to assess many more (or less) students during the period.

This management plan will be specifically geared towards an Algebra I class of 8th graders.

ENTRÉE 1: Classroom Environment: Physical Layout & Features

The set-up of the seats in my classroom will be rather simple, as demonstrated in the diagrams shown below. (Important note: students will be assigned seats for at least the first few weeks before I decide to change the arrangement up so that students are kept alert and on their toes)

Diagram 1: General Set-up (Personal Experience/Communication)

Here are some reasons for the way this classroom is set up the way it is: The students’ desks are designed to create three columns of paired desks so that

students will always have a desk partner to work with when the time is appropriate, but also so that the pairs can keep each other accountable in the classroom. Additionally, this arrangement allows for two distinct aisles (along with the two on the outside) between the columns for all to safely walk through. It makes it easy for students and me to go up to the SMART Board and to go to the back of the room to the supplies table or the trash can (see next bullet) to take care of respective tasks. It allows me to easily navigate the aisles to see all of the students and quickly check on whether students are on task or not.

The table of supplies and homework baskets will be in the back of the classroom where it is easily accessible for students to get to. Instead of it distracting students by being in the front or the sides where they can easily see what other classmates are doing, placing the supplies table in the back makes it so that the students to first listen to the directions before doing anything else. Additionally, the trash can will be back here so that distractions are minimized. The back of the room, in general, provides a safe space (though students should not abuse it, but care for it) for students to take care of small tasks they need to take care of.

While the teacher’s desk in the back of the room makes it difficult for me to go from the SMART Board to my computer if something goes wrong, it allows me to see what the students are doing from behind. Especially since we will use manipulatives in the form of technology and computer software, it makes it very easy for me to quickly see if students are on task or not. More importantly, though, the simple fact that my desk is behind everyone else’s (in relation to the front of the room) shifts the emphasis of

learning from the teacher onto the students. It’s not about me talking away to my students; it’s about the students learning and challenging themselves to struggle with the content as the teacher supervises and facilitates the learning process.

The laptop cart is in the front of the room because in comparison to the supplies/homework basket table, this will be used far less frequently. Aside from the fact that there isn’t really much space in the back of the room anymore, I believe it can be a subtle reminder to the students that we do try to use technology in a way that helps us both better learn mathematics and that helps us find connections between mathematics and other subjects along with applications in the real world. I highly doubt that it will be a distraction because it’s just a big cart full of chargers and computers that are turned off; there is nothing flashy about it.

The storage cabinet will be right by my desk so that it is easily accessible to me and out of the way of the students as much as possible – not because I don’t want them to have access to it, but simply because they don’t need it as much as I do. It is a simply way for me to keep my belongings tidy and to make the room look a bit more pristine and organized.

(Not explicitly shown in diagram) Any empty space along the walls will be covered with mathematics posters of functions, characteristics of functions, grandfather graphs, inequalities and solving them, etc. This will set the tone of the room and make it feel more like a mathematics class. I also plan on using the back left-hand corner (by the door) to put up weekly corny mathematics jokes/puns/comics along with current events that deal with mathematics. It’s a great reminder for students to lighten up and to see how they should figure out ways to connect mathematics with more than just numbers and formulas.

o To add some personal vibe to the room, I could have students play the Who Is It? game (see Entrée 2) we did at the start of this school year in EDIS 5020 and then have them hang their index cards up on some empty wall space (after decorating it on their own to add some colorful flare). This would be really cool to see everyone’s super fun fact and allow for students to better know one another.

Diagram 2.1: Group Work (5 per group)

The desks can be easily moved into this formation where most pairs simply turn their desks toward each other and push them towards each other. This allows for students to work in a group setting rather well as they can physically make eye contact and discuss with the peers across from them. Additionally, the groups are designed such that they can see the front of the room easily without too much hassle of turning their necks around so much. There is also still a clear set of aisles that everyone can easily walk through.

Diagram 2.2: Group Work (4 per group)

In the case that I only need four people per group (and there are roughly 24 students in the class), this is the set-up I would have for the students to do group work in. I would say this is easier to create than the 5-person groups because the seemingly awkward middle row of desk pairs that are not being used become a guideline for where the other desks should go when reforming the general set-up.

Diagram 3: Testing

Not only is it extremely easy to set this up from the general set-up (literally pick up your desk and move left or right a few steps), but it also impressed upon the students that testing is about how they do as individuals and that they shouldn’t be interacting with their peers while taking a quiz/test/exam. This is their time to demonstrate what they know individually.

In regards to the six functions of the classroom setting (Weinstein and Novodvorsky, 29-41) and how my classroom design fulfills that (most of which I already discussed in my rationales for each diagram):

Security and shelter: There is physical safety with the students following the classroom rule that their backpacks should be either directly next to or under their desks, not sprawled out in the aisles. Furthermore, there is plenty of space in the aisles so that students do not feel cramped. As for psychological safety, the walls will be covered with posters about mathematics – whether it’s about formulas or about funny puns/jokes – so that students feel at home in a mathematics class.

Social contact: Diagram 2.1 and 2.2 are seating arrangements that are quite conducive for discussion concerning assignments and helping fellow classmates with group work, whereas Diagram 3 are more geared towards individual work. Diagram 1 is a nice balance where students, when appropriate, work individually or in pairs, a very small group. These different physical layouts of the classroom hit upon a wide variety of levels of social contact in the classroom.

Symbolic identification: The posters and the comics/jokes/current events by the door fulfill this aspect of a classroom setting. They clearly demonstrate that this is a mathematics classroom and show the students’ inputs as they are more than welcome to put up comics/jokes/current events they find on their own.

Task instrumentality: The supplies table in the back (by my desk) is placed in a location as far away as it can be from the front of the classroom. It’s in the back so that it is not

the center of attention and so that it keeps distractions to a minimum. Students getting up is already a distraction, so placing the table in the back moves the distraction back as well.

Pleasure: See the items in symbolic identification. These same objects can bring aesthetic beauty into the classroom as they cover the bare walls with mathematical beauty. The pristine set-up of the classroom may also contribute to pleasure, as students prefer working in a clean rather than a dirty environment.

Growth: The current events is a great way for students to see mathematics in action outside of the mathematics classroom setting. They can make connections with other subjects and higher level content while also seeing how it can relate to things that they are passionate about.

ENTRÉE 2: Classroom Environment: Cultivating a Positive Classroom CommunityBefore going into any specifics on how I plan on creating a warm, welcoming community within the classroom, I want to say that if my philosophy of care is at the center of this plan, everything falls into place so well. It’s just pragmatics at this point, which is not a bad place to start from since the basics are already settled.

I’ll begin with what I plan to do at the beginning of the year: Give students a personal survey called "A Bit About Me" to fill out (click here to view;

adapted from this PDF) (“Who Are You?”). Students will spend 5-10 minutes on it. I put a fun challenging mathematics puzzle on the back in case the students finish early (Garofalo, Lecture).

o This is perhaps one of the best, easiest and quickest ways for me to learn about my students. I can use the information I have about them to cater instruction and curriculum more towards their interests and tastes while also showing that I care for the students I teach (Shevalier and McKenzie 78-79).

Play the “Who Is It?” game (Pease, Lecture). On a 3X5 index card (provided by me), students write down four facts about themselves, starting with something a lot of classmates would have in common with and ending with something only that particular student has/does. I collect all the cards and start with mine as an example. I read the first fact, and if a student can agree with the statement, he/she stands. From thereon out, if the statement does not match the student, he/she sits until we get to the last one where hopefully the student who wrote the card is the only one remaining. Even if there are two or so students standing in the end, it can lead to more conversations outside of class where these particular students discuss something they share in common. Since this game is a really cool way to attach a name to a face as well as a specific fun fact, I plan on doing quite a few on Day 1, and then saving the rest and interspersing them at the beginning of the next few classes. When we finish getting through all of them, I plan to hang up the cards on a section of one of the walls so that students can look back at it later.

o This game promotes both the relationship between the students and me as well as the relationship among the students. I get to know a really interesting fun fact about each student as well as common interests in the entire class (though I do expect to see students write “I am a student” or “I am a boy/girl” for the first two facts quite frequently). Moreover, the students get to see which other students have similarities with themselves, and perhaps even on the last fact several students may share that same fun fact. It’s unpredictable, which adds to the excitement of playing the game.

Discuss my philosophy of care and the expectations and routines that follow (see Entrée 3). I may open up the floor for discussion about it means for students to care for themselves, family and friends, etc.

o Not only do students get to provide their thoughts and input on the philosophy (in the sense of discussion, not to change the definition), but they also are on the

same page as I am. This allows for clear communication and prevents misunderstandings and confusion (Weinstein and Novodvorsky 55).

As for things I will do throughout the year: Anonymous feedback form on the school portal (i.e., BlackBoard, Canvas, etc.) or on

Google Forms. Students have the freedom to give input on anything they so desire: the quality of instruction, the content taught, the set-up of the classroom, etc.

o Whether I use their suggestions is up to my discernment, but I at least want to show I care about their side of the equation. I value their thoughts and want to respect that (Weinstein and Novodvorsky 57-58).

Intentional grouping (of seats) that changes every once in a while. As mentioned in Entrée 1, after students get to know their initial desk partner and groups, I will change it up so that students are given the opportunity to work with other students in the classroom (Shevalier and McKenzie 90).

o Students form bonds with their initial group and learn to work with the peers around them when with their desk partner and their group. Changing the seating arrangement, however, allows for students to work with the classmate across the room and be exposed to different people. While students may not enjoy the variability of the seating arrangement, they get a taste of what it means to work with different people. They develop communication skills essential in the real world and even daily life. It isn’t always easy, but it’s definitely doable.

Class discussions about major events that occur or controversial topics that become very apparent in the news, locally or globally. This is quite flexible because it depends on each school year, but I want to leave room for classroom discussion about non-mathematical matters in the case that something big happens that the students want to vent and discuss. For example, the Rolling Stone article published last year about women at UVA and the account of rape spurred on quite a discussion among the students, which would be a great segue into a classroom discussion.

o This allows for students to open up conversation they may otherwise never have with one another where they bring together their thoughts and opinions (which may disagree). It forms a deeper community bond to talk about such issues in a group setting.

In the chance that our positive classroom environment is threatened or lacking, I first need to set some time aside to think and reflect upon the current circumstances. I need to objectively and honestly ask about how I am doing as a person and as a teacher along with how the students are doing. If one party (or even both) is failing in a particular area of positive climate, I will write it down. From there, I plan to figure out what I should do, though typically I believe having a short classroom discussion or lecture (though I need to be careful not to be authoritarian) with the students. I do believe the former will take place more often than not since both parties end up doing something incorrectly, however big or small the blame is on one side over the over. Because we deeply care about one another in the classroom, we strive to work things out and come up with practical solutions to the problems we face. This is why I prefer classroom discussions: it brings everyone into the discussion, not just the teacher or a

few students. If you want to change a community, everyone needs to be on the same page; it’s a team effort.

ENTRÉE 3: Classroom Expectations and RulesMy expectations (synonymous to “rules”) will be as follows:

Expectation Rationale

Give your 100%

Remember my personal goal of making students excited to learn for the sake of being a better person? Being with it, even if one is exhausted or not feeling it, is crucial for me because it shows progress and development in the right direction. Much of this expectation will be on me to instill into students a desire to do their best, but I will also make sure that there will be a participation grade (most likely no more than 10% of a student’s final grade).

Respect

The teacher, fellow classmates, guests, the classroom space, the materials – everyone and everything should be respected. This is essentially the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have done to you. Since this expectation deals with ethical/moral matters, if a student is being disrespectful, I will talk to the student in a private manner (at an appropriate time such as after class, during a break, or after school) and discuss why he/she was being disrespectful that particular moment.

Punctuality: Early is on time, on

time is late, late is unacceptable.

Students should be ready to go with a pencil and notebook out BEFORE the bell rings. All too often people think strolling in as the bell rings still means you’re on time. While you physically may be on time, that is not the case mentally. You do not have your notebook, pencil, homework, etc. out and ready, and you have not prepared yourself to learn. Instead of spending time clearing one’s thought, a student is frantically getting his/her notebook out or trying to find a pencil from the depths of his/her backpack. It’s all about the attitude. This is definitely a non-intuitive expectation to have, but I want my students to value time and that we shouldn’t waste it. If students are late, their participation grade will suffer accordingly, and we may have a conversation at another time.

These expectations will be put on the class syllabus (not provided since the rationale for each was made clear above) where will go over it together. I plan on having large cut-outs of the letters for the word “CARE” that we tape high on a wall. Underneath, we’ll have a big poster with these expectations on it so that students remember not only what I expect and need from them when they enter my classroom, but also how these specifics should have the attitude of caring for one another at the center. Because we care, we give 100%, we respect each other, and we are punctual. As for communicating and teaching these things throughout the year, I think I only need to worry about that if the general class seems to be failing at one or some of the expectations. Once they understand from Day 1 that I am serious about my philosophy of care and these expectations, everything else follows. The difficult part is remembering these components, so sometimes the students need a friendly (but firm) reminder, never forgetting that I truly do care deeply for each student.

Routines will be split into the following: Entrance routine, in-class routines, and personal routines.

Entrance Routine Rationale

Start the Do Now as soon as the bell rings. (Will not be projected on screen

until the bell rings so that everyone has an equal chance to respond)

This is where the result of being in class early pays off nicely (and how being just on time is not good enough). The student is ready to go as soon as the bell rings, and her thinking cap is on. As for projecting it, students should all have the same amount of time for the problem, so I will hide it until needed.

In-Class Routines Rationale“Give Me Five” – the teacher says

this, and students are to raise their hand with their 5 fingers out and stop talking or remain silent if they weren’t

talking already.

It is so crucial to find a system of getting the students’ attention quickly. This is a cool way to have students be accountable to one another. Students tend to give each other looks or a short, “Hey! Shhhh!”

Raise your hand during class time to be called on or if you have a question.

This is merely to set a basic guideline for how classes should run. With time, we can move to a more fluid way of responding, but to start, strict rules are easier to tone down later than vice versa.

Passing out/Turning in papers – students are to pass papers directly behind them until it gets to the last

row (see Diagram 1 in Entrée 1). Then, these students will pass their small stack of papers towards the

middle where an assigned student will turn in all of the papers into the

basket on the supplies table.

This is actually quite important because of how much time is wasted when transitioning from one part of the lesson to another that requires new handouts to write on (Lemov 4). Reducing transition time to increase instructional is the goal.

Personal Routines Rationale

Keep your bags and belongings close by your desk or under your desk, not in the

aisles

It is in fact disrespectful to leave one’s belongings lying in the aisle. It shows one is inconsiderate of others and does not understand common etiquette. This is another reminder about my philosophy of care where students should care for the well-being and safety of their fellow classmates.

Clean up after yourselves before leaving for the next period (food and drink is

allowed, though please be careful)

Students need to respect the classroom space and resources, just as one would respect a friend’s house if he/she slept over. It also teaches students manners and common courtesy. As for food and drink, I will allow it under certain conditions: 1they must eat it quietly (so chips are not the best choice for a snack), and 2they must keep the area around

them clean (no crumbs/tidbits of food). Using the restroom requires a

bathroom pass (which everyone starts off with

three)

This should hopefully teach students to take care of business between classes, being proactive with the time they have. They need to learn what it means to plan ahead.

These routines will also be on the class syllabus and put on the wall with the expectations mentioned previously. Since routines are more specific than expectations, they will be more likely to be forgotten or done incorrectly. Thus, constant practice and reminders (i.e., making sure I use Give Me Five and passing papers as often as possible so students learn the routines quickly) will need to be done particularly at the beginning of the year (Elden 64). With time, though, I can back off so that students learn to do these routines on their own.

These expectations and routines go beyond the classroom setting; they help prepare students for living daily life. Having the outlook of caring for others makes this world sweeter and gives hope to others that there really are good people out there. Understandings the norms of etiquette by being on time and pristine in basic mannerisms develops the students’ characters. From these expectations and routines (and practicing them throughout the year), students learn to plan ahead, to think about the well-being of others, to give the best they can give. With this mindset, they can make a difference in people’s lives and perhaps the culture of the world as well.

ENTRÉE 4: Responding to MisbehaviorTake a look back at Entrée 3 (Classroom Expectations and Rules) to see what my expectations and routines were for the students.

The management system I have in place will be the classic Three Warnings system (Personal Experience/Communication):

Warning 1Student will receive a quiet, private message from the teacher (at an

appropriate time) about what specifically the student did and how he/she is to fix the misbehavior. He/She will explicitly hear that this is his/her first warning.

Warning 2

Student will receive another quiet, private message that repeats what I first said. However, it will be firmer in tone (though still gentle) and involve the

explanation of what a third warning may bring. He/She will also explicitly hear that this is his/her second warning.

Warning 3

This is the tough one because it truly depends on the severity of the misbehavior. I simply list the possible consequences:

(1) Tell the student to take work into another classroom. (2) Tell the student to step outside of the classroom for a moment

(definitely need to time this well and check on the student)(3) Tell the student to go to the main office

Before going into a more in-depth rationale for each level of warnings, I will first make a few important notes about this system in general:

1. To ensure I remember who is at which warning level (which I sure hope never is the case where many students have warnings), I will immediately write the student’s name and warning number on a sticky note and place it in the middle of my desk. Writing a student’s name on the board is humiliating and puts the student on the spotlight, which could further worsen his/her misbehavior.

2. The ultimate goal is that we don’t have to use this system often. It’s set in place, though, so that if it does occur, there are clear steps to take for both the student and the teacher.

As for the rationale behind each warning, along with a more specific way of stating each warning to a student:

Warning 1 “Appropriate” time can mean either: In class/During an activity where students are working and I can easily

approach the student and quietly talk to him/her (Lemov 400). Pulling this student right outside of the room would work as well, since I would still be close to the classroom

After class/school or during a break in the day. I would ask the student to meet me at another time via a quiet, private message as well (Lemov 400).

I can try using a nonverbal intervention technique: a sticky note with “Warning 1” written on it (Pease, Lecture).

An example of what I might say: “Hey, _______, you are not currently using your 0-2 voice. This is Warning 1, and I expect that you respect and care for those around you by keeping your voice at a 0-2 level.”

While Lemov may say that we should focus on the positive solution instead of the negative problem, I believe students should know exactly what I saw them do so that we’re on the same page. Then, from an objective observation, we can come to a resolution. This stems from my philosophy of care: since I care about the student, I want to make sure he/she gives her and is aware of when that doesn’t seem to be the case. Again, I don’t want to have a mean, aggressive tone; what I do want, though, is a tone of seriousness yet openness, of firmness yet calmness.

Warning 2

The hope in the second warning is to more clearly explain (if it wasn’t already so in Warning 1) to the student what he/she needs to do. I plan on making the “firmer” portion more so in the language I use rather than the tone in addition to the reminder of what the third warning could bring (Elden 74).

An example of what I may say is: “_____, your voice is again above a 0-2 level. This is Warning 2. Please care for your peers around you, or we may need to deal with Warning 3.”

Warning 3 (1) Sending the student to another room would work well if a student is displaying minor misbehavior (chatting too much, not focused, etc.) and simply needs a different space to work in. I plan on getting in close contact with the teachers around me so that I can easily send one of my students to a fellow teacher’s classroom to work in. This way the student is under the supervision of another adult, and the student’s distraction is removed

(2) Sending the student outside the classroom takes place when a student is causing quite a disruption (talking excessively loudly, constantly walking around, throwing objects, etc.). While it is counter-productive to send a student outside the classroom, there are scenarios where it would be less productive to keep such a student in the classroom. When the students in class are doing an activity that is autonomous on their part, I will go outside and have a conversation with the student.

(3) Sending the student to the principal’s office is reserved for the most extreme behavioral issues (exploding with vulgar language, fighting with another student, throwing a fit, etc.). This is a situation that would be much better handled by a resource officer or an administrator rather than me, and sending away the student would bring order back to the chaotic environment. While this whole procedure will disrupt the classroom, I will bring the class back together and remind them that while things may happen, we still have work to do as a class, and we care about the education we are receiving. It’s all about the attitude and

carefully guarding our emotions, making sure we don’t get thrown off by a distraction.

I plan to explain this system to the students verbally during the first day of class. It is not a long presentation I need to do; I simply tell the students that we will abide by three warnings for misbehavior and give a brief explanation of what each warning looks like – for me and for the students. There are already a lot of expectations and routines they hear about for my class, so keeping this behavior management plan explanation brief would be best for the students. The vibe I want students to get is that this system is not one we use often. It should merely be a reminder of how they are expected to behave, though it may need to be a reminder of what they are currently doing and thus need to fix now.

To figure out if this system is failing to work, I plan on using a variant of self-evaluation (Weinstein and Novodvorsky 318): instead of reflecting on how well they behaved, the student who misbehaved will answer a question on how effective they think the Three Warnings system is and why. If they find it ineffective, there will another question below where they can write what they see that isn’t working and how the system should be changed. This allows students to give their feedback to me and show they truly care for how the class runs. Additionally, I demonstrate care for the students as I value their thoughts and opinions for the classroom environment.

SIDE DISH 3: Integrating and Managing TechnologyI am highly passionate about technology and using it in the classroom because it brings a whole new element to the classroom, especially for mathematics students. All of a sudden, software to make abstract notions more concrete (3D modelling, graphs and function, etc.) is available at our fingertips. At the same time, however, I am also passionate about being frugal and careful with using it because while it can be used to enhance learning, there are twice as many other ways it can be used as a distraction.

I will give to the students a short PowerPoint presentation on my classroom technology devices policy. The first slide (of content) pertains to phones:

Buford Middle School has a No Phone policy during the instructional time, so I will abide by that. While we had readings on the potential of using devices like phones to help students further their learning (Tucker, “5 Tips for Managing Mobile Devices.”), I personally do not feel comfortable trying that just yet, especially with middle school students.

I plan on integrating the Three Warnings management system (see Entrée 4) where Warning 3 would be slightly altered: the phone (not the student) would be removed. I would also ensure I speak with the student after class or during a break about his/her behavior, talking about how using a phone during class time is disrespectful (and thus, shows lack of care not just for me but also for the rest of his/her peers).

o If this problem persists, I may need to call the student’s parent and inform them of what has been happening with the student

The second slide pertains to laptops, which is what I expect the students to use when appropriate during the instructional time (Buford gives each student a laptop for school use that they are allowed to take home):

The goal is that students take good care of their laptops so that they can bring it into class and use it to its full extent when we use it during class. This is not a strictly mathematics class lesson; this is crucial for living daily life and understanding what it means to keep one’s belongings in good shape so that it lasts.

Warning 3 for a misusing a laptop is similar to that for using a phone during class time. The implications, though, are slightly different since a laptop is supposed to be used for instruction whereas a phone is not. Thus, since taking a laptop away initially seems counter-intuitive, I plan on having the student look off of another student (most likely his/her desk partner). This won’t be a “punishment,” so to say, on the student who has been doing well; the student causing a disruption will merely observe and participate as a third party. If necessary, I can also give the student a hand-copy worksheet to complete.

o If the behavior escalates from here, this is where the original Three Warnings system kicks in (i.e., three warnings for the laptop, and then three warnings for misbehaving without the laptop)

o Since this is such a touchy warning, I may give the student another chance at using his/her laptop appropriately after some period of time to demonstrate that it is a privilege for the student to be using his/her laptop (Weinstein and Novodvorsky 310).

The third slide is a short announcement about students who have special needs pertaining to technological aid:

I want students to feel comfortable to tell me if they have special needs that I can help with. Students should receive equal education, but if a student needs extra help, I want to make myself available and let that student know that I indeed am willing to help.

My approach to using technology gives my students the opportunity to deepen their learning. I will make lessons in which students use the Internet to research mathematical phenomenon in nature or find ways mathematics is integral to other topics such as literature, science and history. Students will also be able to use software such as Geometer’s Sketchpad, Geogebra, and Wolfram Alpha to more concretely see mathematics that may initially seem too abstract for the students. It provides a way for students to learn not just content in a different perspective, but also how to use technology that will forever help them in our current world run by technology. I know how potentially including phones could immediately build the trust between the students and me, but I think for the sake of being realistic, I’ll wait until later in the school

year to bring up the idea to the students. We first need to work at building community and a positive climate in order to get to that step. Nonetheless, even just using laptops will help students care for what they are learning.

SIDE DISH 5: Self-Care Strategies & PlanTeaching will take a lot of my time, but I know I need to find ways to take care of myself and de-stress. I’ll start by talking about my personality:

I give my 110% in what I am passionate about. This works really well as I am super excited about teaching in general along with getting to know middle/high school students. I demonstrate what dedication is and what hard work should look like.

In lieu of the previous point stated, I am a perfectionist and can often get stuck on a minor detail that really shouldn’t be sweated over about.

While most people panic and freak out when they’re stressed with how much they need to do, I do remain calm, but one thing greatly suffers in my life: I put sleep at the bottom of my priority list. Because I put others and my work as my highest priority, I feel that sleep is something I can skimp out on since it only affects me. This is the mindset I have had all throughout high school and college, and I am now seeing the consequences it is having on my body. How am I supposed to teach if I can’t mentally function?

I tend to not be able to study/work in a single area for extended periods of time (i.e., I can stay in a library all day, but multiple days in a row is not productive for me). I need to be moving around in a different setting to change things up. This may hurt me as I’ll most likely have one classroom I’ll be working in for most of the school day.

o Working with people is either a hit or miss for me. Typically, though, if it’s with just one other person, we help keep other accountable and work hard at what we need to get done (even if it’s not the same assignment/project/task). This is really good because we’ll take short breaks every so often to chat and then get right back to work. Having someone work across/beside me really motivates me to give my best as well.

Here are several activities I can do to make sure I take care of myself and work on my characteristics that may be detrimental to me:

Set up a strict bedtime curfew (Pease, Lecture). It may sound childish, but I know I will need this if I am going to be serious about getting at least 7 hours of sleep each night. Now seeing what years of not getting enough sleep has done to my body, I want to make sure that as I continue through my twenties (where I will reach my peak body condition) I keep my body healthy. (Since I’ll be living with UVA undergraduates still next semester, I can ask them to keep me accountable).

Keep in touch and even get work done with my fellow colleagues. There is something about working with people who do the same thing as you do because not only can you keep one another accountable, but you can bounce ideas off of one another and aid each other in that manner. It’s a win-win situation (unless you talk the entire time instead of working – that can be set aside for a weekend where we take a break from teaching).

Constantly change the place where I work. A library (where I sit in a place such that people can easily see me), a coffee shop, a friend’s house – I need to constantly change it up. But, I also need to balance being at home, too, since I do need to go back to where I live to get my belongings and materials. This is linked with the previous point since it’s about having people (even strangers) around me so that I feel I need to be productive.

Running at least 3 times per week. I have always found joy in running ever since I joined Cross Country my freshmen year of high school, but by the time second year of college came, I couldn’t make the time to run – a huge detriment to my health as I didn’t exercise consistently. I really want to make sure I balance three key components of my life: diet, exercise, and sleep. Keeping this triad in good shape will really help me live a balanced life, and running is my way of fulfilling the exercise element. I do, though, have this poor habit of thinking I’m in Cross Country again where the goal of running was to lower my Personal Record (PR) time instead of just staying in good shape (hence, 3 days versus the 5 or 6 days per week I used to do).

o I have found that running in the afternoons are more suitable for me. I have tried running the mornings, but after that initial adrenaline kick, I get ridiculously tired, so it would be far better for me to run when I get home from school.

Cook my food (and pack healthy snacks/meals). Eating enough isn’t a problem for me (trust me, I’m a literal human trash can); it’s what I eat that can be a problem. Because I always had a fast metabolism, I always cut myself some slack with what I should eat. By making myself cook (as time consuming as that will be), I will be far more cognizant of what I put into my body and make sure my diet is a healthy one. Therefore, more fresh produce and smaller meals with good portion sizes rather than pre-packaged foods with massive meals (as eating smaller but more frequent meals is a healthier way to eat and feed my body).

Journaling. I already do this, but making sure I keep this up during my teaching career will be crucial. I tend to internalize my experiences and my thoughts, so I need some way to express is explicitly. I tend not to vent and rant about what went poorly in a day, but rather I talk about what I learned and what is still in progress #growthmindset. I typically journal every night before going to bed to synthesize all my experiences and thoughts throughout the day.

Make sure I call/physically meet with people on weekends. I love catching up with people, and being the one who typically reaches out to others first to grab a meal/coffee, this should come easily for me. Not only is this a way for me to take a breather from lesson planning, grading, making tests, etc., but this also allows to hear how other people are doing and potentially how I can use what they do or have learned into my job.

o In case I need to make this clear, since alcohol is not something I enjoy consuming, bars will not be an issue for me. It’s not my kind of setting anyways.

DESSERT: Personal Reflection & Next StepsThrough this project, I have learned so much about what I want to do as a teacher and who I am as a person. I have also grown closer to reaching my personal goals, though there is always room for improvement. Setting up the classroom with posters and mathematics connections (serious and funny) along with knowing students through a survey so that I can cater instruction towards their interests help me reach the goal of making students excited about learning. Having a safe space for anonymous feedback and a firm yet calm Three Warnings system for misbehavior help me reach the goal of listening and responding to the needs and thoughts of students. Having a variety of seating arrangements that promote teamwork along with a philosophy of care and classroom expectations of respecting one another help me reach the goal of promoting trust and community amongst the students. Additionally, I now have a better perspective on how to approach certain hypothetical scenarios in the event they do occur. Spending much time and thought has allowed me to create a system where I can better respond to initially unexpected situations such as dealing with extreme cases of misbehavior.

So much in this class (EDIS 5020 and 5030) has helped me more formally solidify my teaching knowledge and style. From creating lesson plans to implementing differentiation to creating positive climate to thinking about the small details of the classroom layout, I have been able to nicely summarize in this project what I have learned. My field placement in Buford Middle School has also greatly helped me grow, seeing quite a few instances that were relatable to what I was learning in my Curry classes. Finally, my Teaching Secondary Mathematics class helped me figure out ways to teach mathematics that applied to real life such as using the stock market or finding a retirement plan. All of these experiences have meshed together quite nicely for me.

One of the biggest challenges I faced while doing this project was figuring out what I actually wanted to do. Most of my time working on this project was spent sitting in my chair, pondering on what I should do if a student is very defiant or what exact expectations I wanted for my class. I really had no clue. On top of that, trying to figure out what would realistically work was difficult since I have not had the chance to try out everything I learned in this class and other Curry classes in an actual classroom. I second guessed myself many times as I wrote the first drafts of each entrée.

I know I still need much aid in managing misbehaviors and at least knowing what to do in the worst of the worst of situations. Ultimately, I need clarity on what it means to balance being too harsh and being too lenient when managing behavior. The question I need to answer is, “How can I practically be neither impatient and overly strict nor be excessively permissive and lax?” And I believe this can only be answered with time in the position. Thus, I plan on being very observant while student teaching next semester. I want to be receptive to what veteran teachers do and the advice they can give me. Even as a teacher, I yearn to learn even more.

RESOURCESElden, Roxanna. See Me After Class: Advice For Teachers by Teachers. Naperville: Sourcebooks,

Inc, 2013. Print.

Lemov, Doug. Teach Like a Champion 2.0: 62 Techniques that Puts Students on the Path to College. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2015. Print.

Garofalo, Joe. University of Virginia. Ruffner Hall, Charlottesville, VA. 2016. Lecture.

Pease, Jen. University of Virginia. Ruffner Hall, Charlottesville, VA. 2016. Lecture.

Personal Experience/Communication.

Pianta, R.C., B.K. Hamre, and S.L. Mintz. “CLASS-S Dimensions: Teacher Sensitivity.” Classroom Assessment Scoring System Secondary Manual. Web. 8 February 2016.

Shevalier, Rae, and Barbara Ann McKenzie. “Culturally Responsive Teaching as an Ethics- and Care-Based Approach to Urban Education.” Urban Education 47 (2012): 1087-1105. Web. 9 March 2016.

Tomlinson, Carol Ann, and Marcia B. Imbeau. Leading and Managing A Differentiated Classroom. Alexandria: ASCD, 2010. Print.

Tucker, Catlin. “5 Tips for Managing Mobile Devices.” Educational Leadership (2015): n. pag. Web. 12 April 2016.

Weinstein, Carol Simon, and Ingrid Novodvorsky. Middle and Secondary Classroom Management: Lessons from Research and Practice. New York: McGraw-Hill Education, 2015. Print.

“Who Are You?” wkcd.org. What Kids Can Do, Inc, 2012. Web. 2 May 2016.