Classroom management begins with setting clear expectations.  At the beginning of the year I will teach the students exactly what I expect of them.  These expectations are not only rules that will allow my classroom to run effectively, but are also social skills that will allow the students to function more effectively in society.  My five expectations adapted from the Take Five program at Centennial School are: 1) the students are ready to work when class begins, 2) students are respectful to both the teacher and peers, 3) they are responsible for their own actions, 4) the students are expected to follow directions and finally 5) students are expected to keep out of others personal space.  Students will be intensively taught the details of each of these expectations during the first month of school and then the expectations will be reviewed throughout the rest of the year.

    I also believe that each school day should begin with a morning meeting.  Structuring this unstructured time when the students first come in will allow the students and myself to get prepared for the day.  Activities during the morning meeting should include taking care of lunch and attendance, reviewing the expectations of the class, having some time for a structured social interaction (pro-social games), and allowing for students to share personal news with the rest of the class.

    During class-time students should be praised in a variety of ways not only for providing the right answers or appropriate attempts to academic problems, but also for exhibiting pro-social behaviors in relation to the expectations of the class.  Simply noticing negative behaviors and punishing individuals does not fully promote pro-social behavior in the classroom and may even lead to more behavior problems.  One must look for the positive behaviors as much as the negative ones and give students positive feedback for that attention.