Knowing the Classroom

In the music classroom at Whitaker Elementary School Mrs. Granita Richardson is the teacher. In her room is run as both a class and business as we discuss in class. Mrs. Richardsons organization, zeal to teach, and long for the students to succeed are all what make her class run smoothly and efficiently. Mrs. Richardsons organization skills can be seen even before the students enter the classroom. Her classrooms is always neat and in order before the students enter. Mrs. Richardson stands outside her classroom and waits for the classes to enter. The students have to stand outside and be silent and show that they are ready to the classroom. Her classroom design has all of the aspects of free flowing function. The books are located on the opposite side of the classroom. The students have to stop at the first chair and wait one at a time to get the color coded text book of the shelf. By making the students wait to get textbooks one at time, it creates a culture of patience, and respect. All while this is going on, soft music is playing. While the students listen to the music they are allowed to flip through the text books and look at the pictures, music, and articles. While they do this, Mrs. Richardson takes roll, and performs all of her clerical duties. When the music is turned off the students wait for further instruction. To get the students attention Mrs. Richardson used a hand clap rhythm to grab the students attention. She claps five times, and they clap 2. The student knows at this point that they need to give her their attention. The students bring nothing to class but themselves and their coats or jackets. Since this is not a core classroom, (ELA, Science, Math, Social Studies), the students do not bring materials. Mrs. Richardsons teaching resources are all in place and organized. At the front Mrs. Richardson has two small student desks that she uses to place her agenda book, and CDs that she will use for that class period. The CDs are all assembled in color coded cases that correspond with the colors on the book covers. As she goes she puts up the CDs she has used. Mrs. Richardson has a piano in the corner on the other side of the classroom but it farther away from the students so she has a rolling cart that she plugs in to an

outlet that she uses. This cart houses her laptop, projector, speakers, and out lets for her to plug in a portable keyboard. This portable keyboard allows her to be closer to the students so that she can monitor their behavior and make modifications as needed. The discipline policy used is universal around the whole school. The system uses four categories: Excellent Satisfactory Needs Improvement Unsatisfactory

The teacher takes the students name and writes on the board beside one of the categories. This process helps the kids behave because they can see what they are doing wrong and what they need to do to fix it. Under the Satisfactory heading students are given a warning and the teacher tells them during class at the time of the incident. When they reach Needs Improvement, the parent is contacted and when the student reaches Unsatisfactory they student is written up. This system works very well. The students who miss behave serve as examples to the other students to behave.