Anastasia Koulopoulos

Professor Havens-Hafer
Classroom Environment Plan
28 July 2017

Part I: Building Relationships with My Students

A. Learning​ ​my students’​ ​names. ​Learning names is the first step in getting to know your
students. Describe two approaches you plan to use to get to know your students’ names.
a. The first approach I will use in getting to know my students’ names is through
them creating their own name tents. They would include what they prefer to be
called, along with a quick doodle or picture to describe something about
themselves they would want me to know. The name tents would be kept at school
and at the very beginning of each class for the first week or so of school, I would
have to place the correct name tent in front of the right student.
b. The second approach I would use in getting to know my students’ names is by
having them sit in a specific order (alphabetical order, by birthday, etc). To also
help me I would want the students to repeat their name to me when I call on them,
or when they are participating in class.

A. Getting to know my students​.

B. 1. One way to begin to build relationships with your students is to set out intentionally to
gain some information about who they are and what matters to them. Create a written
handout of either a beginning-of-the-year survey or assignment designed to provide you
with the opportunity to get to know your students and gain key information about them.
This survey or assignment/activity should be done in such a way that you could actually
use it with your future students.
a. Create a Google Form to send out to students and to have them complete for
homework the first day of class. If students do not have internet or computer
access I will also have some paper copies of the survey.

2. Describe one additional approach you plan to use to get to know more about your students’
personal, cultural, and community assets – their backgrounds, interests, strengths, needs, and
in-school and out-of-school activities and commitments.

A. Showing care and respect to my students. ​Identify and describe three things you can do
to develop respectful, caring relationships with your students. (See Weinstein, chapter 3.)
a. Have conversations with my students, before class starts or at the end of class just
go around and talk with the students. The conversation doesn’t even need to be
 school related, it can be about what they are doing later that night at home, or over
the weekend. This will also help me to learn more about the students lives, outside
of the classroom.
b. I would want to be available to my students, not just while they are in my
classroom but throughout the entire day. If they had something happen they are
upset about, I want them to feel comfortable being able to come up and talk to me.
To make myself more “human” to them, I would have an open door policy so that
even if I’m not teaching, but my door is open that students are more than welcome
to come in and ask for help with school or non-school related issues.
c. I would want to learn little details about my students that are important to them.
First, seeing if they have a preferred name or nickname versus the one on the
roster. I also would want to get to know some information about them that isn’t
necessarily related to school. This would allow me to start a conversation with
any individual in my classroom and start building a genuine relationship.

A. Creating a community of learners in my classroom. ​Identify and describe three things

you can do to facilitate the development of a positive classroom environment in which
your students feel safe, respected, welcomed, and cohesive. (See Weinstein, chapter 3,
and Arends, chapter 4.)
a. I would be sure to allow my students to have some the ability to make suggestions
and have a voice in classroom decisions. Giving them the ability to tell me what
they would want to do, or their opinions on assignments will give them more
independence and autonomy. I’m hoping that the students would feel like the
classroom is a collaborative community and not just a space that they are told
what to do by the teacher.
b. As a teacher I would also be a good listener for my students. I want the students to
know that I respect them and genuinely listen to their ideas, concerns, etc. From
this, students would be more likely to want to share their ideas and bring more to
the classroom during discussions and make the overall environment more inviting
and open.
c. I would create an inclusive environment for my students, through incorporation of
different cultures, races, ethnicities, etc into my curriculum. This would allow my
students to connect with the information they relate to better. Another positive
outcome of creating an inclusive classroom would be the creation of a safe space
for the students to be. Students would know that while in my classroom their
beliefs and values are both respected and welcome.

Part II: Motivating the Adolescents in My Classes

A. Theories of motivation that guide my practice. ​Motivated students are generally engaged,
on-task, and more likely to participate in cooperative, respectful ways in the classroom.
Describe and discuss three ​theories of motivation​ that you intend to keep in mind as you
teach. (Arends, chapter 4; Weinstein; and your ed psych course.)
a. Behavioral Theory:​ This theory talks about how behaviors are affected by
reinforcers (either negative or positive). A student may be more or less likely to
perform a certain behavior (like staying on task) depending on the type of
reinforcement they will receive. Basically, I would want to keep in mind that the
way I respond to a student’s behavior is going to affect how they continue to act
in the classroom.
b. Attribution Theory:​ This theory states an individual's motivation is determined
by how their successes or failures interpreted, instead of motivation being based
off of past experiences or their needs. As a teacher this means some students’ are
going to take my critiques and comments very seriously. I need to be aware of the
feedback I am giving and make sure it is both constructive and respectful so not to
lower a student's motivation by seeming too judgemental or harsh in my
commentary.
c. Sociocultural Theory: ​This theory talks about how human activity takes place in
cultural settings and that these settings influence what we do and how we think. In
relation to the classroom, how I decide to run the classroom, the way students are
grouped, etc all can play a role in how a student does and, their motivation to do
work within my classroom.

A. Motivating my students. ​Describe and discuss three ​strategies​ you can use to motivate
your students. (Weinstein, chapter 8.)
a. Opportunities for Success​: As a teacher I want to give the students attainable
opportunities for success. I would create assignments that are doable by breaking
it down into multiple parts or multiple small assignments. This will allow students
to succeed in all the small tasks, leading up to a larger task and would motivate
them to do each one well and to the best of their ability.
b. How to set goals​: I would teach my students the best strategy to set a goal for
themselves, both academically and personally. This will allow the students to see
and understand not just why they are doing something, but how it impacts
something greater. These can be individualized for each student so that they can
focus on a specific skill or specific topic of knowledge they want to learn.
c. Give informative feedback​: When grading or giving comments on student work
I would be sure to give them genuine feedback that is helpful, and tells them how
they can improve. This gives the student something to go off of to better their
product. I also would be sure that my feedback is sandwiched so that there is
 positive comment, critique, positive comment so that they don’t just associate
negative feelings with teacher feedback. By giving them specific comments I
would help to motivate them to work on one particular thing at a time and make it
the best it can be.

Part III: Designing a Well-Organized Physical Space

A. Designing the physical environment. ​Create a detailed diagram of your ideal classroom
layout. Include all basic equipment, furniture, and “extras” you would need/want in your
ideal​ classroom. (Weinstein, chapter 2.)

A. The rationale for the organization of my classroom. ​Provide an explanation of how this
layout adheres to the five functions of the classroom setting (Weinstein, chapter 2). How
does this layout support your goals for instruction, management, and a sense of classroom
community?
a. Security and Shelter​ - The classroom would be set up so that students can easily
enter the classroom and go to their designated seating area. It also allows flow
around the lab bench area, and the ability to move the student tables closer to the
front of the room if more space is needed during experiments. I would try very
hard to keep the experimental and educational part of the classrooms separate to
keep everything sterile and safe. This will also give the students definition
between what activities are going on in class that day - desk work or lab work.
My desk would be out of the way of everything in the corner because I don’t plan
on sitting down at my desk during class time. I would be walking around and
interacting with the groups as well as monitoring during experiments. The only
time I would really need to sit at my desk would be after school while working on
grading, lesson plans, etc.
b. Social Contact​ - Instead of desks in my classroom I would love to have
semicircle tables like what you had in elementary school. This would allow the
students at that table to have conversations and discussions as a group easily since
they are sitting in a U formation. Also, if students need to pair up with another
table you can easily slide two semicircle tables together to create one circle table
for students to work at together. Lab benches are a little more difficult to
configure since they have specific things they need (gas, water and air hookups)
and stay stationary. But, I would have it so there would be two lab group pairs at
each bench so they could interact and bounce ideas off each other on what to do
during experiment days.
c. Symbolic Identification​ - In my classroom I would be sure to hang up personal
things from the class like their class conduct contract, lab safety posters, and other
science related posters and decorations. I would hang them up on the fronts of
 plain cabinets since there isn’t a lot of extra space for bulletin boards and other
wall space (due to all the storage needed). I also would put some decorations on
the front of my desk and behind me on my bookshelf/teacher library. When
possible I would love to display student work/models around the room as well.
d. Task Instrumentality​ - Classroom materials (paper, pencils, etc) that students
would need access to would be in specific cabinets at the front of the room, by the
blackboard. Anything that students would need during an experiment or while at
their lab benches would be stored either underneath the lab bench or in cabinets
next to their bench. This would prevent students from moving heavy and
expensive equipment too far and make running experiments easier by having all
commonly used materials near by. Anything needed for experiments like
chemicals would be in a locked cabinet by the ventilation hood and emergency
eyewash/shower station. This would be something that is teacher monitored and
students would have limited to no access on their own to those materials. If they
are needed for an experiment, ahead of time I will aliquot specific amounts and
have them ready for use inside of the ventilation hood.
e. Pleasure/Growth​ - This space allows me to grow a good amount. I can always
change the types of tables or desks I am using in the classroom, depending on if
having such collaborative seating is working or a distraction. I also could decorate
the room and make it seem less dungeon-like, like lots of science rooms tend to
be. With the spaces I am able to, I would put up posters and science relevant
material for students to see and engage with instead of just blank cabinets or wall
space.

Part IV: Establishing Clear Norms/Rules/Expectations

A. Establishing clear rules for my classroom.​ Develop a list of 3-6 rules/expectations/norms
for behavior in your classroom. Use the course texts, our class activities and discussion,
other readings you have done, online resources, and your own classroom observations
and experiences for ideas. See, especially, Arends, chapter 5, and Weinstein, chapter 4.
a. Be Respectful
i. Of the classroom and it’s materials, your peers, teachers, and yourself.
b. Agree to Disagree
i. Understand that not everyone shares the same opinions, values, or beliefs.
This should be a space people feel comfortable expressing their opinions
and if people disagree, there might come a time where students agree to
disagree out of respect for everyone.
c. Be Aware of your surroundings
i. There are lots of fragile and potentially hazardous materials in a science
classroom. Be aware of your surroundings and your body, keep yourself
 and others safe by keeping your body under control. Avoid knocking over
desks,chairs and other lab materials, and prevent spilling chemicals.
B. Introducing my classroom rules. ​How will you introduce these rules/expectations to your
students? Consider the ways in which Donnie and Sandy and Christina introduce their
classroom norms to their students.
a. “Syllabus Day” - I would introduce what my expectations and norms I would
hold my students to. Then, I would turn the power over to them to add their
expectations and norms of me, as well as for the classroom as a whole. I would
want to make it a collaborative activity that the whole class can participate in, so
that everyone’s voices are heard. I would do this through a jigsaw, where students
would be put into small groups to write down and discuss their norms, and then
we’d come together as a whole class and each small group would share their
norms. We would compile a whole class set of norms during this class discussion.

Part V: Establishing Routines and Procedures

A. Establishing consistent routines and procedures for my classroom. ​Using Table 4.2 on
page 102 of the Weinstein text as a guide, develop a set of routines and procedures you
plan to establish in your own classroom. Describe these routines and procedures in such a
way that they are clear to your reader (and would be clear to your future students).
a. Beginning of Class Housekeeping
i. Students - Get your materials out (books, paper, pencils, etc) and use the
facilities at this point (if needed).
ii. Teacher - Gather and organize the materials for today’s lesson, as well as
taking attendance and checking in on students.
b. During Class Procedures
i. Students
1. Use indoor voices when doing group work, discussion and
whenever talking is permitted
2. Listen and pay attention to the bell schedule/announcements that
are made, react accordingly
3. Be respectful of your peers, listen to their answers and comments,
and respond politely
ii. Teacher
1. I will walk around and monitor during independent and group
work and be available for questions and explanations
2. I will present materials in multiple ways and have multiple
explanations so concepts can be understood
c. End of Class Housekeeping
 i. Students - Clean up your table area and lab bench area, and leave the
classroom the same as when you entered. At this point you may leave the
classroom early to use facilities.
ii. Teacher - Facilitate and help with clean-up of chemicals or other
materials, as well as be available for last minute clarifying questions.

Part VI: Preventing and Responding to Misbehavior

A. Preventing behavior problems. ​List and explain five things you plan to do to ​prevent
classroom misbehavior ​before it even begins.
a. Students will create a classroom agreement, or set of “rules” that they will work
together to come up with the values and rules they find important and what
behavior is acceptable in the classroom.
b. I would start the year as a firm teacher, so that I could gain the respect of my
students early on in the year. This doesn’t mean that I won’t smile or joke around
with the students, but instead set a clear tone that I am the teacher and am the
leader of the classroom.
c. I would keep the classroom organized so that the classes flow easier and there is
structure to the classroom. If there is a clear way that the room is set up, and a
routine the students have in my classroom that will be another set of expectations
they are expected to keep up and follow.
d. There would be a poster or clear instructions that would show students the steps
that would happen in the event of misbehavior. If students see the consequence of
their actions, they might be less likely to participate in the incorrect action.
e. Everyday I would be sure to follow a clear routine that happens every class. This
way, students will know and learn what I expect of them and what behaviors are
and are not acceptable while in my classroom. There would be an agenda on the
board, or a poster that I can fill in with the schedule of events, so students know
what to expect and what I expect of them that day.

A. Responding to misbehavior. ​Assuming that adolescents may, indeed, sometimes go

off-task or cause minor behavior problems, think about how you will handle issues
during class​ as you begin to notice them. List and explain a graduated series of five
strategies you plan to use in response to student misbehavior when it does occur (or is
about to begin occurring). These should be strategies that ​you​ can use ​during class time​.
a. Non-Verbal Intervention:​ If I am able to spot exactly who is the student causing
the misbehavior while I am teaching I would be sure to make eye contact with
them as I am teaching. This will prompt them to stop the behavior since they can
see that I am watching them and know what they are doing. If I can’t make eye
 contact, then I would be sure to walk over and continue my lesson while standing
closer to them so they feel less comfortable misbehaving.
b. Non-Direct Verbal Intervention:​ While giving my lesson I would be sure to
direct my next posing question or discussion starting point to that student by
stating their name. Most likely this will make the student look like a deer in
headlights and stop the behavior and begin to pay attention because they know
they have to participate and don’t want to be embarrassed in front of their peers.
c. Direct Verbal Intervention:​ If it is during a silent activity in class I would walk
over the to the student and remind them about the task they should be doing and
how they should be completing it. If it’s during a class discussion or lecture I
would simply just say the students name and either a number or some sort of
indication that they need to check their behavior or see me when it’s the
appropriate time to discuss what is going on.
d. Deliberate Non-Intervention:​ If the behavior is minor or something that in that
immediate moment is not something I need to address I would wait. If the student
doesn’t stop the behavior on their own because class has started, or someone else
is answering a question then I would intervene with a non-verbal intervention of
some sort.
e. Private Conversation:​ If the student is misbehaving and continuing to misbehave
after attempts to stop the misbehavior I would be sure to pull the student aside
before they leave the classroom and ask to have a private conversation with them.
This could take place either during lunch, after school that day, or before school
the next. I would just want to talk with the student to see what’s going on with
them and why they are misbehaving in my class and to explain how it makes me
feel/my frustration. If there is something going on with the student
emotionally/personally I would of course offer my support and see if there is a
way to stop the misbehavior in class and still assist the student.

Part VII: Working with Families

A. ​The importance of collaboration with families.​ Describe three benefits for working
collaboratively with families.
1. Having knowledge about a student’s family and home life can help you understand or
figure out a student’s behavior within the classroom.
2. When families are aware of what you are doing in the classroom and the goals you have
for students they can provide support and assistance to the student outside of school and
the classroom.
3. Families being involved in the classroom could lead to parents and guardians
volunteering in your classroom and being able to provide assistance during class or after
school when you are in need of a helping hand.
B. ​Strategies for working effectively with families. ​Describe three ways you plan to reach out to
families.
1. I would create and send out a weekly, or bi-weekly email that lets the families and
parents know about what the students are doing in the classroom. This would open the
door for the families to reach out to me, or at least feel comfortable reaching out to me
since I have already opened up the line of communication.
2. I would have some way that families could interact with the material we are doing in
class just like their student. For example, if I assigned a homework assignment to the
students, I could also assign one to the family to do alongside their student. Depending on
how well this goes, I could make it so that the family needs to be taught by the student a
concept, and then they give feedback on the mini lesson that goes to me. This would get
them to see what their child is learning as well as get them involved in their academics.
3. On lab days, if it’s possible for families I would love to invite them into the classroom to
observe what is going on in the lab. If possible, getting the families to participate in a
laboratory activity would be awesome too. All of this depends on the ability for families
to come into class during the school day, as well as the logistics of being able to jump
into a lab and be a part of it. If they can’t participate in the lab, I think the families being
able to observe is just as valuable.

C. ​Initiating communication with families. ​Write the draft of a note to email/send to families at
the start of the school year or to post on your classroom website.

Hello 8th Grade Scientists’ and Families,

I hope this letter finds you as you’re relaxing and enjoying your summer break.

My name is Ms. Koulopoulos and I am so excited to be your science teacher this year, and I can
not wait to meet you all. This year is going to be an exciting year in the science classroom! We
will be learning lots of new things ranging from cells, the human body and ecology. I have lots
of experiments for all you scientists to conduct and problems to ponder. I can not wait to meet
and learn all about you, but first I’ll tell you a little about me.

I am a recent graduate of Ithaca College where I received my Bachelor's Degree in Biology and a
Master’s in education. I am originally from and grew up in the small town of Pepperell,
Massachusetts. It’s located about forty-five minutes from Boston and right on the border of New
Hampshire, so yes, I am a huge Boston sports fan. I have been living in Ithaca since graduating
high school and moving here for college. This area is beautiful and I have fallen in love with
upstate New York, so I am ecstatic to be teaching here.
For the first day of class, to help me get to know all of you better if you could please write a few
sentences about yourself (like I did above), or a list of some of your favorite things. Again, I can
not wait to meet everyone and I’m looking forward to the school year ahead of us!

-Ms. Koulopoulos

Part VIII: Managing Effective Instruction

A. ​Making the most of classroom time. ​Effective instruction requires the careful use of class
time. Describe three ways that you can maximize student learning during the limited time you
have during your classes.
d. Strategy 1 - Maintaining Activity Flow​: I would want to make it so my lessons
aren’t “choppy”, that breaks up the lesson and makes it hard for students to follow
and stay interested in the information. While planning my lessons I would make
sure I have a logical flow of where we are starting for the day and where we want
to end. I would also be sure to have an agenda on the board that allows me to keep
in mind what I need to accomplish as well as give the students a visual to see
what is going to be happening during class that day.
e. Strategy 2 - Minimizing Transition Time​: Getting students to finish one activity
and get set up and started on another one can take a lot of time away from class.
This is another point in which I would lose students motivation to do work, or
where they would get distracted doing other tasks and uninvested in my class. To
combat this, I would be sure to have a routine for students to go through while in
a transition period. It could be as simple as during transition you get up, walk
around the desk and stretch, sharpen a pencil, whatever it is - it is something you
always do to get back into the mindset of the classroom and ready to go.
f. Strategy 3 - Holding Students Accountable​: Students will be more invested and
motivated to do the classwork if they are held accountable for their assignments.
They also will be more motivated to do their work and make use of class time if
they know exactly what and why they are doing the assignment. Once they have
the clear instructions, as the teacher I can ask if they understand and then expect
them and hold them to a high standard for the product that they turn in and for the
amount of effort and time they put into it.

B​. Managing independent work.​ Describe three strategies for effectively managing independent
learning time.
a. Making sure that I assign independent work that isn’t just “busy work”. It would need to
have a clear purpose, that is relevant and going to be useful to the student. I would also
 make sure that the work has some components of higher order thinking, so it’s not as
boring as well.
b. I would be sure to be walking around and monitoring as students are working
independently. Just because they are working quietly at their desks doesn’t mean I also
can sit at my desk and be working on grading, or other work I need to get done. I want to
be a resource for the students as they are working, answering questions and clarifying
instructions if needed.
c. Since the students would be working independently I would plan for students finishing at
different times. I would have materials for students who finish quickly, to work ahead or
have “challenge” problems that they can do. For students that are struggling on the other
side of the spectrum I would have materials to help them do the assignment (step by step
instructions on how to use a theory or equation we learned, or guide on how to approach
the questions). I would have a standard of what I would want them to have completed for
next class and be sure that each student understands that and has it completed for the due
date.

A. Managing small group work. ​Describe three strategies for effectively managing small
group work. (See Weinstein, chapter 10)
a. Before the lesson begins, I would decide on the best type of group work to go
along with that lesson. If the original set-up I decided on isn’t working, I would
be flexible and switch the group work style. I also would allow students to have
input on which group work style they would want to work in/best do in.
b. Also before the lesson, I would decide on the group size that I would be using and
who the groups are going to be made up of. I would want to have a variety of
ideas and opinions in each group, as well as students with different strengths. This
would allow for better group discussion and work if they are constantly having to
use their words to explain what they mean and why.
c. Even though students would be working in groups, I would have a way to assess
them as individuals within that group. This would allow me to see what students
got out of the activity and if any students “steamrolled” and took over the activity,
and if that happened how can I fix that for next time.

D. ​Managing full-class recitation and discussion. ​Describe three strategies for effectively
managing recitation and discussion.
1. When having a full class recitation/discussion I would be sure to allow my students time
to think and have wait time. Giving students the chance to think about their answer and
not immediately give an answer allows them to put their thoughts together. This
especially helpful for students who might be more timid to talk, the time to know exactly
what they are going to say.
 2. Throughout the whole time I would be providing verbal feedback to the students. Giving
them a confidence boost for a correct answer, or pushing them to further explain their
idea if they are on the right track and I want to hear a little more. This allows me to assess
student understanding as well as let them know I am listening and motivate them to
participate by engaging with them in discussion, even if it’s only in short intervals and its
mainly a student conversation going on.
3. At the end of the recitation/discussion I would moderate and be sure to wrap up the
conversation. I would reiterate the points that were made, summarize everything that we
talked about and address any remaining questions or confusions the students have.

Part IX: Avoiding Potential Errors on My Part

Sometimes, classroom management issues are actually the direct result of errors or misjudgments
in teacher behavior. List and explain three things you, as the teacher, plan to ​avoid​ doing in your
own classroom.
1. Dealing with Misbehavior Inappropriately​: Sometimes in the classroom teachers jump
to harsh punishments for minor misbehaviors. This could lead to the classroom
management getting all out of wack because then students do petty things just to get the
attention and/or kicked out of the classroom. This also, could ruin some student
relationships if for some reason you seem to immediately jump to harsher punishments
for some students before others. I would never do that to some of my students, everyone
will go through the same steps for dealing with behavior unless it’s a rare exception
where a student puts themselves or others in danger and needs immediate
action/repercussion.
2. Letting the Class get out of control​: When doing activities, especially an exciting,
engaging group activity there is always the ability for the classroom to get out of control
and noisy. I would avoid this by being sure to create a way to bring the class back to me
and not let them get too crazy to the point where they will no longer listen.
3. Not Listening to student voices​: When the classroom becomes almost like a dictatorship
where the teacher is always the person making decisions and demanding things of the
students the class can get out of control. In these situations, students have lost all
autonomy over their education. I would avoid this by giving my students choices over
how they want to do a group activity, or assignment. By letting them be an active part of
the planning they will be more likely to stay engaged and interested and less likely to
misbehave and have the classroom fall apart.

Part X: Culturally-Responsive Classroom Management

How culturally-responsive is your classroom environment plan? (Review what you have written
in other sections of this plan to see how culturally responsive your plan is. Revise where
necessary.)
Identify and explain three important considerations to keep in mind as you work toward
establishing a culturally-responsive approach to classroom management.
1. I would learn about my students culture in multiple ways, through their family
background, educational background and their own personal beliefs and values. If I am
able to, I would want to incorporate the cultures, beliefs and values my students find
important into my lessons.
2. As a teacher, I need to understand my own cultural beliefs, my biases, and values. How
my personal thoughts and beliefs affect me, and how could they affect my classroom and
the environment. I would want to be sure to be open minded and have a safe space every
student feels welcome in.
3. I need to understand the different cultures that are present in my school and how they
interact with the students and faculty. I would want to know if there is something
culturally that could lead to a miscommunication through the language I am using in my
classroom, and if so, how could I fix that? Or are there certain ways students interact that
are important to them, and how can I help facilitate that and be aware of their cultural
social norms.
4. Understand student’s ability/access to certain materials and be as accommodating as
possible. If a student does not have internet or computer access at home, but there is an
online homework assignment have flexibility. Give the student a paper copy of the online
assignment or be able to work out with the student a time before/after school they are
available and you can give them access to classroom or school computers.