Procedures used in the Classroom

           In the 6th grade classroom I have been helping in the teacher has a variety of procedures that help the class run smoothly. At the beginning of the school year each student drew a class job out of a cup. This became their job until it was a new quarter in the class. The jobs ranged from setting people chairs out in the morning, writing up the class schedule, reading off the class announcements, collecting homework, cleaning the sink and microwave, to filling in the daily planner key. At this school the students are grouped into A.M. and P.M. students based upon when they arrive/leave school. An A.M. student is always in charge of making sure each desk has a chair at it before the students sit down. At 9:15, when the P.M. students arrive, the class announcements are read off to the class. This helps each student know what is due that day, and how many days until another assignment is due. After the announcements are read, another student reads the class schedule out loud. The teacher has the students do this to help them all get onto the same page, and to focus in on their day at school.
         As the day goes on the teacher will let students pop pop-corn in the microwave, but they first have to ask permission, and if there are others who also want to use the microwave they will put their name on a list on the white board. By having the students create a list on the board it helps the teacher and students see who gets to pop pop-corn, and if a mess was made it helps with the accountability of the student because everyone knows who made it with out false accusations. At lunch time students line up in alphabetical order of their last names, The last three people in line each have a job. the second and third to last in line carry a basket of balls and other sports equipment to the cafeteria so their classmates have an option to play with them. The last student in line is in charge of making sure that the everyone is out of the room, turning off the lights and locking the door. All the students know that once the door is locked there is no going back in the classroom until after lunch is over. This helps the students think ahead and be responsible for being prepared for the weather outside.
         At 2:45, when the A.M. students prepare to leave, all the students clean up the classroom. If someone (who was in class that day) leaves their chair unstacked before leaving, or has a mess around their desk at the end of the day, their name is written on the board. The next morning the teacher tells them why their name is on the board, has them correct the behavior, and if it happens again they will help do an additional job around the class that is not very desirable. There are some students in this class that frequently are doing additional jobs. The teacher does not take away any rewards they have received, they merely add a consequence after a warning has been given. The routines in the classroom help the environment because the students are no longer responsible only to the teacher, but to each other, and they know the consequences.