CLASSROOM COMMUNITY

A classroom community builds student's self-esteem so that they are able to feel safe and comfortable in their classrooms. We feel by establishing this "community feeling", students can develop their social skills and solve problems on their own with teachers being a guide and a model to the students. The following examples build a community atmosphere throughout our classroom!!

Stop Light:This school year our first grade classrooms will be using a "Stop Light" technique for behavior. Each day every child will start on a "green light". When an inappropriate behavior occurs (such as: not listening, hitting, etc.) the child will receive a verbal warning from the teacher. If the same or another inappropriate behavior should happen again, the child will be asked to move their name to a "yellow light". The same procedure will be in effect for the "red light". If your child is left with a "Red Light" at the end of the day, they will receive a "red ticket".

The "red ticket" will explain the behavior that took place, and the child will be asked to write how they will be able to change their behavior the next school day. There will be a place on the ticket for a parent and student signature, and it should be returned the following day. If your child receives a ticket, please talk with them about their behavior and encourage them for a better day tomorrow!

Also, if your child stays on their "green light" all day they will receive a sticker on a calendar. At the end of the month, your child will be able to count their stickers and be able to pick a prize from our "Treasure Box"!!

Thanks for your cooperation in making this a successful transition.

Cooperative Teams: Each first grade classroom is set up with tables. There are four students to each table. We call each table a "cooperative team". Each day the team tries to do their best work and earn warm fuzzies for their table. Whichever table has the most warm fuzzies at the end of the day, their team earns a coupon for their table. When a table has ten coupons, the team will be able to have lunch with their classroom table and play a game cooperatively witht heir team.

Classroom Marble Jar: The classroom marble jar is used to build a community feeling in the classroom by developing social skills and encouraging team work. A jar is placed into our first grade classroom with no marbles inside. Everytime the students do something positive during lunch, specials, assemblies, fire drills, or overall as a whole class, they have an opportunity to earn marbles for the marble jar. When the marble jar earns 50 marbles, students will be able to have an extra recess. When the marble jar earns 100 marbles, students earn a "Special Day" such as: bringing their stuffed animal into school, their favorite book, or dressing up as their favorite character from a story, and any other creative ideas the children come up with!!

Back to First Grade Home Page