Classroom Management

Portfolio
Heather Larsen
 Table of Contents:

Policies and Procedures: 8 Strategies

Bell to Bell Instruction: 6 Strategies

Call Backs & Transitions: 5 Strategies

First Days of School: 6 Strategies

Group Work: 5 Strategies

Parent Interaction: 4 Strategies

Brain Breaks: 6 Strategies

Topic: Policies and
Procedures
Heather Larsen Policies and Procedures

Title Managing Cellphones

Brief Description Policy for cellphones: If I see it you will get a U.

How to Implement  Be consistent. When you see one really follow through and give a U.

 Use a clipboard to keep track of when you saw their cellphone.

 Email home to their parents so they are away of the situation.

 Consistently remind students to not pull out their cellphones. It becomes

so automatic for them that they just often forget and pull it out.

Credit: Randy Johnson uses this policy in his classroom; however I have adjusted and come up with
specific ways to make it my own.
Heather Larsen Policies and Procedures

Title Getting Students to Raise their Hand.

Brief Description If students decide to talk without raising their hand they will get a U for the term.

How to Implement  Write up a policy that students agree too so they know that they

understand they must raise their hand to speak. Send the policy home to

parents.

 Don’t allow the students to come into the classroom until the final tardy

bell. Let them get out all their chatter in the hallway. Keep the classroom

free from chaos.

 Give specific instruction throughout the whole period so that students

are not questioning what to do.

 Keep a clipboard handy to jot down who is talking out of turn.

 Start off being very strict and then lean back a little as the students learn

how to handle sitting in a classroom.

 Give students several warnings before you actually mark them down.

 Notify parents right away that they violated that rule.

Credit: Idea taken from video watched about Mr. Hester’s classroom and how he didn’t allow students
to talk out of turn.
Heather Larsen Policies and Procedures

Title Tallies
Brief Description If students are constantly interrupting by talking, or etc., start giving them tallies
during class. For every tally a student has by the end of the period they have to
sit silently in their desk for 30 seconds.
How to Implement  Keep a clipboard or a list of all students names next to you the whole

class period.

 Mark a tally next to the students name when they are distracting the

class.

 Remind them frequently that you are marking down tallies.

 Don’t allow them to know how many tallies they have until the end of

the period.

 Ensure that if a student does end up staying for 2 or 3 minutes that you

know that they have enough time to get to their next class.

 Or let the students know that they may be late for their next class

because of their behavior and to be very careful.

 Get the admin on board if you are giving our 7 + tallies, because students

may be late to their next class.

Credit: Robyn Jordan, another teacher at my school who I learned this method while observing her class.
Heather Larsen Policies and Procedures

Title Raffle Tickets

Brief Description Another way to help students stay on task is handing out raffle tickets to those
that are following along. These raffle tickets can win the students prizes at the
end of the week.
How to Implement  Have plenty of raffle tickets ready to handout for each period.

 Be consistent about walking around and handing our raffle tickets so

students can see them being handed out.

 At the end of the week ensure that you have several prizes that students

will be excited about and will want to get.

 Give out raffle tickets to bad kids work to when they do try. Even it’s a

small victory like not speaking for 5 minutes and getting one problem

done.

Credit: Meg Lewis

Heather Larsen Policies and Procedures

Title Tardy Tickets

Brief Description When a student walks in late, they must fill out a tardy ticket. This states why
they are late, and how many minutes they are late.

How to Implement  Make a place in your classroom where the tardy tickets sit.

 Be consistent and ensure that each student follows the rules and fills one

out when they are late.

 Take off points from participation/citizenship.

 Allow them to make up the points missed and tardy by letting them do

an extra assignment and make it somewhat lengthy.

Credit: Tara Marty

Heather Larsen Policies and Procedures

Title Tardy Sign In

Brief Description When a student is tardy they must sign in on a clipboard and then check in after
class to see what they missed.

How to Implement  Designate a space in your classroom for the clipboard to be, somewhere

near the door so the students remember to do so.

 Be consistent and ensure that when you see a student walk in late they

sign in on the clipboard.

 Make sure you make them mark how tardy they were so you can keep

an accurate list of what students’ patterns are.

 Be consistent that they check in with you at the end of the period.

Credit: One of the strategies given in class.

Heather Larsen Policies and Procedures

Title Absent Policy

Brief Description Make a website for your class that lists what the class did on a daily basis. Explain
to the students that they must check the website before coming back to class.

How to Implement  Create a website that will be easy for you to maintain and update.

 Have the website address written down somewhere is the classroom.

 Tell students this procedure at the beginning of the school year.

 Be consistent and remind them that that’s what they need to do before

they come ask questions about what they missed.

 When they do come ask, direct them immediately to the website.

Credit: Another teacher at my school, Clarissa Parker does this policy.

Heather Larsen Policies and Procedures

Title Passing Back Work Accordion Style

Brief Description Have students work filed into an accordion folder that has a folder for each
student.

How to Implement  Get TA’s that love to do this sort of work. Also get a TA that will work

and get the job done.

 Have an accordion folder ready to use for student work. Assign each

folder in the accordion to a student so you can keep their papers in

there.

 Be consistent and make sure you pass around the folders often.

Credit: Chandler Austin

Topic: Bell to Bell
Instruction
Heather Larsen Bell to Bell Instruction

Title Welcome Work

Brief Description A warm up question to get students immediately working after the bell.

How to Implement  Create a work sheet with at least 12 blank squares on them. Label the

squares so students know which square to write it in.

 Use manila folders to keep their worksheet in. Assign a row or a table a

folder to make it easy to hand out daily.

 Use HW questions from the night before as the warm up problems.

 Give them only five minutes to work on it and then have them pass it in.

 Grade their Welcome Work with a slash or a smiley face while they grade

each other’s homework.

 After 12 or so days grade their welcome work sheets, give 2 points for

every smiley face and 1 point for every slash. Give no points if they were

not there. Use as one quiz score on their grade.

Credit: Burgundi Bradfield, a teacher at my school uses this process.

Heather Larsen Bell to Bell Instruction

Title KWL
Brief Description A worksheet students fill out at the start of class and at the end of class

How to Implement  Create a worksheet with three columns Know, Want to Know, and

Learned.

 All the students time at the start of class to fill out the Know and the

Want to Know about whatever subject you are talking about.

 Students keep the worksheets until the end of class and they fill out

what they learned.

 They then turn it in for credit or participation points.

Credit: Idea taken from strategies given in class.

Heather Larsen Bell to Bell Instruction

Title QR Scanner
Brief Description Students use their phones to scan in the QR code and answer a question online
to start off class.

How to Implement  Using online resources create a QR code students can scan in that will

take them to a question to start off class.

 Then export all data into a spread sheet for easy grading.

 For students that do not have a phone/device that can do this, there

must be laptops/ipads, or some other option for them to complete it.

Credit: Andrew Bird

Heather Larsen Bell to Bell Instruction

Title Exit Tickets

Brief Description A short 2 question worksheet that is cut in the shape of a ticket that students
complete at the end of class to keep them working until the bell.

How to Implement  Using Kuta software or homework problems, create two multiple choice

questions about the lecture.

 Print of 3 to 5 on a page and cut them in ticket shape.

 Pass out within the last five minutes of class.

 Instruct students to stay in their seats until the bell rings.

 When bell rings they will hand you their ticket as they walk out the door.

 Have TA’s grade these, giving 1 point per problem. After a full term or a

half term, total up the scores and give them one homework score based

on exit tickets.

Credit: Came up with this idea after several teachers suggested doing exit tickets.
Heather Larsen Bell to Bell Instruction

Title Clean Up and Review

Brief Description Allowing students time to clean up before the bell and then reviewing what they
did that day.

How to Implement  Set a time 10 to 5 minutes before the bell for students to pack up their

bags so they are ready to go.

 Come up with some way to review the material that was discussed

during class that day.

 You could use Kahoot It, a power point, be prepared to quiz students

formatively, and etc.

Credit: Taken from class discussion about strategies

Heather Larsen Bell to Bell Instruction

Title Exit Slips

Brief Description Slip students fill out at the end of class.

How to Implement  This is different than the exit ticket. Exit slips students turn in their own

sheet of paper as they walk out the door.

 On the slip of paper students write, “Got it, questions or nope.”

 If they write questions they will write what question they have, but this

gives you a sense of how many of your students got the lecture.

Credit: Strategy given in class discussion.

Topic: Call Backs &
Transitions
Heather Larsen Call Backs & Transitions

Title School Spirit Call Back

Brief Description Using the school name and mascot to create a call back.

How to Implement  Use the schools name and mascot to create a call back. For example you

could yell, “Bountiful!” and they would yell “Braves!” back.

 You could also do a popular school cheer, like “Brave Strong!”

 Practice makes perfect! Practice multiple times with each class.

Credit: Created by my cheer team.

Heather Larsen Call Backs & Transitions

Title Counting Call Backs

Brief Description Simple counting rhymes using to call to attention.

How to Implement  Counting backwards from 5 to get their attention. “I need eyes on me

and mouths closed in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1”

 Using the rhyme, “1,2,3 eyes on me!” and they respond back with, “1, 2

eyes on you!”

 You can also use, “On the count of 3 I want eyes on me, 1, 2, 3!”

Credit: My 4th period class gave me the counting rhyme, Kelli Lee gave me the counting backwards, and
one of my teachers in the past has used the “on the count of 3”
Heather Larsen Call Backs & Transitions

Title Clapping/Hand Gestures

Brief Description Using your hands to get the classes attention.

How to Implement  Clapping a rhythm, and the student clap the rhythm back to you, or they

finish the rhythm.

 Using a math equation and the count the answer back to you, for

example, “5 minus 3” and they clap two claps back to you.

 Raising your hand and waiting for everyone to do the same.

 Raising your hand using the Hunger Games signal and waiting for

everyone else to do the same

 Using “quiet coyote” hand gesture.

Credit: Ideas taken from class discussion about strategies.

Heather Larsen Call Backs & Transitions

Title Timer Transition

Brief Description Using a timer to help time an activity or a transition.

How to Implement  You will need a document camera and projector to display your timer on

the board, or you will need a large timer on your board, or you can use

an online time on the computer.

 When giving 3 minutes for an activity display the time with a timer and

stick with it – when it’s over demand that they be back in their seats or

done with the activity.

 Time them turning in work or getting materials, post times on the board

from other classes to make it a competition.

Credit: Ideas taken from class discussion about strategies.

Heather Larsen Call Backs & Transitions

Title Mona Lisa Call back

Brief Description Call back involving knowledge about art

How to Implement  You say, “Mona Lisa!” and the student respond by sitting quietly and

ready.

 Mona Lisa has her hands in her lap, mouth closed and eyes open.

 Mona Lisa also has nothing blocking her ears.

 This means that the students are ready and willing to learn when you tell

them to do the Mona Lisa.

Credit: Mady, from our in class discussion about strategies.

Topic: First Days of
School
Heather Larsen First Days of School

Title Online Disclosure

Brief Description Have your disclosure online to sign.

How to Implement  Create a disclosure and print off copies for students to have on the first

day of school.

 On the bottom mark that the disclosure must be signed online.

 Create a google document that parents go on and sign that they read

through the disclosure with their student.

 Export an excel spread stating who signed it and from what IP address,

so if there’s ever a question you can refer to it and state that the

disclosure was signed from a certain computer.

 This way you don’t have hundreds of disclosures filed away in your room

taking up space!

Credit: Clarissa Parker, a teacher at my school.

Heather Larsen First Days of School

Title Classroom Rules

Brief Description Fun ways to get students to remember your classroom rules.

How to Implement  Use memes, posters, or a song to list your classroom rules.

 Hang them somewhere in your classroom so students can see what is

expected of them.

 Refer to them often during the first week so students can remember

them.

 You might consider having students help create them so that they can

more easily follow them.

Credit: Mady & Dave from their class presentation.

Heather Larsen First Days of School

Title Memorizing Names

Brief Description Easy and helpful ways to memorize names quickly.

How to Implement  Create a picture seating chart or just have their names listed on the

seating chart and refer to it often during the first week.

 Have them write a name card and keep it on their desk the first few days

of school.

 Play a name game, where everyone goes in a circle says their name and

has to say something fun they did over the summer, then each person

that goes has to repeat what everyone else said that went before them.

 Repeat your student’s names as often as possible during the first weeks

to help memorization.

Credit: Other teachers at my school, and classroom discussion about strategies.

Heather Larsen First Days of School

Title Getting to Know You

Brief Description A short work sheet that allows the student to tell about themselves.

How to Implement  Create a worksheet for the students to fill out the first day of school.

 Have them do it right as they walk in the door, so you can take roll and

take care of anything else you need to while class is starting.

 Ask fun questions to get to know the student, but also ask questions

about their knowledge of the subject and what they like or don’t like

about it.

 Ask what class they previously came from and how well they did in it.

Credit: Mady & Dave’s presentation

Heather Larsen First Days of School

Title Policy and Procedure Practice

Brief Description Practice procedures you want smooth, and introduce where things are in the
classroom.

How to Implement  Give them a tour of your classroom, show them where late work goes,

where they can find copies, what to look for on the walls, or the board,

where’s a stapler, a pencil, tape, and etc.

 Practice call backs that you want them to learn and know.

 Practice how you hand in work, pass back work, get materials and etc.

 Be sure they know what is expected of them when they enter the

classroom.

 Practice good and bad behavior so they know what not to do.

Credit: Mady & Dave’s Presentation.

Heather Larsen First Days of School

Title Find Someone Who…

Brief Description A great icebreaker for students to get to know each other.

How to Implement  Create a worksheet with 20 to 30 items on it, that say certain things,

such as, I have all brothers, or I have been out of the country.

 Then have students walk around and find other students that have done

those items.

 They write the students name down on the other students paper.

 Afterwards, once everyone has filled in their paper you go around the

room and the students tell each other about the other students they

met!

 Great way to get the students comfortable with each other so they know

names.

Credit: Lorrie Barber, idea used in class.

Topic: Group Work
Heather Larsen Group Work

Title Jigsaw
Brief Description A fun way to get lots of information spread out to all students in a short amount
of time.

How to Implement  Depending on how bits of information of skills you need to students to

learn divide them into that number of groups. Suppose you have five

articles to read divide them into five groups of five.

 Each group reads one article. Then the group numbers off 1-5.

 All one’s meet in a corner, same with all other numbers, and then all

one’s share what their article was about.

 Then within each group they learn about all five articles.

Credit: Idea was used in class by, and talked about during our discussion strategies.
Heather Larsen Group Work

Title Clock Work

Brief Description Easy way to assign partners and get students into groups without have an
awkward amount of people left out.

How to Implement  Prints off a picture of a clock and next to the hours leave a blank line.

 Have the students stand up and find someone for each line.

 So when Jenny asks Todd to write on her 2 line, she also write on his 2

line.

 Then when you want them to pair up quickly just tell the students to go

to their 5 o’clock partner and then everyone has a partner.

 It’s very easy to switch up partners in the middle of class as well because

then you can just say go to 12 o’clock partners and they will switch.

Credit: Lorrie Barber, idea used in class.

Heather Larsen Group Work

Title Assign Roles

Brief Description Once students are into a group, let them decide what roles they want to do so
that everyone has a job.

How to Implement  A group of 3 to 4 is a good group size for high school.

 Assign specific roles that each group member does

 President – delegates work, in charge of turning in final group work,

picks up slack where it needs be.

 Writing – Writes whatever needs to be written for the group.

 Spoke person – Person in charge of talk for the group, presentations and

etc.

 There are many other group work positions. Just depends on the what

the groups are for.

Credit: Mindy, during our class strategy discussion.

Heather Larsen Group Work

Title Think Pair Share Spin

Brief Description An easy activity for students to review work and ask questions.

How to Implement  At the end of every class or whenever really, assign students to a certain

partner.

 Then ask one student to think of questions they have about the material

and the other list what they learned.

 Then have them turn to the partner and share what they just thought

about.

Credit: Idea given in class.

Heather Larsen Group Work

Title Popsicle Groups

Brief Description Randomly pick students to be in a group.

How to Implement  Get an empty jar and a whole bunch of Popsicle sticks.

 Put a student’s name on each one. Then when picking groups it remains

random

Credit: Given to class discussion.

Topic: Parent
Interaction
Heather Larsen Parent Interaction

Title Parent Teacher Conferences

Brief Description How to handle parent teacher conferences like a pro.

How to Implement  Have a sign in list to keep track of who came.

 Ask the students last name when they arrive so you can identify the

student quickly.

 Have a print out of the students grades to show the parents.

 Have example of student work to show the parents.

 Know your students and have a plan for what each one needs and relay

that to parents.

Credit: Elizabeth and Jarom class presentation

Heather Larsen Parent Interaction

Title Parent Emails

Brief Description Addressing parents politely and when appropriate

How to Implement  Always address the parents as Ms. and Mr. to show respect.

 Give firm and clear information.

 Email home not only about bad things, but good things their student is

doing as well.

 Email home often so they know you can and they can be invested as

well.

Credit: Advice given by other teachers at my school

Heather Larsen Parent Interaction

Title Parent Meetings

Brief Description How to make parent meetings run quickly and smoothly.

How to Implement  Always invite an administrator when meeting with a parent.

 Never meet alone with a parent. They may try to corner or trap you into

sticky situations.

 Be clear and concise why you are having the meeting.

 If they called the meeting ask them first thing why they called the

meeting.

 Do your best to please the parent, however stick to your rules and

policies.

 Be sure the admin agrees with whatever decision you make.

 Never cry in front of the parent.

 Always keep your cool.

Credit: Advice given to me by my administration.

Heather Larsen Parent Interaction

Title Letters Home to Parents

Brief Description Send a letter home to parent when a student misbehaved or has done something
good.

How to Implement  Send home praising letters to parents to let them know how well their

student is doing.

 If a student breaks a rule and it is quite serious send a letter home

stating that the student may not come back to class until they have

signed the letter and the parent knows how the student is behaving in

class and what needs to change.

Topic: Brain Breaks
Heather Larsen Brain Breaks

Title Kahoot It
Brief Description Fun game that allows students to play on their phone.

How to Implement  Google Kahoot It and go to the website that allows you to create an

account.

 Create or search for a quiz that will follow along with your material.

 Watch for inappropriate nick names that may pop up on the screen.

 Reward winner if you have candy, or a little prize.

Credit: Classroom discussion about strategies.

Heather Larsen Brain Breaks

Title Brain Break

Brief Description How to get students ready for a test.

How to Implement  Allow students to get blood to their head by standing up and stretching.

 Take your students on a short walk through the halls

 Get both sides of their brain working by rubbing their belly and patting

their head.

 You can also have the students touch their right finger to their nose,

while they touch their left finger to their right ear. Then switch, have to

students try to switch back and forth faster and faster.

Credit: Julian Alaverez in class discussion.

Heather Larsen Brain Breaks

Title Ted Talks

Brief Description Ted Talks are informative and educational videos.

How to Implement  Watch of short Ted talk video or a section from a Ted Talk video, to give

kids something different to listen too.

 You could also focus the Ted Talk about your material so that it seems

like a brain break; however they are still getting good information.

 Watch Ted Talks about being an adult, because they are almost adults!

Credit: In class discussion about strategies.

Heather Larsen Brain Breaks

Title Funny Dance along YouTube Video.

Brief Description A short video that gets kids up and moving for several minutes.

How to Implement  Find a funny, but age appropriate video that instructs to the students to

stand up and move around.

 Enforce all students to do it – even if they are “too cool” threaten to

dock citizenship or lower their grade.

 Use a attention getter or call back to get the class back from the dancing

video.

Credit: Idea taken from class discussion

Heather Larsen Brain Breaks

Title Clock Work

Brief Description Using the group work Clock Work as a Brain Break.

How to Implement  Using the Clock Work partners, assign students to stand up and find the,

5 o’clock partner and tell a knock knock joke too.

 Then tell them to go to their 2 o’clock partner and tell them to share

something about the lecture that day.

 Do this as many times as necessary to get students ready to focus on the

next section in class.

Credit: Class discussion about strategies

Heather Larsen Brain Breaks

Title Simple Yoga Poses

Brief Description Simple yoga poses that get students mind awake and alert.

How to Implement  Standing

 Taking deep breaths

 Rolling their neck

 Standing on one leg and raising the opposite arm

 Raising one leg behind you and raisin the other arm in front of you.

 Many more can be found online.

Credit: Julian and Chandler class presenation.