My expectations of the students will vary depending on the grade level that I am teaching.

When dealing with younger students, I expect to have to constantly and consistently reinforce the rules and consequences for the classroom. Modeling will also be an effective tool because the younger students learn vicariously. If another student is rewarded with positive reinforcement for a behavior, another student is more likely to produce that same behavior. However, with the upper grades I would expect to use more nonverbal cues. Examples include using physical proximity (moving closer to the student) and using gestures and other classroom management devices such as raising one hand and placing my finger to my lips until the entire class is also performing the same task. The expectations include a combination of student-centered and teacher-centered expectations. The classroom climate will also vary depending on the activity the students are working on. If the students are working in pairs or teams, the noise level of the classroom will be higher than if they were participating in a silent reading activity, independent work, or testing. If another teacher walked into the room, the overall feeling of the room environment would be appropriate for the task of the students. From the very beginning of the school year, teachers must develop, post, and reinforce classroom rules and consequences. The rules and consequences should be appropriate for the grade level and overall temperament of the students. A sample list of rules and consequences for a second grade class is: Classroom Rules 1. Raise your hand when you want to speak. 2. Stay in your seat until permission is given to get up. 3. Keep your hands and feet to yourself.

4. Take care of yourself and let the teacher take care of everyone else. 5. Treat others the way you want to be treated. Consequences 1. 1st verbal warning 2. 2nd verbal warning and reflection 3. No recess or fun activity 4. Phone call home and possible parent conference 5. Meeting with parent, teacher, student, and principal Rules and consequences are a vital part of the classroom environment. They ensure that the teacher can maintain a level of control that will benefit each student and help them meet their yearly goals. However, when enforcing the rules, teachers must be consistent and fair and remember to take time to talk with the students and provide a reflective activity. By enforcing the rules early on in the school year, students have an opportunity to practice the rules and experience success within the classroom.