GENERAL CLASS INFORMATION
Mr. C. is a Behavior Intervention Specialist for students with social, emotional, and / or behavioral issues, and he has 29 years experience. Mr. C.'s class is a branch of special education, an SED unit, for students with Severe Emotional Disturbances. His class is a very routine oriented program, which is highly organized, with externally applied structure, to provide an atmosphere where students are pushed to achieve to their abilities socially, emotionally, behaviorally, AND academically.
The classroom therapeutic classroom management system assigns privileges and responsibilities based on continued student progress. It includes guidelines for participation in the regular education classrooms.
Our classroom money system is set up to closely resemble the real life situations of being paid for your work and responsibilities, and purchasing privileges, free time activities, and needs / necessities.
A weekly school counseling component is included in the program, with services provided by the school counselor, Ms. Franks.
The maximum number of students in class is 10, but we are at 14 now.
The teacher, Mr. C., and the teaching assistant, Mrs. Cymbor (Mrs. C.) are the class staff.
Principal Vardon's Quarterly Star Student :
Quarter 1: Richard
Quarter 2: Brandon
Quarter 3: Chris
Quarter 4:
Schrop's Grading Period Reward:
Each grading period there is a reward activity:
Grade Period I reward: roller skating
Grade Period II reward: movie
Grade Period III reward: Grand Slam
Grade Period IV reward: Akron Zoo
PARENTS:
For the QUICKEST response please write questions in your child's agenda book.
We use Sitton spelling, a spelling learning-process which looks and feels much different from traditional spelling lessons. The emphasis in spelling has moved from memorization of weekly lists to producing correct spelling in daily work tasks. Ask your child what spelling lessons look like now (Stretch It, Fix, It, Sort It, Find It, Finish It, Word and Skill Tests, Achievement Tests, and group work lessons).
STUDENT MANAGEMENT INFORMATION
PAY SYSTEM:
We use a money system to closely represent the real world. Students are paid classroom money for their work. Each day there are ABOUT 20 academic tasks, or so. Students are also paid for activities, kindnesses, jobs, and good deeds. They must pay rent for their desk, chair, and location, and pay fines for rule-infractions and misdeeds, much like the courts of our justice system impose fines. Additionally, students earn and lose money for meeting, or failing to meet, the 6 Pillars of Character.
Students earn $1.00 per task, deed, event, or item.
A green day is a good day. It is earned by having more money at the end of the day than at the start of the day.
A red day is a bad day. It is earned by having less money at the end of the day than at the start of the day.
Each group of 10-green-days-in-a-row = Privilege Sheet. Privilege sheets list choices from which to pick, such as: extra pay, food treats, free-time activities, delete assignments (not tests), and more.
Attitude-, effort-, behavioral-, and work-infractions cost money.
Small infractions cost small amounts of money.
Large infractions cost large amounts of money.
As in the real world, a person with NO money moves to a homeless shelter, or is incarcerated if they have broken too many rules. Our room has a "homeless shelter" -- AKA isolation.
- a carpeted room, about 15' by 15'
- just off our main classroom
- remain there until a green day is earned
Automatic "homeless shelter":
- in-school and out-of-school suspension
- restraint
- runaway threat ( shoes confiscated)
- sleeping
- cursing / foul language
CONSEQUENCES:
(other than the money system) Everyone in our classroom is a unique individual and each situation is a unique case. So, I will think of something based on the situation. I'll try to be fair. In fact, if I come up with something that is not fair, I want students to tell me why it is not fair. If a good case is presented I will change it to something fair.
CLASS RULES, VALUES, and RESPONSIBILITIES:
Class Rules:
stay in your area
use appropriate language
follow directions the first time (oral and written)
keep hands, feet, and belongings to self
stay on task
use time wisely
Group Values: traits students must show to be a successful member of the group
be honest and trustworthy
learn from experience
accept responsibility
respect each other and our things
be helpful and kind
Group Responsibilities: things students must do to experience the MOST success
follow classroom rules
complete work satisfactorily
learn from experience
earn money and privileges
participate with the group
stay on schedule
OTHER IMPORTANT DAY-TO-DAY INFORMATION:
- Students MAY be required to delay lunch until morning work is complete.
- Students MAY be required to stay after school until all work for the day is complete; call home at bus call.
- Refusing to work results in STERN consequences.
- Lending, borrowing, and/or giving among students is NOT permitted.
It creates favors and favoritism -- a power structure detrimental to our program.
- "Special Programs" will be created for repeat problems.
These are steps of increasing money-loss and consequences, like, but NOT limited to:
writing assignments
detention
separation
and more.
- Location of lunch /recess detention will be determined by the teacher.
- Sleeping = automatic "homeless shelter".
- Runaway threat = automatic "homeless shelter"
6 PILLARS OF CHARACTER:
core ethical values from the foundation of the CHARACTER COUNTS! youth-ethics initiative:
Trustworthiness: blue, like "True Blue"
Respect: yellow, like the "Golden Rule"
Responsibility: green, solid and reliable, like an oak tree
Fairness: orange, like dividing an orange into equal segments to share fairly
Caring: red, like a heart
Citizenship: purple, as in the regal purple, representing the state
SENSORY INTEGRATION (S. I.) ROOM:
We have a room for students to gather their senses and "chill out" BEFORE they get so worked up they need to be held accountable for their behavior. This room is for a specific process, not a punishment area. It has the following characteristics: soft- and natural-colored walls, curtains on the windows to diffuse light, soft and relaxing music, aromatherapy, sensory and nerve-calming seating, and a CD player with nature-scape music.
SCHOOL SUPPLIES:
Due to the restrictive nature of our classroom, the ONLY home-items students may have in school are:
1. book bag
2. outdoor weather clothing
3. pencils -- the more, the merrier
4. wide ruled notebook paper
5. plain, simple, 1-inch 3-ring notebook
EVERYTHING else will be provided for students.
ANYTHING else will be considered contraband, and so it will be confiscated.
RESTRAINT:
The teacher and aides have been trained in physical restraint techniques. Students who present a danger to themselves or others will be restrained. Physical restraint is NOT a FIRST response. It is a last-resort effort to stop a crisis; a crisis intervention strategy.
PRINCIPAL'S 9-WEEK REWARD:
3 Strikes, You're Out!
Each grading period there is an activity: bowling, movie theater trip, putt-putt golf, and skating are examples.
red day = 1 strike
detention = 1 strike
bus problem = 1 strike
sheet problem = 1 strike
classwork problem = 1 strike
homework problem = 1 strike
$0.00 = 3 strikes
restraint = 3 strikes
suspension = 3 strikes
