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I designed this classroom floor plan after carefully considering safety, visibility, organization, and space for fostering movement to include smooth transitions. In addition, my design included facilitating effective learning, encouraging peer collaborations, and creating a sense of "home away from home."

Centers will meet the various learning styles of students. Learning centers will promote critical thinking, independence, student autonomy, and collaboration. In addition, centers will help students develop their fine motor skills that develop through active, hands-on play.

The classroom will have group pod desks. This seating arrangement encourages collaboration within the classroom learning community. This flexible setup can facilitate project-base lessons and kinesthetic activities where students can move from one station to another. This seating arrangement fosters shoulder partner or collaborative learning where everyone is assigned a role which ensures participation.

Horseshoe shaped tables allow for maximum visibility and allow students and the teacher to make eye contact during learning. In addition, teacher feedback is prompt and direct. Small group instruction centers focus on differentiated support for students who may be struggling academically. Small group instruction can have various levels of intensity.

A classroom library will foster a passion for literacy. This small inviting environment allows students to explore and engage in appropriate-level diverse books. Students can connect with books and become familiar with different genres. This exploration will help develop personal reading interests. Classroom libraries can aid in students developing their reading skills, research, digital literacy skills, and improve academically.

Throughout the classroom will be flexible seating. Allowing students to choose their seating option will promote engagement and academic success. Flexible seating will provide ultimate comfortability when collaborating at group pods, centers, classroom library, and at the small group table. Choice of seating gives students a sense of autonomy over their learning. Flexible seating helps students with ADHD, ADD, or ADSD by helping them processing information.

The classroom layout has enough space to facilitate smooth transitions and encourage kinesthetic movement during lesson activities.

The announcement/focus board will provide students with explicit information that will pertain to the days schedule and objectives day as well as upcoming events that week. This will allow students to focus on the classroom objectives and reference them when needed. It will also eliminate distractions.

Displaying student work will provide students with a way to monitor their progress and growth. In addition, they will feel a sense of accomplishment which will add to their motivation. Students want to feel a sense of belonging. Displaying their work will allow them to feel like they are a significant part of the classroom community. It allows for students to learn from their peers and have a deeper understanding. By displaying student work students can enhance or develop critical thinking, creativity, and decision making skills. Displaying students' work for parents to view helps build relationships with families.

Organization within the classroom is imperative for a highly effective learning atmosphere to run smoothly. Organizing classroom materials, supplies, and resources will provide quick access. This will eliminate any distractions and aid in effective time management. Teachers who model cleanliness and organization in the classroom aid in helping students develop responsibility skills and self esteem. Well organized classrooms help develop routines and reduce distractions.

This functional classroom layout will encourage collaboration, foster learning, and provide effective instruction. In addition, this classroom layout will foster connections and provide students with a safe and comfortable learning environment.

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I will incorporate flexible seating in my classroom. I want my students to feel comfortable while they are learning. Flexible seating promotes increased concentration and processing, increased collaboration, improve communication, fulfills sensory needs, and increases physical activity. Flexible seating is highly effective for students with ADHD. This sensory input helps with their tactile and kinesthetic needs.

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My small group instruction will allow my students to collaborate, I will give immediate feedback, and provide them with differentiation opportunities and individualized instruction. Effective teacher-led learning can increase critical thinking skills which allows a deeper understanding for students. Instruction during small group learning facilitates small tasks that foster participation from all students. Students are more engaged and enjoy the more personalized instructional support during small groups. I will provide personalized differentiated support to my students who maybe struggling academically. The shape of the horseshoe table makes it visibly clear to students that I am facilitating discussion. Lastly, the horseshoe configuration allows my students to face inward, encourages them to make eye contact with me and with their classmates.

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Close Up of Classroom Library/Organized Reading Corner

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Close Up of Classroom Library/Organized Reading Corner

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My classroom library can help students develop a range of literacy skills and evoke a passion for reading. My classroom library will help students learn about genres and discover books that spark their intellectual curiosity. I will provide students with a wide range of level-appropriate texts. My classroom library will be a designated environment for both casual reading and assigned reading. Libraries can provide opportunities for students to socialize and connect with each other. Being near other students can be comforting and motivating, even when students are looking for a quiet place to study. I will provide multicultural literature that will promote inclusion and acceptance of diversity of identities and cultures.

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My centers will provide play-based learning which will allow my students to explore, experiment, and discover concepts and skills in an engaging manner. My Math and ELA centers will promote student engagement and skill development.

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An announcement board will allow me to display I can statements for that week for each content area. I will provide examples of each objective. This will provide my students with references while learning. I want to provide clear and concise information to eliminate any confusion my students may have. I would also include any weekly announcements to prepare students for upcoming events. The calendar would be displayed on this focus board as well. It is imperative to provide explicit information without overwhelming my students.

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I will display my students work weekly to show them I am proud of their growth and achievements. I want to boost my students' sense of belonging and self worth. Displaying student work allows peers to learn from their classmates. I want my students to become self-aware and self-confident in their learning.

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I will set up students' desks in group pods and each pod station will be complete with a storage bin on the side for students to store their materials and supplies. This arrangement can be especially advantageous when students work in groups or pairs with their classmates for a large portion of class time. Integrating collaborative tables in my classroom will promote student engagement.

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Incorporating music like this in my classroom will help reduce stress and anxiety amongst students and myself. Playing calming instrumental music will help students focus and eliminate distractions during instructional time. Listening to calming music after transitioning back into the classroom will also be highly effective.

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Baby Sensory – Calming Bedtime Songs for Babies

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2 Hours Underwater Relaxing Music -Satisfying Sensory Sleep Music - Stress Relief Music, Meditation

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Incorporating classroom storage will help me stay organized. It will also benefit my students when they are in need of locating classroom materials. By modeling cleanliness and organization in the classroom I will show students how to use their time more efficiently. Also, being organized improves students' mindset, reduces stress, aids in focusing, and promotes social skills. Staying organized will allow me to spend more time instructing.

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I decided to go with traditional classroom rules. It is important to actively involve my students while I deliver the classroom rules. These rules can also be applied outside of my classroom as well. Students can follow these simple rules in another classroom, cafeteria, library, and specials. A benefit of implementing classroom rules is that it helps control student behavior and sets the tone for an effective learning environment. In addition, it promotes consistency, safety, and structure. Implementing traditional rules fosters students’ social, emotional, and physical development. Students who feel safe and supported are more likely to participate and overcome academic obstacles. Maintaining a positive classroom environment is important. It helps students take responsibility for their choices and actions. I plan to encourage and reward positive behavior in my classroom. When students know the consequences of their behavior, they are less likely to repeat those same behaviors and more likely to make responsible decisions. Classroom rules ensure fairness amongst students. Classroom rules help aid in students’ development of building self-discipline. Following classroom rules helps prepare students for various real-world settings outside of the classroom. Setting clear and concise classroom rules in place allows me to effectively manage the classroom and focus on delivering quality meaningful instruction.

I will teach my classroom rules and expectations first by engaging my students in a discussion. It is important to involve my students. I will be concise, specific, and positive in my delivery of the classroom rules. I will model each rule one at a time. Then I will encourage my students to demonstrate each rule by role playing. For example, students may role play borrowing something from a classmate giving nonexamples or examples of following the rules. I will involve my students in collaborating and creating a classroom poster. The students will identify the visuals that will be utilized to illustrate a rules poster to display in the classroom. Students can choose from pictures provided.

The consequences will depend on the individual student. Some behavior plans require a certain number of warnings. My first step would be giving a nonverbal warning. If the student continues, I will verbally remind the whole class by giving other students praise or rewards for following the rules. My third step would be moving a clip to the next tier of color. I will have a discussion with the student in private to remind him or her of the rules. In addition, I would explain what it would take to turn things around and get the clip moved back. If the student does not correct the behavior, then I will record the student’s clip color in his or her planner for the parent to view. Depending on the severity of the behavior, I will contact the administration and the parent.

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I will provide a structured procedure for students to turn in their work to a turn-it-in bin. This procedure will include a make-up work bin for students who were absent. This organized bin system will reduce time spent looking for student work, missing work, or taking time to find papers for make-up work. In addition, these bins will decrease interrupting the flow of instruction.

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Displaying a daily schedule will help my students feel in control of their day. The daily schedule will help students with predictability, independence, and smooth transitions. Including visuals with the daily schedule will be highly beneficial for students with exceptionalities in an inclusion classroom, for students with Dyslexia, and for ELL students.

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Close Up of Storage for Teaching Materials

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Close Up of Storage for Teaching Materials

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Curating storage for my teaching materials is extremely important to me. I must have everything thoroughly organized with labels on everything. This will be extremely beneficial when I need to locate my daily or weekly lessons, resources, curriculum, copies, worksheets, manipulatives, and multi-sensory tools. I would like to have storage where I can provide myself with easy access to my teaching materials while I am instructing at the Elmo and Promethean board. I would like to have easy accessibility to my small group instruction activities located behind the small group kidney shaped table. Behind my desk I will have organized binders for student progress monitoring, assessments, student information, IEPS, 504s, WIDA scores/ any information pertaining to my ELL students, additional resources, and content curriculum. It is imperative I am constantly organized, and my classroom remains decluttered. I love the rolling storage carts they provide mobility for stationary/ paperwork storage. In addition, I can add labels on the draws that hide what is inside. I love hanging copied lessons in clear zip lock bags organized by the days of the week. I want to model cleanliness and organization for my students so they can develop these skills that will aid in their academic success. All of this organized storage will aid in time management. I will be able to locate my teaching material promptly and efficiently to avoid taking time away from instruction.

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I will utilize a behavioral chart in the classroom. This is an effective way to allow students to show accountability for their actions. If a student ends the day in purple they can go to treasure box. If a student ends the day in stop and think they will receive a note in their planner home. I will allow students chances to turn it around. If a student turns their behavior around they will move back up on the behavior chart.

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Bucket fillers are utilized for incentives. Students can turn their small pom pom balls in for different choices. Each choice is worth a certain amount of pom pom balls. Choices vary from extra computer time, lunch with me and two peers, sitting in the teacher chair for the day, sitting next to a friend for the day, an extra brain break, and so many more. Students must internalize/ demonstrate good behavior and follow classroom and school rules to earn these rewards.

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Positive Behavior Incentives - Desk Pets

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Positive Behavior Incentives - Desk Pets

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Students can adopt a desk pets through our classroom reward system. They must earn and accumulate 15 pom pom balls in their assigned bucket to adopt their first desk pet. Students can earn these points by internalizing and demonstrating good behavior by following our classroom rules. Students can earn more pom pom balls to fill their buckets to cash in for more desk pets, desk pet food and habitats. Desk pets must remain at school.

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When the whole class receives a compliment for following the rules, over time students can earn a pizza, donut, or movie party.

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Meeting with the Parent of a Behavior Child

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Meeting with the parent of a behavior child does not have to be scary with these tips and ideas! Check out this post with step-by-step help!

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Tier 2 practices and systems provide targeted support for students who are not successful with Tier 1 supports alone. The focus is on supporting students who are at risk for developing more serious problem behavior before they start. Essentially, the support at this level is more focused than Tier 1 and less intensive than Tier 3.

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How to Create a Tier 2 Intervention Plan for Tier 2 and 3 Students

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How to Create a Tier 2 Intervention Plan for Tier 2 and 3 Students

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When you have thirty students in a classroom, there are bound to be small interruptions throughout the week. However, when a student repetitively acts out, classroom management becomes an even more difficult task. They'll distract their peers and take away from your teaching time.

According to the National Science Teaching Association, 1.3 to 3.8 million grade school students in the United States have a behavioral disorder. Teachers across the country need to know how best to assist these students, so they don't fall behind academically.

As soon as you know that your student has a behavioral disorder, observe them to determine what tier to place them in. Then, create a behavior intervention plan. If you've never taught tier 2 or 3 students, though, you might not know how best to approach this assessment.

Here's our guide on how to help your young scholar improve their conduct and, therefore, their academics.

What Are the Multi-tiered Systems of Support?

To understand how you can better help tier 2 and 3 students, you must first understand the Multi-tiered Systems of Support (MSS). It is an organized instructional framework that utilizes research, analytics, and the collaboration of academic staff to identify and assist students with learning and/or behavioral disabilities.

People often use the term interchangeably with Response to Intervention (RTI). Every state creates its own guidelines as to how they implement the system into their public schools.

What Are the Tiers?

MSS breaks down into three tiers, which increase in the assistance required as the number increases. Most of the students in tier 1 are expected to reach learning standards, whereas that percentage drastically decreases in tiers 2 and 3.

Therefore, tier 2 students get broken off into smaller groups, where they'll be less disruptive, and teachers can work more closely with them to address their needs. In tier 3, students receive more one-on-one instructional time because they are at higher risk of falling behind in their coursework.

How to Create a Behavior Intervention Plan for Tier 2 and 3 Students

Teachers should tailor the Behavior Intervention Plan specifically to the student, as not everyone succeeds under the same learning techniques. Dr. Kim Killu at the University of Michigan states that the BIP should be "a multifaceted process that...[seeks] to develop positive instructional or behavioral strategies and supports to address more appropriate and functional skills." With Insights to Behavior, you can create a BIP in less than an hour, and you will see long-lasting and transformational effects when you implement one.

1. Conduct a Functional Behavior Assessment

Due to the individualized nature of the BIP, you first want to evaluate your student. Use the functional behavior assessment (FBA). It will give you a well-rounded understanding of the child's behavioral patterns and how their environment influences their actions.

Scott and Cooper emphasize that you must conduct multiple observations of the student. Doing so will help you identify their most repetitive behaviors and how they alter depending on changes in the environment. Furthermore, it will help you understand why the student is misbehaving, and it makes the next step easier to tackle.

2. Define Behavioral Problems

Hold a meeting with the student's teachers, parents, and any other school staff members who see them regularly. You want a better sense of how school life affects the child's home life and vice versa. Furthermore, having everyone in one room makes for easier communication.

When you are defining the student's behavioral problems, refrain from using general terms. State the specific actions the student takes when they've become upset. It will make it easier to determine what kind of practices will work best for the student.

3. Collect and Analyze Data

While a child's grades indicate whether they need academic assistance, they don't give you the full scope of how much or what kind of assistance they need. Ongoing data collection is critical to individualizing and modifying each child's ABA-based Behavior Intervention Plan to help them thrive in day-to-day life. According to Lane et al., the data you need to collect comes in three categories: integrity data, student outcome data, and social validity data.

The combination of the three will allow you to analyze information about the practices put in place. Then, you can see how well the student reacts to them and if the authoritative figures in the student's life are finding them helpful. When you understand how all these factors work together, you can adjust the student's plan if they do not meet the desired outcome.

The practices that you implement should cater specifically to the child's needs and their tier. Psychologists recommend using positive reinforcement. It is more effective at encouraging desired behaviors and increasing the likelihood that the student will repeat them.

An example of evidence-based practices for Tier 2 students is behavior contracts. You and the student can work on this together. Discuss conduct expectations in the classroom and the reward(s) the student will receive if they meet this expectation.

One option for Tier 3 students is implementing regular breaks into their routine. Seven hours is a long time for any child to sit. But for students with behavioral issues, it can be even more difficult.

Breaks have proven to increase productivity and prevent negative emotions from arising throughout the day. Asking the student to sit through x amount of time of instruction in exchange for a short break might be the boost they need to increase their focus.

5. Be Consistent and Take Notes

Whatever type of practices you've decided to use to help manage the student's conduct, you must be consistent about using them. That means all adult figures involved in creating the plan must enforce them, including parents.

If you've decided to use a reward system using stickers, the student must receive one every time they behave well. Doing so will make the action more effective and provide structure for the student.

Learn More About Classroom Management

Be as specific as possible when creating a behavior intervention plan. It will ensure that you implement the best possible practices for your students who need them.

Of course, there's so much more to learn about behavior management. Insights to Behavior offers a monthly course school officials can utilize to learn more about classroom management.

Additionally, sometimes it can be hard to keep track of behavior plans for numerous students. Our software allows you to keep them all in one place and efficiently evaluate the analytics. Sign up for a free online demo today.

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How to Create a Behavior Intervention Plan for Tier 2 and 3 Students

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When you have thirty students in a classroom, there are bound to be small interruptions throughout the week. However, when a student repetitively acts out, classroom management becomes an even more difficult task. They'll distract their peers and take away from your teaching time.

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Page 11: Effective Instruction at Tier 2

After eight weeks of Tier 1 instruction, Mrs. Hernandez's progress monitoring data reveal that four students-DeJuan, Jack, Ryan, and LaToya-are not making adequate progress. Although these students will continue to receive high-quality, Tier 1 instruction from Mrs. Hernandez, she has determined that they would benefit from supplemental Tier 2 intervention and continued frequent progress monitoring.

High-Quality Instruction

Just as with Tier 1, Tier 2 instruction should be of high quality. The implementation of high-quality Tier 2 instruction may vary from school to school but is typically delivered in small groups ranging in size from three to five students. However, all schools should implement supplemental interventions, which are based on research-validated instruction, for at least 30 to 45 minutes three to five times a week, depending on the ages of the students. School personnel may need to be creative to identify instructional time for Tier 2 intervention. Two options to consider are:

Taking time from two consecutive classes (e.g., 15 minutes from social studies and 15 minutes from science)

Taking time from "specials" (e.g., music, library, art)

In addition to the 90 minutes of core reading instruction provided by Mrs. Hernandez in the general education classroom, DeJuan, Jack, Ryan, and LaToya will receive 30 minutes of Tier 2 intervention with Ms. Washington, the reading specialist. Because Rosa Parks Elementary chose to use the standard protocol approach, the identified struggling readers will receive a standard research-validated instructional program provided in a small-group format. Ms. Washington will provide all four students with the same, empirically validated intervention, which will address all five components of high-quality reading instruction. The schedule below depicts the amount of time she will spend on each of the components.

For Your Information

In some cases, a larger percentage of general education classroom students may require Tier 2 intervention than would be expected. When this occurs, school professionals should reexamine the quality of the Tier 1 services and make changes accordingly.

Tier 2 intervention may be provided by the general education teacher or by another trained instructor, within or outside the general education classroom. If Tier 2 intervention is provided by someone other than the general education teacher, collaboration between the teachers is particularly important so that the intervention program is aligned with Tier 1 instruction. For example, Ms. Washington will identify additional, supporting instructional resources (e.g., letter/ sound cards, word cards, strategies specific to working with English Language Learners, and progress monitoring assessments) to supplement the Tier 1 comprehensive core reading program. She will also use these resources to provide extra practice opportunities for students receiving Tier 2 intervention. For instance, if students have worked on the /a/ sound during Tier 1 then the same skill should be reviewed and reinforced during the Tier 2 intervention. The sample lesson activity (below) shows how Ms. Washington's Tier 2 lesson will reinforce one of the skills taught by Mrs. Hernandez during Tier 1 instruction.

Tier 2 Intervention

Remember, teachers who provide Tier 2 interventions should:

Provide instruction with modeling

Check that students are doing the activity correctly

Have students demonstrate what they are doing

Have students repeat instructions

Provide corrective feedback to individual students

Provide multiple examples

Phonemic Awareness: Here is an example of how Ms. Washington uses phonemic awareness.
Say the parts of a word then put them together and say the word. The parts are /m/ /a/ /n/.
Ms. Washington holds up a finger as she says each sound so that she has three fingers up when she finishes.

That word is "man." Let's try another word.
The parts of this word are /p/ /a/ /t/. The word is "pat. "

She gives her students further practice by asking them to say the following blended words after she says the individual sounds.

mat cat map pan

tap tack tan
nap

Now look at the table below and compare the phonemic awareness lessons between Tier 1 and Tier 2. Although the lessons seem similar, Tier 2 provides a more intense level of instruction. This is achieved by providing additional attention, focus, and support, and by adjusting the pace of the lesson to match students' needs. For example, where a Tier 1 lesson might have students practice on three different sounds, a Tier 2 lesson might start with one sound and gradually progress to the second and third sounds once students can demonstrate their understanding of each previous sound. Students have multiple opportunities to participate and respond, and Ms. Washington is able to provide immediate corrective feedback.
Phonemic Awareness Phonemic Awareness
As indicated in the table above, small-group activities for Tier 1 and Tier 2 instruction appear to have comparable content. However, Tier 1 teachers most likely will not have as much time with their struggling students during small-group instruction (5-20 minutes) as teachers will have during Tier 2 small-group instruction (30-45 minutes). Tier 1 teachers will have to prioritize what the struggling students need to learn or practice during Tier 1 small-group instruction. Therefore, the Tier 1 teacher may be able to cover only one or two core reading components during this short time. Subsequently, because Tier 2 intervention is for a more extended time, the Tier 2 teacher should be able to address most, if not all, of the five components during the intervention.

Listen to Thea Woodruff discuss Tier 1 and Tier 2 instruction (time: 0:32).
View Transcript
Transcript: Thea Woodruff, PhD

They really should look very similar and provide the students with more practice opportunities that are consistent across the two instructional times. You want some consistency across what kids are doing, so you are reinforcing the same skills and having them practice them. Especially with struggling readers, you're wanting to be consistent in the instruction that you're providing across these different interventions. If you're doing different things, it's going to be difficult-especially for struggling readers-to grasp on to the activities and learn how to do them and get as much out of them if you're not being consistent.

Frequent Monitoring

Ms. Washington is responsible for conducting the weekly progress monitoring of those students receiving Tier 2 instruction, which typically lasts 10-12 weeks. However, she and Mrs. Hernandez are responsible for collaborating and making decisions about the students' instructional needs. At the end of the 10-12-week period, they also are responsible for determining, whether individual students should receive Tier 1 instruction only, whether they should continue to receive another round of Tier 2 intervention, or whether they need more the intensive intervention provided by Tier 3.

The table below offers a brief summary of some options for Tier 2 intervention.

Tier 2 Intervention Options

Who receives instruction

Students who are not making adequate progress with Tier 1 instruction.

Amount of daily instruction

Instruction may vary, depending on the age of the student, from 30-45 minutes per day (+ Tier 1):

Younger students (e.g., kindergartners) have shorter attention spans and might require shorter amounts of time (e.g., 30 minutes)

Older students are able to attend for longer amounts of time (e.g., 30-45 minutes)

When instruction is provided

Scheduling options for Tier 2 could include:

Taking time from two consecutive classes (e.g., 15 minutes from social studies and 15 minutes from science)

Taking time from "specials" (e.g., music, library, art)

In the event that a large percentage of students requires Tier 2, the teacher might need to schedule more than one Tier 2 intervention period per day.

Duration of instruction

10 weeks-20 weeks:

The number of weeks may vary, but a minimum of 10-12 weeks is recommended.

Students may need an additional round of Tier 2 intervention.

How instruction is implemented

Instruction should be implemented with teacher/ student ratios of 1:3-1:5.

Frequency of progress monitoring

At least one time every 1-2 weeks

Who provides instruction

Trained personnel may include:

General education teacher

Reading specialist

Paraprofessionals

Other personnel

Where students are served

Within or outside the general education classroom

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IRIS | Page 11: Effective Instruction at Tier 2

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After eight weeks of Tier 1 instruction, Mrs. Hernandez's progress monitoring data reveal that four students-DeJuan, Jack, Ryan, and LaToya-are not making adequate progress. Although these students will continue to receive high-quality, Tier 1 instruction from Mrs. Hernandez, she has determined that they would benefit from supplemental Tier 2 intervention and continued frequent progress monitoring.