Students who are absent will check the Absent Work Folder as soon as they return to school. Inside the folder, all missing assignments and handouts will be labeled with the student’s name and date of absence. Students are responsible for retrieving their work, completing it, and returning it to the designated Turn-In area within a set timeframe (usually the number of days they were absent plus two extra days).

On the first day of school, I will introduce the Absent Work Folder, showing students exactly where it is kept and how the materials will be organized. I will demonstrate step by step how to locate their folder section, pull out the labeled assignment, and return the finished work. To reinforce this procedure, we will role-play with a volunteer acting as a “student who was absent,” so the class can watch the process in action. Afterward, students will practice the routine together to make sure everyone understands how to manage missed work independently.

 This procedure reflects Linda Albert’s Cooperative Discipline, which emphasizes that students feel capable and connected when they know how to re-enter the community after being gone. It also aligns with my belief in relationships, since having a predictable system shows students I value their learning and want them to feel supported rather than stressed when they miss class.

Students may sharpen their pencils only at two times: before morning work begins and after dismissal at the end of the day. During class time, pencils are not to be sharpened. Instead, students will use the Pencil Exchange system with two clearly labeled cups: one for Sharp pencils and one for Dull pencils. When a pencil breaks during a lesson, the student will quietly place their dull pencil in the “Dull” cup and take a replacement from the “Sharp” cup, then return to their seat without disrupting others.

On the first day of school, I will introduce the Pencil Exchange by showing students exactly where the cups are located, how they are labeled, and how to switch pencils quickly and quietly. I will also model the correct way to sharpen pencils at the designated times so students understand when it is appropriate. After the demonstration, students will practice walking up, exchanging pencils, and returning to their seat to make sure the routine is smooth and non-disruptive. Throughout the year, I will revisit the expectations as needed, offering reminders, praise, and reteaching to help students consistently follow the procedure.

This procedure is rooted in preventative management. By proactively teaching the system, I minimize disruptions and maintain learning flow, which connects to Jacob Kounin’s ideas of momentum and smooth transitions. It also reflects Ginott’s emphasis on respectful communication—clear routines prevent conflicts over something small like pencil use.

When it is time to line up, students will stand quietly, facing forward, with their hands at their sides and space between themselves and the person in front of them. While walking in the hallway, students are expected to remain silent and show respect to other classes by keeping voices off, staying in a straight line, and walking safely at a steady pace.

On the first day, I will model exactly what lining up and walking in the hallway should look like. I will also show examples of incorrect behavior (talking, bumping, looking around) so students can clearly see the difference. Together, we will practice lining up and walking as a class multiple times during the first week to build strong habits. We will also role-play both correct and incorrect examples, and the class will identify what was done well and what needs improvement. Throughout the year, I will reinforce positive behavior with encouragement and reminders to ensure students consistently follow this routine.

This routine reflects preventative management by reducing opportunities for misbehavior through clear expectations. It connects to Dreikurs’ democratic classroom ideas because hallway expectations are explicitly taught and reinforced as part of our classroom rules. It also builds relationships, since moving respectfully through school shows care for others.