[RED 414 FIRST SIX WEEKS CLINICAL

READING REFLECTION JOURNAL] 1

First Six Weeks of School, Second Edition; 2015; by Paula Denton and Roxann Kriete
What were the key points of your assigned readings?
These can be listed in bulleted format under each chapter.

List any questions or

discussion topics you would
like discussed in class.

Introduction Using this Book Key Terms (DUE 8/24/15)

Briefly define and identify 1 application idea you have for your RED
414 Clinical.

Responsive Classroom offers practical strategies for socialemotional and academic learning
4 areas of teaching: engaging academics, positive community,
classroom management, instruction to meet childrens
developmental strengths and needs
Goals for first 6 weeks: create a climate of warmth, inclusion and
safety; teach classroom routines and behavior expectations;
help students get to know and care for the classroom and school
environment; and establish expectations for academic work.
Keeping in mind the social and emotional growth and learning
that needs to take place as well as the academics is a direct
application to my student teaching because at the beginning of
Kindergarten the children are in a new social environment and
learning to direct their own emotions and social interactions is
going to be just as important as learning the content of the
lessons.

Which area of
teaching requires the
most thought and
effort to implement in
the classroom?

First Day of School (DUE 8/24/15)

Goals & Overview for All Grades
Briefly, What does the 1st Day of School Look Like for:
o Kindergarten, First & Second Grade
o Third & Fourth Grade
Be sure to save your reflections on your computer, as this could be an artifact for your Standards of Effective Practice electronic
portfolio.

[RED 414 FIRST SIX WEEKS CLINICAL

READING REFLECTION JOURNAL]

o Fifth & Sixth Grade

First day flow: BEGINNING: Name tags, learning a signal for quiet
attention, morning meeting, tour of the school, morning snack,
MIDDLE: recess, lunch, quiet time, END: dismissal logistics,
closing circle
Introduce new materials and set academic routines
Have academic activities that help children experience success
early on
Build excitement for learning with envisioning language
Teach discipline with a positive language and tone
Select routines for positive discipline
Redirect children as they slip up

For K, 1, & 2, the first day begins with identifying each others names and
establishing routines for a quiet signal, morning meeting, morning snack,
recess, lunch, and a closing circle. The day also contains a tour of the school
and quiet time after lunch to help students transition more smoothly back to
academics.
For 3rd and 4th, the first day is similar to K-2 in that it contains the same
elements. Students create name tags and a quiet signal is taught and
practiced. Students are then led through a simple morning meeting and a tour
of the school. Recess is structured to alleviate stress, and lunch seats are
assigned. Lunch is followed by a quiet time to transition and the day ends with
a wrap up and closing circle.
For 5th-6th, students complete a name tag and personal survey, followed by
learning a signal for attention and a morning meeting. Recess, like for younger
grades, is structured with a whole-class game, and lunch seats may be
assigned. A 10-15 minute quiet time follows, and the end of the day
procedures include reminding students of any notes to take home or of bus
schedules or after school activities. This is all wrapped p with cleanup and a
closing circle.
Week One
What are the Week 1 Goals?

What kinds of academics

are included on the first
day, especially in the
afternoon between quiet
time and dismissal?

[RED 414 FIRST SIX WEEKS CLINICAL

READING REFLECTION JOURNAL] 3

Identify 2 application ideas for your RED 414 Clinical.

Week 1 goals include building a collaborative classroom and

building a positive school-home partnership. Week one also is a
time for balancing academic, social, and emotional needs.
Other goals include establishing morning meeting expectations
and settling in to a morning routine, as well as settling in to a
predictable routine for morning snack, recess, lunch, and quiet
time.
One application to my clinical is interactive modeling. I want to
observe how my cooperating teacher uses a combination of
modeling and role-playing to teach her expectations to the class.
Another application is how my cooperating teacher establishes
routines for the morning meeting and closing circle. I want to
note whether she explains the concepts first or walks the class
through them and does the explaining after.

What is the most

challenging part about
week 1? (Is it
establishing the daily
routines, enforcing
behavior rules, etc?)

Week Two
What are the Week 2 Goals?
Identify 2 application ideas for your RED 414 Clinical.

The goals of week 2 are to develop automaticity for the routines

and stamina for the academics.
I want to note how the Morning Meetings evolve over week two,
and how children become more comfortable with sharing. I also
want to see how the teacher enforces the meetings rules (with
reminding, modeling, etc)
I want to observe my cooperating teachers strategies for
building stamina in her class, especially it being Kindergarten
where some children may have never been to school before.

How does week 2

differ from week 1 in
the focus? Is it
directed toward
introducing new
material and routines
or is it now more
about reminding and
reinforcing the
established norms?

Be sure to save your reflections on your computer, as this could be an artifact for your Standards of Effective Practice electronic
portfolio.