Planning our Curriculum

 Julianna, Tatiana, Mickey, Maddie

Question1

1. Understand who is your audience and what sort of situation they are currently in, who your students are and where they are in their particular stage of development. Who is your audience?

   -Public elementary school in Coral Gables focusing on 2nd or 3rd graders. 

   -low/middle income

   -learners

2. What is the transformation that those students (your audience) will go through as a result of engaging with this curriculum you are designing.  What is the trasnformation sought?

 -more well rounded

 -more confident/be able to express themselves

 -actually learning the material instead of memorizing. It is important to start this at a young age so they can continue to build on their knowledge in the future.

3. What is the container for this curriculum (are writing a book?; are you teaching in a high school semester long class? are you producing a set of online videos? Thus, understand the container or context surrounding the learning experience. What is the mode of this curriculum?

 -more hands on activities (games they like to play or activities they like to do)

 -more group work so they can successfully work with their peers and learn from eachother

Question 2

-Students may start with little peer connection and little confidence in front of their peers. By the end of the course the students hopefully will be confident in expressing themselves in front of their peers and create connections with people around them. 

Adjustments

-Direct class towards what the students like

-Focus on some topics longer if needed

-If they are not cooperating in smaller groups delay until they are ready

Mindfulness in Class

   -Start class by laying down for a quick three minute meditation to center and ground the students before teaching. 

- When students start getting rowdy or seem like they're losing interest, do another quick brain break to recenter.

- Five minutes before end of class, do a cool down stretch and implement mindfulness during this as well. Get them in a positive mindset and think about what they are grateful for.

Action Plan

Our Class at a glance:

Our classroom will be nothiing but a welcoming and relaxed environment where students feel comfortable connecting their minds with movement in order to better explore their self expression. 

Our Rules:

-No judgement

Always treat each other with respect

-Treat others how you would want to be treated

Procedures:

1. Beginning the day — Enter the room politely; put away your bag/water; sit quietly in the center of the room

2. Group Stretch-- Look at me, follow my movements, and follow my directions. Do not talk. If you have a question, raise your hand.

3. Getting into work groups — Take all the materials you will need; greet each other; complete the task doing your personal best; make sure each person signs the project; thank the others in your group.

4. Helping other students — In a cooperative classroom, it is good to help one another; if someone needs help with directions or reading an assignment, help him or her if you are able; if someone needs help with understanding the problem, tell him or her to ask me for help; never put down another student who asks for help.

5. Participating in group lessons — Do not bring anything with you unless I ask you to; politely find a place to sit where you can do your best learning; listen carefully for new information; raise your hand to speak; do not speak when someone else is speaking.

6. Signals for attention — When I need your attention, I will clap my hands; as soon as you hear the signal, stop what you are doing, look at me, and listen for directions.

7. Using the drinking fountain — When I am not teaching the whole group, you may get a drink; you may bring a water bottle to keep with you.

8. Using the bathroom — If I am not teaching the whole group, stand by the classroom door with your hand raised; if I say “no,” wait for a better class time to go; if I nod, leave the room quietly; do not play in the restroom; return to class before two minutes have passed (promptly).

9. Cool Down stretch-- Look at me, follow my movements, and follow my directions. Take this time as we cool down and stretch to reflect on today's class (think about what you learned in class today, what your favorite part was, what you're looking forward to next class, etc.)

10. End of class-- grab all of your belongings quickly and quietly. Line up at the door. When everyone is ready to go, I'll release you.

Monday Schedule:

12 pm start (just after lunch)

12-12:20 (Procedure 1. Get students settled and begin a quick meditation)

12:20-12:35 (Procedure 3. Begin small group activity and help anyone who needs it)

12:35-12:50 (Procedure 4-7. Begin group activity and use procedures 5-7 if needed)

12:50-1 (Procedures 9-10. Clean up space and get ready to move to next activity)

Positive Consequences:

Free and Frequent: smiles, high fives, praise

Intermittent: student of the week, stickers

Strong and long-term: recognition from principle, monthly reward certificates

Correcting Behavior:

Level 1: Give the student the "look"

Level 2: Speak to the student individually to see why they are acting the way they are and provide strategies to help them act better.

Level 3:If the behavior continues the student will be informed that there will be a call home

Level 4: Call home, to see what has been going on and if there is a reason for the way they have been acting

Crisis Plan:

1) Send students out to their parents or the owner of the studio

2) If possible, help the students regain self-control 

3) Get students back on task

4) Notify parents/ have a meeting