Mrs. Maria Villagomez

  • 6-8
  • Teacher
  • Natomas Middle School
103
(916) 567-5540 ext. 7001
[email protected]

About Me

I have been at Natomas Middle School for 7 years.  I have been a teacher for 25 years working with students who need academic and behavioral support.  Below is my syllabus for the classroom. 

6th-8th SES Class Room 103

2020-2021

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

 

The SES class is designed for students who exhibit moderate behavior problems, which interferes with the learning environment for themselves and others. The main objective of the SES class is to facilitate a structured environment while providing the students with opportunities to develop and practice appropriate and acceptable classroom behaviors.

 

CURRICULUM:

 

All of the subjects taught in the SES class are considered essentials classes covering the basic information included in Common Core and in the California state standards for each respective subject (Language Arts/Literature, Math, Science, U.S. History, World History, and Health.)  The curriculum, which contains a large independent work component, is modified to meet the individual student’s needs as presented in their Individual Education Plan (IEP).   Material is presented using multiple modalities, with much repetition and reinforcement, and at a pace that will enable the students to grasp the material at their own academic level.

 

6th Grade

7th Grade

8th Grade

Earth (STEMscopes- online)          

Life Science(STEMscopes- online)              

Physical Science(STEMscopes- online)          

Math (GO Math online and Moby Max online)

Pre Algebra (GO Math online and Moby Max online)

Algebra (GO Math online and Moby Max online)online)

Ancient Civilizations

World History

American History

Language Arts (StudySync online)

Language Arts (StudySync online)

Language Arts (StudySync online)

Life Skills (Social Skills instruction)

Life Skills (Social Skills instruction)

Life Skills (Social Skills instruction)

 

  

A list of the expected results for the students in the SES class during the 20/21 school year include:

  • Academic achievement
  • Self-exploration and self-definition
  • Decision making and problem solving skills
  • Social and Emotional growth
  • Meaningful participation in school
  • Positive communication skills
  • Improved self-esteem
  • Decreased verbal outbursts and aggression
  • Increased on task behaviors

 

BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT PROCEDURES AND EXPECTATIONS:

 

With behavior management as the focus of the classroom, the students will be exposed to Pro-Active Intervention Strategies. These strategies provide intervention prior to the escalation of the behavior including conflict resolution, time-away, positive talks, etc. Utilizing these behavioral intervention techniques will allow the students to practice positive social skills and therefore increase socially acceptable behaviors in a classroom setting and virtual setting. 

 

 Classroom Management Plan

 I believe Classroom Management is the key component in any educational setting. I believe that if students are in a safe environment, then learning can take place.  The principles of Natomas Middle School’s Positive Behavior & Intervention Support are incorporated into my classroom procedures and will be explicitly taught.  Students will also practice the procedures that are aligned with school wide expectations help provide student opportunities to practice skills that improve academic and behavioral outcomes.  Once a safe learning environment is created it is important to design interesting and engaging lessons that effectively include all students in the classroom so that their educational and emotional/behavioral needs are met

My Goals in Preventative Discipline

1.      Have clear expectations, so students know what is expected of them.

2.     Teach behavioral expectations to students

3.     Practice class and school-wide procedures

4.     Create a positive learning environment using PBIS.

5.     Provide meaningful learning experience.

6.     Demonstrate fairness, using data to address individual students needs

7.     Build and exhibit self-confidence by recognizing appropriate choices

8.     Recognize student achievement and/or progress

9.     Be consistent in following the continuum of consequences if a student does not meet behavioral expectations

10.  Created structured curriculum and classroom environment

  Classroom Rules

I absolutely believe in keeping a safe environment where put-downs and name calling is not allowed–this also falls under respect. If I can have respect for my students as well as having them respecting each other, I believe this leads to a safe environment where learning can take place.

I have 3 rules for the classroom that align with school-wide expectations.  These rules will be taught and students will be asked to provide input on what the rules mean to them so they can be observable and measurable.  Below I provide an example of what students may contribute:

1.     Be Safe

a.     Respect Boundaries

b.     Use strategies to keep classroom safe

c.     Accept responsibility and be honest

2.     Be responsible-

a.     Have materials ready and warm up complete in first 5 minutes

b.     Participate in class at least 3 times

c.     On task during independent work

3.     Respectful

a.     Allow others a chance to speak without interruption. (Active Listening)

b.     Keep comments positive

c.     Accept boundaries and use strategies to be a positive member of the class. 

I will have class meetings to discuss school wide expectations and social/emotional learning skills.  In addition to class meetings, students in the SES classroom will participate in Restorative Justice groups weekly.  This helps students to learn and practice skills that will help their interactions with others.

Digital Rules for Zoom

Log in before meeting and allow time to be admitted to the room.  

 

Use your real name to sign in.  For safety reasons I will not allow anyone in the meeting if your real name is not used

 

Have your video on and microphone muted until we begin.  After attendance is taken the camera does not have to be on. 

 

Stay in one spot, do not move around with your phone or chromebook.  Find an area with less distractions. 

 

Be respectful of the speaker, keep microphones muted until you are called on.

 

Keep comments on topic.

 

 

 

 

Distance Learning Routine:

Check Google Classroom first.

 

The agenda for each day will be added every morning to Google Classroom at 8:00am along with the links they will need for the work and lessons.  

 

Class will begin each morning at 8:30 am with a class meeting and check in followed by a mindfulness activity.

 

Short lessons will be given and breakout rooms will be assigned for students to work in small groups with an instructional aide and I will be checking in on all groups to assist as well.  

 

 

Classroom Procedures

I will use the following procedures to attempt to prevent behaviors. These methods will be integrated into classroom practice and applied on a regular basis. The emphasis is on creating an atmosphere where behavioral outbursts are less likely. Positive feedback to reinforce appropriate behavior will be frequently applied.

           Support from Routine

 Charts containing expectations and events for the day or week will be used to create a predictable and secure environment. Skills strategies taught will be posted and opportunities to practice skills will be embedded into the curriculum.   Reinforcement of skills, procedures, and expectations along with daily practice will help to establish consistency and automaticity. 

 

 

           Interest Boosting

Staff will show a personal interest in the student and his or her behaviors; the second is to engage the student in a subject of interest.

           Positive Feedback

Specific behaviors will be praised, rather than the student himself. The purpose of positive feedback is two-fold: 1) students learn the appropriate behavior that should be repeated by the student and, 2) to supply a positive social consequence that may increase the possibility of future occurrences of the appropriate behavior from students in the class.  Feedback will be positive, specific, immediate, and true. For example: “Tom, I like the way that you helped Matt clean up the science experiment materials – Nice work.”

Continuum of Consequences

If a student has difficulties following class and school-wide expectations the consequences will be on a continuum based on the behavior demonstrated. 

If a student is in violation of a classroom rule, students will be redirected. Non-verbal prompts will be used in conjunction with verbal prompts .  Techniques must be planned and implemented keeping students individual needs in mind.

The teacher and/or instructional aide will strategically move around the class to prompt positive behavior change/appropriate behavior. In the virtual setting aides will monitor student participation and provide feedback as well.  When in the classroom  moving the student with problematic behavior to provide distance from peers when a conflict may occur due to interactions.  Proximity control will occur during all intervention stages.  This step may involve the teacher or instructional aide standing next to the student with challenging behavior to maintain a healthy proximity with others.

When in the physical Classroom: 

 

Continuum of Responses

· 1st time student breaks a rule………   Check in with student to see if they need anything and

                                                                 redirect.

                                                                 Second check in and a request of alternate behavior

      (minor rule)                                       Student moved to a different seat.

                                                                Student /Teacher Conference

 Virtually

 

Continuum of Responses

· 1st time student breaks a rule………   Check in with student to see if they need anything and

                                                                 redirect.

                                                                 Second check in and a request of alternate behavior

      (minor rule)                                       Student and aide may go to breakoutroom to process.

If the student is unreceptive to feedback and continues with negative behavior they may be removed from the class without the application of additional negative consequences or punishment. This will be used when the student has been involved in a problematic situation and the student either asks for space/time to compose himself/herself or the teacher feels the student needs time away from the situation to compose themselves.   Students may also be directed to fill out a Behavior Reflection to be discussed in the next meeting. In addition Parent’s will be notified of behavior.

Continual Behavior……………………. Parent Phone

    (non compliant)                                    Parent Conference

                                                                  Time Out ( In physical Classroom)

                                                                   Referral ( In physical Classroom)

Behaviors that are habitual or persistent defiance or disruption, theft, dangerous behavior to other students or staff, despite teacher following the continuum of  consequences, will result in a referral.  The referral will contain only factual evidence, not opinion. The referral will go to the appropriate administrator prior to the student reporting to the office.  

In an attempt to prevent these behaviors Social Skills instruction is used to teach interactions that are positive and learn to problem-solving.   A new skill will be introduced each week to address problem behaviors and time to practice those skills will be provided in class.  Students will also be encouraged to practice the skills outside of the classroom to promote behavior maintenance and generalization.   When students are in the weekly meeting/circles students will discuss their present way of handling situations and learn alternate ways of interacting through discussion with peers in a safe environment.  Students will practice skills immediately and will be provided with immediate feedback.  When students engage in problem behaviors they will be reminded of skills they have learned and will be directed to the skill posted in the classroom.  All attempts to practice the newly learned skill will be followed with positive feedback.

Behaviors such as: fighting, possession of a weapon, or possession of drugs or alcohol, harassment, or dress code violations, will result in a referral. The referral will go to the appropriate administrator prior to the student reporting to the office. The incident will be documented and given to the administrator immediately.  

· Severe infraction...............................  Referral (Physical Classroom)

                                                              Parent Phone Call

.

 Positive Reinforcement

Instead of focusing solely on the misbehavior in the classroom, I want to focus on the good behavior and attitudes in my classroom. I want to acknowledge and encourage good behavior and academic success in my classroom. I think that letting parents know at home is another way to involve parents in the classroom as well as reinforce good behavior and learning by the students.  I will also make some positive phone calls home.

To determine positive reinforces to use with students I will give the students and parents a survey which they can indicate what they or their child respond to or what motivates them.  Individual as well as class wide reinforces will be used to encourage participation and positive behavior. 

 

CELL PHONES:

Cell phones must be turned off and not visible. 

 

DRESS CODE:

See Student Handbook

 

 

TARDY AND ATTENDENCE POLICY

 See Student handbook

 

HOMEWORK:

 

When the daily assignments are not completed in the scheduled class this also becomes homework. Students are expected to complete and turn in all assignments when they are due.  Creative projects will be assigned during some units, which will require some work to be completed at home. On the occasion that homework is assigned, it will be noted on the daily planner students complete daily.

 

Late work will be accepted, however, students will be deducted 5% for each day it is late. 

 

 

 

GRADES:

 

The students are expected to complete their daily assignments. All grades in the class are based on percentages. The completion of daily assignments, group work, and journal writing will also contribute to the overall grade of the student. Students will also receive a weekly behavior grade that will be based on the student’s participation, on-task behavior, and community attitude.

 

Formative assessment This will include observations, quizzes, initial drafts, homework, responses to teacher questions, minor labs and other practice assignments to determine what each student has learned and to meet each child’s learning needs through instruction by providing specific and constructive feedback to students.

Formative assessments are aligned to the summative assessments in terms of skill, standard, rigor and format and count for 85% of the grade.. 

Students receive timely, personalized and descriptive feedback. Quizzes have become a guide to learning, informing students on not only what they got wrong, but also a detailed description of where they went wrong and how to answer the question correctly. This feedback allows students the opportunity to learn from their mistakes and guide their thinking on future assessments.

The goal is to personalize the learning for every student. Students who need the additional support structures receive them in the classroom with the opportunity to learn from formative assessments. Those students who move at a faster pace can prove first-time mastery and receive extended learning opportunities.

Summative assessments are used to determine student mastery during or at the end of a unit of instruction, are aligned to course standards, and are aligned to previously administered formative or minor assessments.

Examples of summative assessments include tests, final drafts of writing assignments, projects, major labs, research papers, performance assessments and presentations.

Students have a minimum of four summative assessments each nine weeks  Summative assessments count for 15% of the student’s grade. 

Retake or Reassessment
Because the focus is on student learning and mastery, students have an opportunity to retake certain summative assessments. 

Extra Credit will only be assigned if student has turned in all work and has no missing work.

                                                            A         100 – 90

                                                            B         89 – 80

                                                            C         79 – 70

                                                            D         69 – 60

                                                            F          59 or less

 

 PARENT INVOLVEMENT

Student assignments can all be found in Google Classroom.  Weekly reports will be sent from google classroom if you join the class with the link you will receive in an email.  Assignments and grade will be updated weekly on Infinite Campus.  If you have any questions or concerns please contact me.  Please feel free to contact me at any time