Start of the School Year Success Plan
Grade Level: One
MODULE 1: Building a Classroom: Creating an Effective Physical Environment
A.
*School Location: It is found along a dusty road and near the hillside with a mini-forest
maintained and taken cared of by the school and the community. A miniplayground or quadrangle is found just outside the room.
B.
*Room Conditions:
Estimated Room Measurement:
18’ x 18’
Expected No. of Students:
30
Window Measurement:
7’ x 3’
Comfort Room Measurement:
4’ x 4’
Board Measurement:
12’ by 4’
Descriptions: Board is situated in front with two (2) feet above ground level.
Windows are on both sides of the room.
Comfort room is in the SE direction when facing the board.
C. *Equipment/Materials Provided:
30 desks
1 laptop for teacher’s use
2 lockers (3 rows by 5 columns)
1 desktop computer for students’ use
1 teacher’s table
1 LCD projector plus white screen
1 cabinet
3 storage boxes with and without wheels (90 cm x
1 bookshelf
60m cm x 60 cm)
*I have included the following factual information to make it as applicable as possible and as part of
the criteria in developing and improving the classroom setup. Also since this is a plan, this was
approached through a series of steps to be followed and/or modified by the teacher as you would
notice in the format used below.
D. Teacher’s What-to-Do Checklist

A welcoming classroom
1. Prepare name badges of children with their pictures and hang them on the ceiling before
classes start. Make sure to make two or more extra copies of the badges for follow-up activities.
2. Take a picture of the whole class on the first day of school. Post the picture on a wall to make
them feel that this is their own classroom and they belong there. (Later on, at the last day of school,
take another picture of the whole class with the children in the same places and positions as in the
first picture taken. This will show how much they have grown before proceeding to the next grade
level.)

A visually engaging classroom
1. Colors: Use stimulating colors (bright intense colors such as red, orange, yellow) for pictures or
visuals you want your students’ focus and attention. You can vary the colors based on the lesson
and activity. What is important is that the colors serve their purpose and does not distract the
students’ attention from classroom instruction.
2. Bulletin boards: They are used for displaying students’ works. This can be changed on a weekly
basis and assigned to different groups of pupils using a roster.
3. Labels: For children to best remember the names of things in the school and for children to
readily access them, label all school supplies and any objects found in the room (i.e. vase, pencils,
paper rack, cleaning materials, etc.).
4. Holiday Decos: Do not forget to redesign the classroom on special occasions based on famous
or not-so famous holidays about important people or events, for example, World Flag Day,
Halloween theme, Valentines’ Day, etc.

A safe physical environment supportive of learning
1. Accommodate a small spot for kids to measure their own height to show how much they have
grown daily, weekly, monthly, or quarterly.
2. Set aside a reading corner or a library corner in the room stocked with books appropriate for and
favorites of grade one learners. Have containers for each kid to place books they are reading and
also have mats and pillows for sitting comforts. Make sure to reiterate the rules like taking one book
at a time or no eating.
3. Seating arrangements should be flexible to allow for individual, pair and group activities.
Options: U-shaped, L-shaped, Circular (whole class activity). To avoid rearranging or disturbing the
class formations, you can use colored floor tapes to mark where seats should be so that when
children are told to arrange their seats properly, the markers would guide them.
4.
Have tables or centers for group works if it’s possible (Note: limited room space) by using mats.
5.
Let children access the desktop computer whenever they need it.
6. At the end of the day, children can write a word they learned from any subject on a whiteboard
provided for this purpose. It could be their favorite word or a word they want to learn more. It could
be placed near the door so this could be done before each child is dismissed.
MODULE 2: Building Appreciation for Others: Promoting Fairness and Respect

Students’ acceptance of differences, respectful interactions, and handling of problems and
conflicts
Introductory Activity - A Home Away From Home: A Sense of Belongingness
A.
Before the start of classes
1.
Ask and collect from parents a solo picture of their child/children and a family picture.
2.
Laminate the solo pictures and store them in a box or any container labeled “You and Me”.
3. Make a collage of the family pictures but make sure each of the faces is visible. Title it “My
Family and Yours” or anything similar to the concept of family. Post it on the board but covered with
a curtain.
B.
During class
1. On the first day, to introduce the children with each other, have them draw from the box labeled
“You and Me” and tell them to look for their classmate who’s in the badge they draw. They would go
and introduce themselves and interact with the other. This is one way of improving their social skills
and overcoming somehow their shyness.
2.
Each child will be asked to re-intoduce to the class their classmate whose badge they draw.
3.
The teacher then reveals the collage of family pictures and ask the children to find the family of
the child he/she introduced and stick the badge there.
C. After class activity
1.
Children can always look at themselves and their family as well as their classmates’ family
posted on the wall to let them feel that their school is their second home, “a home away from home”
concept.
Other Considerations:
1. Emphasize on listening skills to children especially when they are doing collaborative works
(pair sharing).
2. Model good manners and right conduct by greeting someone properly, saying or writing thank
you for someone who help them in any way and forming good habits out of these.
3. Children has to have access to literature that shows values such as fairness and respect.
Setting aside a timefor storytellling of one example of this type of story daily or weekly will help out to
foster and inculcate values.
4.
Having a few minutes for class meetings after recess, lunch, or before dismissal to bring
attention to incidents in school that caused problems or conflicts among the students and to resolve
them immediately; class meetings on the first day is suggested to focus on “house rules” to monitor
behavior and unnecessary noise or activities in the classroom.
5.
Place take home notes on students’ lockers as a means to communicate a child’s performance
to his/her parents. Focus on the positive side of what he/she did unless unavoidable.
MODULE 3: Building Collaboration: Promoting Social Development and Group Responsibility

Developing leadership in students
Make a “children’s council” or a homeroom pupil/student government through a mock election.
Have students nominate candidates for a position (i.e. President, Secretary) and they could vote
orally or by raising their hands or through written form (ballots). In this case, it is probably best to
have the grade one class vote by raising their hands, although incidents of votes being influenced by
a classmate’s vote may occur.

Organizing group learning experiences
Group Roles: Director, reporter, researcher, supplier and similar roles are designated on group
activities. Children can also be asked to create a name for their own group (which grade one
students I’m sure will enjoy) especially if it’s the same group for all the subjects but again, changes
can be adapted on a weekly or monthly basis depending on its effectiveness.

Becoming self-directed learners
1. Class helpers: In a class size of 30 students, 10 students are tasked to do their work assigned
to them for a week and followed by the next group of 10 students for the following week.
or
2. Giving them a set of topics they themselves have suggested for a certain activity within the
lesson’s range would boost the children’s confidence in their ability to decide for themselves what to
do.
Start of the School Year Success Plan
Grade I
Expected No. of Students: 30 or more
School type: Special Education Learning Center (for Fast Learners – FL)
*Since this is a plan that is to serve as a guide to every teacher, I have made it in the format of
steps as you can see below.
MODULE 4: Building Responsibilty: Establishing and Maintaining Behavior Standards

student involvement in developing behavior expectations
Class meetings
On the first day of class, before a lesson begins, orient the pupils on what is expected of them:
1. Ask pupils what they want to be described as a child or student, i.e. happy, neat, beautiful, kind,
polite, etc. Ask: “How would you do that?”
2. Explain afterwards the reason for the class meeting then proceed to ask the rules they want to
have in the classroom if they would like to be called such.
(Note: There may be instances where the rules could be the same or related. Guide them in forming
simple, clear and easy-to-follow rules.)
3. Prepare a box full of possible problems/conflict scenarios that might arise in the course of the
year and commonly encountered in grade one. Each student picks one and the class will give
solutions one at a time.
4. At every start of the class, especially during the first few weeks, take a few minutes
to remind them of the rules they set up. In this way, they know ahead of time what are expected of
them everyday.

reinforcement for positive behavior and [proper] response to misbehavior
A. Seating arrangements
There are many things to consider, especially in an inclusive classroom that are frequent nowadays.
1.
Accommodate children who have visual difficulties.
a.
Those who are nearsighted are placed in front; and
b.
Those who are farsighted are placed in the middle or at the back.
2. It goes the same with children with mild hearing problems (moderate, profound and servere
cases are found in special education settings or special classes - SL, different with that of fast
learners - FL). They are allocated space in front. If they require hearing aids, talk it out with the
parents.
3. Have children who have more or less shorter attention span than the others (this doesn’t mean
instantly that he/she has ADHD/ADD) closer to you and call on him/her from time to time in the
duration of the lesson.
B. 1, 2, 3 Shhh…
*This is used especially if signs of unnecessary noises become evident in the classroom.
One – All students raise their hands and no one is expected to be holding or doing anything other
than that.
Two – Students cover their mouths as a sign to keep quiet.
Three – They lower their hands to their desks or tables and keep it there until instructions for an
upcoming activity are given.
C. Voice monitoring
1.
Have a chart posted on the board showing the volume of the students’ voices.
2.
Give examples of how loud or soft the indicators are to give them an idea.
3. Direct the attention of the students on this chart before an activity and point to the volume of
their voices you expect them to have while doing the activity.

students' responsibility for their own actions
D. Reminders
1. These could be given orally or in written form, sometimes directed to the whole class or to an
individual. However, if to an specific student, be discreet and deliver it in a tone that will not
embarrass the student. Try not to directly compare a student with another because it may lead to
lower self-esteem and sometimes, unnecessary “anger” towards the student one is being compared
to.
2. The student who misbehaved is talked to by the teacher after class, not necessarily
reprimanding but for making the student aware of his behavior and correct them himself.
E. Group monitoring with behavior cards
1. On one side of the board, preferably where the teacher is usually located, place group numbers
or group names listed.
2. At the beginning of each week, each group has 50 points given to them, 10 points for each day
of the school. If a group misbehaves, 1 point is deducted. When only one member misbehaves, 1
point is still deducted. In this way, the members of a group has to monitor each of the member's
behavior. It's the same way when dealing with good behaviors but of course, instead of deducting a
point, they are given plus points. (I wanted to convey to them the adage "All is one, one is all" in
relation to working in groups.)
3.
This continues on until Friday. Each group will get a behavior assessment card along with their
corresponding score--whatever is left from the original 50 points. The behavior assessment card will
be handed to their parents during conferences.
F. Suggestion boxes
1. At the end of every week, have the class write on a piece of paper any suggestions of new rules
they would like to have or a rule to be changed and let them explain briefly. They will drop this off in
the suggestion box located near the door before they go out.
2. There would be difficulties when implemented in a grade one class, especially at the beginning of
the year when they haven't develop yet their reading and writing skills. Instead, you may allot them
time to draw the message they wanted to convey.
MODULE 5: Building an Organized Community: Planning and Implementing Routines and
Procedures

support student learning with effective procedures
1.
Even before classes start, the agency I am in requires for us to submit the classroom daily
programs of subjects per grade level. They are then posted at the door of the classroom both for
students’ and parents’ sake. Upon enrolment, parents already took not or were given a copy of the
schedule to help them out and their kids to prepare well.
2. If there are abrupt changes to the schedule that cannot be in the control of the teacher, it’s best
delivered to the classes first thing in the morning.
a.
Be consistent and clear with the schedule as much as possible.
b. Class roles or jobs come into play here. Even the pupil government established (as described in
the previous plan) has to monitor that everyone in class is aware of what to do next.

students’ internalization of routines and procedures
A. Introduction
1. Clear expectations are delivered every start of the class; you can use “throwback strategy” –
make the children tell you what is expected of them.
2. Give a mini-tour of every part of the room and use the same strategy to explain what is the
use/function of the equipment or materials found in the room and who are tasked to take care of
them.
B. Sign Language
1.
The picture explains it clearly and sufficiently.
(credit to the site
mentioned on top of the image)
2. Use the sign language for A, B, C and D when they try to answer a multiple choice
question presented. It is easier to know who got it correct and who got it wrong but those who got it
wrong do not have to be embarrassed about it because they didn't have to shout out their answer. In
this way, less talking and more "responding", added to more participation. In fact, I can suppose that
it's a 100% participation rate, since even the shy ones tend to raise their hands up as well and
attempt every question.
C. Number Sense
1. Instead of picking cards with numbers to determine the role of the students, Ask one of the
students to answer a mathematical equation or any word problem. For example, I ask 8 + 3 = ?. In
this case the result is 11.
2. Count 1-11 starting from the person you asked from and has responded correctly. Whoever it
was where the number 11 landed on will do the task asked of them to do, either answer on the
board, come up in front, or take care of the supplies (especially if a person assigned on that task for
that day is absent).
D. Break liners
Remember the groupings? They will be used here.
* The basis for making children go out first is if they could show to be the most disciplined (usually it
means the “most quiet” for us teachers) in the class.
* Balance rewards and punishments. Never ever overdo it.
- When rewards are too often and too plenty, kids would think of doing a “good” thing just to get a
reward.
- When punishments are too frequent and ‘raises eyebrows’, kids would turn away from following the
rules and procedures because they might feel that they will be punished anyway no matter what they
do.
MODULE 6: Building Efficiency: Using Instructional Time Effectively

using smooth transitions to optimize learning time
A. Songs and Games
* A grade one classroom wouldn't be complete without the usual singing and playing of games to
keep up the vibrant atmosphere in the classroom. Children at this stage are full of excess energy so
this is one activity where they use it a lot and still, loads of fun too.
1. Have a keyboard, a guitar or any musical instrument in the classroom. It really piques the interest
of every kid.
2. When transitioning for the next class, play a familiar tune and have the children sing along.
B. Independent Reading
* Make the reading corner or mini-library accessible during breaks to serve its purpose. Students can
get a book from there and take it to their seat for them to read from.
C. Task boards
* Use these to remind the class officers or students their class jobs, i.e. after a lesson is done, paper
collectors per group do their tasks without being told.

active involvement of students to keep them on task
A. Varied collaborative activities
1. Peer tutoring: incorporate the idea of "think-pair-share"
2. Group works or presentations: Each group has a task to do and every member has a specific
contribution to make.
B. Lesson Teaching Centers
1. Schedule a short time for the use of these centers, ideally, before dismissal to clear
misunderstandings on lessons for the day.
2. Set up these centers where kids who excel in certain subjects become the teachers. A student
becomes a math teacher for example to his/her classmates. Tell the class to go the subject center
where they have the most difficulty understanding the lesson for the day.
C. Reflection boxes and charts
* Have each student draw on a piece of paper how they think and feel about today's lesson with the
following standards:
1 star = I need to learn more.
2 stars = I think I understand most of the lessons.
3 stars = I am "super" in all the lessons.
* The following day or week, post a chart that shows the total number of stars given for the previous
week. It will show the pupils where they stand as a whole class.

plan and pace activities
A. Wait time
* Give the students enough time to answer a question posed. Address the question to the whole
class first, wait for 20-30 seconds and call a student to answer.
B. Short-run or Long-run?
* Think how long a lesson will last in your classroom. Take note of the assessments given to the
students:
a. If the assessment (test or quiz) scores are high and the objectives are achieved, proceed to the
next lesson.
b. If they're too low, re-teach, adjust and extend the time for it and develop extra activities for that
particular lesson.
C. HOTS (Higher Order Thinking Skills)
* Never forget to ask questions of wonder. Don't stick with "textbook" questions where the answers
are found in the textbook.
D. For Quick Doers
* As much as possible, compile a set of extra activities for every lesson for those quick to finish their
works. It is difficult and a time-consuming task I know, but we must, as teachers.