Running Head: POLICY HANDBOOK

Policy Handbook
Breanna Specht
SED 240
Seton Hill University
POLICY HANDBOOK

Table of Contents

Philosophy…………………………………………………….………………...2

Learning Environment……………………………………………….………….5

Curriculum……………………………………………………….……………...8

Parent Involvement……………………………....……………………………10

Developmentally Appropriate Practice………………………………...……...13

The Use of Technology………………………………………………………..15

Children with Special Needs……………………………....…………………..17

Appendix A.……………………………………………………………...……20

Appendix B…………………………………………………………………….21

Appendix C…………………………………………………………………….22

Appendix D…………………………………………………………………….23

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Philosophy

Every teacher, no matter the subject or grade level, has a personal philosophy of teaching.

Over time, philosophies change and grow along with their creators in order to become the best

they can be. Being so new to the field, my philosophy has only changed a little since I first put

my pen to the paper, and it will continue to change throughout my lifetime of teaching. My

philosophy is based on three major points, which are that children need a positive learning

environment and an enthusiastic teacher, and all children learn differently.

Positive learning environments come in a variety of forms. In my classroom, children are

encouraged to do their best, and my classroom guidelines do not use negative forms of words.

For example, instead of saying, “Do not hit your peers,” my rule is, “Be kind to your friends.”

The positive form of rules, or guidelines, carry more weight and encompass more than the

negative forms, and I would much rather enforce positive guidelines throughout the day than

negative ones. Simple positive spins like that in everyday life can change the way people view

you and your own outlook on life. Positivity has always been a big part of who I am, and I will

do my best to carry that positivity over into my classroom.

The best teachers are those who are enthusiastic about teaching. Over the course of my

education, I have come across many teachers who love teaching, and I have also come across

teachers who are not-so-enthusiastic to be in front of a classroom. Luckily, the teachers who

loved teaching rubbed off on me. I will always carry in the back of my mind the ones who did

not love their profession, because these are the teachers who can crush a child’s passion for

learning. My kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Ivans, will always stay with me, because she was the

most loving and caring teacher I have ever had. She made me feel loved and welcomed in my

first all-day classroom. One teacher I will always remember for not-so-great things is my first

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grade teacher. She did not want to celebrate any holidays or birthdays in her classroom, and did

not have any time dedicated to art, music, or movement. I did not feel completely welcomed in

her classroom, and her students were not represented through artwork or personal pictures

around the room. Going from such a wonderful teacher to one who was not so wonderful was a

big jump for such a young person, but I learned early on what kind of teacher I want to be.

All of my education classes in college have emphasized that all children learn differently,

and, as a teacher, that is one of the most important things to keep in mind. Children are our

future, and we have a right and responsibility as teachers to educate and inform the upcoming

generation to make our world a better place. Since each child is special in their own ways, and no

child learns like another, curriculum should be as diverse as my classroom is. Each child is

treated with respect and love, and differences are celebrated. I invite each family to send in

pictures and objects that represent their culture and family values to have in and around my

classroom. This also serves as a place for each of my students to go to see their families when

they are feeling homesick or having a rough day.

Most importantly, I care only that my students grasp the concepts in our curriculum, and

grades are less important than the actual learning going on. Homework and activities will be

graded, but students get chances to redo them in order to learn the material, and it will be re-

graded to reflect the work they have done to correct their mistakes. Tests are announced a week

in advance for preparation, and tests will also able to be corrected for credit. Each graded

assignment is placed in a folder for future use and is given to a child’s parents or guardians at the

end of the year.

Lastly, my door is always open, from the time I arrive to school in the morning until the

time I leave in the evening for conferences or quick meetings about anything a parent or guardian

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may need to discuss. Parents and guardians are also invited and encouraged to come observe a

day-in-the-life-of my classroom. There are days with special activities, such as science

experiments and show-and-tell days, when I would love for parents to come and visit. Another

opportunity for parents to visit my classroom is a weekly read-aloud by parents of their favorite

books as children.

My personal philosophy about life is that, everyday, there is always something to be

learned and kindness to be shared. With this philosophy guiding me, I hope to teach and inspire

each child in my classroom to be the best they can be, in school and in their everyday lives.

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Learning Environment
Classroom Entrance

Classroom Library and

Dramatic Play Center

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My classroom is designed with my students in mind. I like to have separate spaces for

different activities, so that students can find anything they need and my room does not become a

disorganized mess, which it can easily become if objects do not have a home, or place they

belong. Each space in my classroom has a purpose. For instance, the classroom library and

reading center is a quiet space with most of my books for the students. It is comfortable and has

pillows for comfortable reading. In this space, I want for my students to feel like they are at

home.

The meeting circle is used for the exact opposite of the reading center; this is for class

meetings, such as morning circle time and our welcome songs. Students are encouraged to

participate in every activity we do in circle time, including, but not limited to, days of the week,

the weather, and show and tell. When it is time for only one student to speak at once, I have a

“talking stick” that we can pass around if my class is getting too loud to hear each other talk.

This only comes out when it is needed. Our circle is visited in the morning and in the afternoon

for our hello and goodbye songs and opening and closing activities.

My desk is used by me, and me only. I rarely visit my desk, except to create lesson plans

and eat my lunch. I usually like to be with my students to facilitate learning and social

interactions. Most of the time, you can usually find me in the rocking chair in the circle or at the

student desks working with students. The student desks are used for snack time, which happens

once a day, and working on worksheets or art projects. The student desks are visited at least

twice a day, but are available during free play time. The desks are preschool-sized and are in

groups of four with designated school supplies on each group.

The dramatic play center is my personal favorite station in my classroom. I have

everything from baby dolls to superhero capes to musical instruments in the center for children

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to use during free play. If there are ways to use materials from the dramatic play center in a

lesson or circle time, I make sure to incorporate them in any way I can. All of the art supplies are

also kept in the dramatic play center. There are two easels for children to use to paint and plenty

of paper to use. Again, if I can incorporate art into a lesson or activity, I will.

Lastly, and most importantly, my room is always decorated with artwork that my students

have created. Children get so excited to have their creations hung up for everyone to see, and it

can make students feel welcome in my classroom. Store-bought decorations can be great, but my

decorations change every year and with each new class I have, and that is even better.

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Curriculum

Curriculum for our program is chosen by our program directors, but I get to choose how

to teach it. Each teacher works tirelessly to be certain that certain standards are met by each

student throughout the year. These standards are organized in the Pennsylvania Learning

Standards for Early Childhood handbook, which is created by the Pennsylvania Departments of

Human Services and Education. There are multiple standards for each subject, and these subjects

include the arts, language arts, mathematics, social studies, and science.

The arts curriculum focuses on creative thinking and expression through the use of arts.

This includes music, dramatic play, visual arts, and responses to these art forms. Many of these

standards are either touched upon or met through the use of materials in my classroom’s

dramatic play center. There is time everyday for the expression of self through the use of art and

viewing and interpreting different art forms.

Our focus in pre-kindergarten is on language and literacy development. In order to

become better readers, writers, and thinkers, children need foundational skills. Rome was not

built in a day, and a child’s language skills will not be perfected by the end of pre-kindergarten.

There is time everyday for writing, talking, thinking, and discussing with peers to form language

skills. At least one book is read everyday during circle time, and books are always available to be

read in the classroom library and reading center. Students are also encouraged to create their own

stories to share with their peers about pictures they drew or paintings they painted to grow their

language and social skills.

Foundational mathematics skills are also created in pre-kindergarten. Students learn

numbers and basic operations through the use of manipulatives and interactive games. Without

foundational skills, children cannot learn higher math concepts in the future, so their time in pre-

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kindergarten is just as important for math as their time in higher grades. In the kitchenette in the

dramatic play center, I like to have measuring cups with which children can become familiar to

bolster their mathematic skills. Talking about shapes, figuring out how many masks are needed

for everyone to have one, and counting in line are all ways to create and advance math skills in

young children, and they are done everyday in my classroom.

Our social studies curriculum focuses on our community, government, and geography.

Children are taken on field trips and encouraged to question the world around them everyday.

Economics are taught through learning basic money mathematics and through playing pizza shop

or bakery, where money is exchanged for goods and services. Lastly, other cultures besides my

own are represented in my classroom through the use of literature, dolls, and music. This is a

gateway to learning about geography, because when students are interested in a specific culture,

they are more likely to want to know where it comes from.

Lastly, our science curriculum focuses on exploring, inquiring, and discovering.

Throughout every science lesson, students are encouraged to ask questions and make their own

inferences and predictions. Science experiments are a big part of learning science for young

students, because they are not as engaged during a lecture, and children remember what they can

feel, see, or hear. Foundational scientific skills are taught during pre-kindergarten for children to

further expand upon in higher grades.

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Developmentally Appropriate Practice

Developmentally appropriate practice (DAP) is exactly what its name entails. In order to

teach children, teachers must understand child development and the learning that takes place at

each stage of this development. All of this is based on research and is accepted across the board.

There is also the aspect of understanding what is individually appropriate for each child. These

findings can come from observing children in play and work to learn about a child’s interests,

abilities, and progress on the developmental scale. Lastly, a teacher must understand what is

important culturally to a family. A family’s culture shapes the lives of their children through

their values and expectations. Knowing a family’s culture helps provide meaningful and

respectful experiences for them and their children. There are 12 principles of DAP that teachers

and families must keep in mind when teaching their children.

The first principle is that all developmental and learning areas are important. It might not

be a coincidence that this principle is first, because it is one of the most important in my eyes.

When teaching pre-kindergarten, a teacher is preparing children for their whole life, so each area

of development and learning must be taught for the correct preparation, which leads into the

second principle, which is that development and learning follow sequences. Children cannot

become excellent, or even proficient, in all mathematics concepts after one year, so those skills

are built upon year after year. As such, a child cannot run until they walk, and they cannot walk

until they crawl. Children learn step by step, brick by brick, and if they so choose, this learning

never ceases and is built upon their whole lives.

The third principle is that learning and development proceed at varying rates. It is not

uncommon for a mother to be worried that her child is not walking before they are one, but it is

common that children progress at their own rates. I do not expect children to grasp a concept

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perfectly after being taught it only once, so we take our time until everyone has learned it. This

leads into the fourth principle, which is that learning and development result from both

maturation and experience. Through research, we have found that children learn best through

experiences, and concepts must be developmentally appropriate to be taught to them.

The fifth principle is that early experiences have profound effects on learning and

development. Introducing a child to science at an early age may inspire them to become a

scientist, and introducing a child to art at an early age may inspire them to become the next best

artist. These are a child’s formative years, and they are learning who they are. The sixth principle

of DAP is that development proceeds toward self-regulation, symbolic capacities, and a greater

complexity. Over our lives, we have become more complex and profound humans through our

schooling and personal experiences. Each of a child’s classes and experiences shapes him or her

into a new person who is always growing and developing.

The seventh principle is that children develop best with secure relationships. Children

need to form bonds and relationships with the adults in their lives to build trust. If a child does

not have that trust, there is no way he or she would want to be in a room with that adult, let alone

be taught by them. When I say that I want my classroom to be a home away from home for my

students, I sincerely mean that. Children need to be comfortable in order to learn to their fullest

potential, and I will help them achieve that by loving and caring for each child while they are in

my class. The eighth principle is that development and learning are influenced by social and

cultural contexts. Culture is important to families, so it is no surprise that culture is passed down

from parents to their children, by which they learn.

The ninth principle of DAP is that children learn in a variety of ways. I have included in

my teaching philosophy how I address the differences in the ways children learn. Different styles

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of learning are encouraged in my classroom, and I will help to the best of my ability to teach to

each learning style. The tenth principle is that play is important for developing self-regulation

and teaching language, cognition, and social competence. Children learn problem-solving skills

by playing with their peers. They also learn language skills and how to interact with their peers

socially. It may seem to outsiders that children are “just playing,” but in reality, they are

increasing their skills. There is time everyday for my students to “just play,” create new

memories, and learn skills that could only come through the use of play.

Number eleven is that development and learning advance when a child is challenged.

There is a saying that comes to mind when reflecting upon this principle, “If it does not

challenge you, it does not change you.” What this means to me is that challenging parts of life

can make you grow as a person, just as challenging curriculum can help students learn. Lastly,

the twelfth principle is that a child’s experiences can shape their motivation and approaches to

learning. When a child has a poor teacher, such as I did in the first grade, he or she may be

completely turned off to learning. Similarly, if a child grows up in a household that does not

value learning or education, he or she may also have a hard time appreciating learning and

valuing education. Teachers and families must work as a team to promote good learning skills

and to put value on education. Without that, a child cannot succeed.

In my classroom, I take each of these twelve principles into consideration and make sure

that each lesson and activity is developmentally appropriate for my students. If there is ever a

time when a child may be too challenged or not challenged enough, I will happily reconfigure

my lessons and activities to fit the needs of my class.

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Parent Involvement

Parents are always welcomed and encouraged to visit my classroom. Besides sending in

tissues and coming to conferences, there are several days that are specifically designed for

parents to join our classroom. To volunteer time or goods, there is a form in the appendix for

each of the days. The first of these days is Career Day, which occurs in early October. This is

designed for my students to hear and learn about different careers. I encourage every parent,

regardless of career, to join us. Children love to hear about everything from being a stay-at-home

mom to being a firefighter who saved a kitten the week prior.

Another day that is great for parents to visit is our Share a Book Day. This day is for

parents to come to our classroom to share their favorite book from when they were children.

Students love to hear different books read aloud that they may have never before heard. Share a

Book Days occurs in the middle of November.

Throughout the year, there are plenty of holiday parties in my classroom, which include

our Welcome Back, Halloween, Winter Holidays, Valentine’s Day, and our Last Day of School

parties. For each of these parties, parents can volunteer to bring or send in snacks, decorations,

cups and plates, utensils, treat bags, or anything else they might see fit. Parents are also

encouraged to give their time to volunteer to come enjoy these parties and give a helping hand

for the day.

Lastly, there are three field trips throughout the year, and parents are thoroughly

encouraged to volunteer their time to join us. Not only are field trips a great bonding experience

for parents or guardians and their children, but with parents’ help, we can go more places and do

more things, because we have more eyes and ears on the group. I encourage every parent and

guardian to volunteer and be with the class at least once throughout the school year, not only for

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my benefit, but for the benefit of their children. I look forward to all of the wonderful careers we

get to hear about and books we get to listen to throughout the school year. I also thank all of my

classroom parents in advance for all of their time and dedication to helping make my classroom a

second home to all of their little ones.

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Technology in My Classroom

At the beginning of each new school year, I update my website for the incoming class.

This website contains everything from upcoming events to documents and forms for our

classroom. Parents may sign up to receive weekly updates of new forms and information posted

to the site, such as upcoming events and reminders. Along with this website, I use a variety of

other technologies in my classroom.

One such technological tool I use in my classroom are iPads. When used correctly, iPads

are great tools for learning new information and exploring new ideas. The use of the iPad is not

an everyday experience. Children who earn iPad time have been cooperative, helpful, and good

listeners throughout the week, and the iPad only makes an appearance on Fridays, unless we are

using it for learning. There are several apps I have on the classroom iPad that parents can

download for their children to use at home, too. One app is Fish School HD, which is an

educational app that teaches children letters, numbers, colors, and shapes. The second app that I

recommend for parents to get is Elmo Loves 123s, which was created to help children learn to

identify and count numbers from 1 to 20. It can also be used to do simple addition and

subtraction problems and has prizes for each level a child beats.

The second technological tool of which I will make use is our SMART Board, which is

located in the front of the room by our circle center. The SMART Board can make mundane

lessons more hands-on and engaging for my students. One feature I utilize often is the sorting

game. It is a great way to sort living and nonliving objects, clothes for the four seasons, and odd

and even numbers. Some days, I use the SMART Board to take attendance, and each student can

mark themselves “present.”

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Last, but certainly not least, I use technology to keep in touch with the parents and

guardians of the students in my classroom. Besides my classroom website, I send frequent emails

about the lessons and activities of the week and reminders of whose turn it is to bring in a snack

or do show and tell. Parents and guardians may also opt for texts, which I send from the

GroupMe app, not my personal number. These messages can be sent to a parent’s personal phone

or to their GroupMe number, as well. I also allow parents and guardians to Skype a conference,

but only once per year, if they cannot get time off to meet with me in the classroom. Keeping in

touch with parents and guardians is vital in a child’s education, and all we want is for our

children to succeed.

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Children with Special Needs

Every child is special in their own way, but some children need a little extra support from

their parents/guardians and teachers, which is perfectly manageable. My classroom is an

inclusive classroom, which means that everyone is made to feel included and welcomed, so I

always do my best to make that happen. When a child has a physical or mental disability, it is

easy for him or her to feel left out and neglected, but teachers must work with parents/guardians

and school administrators to make sure that no child is left out or neglected in a classroom. When

a child has special needs, it is imperative that their family works with the school to create an

Individual Educational Plan (IEP), which is used to ensure that he or she receives specialized

instruction and necessary services. Any and all IEPs are taken into consideration when I

construct my lesson plans and corresponding activities, and all necessary accommodations are

made. For example, if a student needs extra time or a specialized writing utensil for a specific

activity, these are taken into consideration well before the lesson is to be taught. Also, my

classroom is also set up to be wheel-chair accessible. There is enough space for a child in

wheelchair to fit through each center, and the tables are at the right height for wheelchairs, too.

In the case of any mental or physical disabilities, considerations and accommodations can be

made when necessary.

As aforementioned, children with any special needs can be made to feel like outcasts or

outsiders by their peers. I find that most of the time, this is not intentional, but it still hurts the

same. When doing group or pair work, I am sure to pair students together, so that one is not left

out. I also encourage my students to ask to play with their peers during free play if they are

looking on and seem as if they want to join. Lastly, I have inclusionary literature in my

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classroom library and reading center. The topics that are covered in this literature include mental

and physical disabilities in children. Here are a few examples:

1. My Brother Charlie by Holly Robinson Peete and Ryan Elizabeth Peete

This picture book is told form the perspective of the older sister of a boy who has autism.

It emphasizes how special Charlie is and the amazing things he can do.

2. Don’t Call Me Special by Pat Thomas

This is a book about different physical disabilities and the concerns that come with

having those disabilities. With its bright illustrations and and encouraging words,

children learn how people with disabilities can live meaningful and happy lives.

3. We’ll Paint the Octopus Red by Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen

Emma’s baby brother was born with Down Syndrome, and being six-years-old, she

wonders how that will affect him and what he will be able to do. Her parents say that he

needs love and patience, so she does what a good big sister does, and helps him when he

needs it. Throughout the story, many questions children frequently ask about Down

Syndrome are answered.

These three picture books are only a fraction of the books I keep in my library, and they may be

recommended for children, but I recommend that parents read them, too. It can be touch when a

family member has a disability, and parents/guardians are often times worried and confused

about how to help, but literature can help ease worries and confusion. The last way I promote

inclusion in my classroom is by having a zero-tolerance bullying policy. If students are picking

on others, they will first be reminded of our first rule that states, “Be kind to your peers.” If the

bullying does not stop, they get a call home, and a sticker is taken off of their behavior chart. If it

happens again, they are sent to the “reflection chair” to think about how they hurt someone else.

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Appendix A

About My Child

During the first week of school, please fill out this “About My Child” form, so that I can get

better get to know your family and your child. I encourage you to fill this out with the help of

your child for everything to be accurate and up-to-date.

My name is ______________________, and my child’s name is _________________________.

He/She is _____-years-old, and his/her favorite toy is his/her _____________________. After

school, ____________________ likes to eat a snack of _________________________________,

and chooses ____________________ over anything else for dessert. When my child is upset,

he/she calms down whenever I ____________________________________. At home, we have

___________ pet(s). Before bed, we like to read ______________________________________

by ___________________________. At home, we encourage ____________________________

and do not tolerate ____________________________. If my child could only watch one show

for the rest of his/her life, it would be ________________________________, because _______

____________________________________________________________________________.

_____________ are my child’s favorite animals, and _____________ are my child’s least

favorite animals. One goal for my child this year is ____________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________, and I will help to

accomplish this by ______________________________________________________________

__________________________________. If there is one thing I want Ms. Specht to know about

my child, it is _________________________________________________________________.

Signed,

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Appendix B

Career Day Volunteer

My name is _____________________________, and I am ____________________________’s

__________________________. I work as a(n) _________________________________, and I

would love to come in to discuss my career with your class. Some responsibilities of my job

include ______________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________.

For my presentation, I will be bringing in ___________________________________________

and need ___________ minutes to complete my presentation.

I will/will not bring in refreshments for after the presentations for students and their parents.

If there are any questions, please contact ________________________________ at

( ) ___-____ or __________________@_________.___.

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Appendix C

Read Aloud Volunteer

My name is _____________________________, and I am ____________________________’s

__________________________.

I would like to come in to read ______________________________________________ by

___________________________ to your class. The reason why I chose this book is

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________.

After the read aloud presentations, I would/would not like to stay for refreshments, and I

will/will not provide ______________________________ for the students and their families.

If there are any questions, please contact ________________________________ at

( ) ___-____ or __________________@_________.___.

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Appendix D

Field Trip Permission Slip

I, ___________________________, will/will not allow my child, ________________________,

to attend the field trip to __________________________ with his/her class on the _________ of

____________, 2017.

I would/would not like to volunteer to be a chaperone on this field trip to ___________________

on the __________ of ______________, 2017.

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