Tier 1 interventions are intended to support the whole classroom. They are not designed to target a few students or one specific student. These are interventions that should be provided to each student in order for them to feel comfortable, be successful, and have a great relationship with the teacher. Below is a list of 10 intervention strategies that will be implemented in my classroom.
Classroom Rules/Expectations/Guidelines
In every classroom, there should be some sort of class expectations, rules, or guidelines that the students must follow in class. This will establish the behavior that is expected to be seen in class by every student. Also, by establishing and posting the classroom expectations, the students will have a constant reminder in the room for how to behave and what is expected of them in class. (Aelterman, Vansteenkiste, & Haerens, 2018)
Classroom rules, expectations, or guidelines are a tier 1 intervention because it applies to every student in the room. Also, another reason why it aligns with tier 1 is because, the students begin to feel more adjusted and comfortable in class by knowing what is expected from them pertaining to their behavior everyday. By posting the classroom rules somewhere around the room will give the students a constant reminder on how everyone should behave.
Late Assignment
Allowing students to hand in late assignments is very beneficial to their success in the classroom. It allows them another chance to earn points towards their grade. Obviously, late assignments will be deducted a certain percentage and not be given full credit. It is important that a teacher is understanding when implementing this because students have other work to be completed in other classrooms; they do not receive work from only one teacher! This allows students to make a mistake and still be able to receive partial credit. (Aldrich & Lowman, 2015)
This intervention aligns with tier 1 because it decreases the stress level of a student and makes them more comfortable in the classroom. Allowing late assignments makes students more comfortable in class because they are not building stress and anxiety for simply missing a homework on any given day. This allows for error and mistakes to be made, but corrected as well. Overall, this will be a great benefit for the students grade in the class and their comfort in the classroom.
Daily Planner/Agenda
Each student should be given a daily planner or agenda from the school and implemented in the classrooms. This is a great organizational tool that allows the students to create a list of what needs to be completed for each class. Students will be required to write down assignments that are assigned outside of class. This will give them a place to check on what needs to be completed and not have to memorize the assignments and the due dates. (Gordon, 2004)
Daily planners or agendas are a tier 1 intervention because they are provided to every student. Also, it will decrease the amount of stress a student has from trying to remember what assignments they must complete and when. This will build up the students comfort in the class because, by writing down their assignments they will know what needs to be prepared for each class. Overall, this will be a great intervention that will help the students succeed in all classrooms.
Timer
A timer is a great intervention to use for students in order for them to stay focus on the task and to not be thinking about how much time they have left to finish the assignment. By offering a visual timer to the students will allow them to see how much time they have to be working. This will help students manage their time while working on an assignment. Often times students struggle with time management in class while completing assignments. Therefore, this is an intervention that will allow for the improvement of time management with the students. (Aban & Fontanil, 2015)
A timer is a tier 1 intervention because it decreases the students anxiety when completing work in class and allows the student to not be worrying or wondering how much time they have left to do the work. With a timer, it can be projected to the whole class so each student will know how much time they have left to keep on working. By decreasing there anxiety level, this will make the students more comfortable in class when working on assignments. Overall, this will help the students become more successful in the classroom because of the increase in comfort they will have.
Student Choice
Student choice is a necessity to have because not every student is the same in the classroom. Therefore, by giving choice in how to complete an assignment or who they can work with on assignments will end in positive results. Allowing student choice eliminates the "power" students see in a teacher. This is because they now know they have options when completing assignments and not being dictated on how to complete them. Lastly, this is not an intervention to allow students to not do assignments, but rather give them alternate opportunities to complete the task. (Nemar, Vrontis, & Thrassou, 2018)
Allowing student choice in the classroom is a tier 1 intervention because it makes the students feel more comfortable when completing their work. This will allow the students to be more comfortable in class because they will be able to choose options that they believe their best at. Also, this gives students the ability to have more self-expression in class. Previously mentioned, not all students are the same in the classroom. Therefore, some students may be great at taking multiple choice tests, but others may lack that ability and would much rather be able to explain their thoughts. Overall, this intervention will make the students more comfortable in class and to not view their teacher as a dictator.
Acknowledging Positive Behavior
Acknowledging positive behavior is a great intervention to highlight the positives that the students are displaying in class. Also, by acknowledging the positive behavior of one student will allow the other students to have a positive example of how to behave in class. This intervention can be infectious among the students. Once they see an example of the positive behavior being acknowledged they can reciprocate the actions that are being acknowledged. (Morrissey, Bohanon, & Fenning, 2010)
Acknowledging positive behavior is a tier 1 intervention because it is highlighting the positive behavior that is occurring in class and keeps the students comfortable in the classroom. This also makes the students less anxious and brings their anxiety level down because they are hearing more about their positive behavior, rather than always harping on their negative behavior. Also, this will build a positive and comfortable relationship with the teacher and allow the students to be more comfortable with the teacher asking questions or seeking help/guidance.
Headphones
Headphones are a resource that will allow students to be able to listen to music or any type of noise that will help them focus on the task that must be completed. This intervention will allow students to be and stay focus on their work while the whole class is working as well. Also, while students are doing their work in class it typically can get a little chatty. Therefore, the headphones will be used to cancel out the noise coming from the rest of class and allow the student to remain focus on his/her task. (University Wire, 2018)
Headphones are considered a tier 1 intervention because it allows the students to be comfortable in class while working and allows them to stay focus on their task. This is a great intervention when students are working independently and need music or background noise to keep them moving on their work. Also, if a student wants to work independently and there are groups talking, the headphones will allow the student to cancel their noise out with his/her music or background noise that he/she desires.
Fidget Toys
Fidgets can be a great resource in the classroom to help students self-regulate themselves in the classroom. Certain students may be antsy in class or feel the need to have something in their hands to play with in order to stay focus. Fidgets are small toys that students can use in order to focus, pay attention, calm themselves down, and to be actively listening. These fidgets can come in different shapes, sizes, and textures. There are many fidgets toys that can be used, but a few to name are: stress balls, small brushes, fidget spinners, squishy/stretchy balls, slinky, and many more. (Graziano, Garcia, & Landis, 2018)
Fidget toys are a tier 1 intervention because they are available for the whole class and it is a resource to overcome anxiety, lack of listening, and to stay focus in class. This resource will make students be more comfortable in the classroom and be able to focus on what is happening in class. Overall, this will help students succeed in the classroom because it will assist them in being attentive.
Community Building
Building a community in a classroom is essential for a student to feel comfortable and succeed in the classroom. This will allow the students to either create new friendships or at least be able to respect each other and be able to work together. Also, this allows the teacher to have positive relationships with each of his/her students. The students and teacher become more of a family in the classroom instead of considering each other just another person in class. There are multiple activities that can achieve this community building exercise. A few examples are: 2 truths and a lie, morning meetings, human knot, shark tank, and many more! (Matsuura & Shaw, 2015)
Community building is a tier 1 intervention because it creates that camaraderie with the students and teacher in the classroom. The students want to be comfortable with the classroom that they are in, so they are not shy, quiet, and not participating with the rest of the students. Also, with a poor community in the classroom can be detrimental to the students learning. Therefore, community building is necessary to establish that positive relationship among the students and teacher to receive the optimal performance out of each student.
Communication With Families
This intervention is important and necessary for the teacher to be taking the initiative and reaching out to the students' parents or legal guardians first, rather than waiting to hear from them. This will allow the teacher to have a familiarity with the families and be able to secure a nice working relationship with them. It is essential for the teacher to be able to talk positively about the student to start and then move towards his weaknesses or issues he/she is having in class. By doing this, the family will have a more positive response, because of the approach taken by the teacher. Also, this is a great opportunity to be updating them about their student's progress and behavior in class. Lastly, this can have a positive effect on a student because, if his/her parents have a nice working relationship with the teacher, the student will feel more comfortable around the teacher. (Eberly, 2007)
Communicating with families is a tier 1 intervention because it allows the teacher to establish a positive working relationship with the students and their families. This relationship is important for the teacher to create and keep with his/her students and families. By creating that positive relationship with the parents or legal guardians of the students, they will be more comfortable in the classroom and around the teacher because of the positive relationship his/her parents or legal guardians have with the teacher.