Student Contributor: S. Smith
Mailboxes serve a very important role in the classroom setting when implemented correctly. Each student needs to have their own mailbox along with the teacher. The mailboxes can be personalized to have their name or can be listed off in numbers (which can be used as a grouping strategy). It also needs to be listed in the rules and procedures so students know how to use them.
This tool is used for collecting homework and assignments, as well as receiving graded ones. This would be stated in the procedures to check their mailboxes as part of their morning routine. They would be receiving back graded assignments as well as newsletters. After they complete an assignment, they turn it into the teacher’s mailbox for grading. The teacher’s mailbox can also be used if a student wants to tell them something anonymously. Mailbox Monitors can also be a job that can be assigned to students where they make that everyone checks their mailboxes in the morning. This can also be a way to take attendance. Throughout elementary school, my classes had mailboxes, and this was the procedure we followed. Also, in high school we had “turn in” trays with our period number on it which is a similar idea.
This tool is set in the Preventative Phase because it is part of a routine. It also protects students emotionally because other people cannot see their grade unless they show it. This tool promotes organization so all the assignments have a designated place and all the students know where to put them. I would say that this strategy could fall under any of the three theories of influence because it depends on how this strategy is used. If it’s used strictly for graded or turning in assignments, it would be more teacher-directed, or if the teacher mailbox was used more for anonymous notes from students it would be more student-directed. I think that combining these two ideas would be best for my classroom and would fall under collaborative.
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Tool Source: India King
