Classroom Management Plan-Final Draft
Classroom Management Plan-Final Draft
Classroom Management Plan-Final Draft
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Theoretical Introduction
Social studies is the most important subject in a school. Colleges, businesses, and
countless other institutions have a desire to find employees with critical thinking skills, which
are taught best through the subject. Social studies is the only content of its kind where we look
toward the past to see our flaws, the solutions to work around them, and the ways for us to best
cooperate with each other on a human level. Thus, to best explore this, I, as the teacher, must be
fully equipped to get everything I can out of students each day. My classroom management is
what allows me to best do this, as it is the teacher what the teacher knows and can do that
makes the difference in the classroom (Wong, 2009. P 81.). Yes, student success and
achievement can start and end with me. I will work each day to make the classroom safe for
exploration, which directly allows for students to become invested in the curriculum.
few distinct ways. First, creative expression (Developmental Need #4), in written, verbal, and
visual work, is a critical part to my classroom, tapping into each students innate desire to learn
in unique ways. Positive social interaction (Developmental Need #1) is also critical, as at the root
of all social studies is debate and discussion. In my classroom, we work toward understanding
different viewpoints and developing our own. Thus, listening is critical, just as much as
speaking. Furthermore, my classroom, like any good social studies classroom, has structure,
clear limits, and a desire for students to achieve (Developmental Needs #2-3). I have daily
routines and procedures I take my classes through to provide structure, and opportunities for
assessment and achievement are found within it. The syllabus/class schedule at the beginning of
the year outlines our limits, but encourages students to look beyond them.
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While these routines and procedures are set and unchanging, I do not discount student
voice and choice in the classroom. Students have a right to be concerned over what they are
learning, how it affects them, and what the knowledge will do for them in the future. Thus, they
must be given the choice to take part in the learning process, and what kinds of activities
accompany it, giving them the opportunity to feel belonging, power, freedom, and fun, and not
have to worry about survival (Glassers Choice Theory). In this way, students can answer what,
to them, will most easily fulfill their needs, with the teacher supporting through scaffolding,
Lastly, there are commitments for me that I must make to the classroom and the students
(interpreted from Vatterott, 2007. P 17.). I must be committed to young adolescents, advocating
and having high expectations for them, as well as a vision for their success. I must create a
positive climate in my classroom, using different approaches to tap into different learning styles,
as well as different types of assessment to accurately and fairly represent on paper what the
student is doing in class. I must reach out to families and communities, creating a sense of
begin, and it is my responsibility to live up the standards set in front of me, supporting all
students along the way. Considering these similarities between Vatterott, Glasser, and Wong, my
classroom will be able to incorporate difference, choice, and commitment into the environment
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Policies, Discipline, and Procedures
Expectations [Rules]
In my classroom, there are certain expectations of all students. But, to best develop them,
I, too, must follow the set expectations. My policy is that when an expectation is broken, I have
the right to let that student know individually, and if I break the expectation, any student may
respectfully let me know, keeping me accountable. In this way, the students hold power in the
classroom alongside me, and it will help us move toward perfecting the use of the expectations.
Here is a list, with reasoning of choice below each, of expectations I will have in my classroom:
The reason this expectation is so crucial is that each day, a student brings in
different baggage into the classroom. Some days, this could affect only that single
student, while other days it could affect the class. Rather than waiting for those things to
boil over and distract the student or the class, we agree to this expectation and check the
items at the door. A tangible way of enforcing this in my classroom will be in an entry-
ticket, where each student takes a notecard to his or her desk and writes about what is
happening in my life today. The student does not have to write anything, but this allows
for him or her to confidentially tell me if they may get distracted. I explain this further in
This may be the most important expectation, as all aspects of the classroom hinge
mean respecting each students background (i.e., race, gender, ethnicity, interests, ideas,
etc.). But, in a social studies classroom, this goes much further. First, we respect people
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by not talking over anyone, listening to what he or she has to say and not assuming
anything of him or her. We agree that no single student must answer any personal
question, as the classroom must remain a safe and accepting environment. The classroom
is not a space to change who we are, but rather shape who we wish to become. This
expectation is also important for students to stay on task, as distractions, disruptions, and
Assuming we have agreed to the above expectation, we must always make sure
each student is heard in the classroom. If we do not hear a student, or do not understand
what he or she is saying, we will respectfully ask questions of them to make their
thought/opinion/argument clearer. This is most crucial for students to do with each other,
productive with this. It is also important for them to ask questions of me, as it will help
First, students can expect from me what I expect from them I will follow all
expectations I make of them. There are only teacher-specific caveats to the first expectation, as
for me, this means that I will grade completed assignments as quickly as possible. Students can
expect that two class periods after they submit assignment, it will be returned with a grade. But,
if there is a weekend in between classes, students can expect to receive their grades in the next
class period. This will allow me to respect the students time, while also giving them the best
feedback possible through comments beyond a letter grade. Additionally, this expectation tells
the students that they can expect for me to program curriculum for them from the beginning of
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class to the end. It is my responsibility as a teacher, and if I do not do this, I am obviously not
Classroom Climate
The goals of my classroom climate are to encourage student voice as much as possible,
offer students a share of power through choice, and bring in relevant items, films, documents,
etc. to the subject at hand. Regarding the first portion, student voice, I believe this is a crucial
part to a successful classroom. Each day, as I will explain in routines & procedures section, I
will encourage students to find current events to talk about in a historical sense. This may be
connecting a current political issue to a similar one 200 years ago or even brainstorming
solutions to it, but nonetheless, it allows students to articulate what interests them and connect it
to what we have discussed. The second portion, power through choice, is important in my social
studies classroom because it allows for students to differentiate to their skills. While some
assignments in high school must be papers or certain projects that give students a taste of what
takes place in the field of history, middle school is a time to foster creativity and the innate desire
to learn. In that way, I will offer students various types of projects and assessments when
possible. Some generic tests may have to be given, but any unit-long, formative, and most
summative assessments should revolve around student choice. Lastly, I believe bringing in
relevant documents and materials makes the classroom a fun environment of creativity and
exploration, which can be missing in many social studies settings. Part of my job, which I
believe students want to take part in, is make the subject relevant to their daily lives.
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Discipline
I will always do my best to keep students in the classroom and learning. Thus, I discipline
inappropriate behavior on a 3-teir system- minor issues, moderate issues, and major issues:
1. Minor Issues:
These issues will be addressed, most of the time, in rather informal ways. I may call
the students name to refocus them, use proximity control to discourage the behavior,
2. Moderate Issues
If the issue is the result of two students talking or disrupting, I may ask them to
change seats for the day. Other instances may require me to have a brief, private
discussion with a student to discourage a behavior from occurring again later. I will
do my best to never escalate a situation. In both minor and moderate issues, I will use
preventative measures to stop behaviors before they happen. Most often, I will use
humor to diffuse tension, and may ask a couple rhetorical questions to refocus the
disrupting students.
3. Major Issues
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i. Laughing at another students point of view
If a major offense occurs in the classroom, this will almost immediately result in the
student having to step out into the hallway. While I will do my best to catch things
like this before they happen, I know some days a student may not cooperate. Once I
have given the students in the class something to do, I will go out and discuss what
happened with the student. I want to get the student back into the classroom as
order to keep the student from acting the same way again is just as important. If a
major issue is repeated, I may have no other choice than to send the student away, as
It should be noted that through my use of entry-tickets, I will have a better idea of what my
students have going on in their lives. Thus, if someone acts out, it can be addressed on an
individual basis. Minor, moderate, and major issues serve as a general guideline, but each student
is different, and we must be willing to address differences even in discipline. Each and every use
of discipline requires a brief reflection as to what is to be used in order to ensure students are not
treated unjustly. Furthermore, through specifying rules and expectations, issues may be
prevented before they come up, as students know what to expect, and frustration is harder to
come by. But, some students will act in ways that are not predicted by rules, procedures,
expectations, or categories of issues, which is why reflection on what would best help the student
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Routines & Procedures
There are several routines and procedures that are common throughout many teachers
classrooms. With entry-tickets and bell ringers, teachers captivate their students attention,
turning their craziness and anxiousness of the passing period into a positive momentum to start a
class. Homework, common among all classes, gives students a way to not let the knowledge they
intake be forgotten. In a social studies class, discussion and debate is often the center of learning.
Each of these requires procedures to outline expectations and rules, as consistency, in many
1. Entry-Ticket/Bell Ringers
Upon entering the classroom each day, as mentioned above, I will have my
students take an entry-ticket, giving them the opportunity to confidentially write what is
on their mind each day. They will then put these face-down on a chair at the front of the
room, and when the students are working on their review work, I will read them to
prepare myself appropriately for how I need to teach that day. After turning in the entry-
tickets, I will have students pick up their graded work (in bins Ill have for each class
period, with a personal folder for each student), as well as turn in any assignments (on a
tray for the given class period). As I mentioned, after the entry-ticket, students will begin
working on a review sheet of the previous weeks topics. This will be picked up upon
entering the classroom in the first class period of the week. We will work through only a
couple questions each day, having completed all of it by the end of the week. This allows
them, after multiple weeks, to have a quick resource to study from if an assessment is
coming up. After review, we will move into current events, in which we discuss what is
happening in the world, and how that relates to what has happened elsewhere in history.
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Current events, as I have previously mentioned, is an important daily procedure in
my classroom. This helps the students engage the text and content with a deeper
understanding of how it connects to them. This time, therefore, requires our expectations
to be closely followed since some socially controversial topics will be addressed. I will
expect students to come into class with an understanding of what happened since our last
class, whether that be garnering knowledge from a news source, a friend, or by another
means. I will not allow students to be on laptops or phones during this time, since
preparation for the discussion will be a daily assignment for students. In this way, I will
assess participation over the course of the week, as one day may not provide an
The policies I have for talking, questioning, and discussion in general are included
2. Homework
Many studies have shown that homework can be ineffective if not done properly.
Therefore, I will not give my students any homework that is just a worksheet to
complete. Instead, I will assign meaningful work in which reviewing of the previous
day, drawing on previous topics within the course or their curriculum, and previewing the
upcoming classes is possible. For example, if my class has just discussed the founding
and spread of Judaism, I will not have them fill in 10 blanks and search for things in the
book (that can be done together in class). Instead, I would have each student find a
country where Judaism is popular and briefly read and research how it spread within that
country. Then, the next class period, I will have students group themselves if they found
the same country, and we can briefly compare and contrast those countries. I will be able
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to take a formative assessment in participation in the activity, as well as ensure they
completed the work by checking to see if they wrote notes on their country during the
the overarching topics as well as the specifics of certain historical phenomena and events.
Thus, my classroom must be a safe place for this to take place. In these situations, we will
imperative to ensure each student is heard. There are two kinds of debate that will take
Informal debate applies to the daily discussions about what we are learning, as
different interpretations of the topic and events are possible. As the teacher, I will
if need be to encourage further discussion. But, above all, these informal debates will
take place in current events. When dealing with topics such as these, I will remind
students of our second expectation, and we will listen to each students opinions on the
matter and debate appropriately. If a student does not wish to accept the circumstances,
and instead acts out, I will deal with it appropriately (which you can find in my
discipline section), doing my best to move on without simply ignoring the student or
summative assessment, physically take sides of the classroom and make arguments for a
particular side. Students will not always be arguing for the side they are naturally on, as
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when we move through the semester and gain experience in debating, some students will
articulate points for the opposition. In order to best share power with students, I may also
have them moderate debates instead of me, allowing them to create the rules, topics,
characters, etc.
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Instructional and Assessment Strategies
When it comes to students needs, nothing else takes priority. In my instruction, I will
make sure that any needs of specific students are accommodated for appropriately. If a student
has issues with hearing, I will place him or her nearest where I spend most my time. If a student
has sight issues, placing them closest to where presentations are given and lectures occur will be
best. Any students IEP will be appropriately assessed for what I can do in the classroom, like
Turning to students needs in learning itself, I teach to all types of learning styles.
Lecture, for me, is never strictly reading off my notes to students. Rather, it is creating an
engaging presentation to appeal to visual learners, articulating clearly the subject at hand for
aural learners, bringing in items and artifacts for kinesthetic learners, and giving ample
opportunity to read texts and write reflections and assessments for the reading & writing
learners. Each day in my classroom, there will be one of each component geared to those
learners, together creating a diverse lesson for engagement from bell to bell.
Outside of lecture, however, I still focus on students academic and learning needs.
Activities such as doodle it allow artistically-driven students a way to draw notes instead of
simple written form. This, too, taps into the reading & writing and visual learning styles, as
students are creating notes, but in a visual format rather than simply written. Another strategy
within note-taking is cutting pictures and pasting them into a notebook. This allows kinesthetic
learners to actively manipulate their notes, while the visual learners gain a new item in their
notes for reference. Combine this with a one sentence description and then explanation to the
class, we effectively tap into aural and reading & writing learning styles, too.
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Preventative Instruction
In creating active and engaging lessons, I believe that most students will not have the
urge to act out in class. But, as my expectations and procedures outline, some days learners are
not going to be at their best. A simple way to exude care and concern for these students, while
acknowledging their feelings, is using proximity control. While this may have a behavioral and
disciplinary connotation, I believe that it can also show students that we care about them and
know something is going on. When we stand close to students and make reassuring gestures such
as a thumbs-up, a smile, or a pat on the back, we make sure they know we are giving them the
Another strategy the I implement for preventative management is group work. Whether
this takes the form of a think-pair-share or small group discussion, this allows students to gain
the social interaction they need. As Harry Wong states, Learning is an individual activity but
not a solitary one. It is more effective when it takes place within a supportive community of
learners (2012, p. 212). Furthermore, this allows for friends to be able to talk to each other
instead of across the room. But, because of this, I am keen in closely monitoring those
discussions, making sure the students stay on task rather than talk about other things.
Assessment Strategies
While the largest component of my classroom management is having a set structure and small,
informal assessments throughout, assessment will also have to take place formally. While in
social studies there may have to be some multiple-choice quizzes, I will stray as far from this as
possible. Fill in the blank, matching, and other tests will not do, either, as they can often become
teacher-focused rather than student-focused. Instead, assessment must come from student choice.
In project, offering choices such as a presentation, poem, video, game show, etc. allows
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differentiation and student power over their choice, rather than feeling assigned and confined to a
specific category. Other possible ways to represent knowledge can be presented to me for
approval, as well, and can be incorporated into the different choices later in the semester or year.
Use of technology, too, must be allowed for students, giving them access to skills they will need
throughout the rest of their learning experiences. In class, informal assessments can be used in
quick checks for understanding, exit tickets, white board activities, and participation graphs. All
of these strategies, used together or individually, often or occasionally, can be great ways to give
students ownership over the learning process, and they can move classrooms forward in
engaging ways.
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Motivation- What Motivates Learners and Planning
me, it is critical to engaging students, as without motivation, the desire to be in the class
decreases, and so, too, does the overall desire to learn. Thus, we must look to strategies that will
help us connect to students best interests and in turn motivate them. Barbara Gross Davis (1993)
outlined the following ideas as research-supported strategies teachers can use to increase
motivation:
1. Give frequent, early, positive feedback that supports students' beliefs that they can do
well.
2. Ensure opportunities for students success by assigning tasks that are neither too easy
5. Help students feel that they are valued members of a learning community.
The way these are carried out in a classroom, though, can vary between teachers and even
between lessons. Overall, it must be a mix of short-term and long-term, intrinsic and extrinsic.
For example, in point 1, Davis discusses the idea of positive feedback for students. This is
extrinsic in the way that it is given to the student. Many time this may even be physical feedback
on an assignment he or she turned in. But, the feedback is taken intrinsically, as a desire to
receive that more often will arise as a result. Similarly, the feedback is immediately short-term,
in which many students will take it and do better during that class period in which they receive it;
but, the students will also turn it into long-term motivation, as they will return to the classroom
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Regarding points 2-3, we must find ways to make the content itself motivating. This is a
long-term motivator, as students will be able to see from the beginning of the year where the
curriculum is headed. These, too, are the best ways we can plan for motivation in the classroom.
As previously discussed, having current events each day outside the curriculum brings some
form of relevancy to the classroom each day. But, when students can see the planned and
structured topics over the course of the semester or year, they are able to look forward to
discussions to come in the room. As a result, however, the assessments must match the
curriculum and still bring an aspect of relevance to the students. Engaging learning activities
allow for this motivation, as well, specifically when the assessments are tied into their
participation and digesting of information presented in the activities. If we assess in ways that
students cannot connect with or understand, such as outside of the activities they engage in, they
will lose motivation. So, we must offer choice (previously discussed) in differentiated
assessments, allowing students to show off their knowledge and skills in appropriate and creative
preparing students adequately first, nor can we have low expectations when the students are
adequately prepared. Thus, we must plan to adjust lessons accordingly, always appropriately
Points 4-5 discuss the learning environments we provide to the students. To foster an
intrinsic motivation of belongingness in the environment, we must make the classroom itself a
welcoming place. While I am not a teacher to meaninglessly hang things throughout my room, I
want the students to feel comfortable to explore the space to tap into their own interests. When
this happens, the atmosphere remains positive and safe, and the conversations that follow can
match this. Being a part of the community in the classroom makes the students become part of
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the learning community outside of it, which is something that tends to become lost in many
classrooms. Today, no classroom is isolated from the outside world, and our contributions we
make within the school walls can have adequate contributions outside, too. To best plan for this,
I will make sure students know that they can affect change in the community. Whether it be
writing a letter or posting an article online, I will make my students aware of the best ways to
have the same discussions in the outside world. Additionally, my classroom will have a
community aspect to it, in which outside resources can come into the classroom, and our work
can be shared with those outside resources and others. This can be in the form of a person
coming in to teach about something, or a traveling suitcase of documents and artifacts coming
into the classroom, or a paper or article or speech leaving the classroom via the internet, an
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Teacher Relationships with Students and Parents
In all aspects of life, relationships offer assistance and comfort which are often not
available through any other means. In my own life, they are the most important thing, as from
them I grow, learn, and build confidence in myself. Thus, relationships with my students is one
of the biggest priorities of my educational philosophy. Without these, I will not be relevant or
current- I will not know the interests of the classroom. As a result, my classroom will be entirely
teacher-focused, leading to failure for myself and possibly my students. But, with positive
having a relationship with the students parents is important because of the way trust is built.
Without any kind of relationship, the parents will not be able to trust me, and they may limit their
childs time in my classroom before and after school, or not allow calculated risks to be taken in
the classroom. But, when these relationships are present, that trust opens, and their respect of my
job allows me to best prepare the students for parts of their academic career and life in ways the
At the beginning of the year, I will have my students fill out an about me sheet, where
they can tell me their interests, hobbies, and even favorite part of social studies. I will do this for
two reasons: first, it allows me to learn names easier, as it puts more information in connections
with names and faces; secondly, this allows for personally relevancy in creating lessons,
analogies within the lessons, and activities for the students. Knowing their interests is an easier
way to manage differentiation, as I will be able to know what my students may and may not be
interested in working on. Additionally, my room will have an open-door policy, in which if I am
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in the room and not working on or discussing anything privately, anyone will be able to walk in
and work on or discuss anything on their minds. Entry tickets allow students to let me know
them better and teach to them in the ways that will support them best, too. In the lessons,
personal relevance and connection allows the students to know I care about them, furthering the
students-teacher relationship. These are the best ways for me to truly know my students, as it was
experiences like these that allowed me to know my teachers better in my academic career.
At the beginning of the year, I will send home a folder/packet of relevant information to
the family of what will be happening in my classroom. First, I will provide a class
schedule/syllabus for them, as they can then see what their student will be learning. Second, I
will provide a letter introducing me, my background, and what my interests are. In this letter, I
will also provide a link to my class website, on which I will be able to post any materials
students may need if they missed class, updates of what is happening in the classroom, and even
photos from classes. Third, I will provide a sheet which parents will sign and return, proving
they read the material in the packet, and a section of contact information in case I must contact
them for waivers, good news, etc. Throughout the year, I will update the website and keep the
parents in the loop of what is occurring in the classroom. This is a way for parents to see the hard
work of the students paying off, which further builds trust in the parent-teacher relationship.
It is easy for parents to become involved in my class. Using the website, parents can
submit comments or suggestions of things they know about, allowing them to become part of
some of the discussions happening in the classroom. On homework and assessments, I can allow
students opportunities to interview their parents regarding certain things about their lives. For
example, a student could ask his or her parents about how they were raised, what got them
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interested in their careers, how technology is different between the generations, etc. Lastly,
parents can take part in the learning process by learning alongside their students. Through using
podcasts, skype, google hangouts, etc., we can connect many of the lessons with parents at home.
They can either watch, listen, or participate with their student as a good form of studying, or they
can do it alone to be able to have a sustained interest in the students learning, without
overwhelming their child. Each of these are easy ways in which a parent-teacher relationship can
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Vision of an Ideal Classroom
will reflect just that. Upon entering, you will see an environment of comfort. What is on the
walls inspire students; though no motivational posters will be present, an inspiration to learn
will be present in the maps, pictures, relevant items that line the walls. Student work will be hung
about the classroom, giving the students who need positive examples of work the opportunity to
model future work from their peers. You will see a physical set up of tables and desks in ways
that promote collaboration and discussion- not rows of desks for individual or exclusive work.
When walking into the room, you will see students using the space to their advantage.
Following the set-up of the classroom, students will be working together on tasks. If a lecture is
being given, you will see students answering questions together in pairs or groups. Information
being given directly to the students will not happen without some sort of dialogue happening, a
consistent theme throughout my lessons. In other scenarios, you will see students working in
groups to complete assignments. Jigsaw learning, group projects, and other multi-member
You will see me walking around the classroom observing students, helping them answer
questions, and using proximity control to best control behavioral issues. This is the best way to
informatively assess participation and group work, while also aiding in the difficult material.
would need to be up and moving in this way to best help them. Regarding proximity control, this
is the best way to preventatively teach, meaning stopping problems before they arise. If doing
this correctly, many issues can be addressed while they are minor, rather than becoming a
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If a moderate or major issue was to arise, and it not be stopped earlier, I will be following
the procedures set out earlier in this plan. Rarely, if ever, will a student be removed from the
classroom or sent elsewhere. I will be using humor to diffuse situations, while also trying to
connect to the student to find out what caused he or she decided to act out in such a way.
One of the most obvious things you will see is the students and myself enjoying learning
and being with one another. Being a member of the learning community means growing in
community together. If we can foster that environment, incredible things will happen in the
classroom. The assignments, projects, and content become more important to all of us, and the
relationships inside and outside of the classroom increase in depth and care. To foster such a
great school environment, it must begin in the classroom, and we are called, as teachers, to begin
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Works Cited
Wong, H. K., & Wong, R. T. (2009). The First Days of School: How to be an Effective Teacher.
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