Lesson Three | Developing Classroom Rules
Consider Developing Common Classroom Rules
Some schools prefer to come up with a set of rules that will apply to all classrooms. Such an approach helps to avoid confusion for students who have more than one teacher.
One school developed the following set of five common rules:
Be in your seat in the assigned classroom before the tardy bell rings
Bring proper books, pencil and other needed materials to class
Keep your hands, feet and objects to yourself
Listen carefully to your teacher's instruction
Treat others, students and staff, with respect
Individual teachers could add a rule or two if needed (as determined by the teacher and class).
Another school developed the following "High Fives":
Be respectful
Be responsible
Follow directions
Keep hands and feet to yourself
Be there - Be ready
The first two days of each school year were devoted to teaching (via role playing, illustrations, etc) the High Five rules to all students.
Similarly, some schools are adopting the mantra:
Be safe
Be responsible
Be respectful
These rules are discussed, taught, and applied in all situations (e.g., the grounds, eating areas, lavatories, and classrooms). After being taught the mantra and what it means in a variety of situations, students are asked: "Is that a safe, responsible, respectful way to behave?"
Review school rules and make sure classroom rules do not conflict with them
It is the mutual responsibility of all educators to implement and enforce discipline codes. Teachers and administrators need to depend on one another's support. Once classroom rules have been developed, they should be compared to the schoolwide rules and policies, and shared with and approved by the responsible administrator(s). Administrators and teachers need to have clear expectations of one another. Administrators need to know what steps teachers took before deciding to send a student to the office, and teachers must know that disciplinary action will be taken consistently by the administration when a student is sent to the office. Thus, classroom and schoolwide discipline programs must not only compliment one another but they must also be mutually coordinated. In other words, it is important to have clear statements of what behaviors are to be handled by teachers, and for what infractions are students to be sent to the office .
Classroom and schoolwide rules differ in focus
Whereas classroom rules focus on educational and classroom student behavior, schoolwide discipline rules inform students of policies and procedures related to more serious student behaviors. While there is often some overlap between classroom and schoolwide rules, Table 1 illustrates the usual difference between the two.
The Focus of Schoolwide vs. Classroom Rules | |
|
School Rules |
Classroom Rules |
Alcohol & Drugs Dress Standards Weapons Attendance/Truancy Threats Vandalism Fighting Theft Sexual Harassment Profanity/Vulgarity Smoking Defacement of School Property Hate Crimes/Incidents |
Classroom Assignments Homework Assignments Student Conduct in Class Tardiness/Punctuality Use of School Property Asking for Assistance Interpersonal Relations |
