Classroom Rules

Classroom rules are important to have and post throughout your classroom as they communicate specific expectations to students. These rules must reflect the misbehaviors that an educator thinks may occur most frequently. In order to do this before meeting your students one might consider the grade level, any typical developmental characteristics of that age group, and classroom schedule, routines, and procedures. From these dynamic factors an educator would plan classroom rules, six at most, which would be best for their classroom. Limiting the number of classroom rules ensures that both the teacher and students can keep track of and enforce the rules. Sprick (2009) provides further guidelines to keep in mind when developing classroom rules (p. 116).

• Rules should be positively stated.
• Rules should be specific and refer to observable behaviors.
• Plan to teach your rules using positive and negative examples.
• Rules should be posted in a prominent, visible location.

In my classroom I would want to create these rules with my students to give them a sense of ownership and increased accountability. The process of creating the rules would be facilitated by me and I would work with the students to come up with the list of rules I had previously planned. We would begin by brainstorming rules as a class, using our classroom guidelines as a start to support our thinking. I would then prompt students to draw out similarities between ideas and work with them to create rules with language that is specific and relates to observable behaviors.

Keeping in mind Sprick's first two guidelines, here is what I would plan my classroom rules to be:

1. Stay on task during all work times.
2. Follow directions quickly the first time they are given.
3. Allow others to work and play without disturbance or interruption.
4. Move from place to place in a quiet and orderly way.
5. Take care of all school supplies and equipment.

(I will post a more creative version of these classroom rules which would be displayed in the classroom)