2. What classroom rules do you plan to use? Why these specific rules?
I might have two sets of rules, depending on the grade level I end up teaching for my job. For early elementary grades I will use these rules:
1. Be kind.
2. Listen and follow directions.
3. Do your best!
For upper elementary grades I will use these rules:
1. Follow directions the first time.
2. Keep your hands and feet to yourself.
3. Adjust your voice level to suit the activity
4. Be polite and helpful.
5. Keep the room neat and clean.
6. Respect yourself and others.
The reason I only have three rules for the early elementary grades is because I want to keep it short and simple so students will remember them. These rules cover just about any situation; for instance, "Be kind" can mean sharing with others, respecting yourself and the property in the classroom, not calling other students names, and helping clean up the classroom or helping another student learn something. "Listen and follow directions" is important because I want the students to be successful, and this is a necessary behavior to adopt in order for academic success to occur. "Do your best" is a reminder that we are all unique, but we can and should give schoolwork our individual best effort.
The upper elementary grade rules are more specific, but they can all be summarized with the last one, "Respect yourself and others." The first five spell out exactly what respect means. Older children are ready to read the rules and can understand them.
3. When and how should classroom teachers present their classroom rules to students?
I would introduce rules on the first day of class, so the expectations are set up immediately. I liked LouAnne Johnson's idea from Teaching Outside the Box where she suggests introducing rules in a fun way, like giving a multiple choice quiz with non-examples of what the rules mean. For upper elementary students, this would work out great. For early elementary students, I would introduce the rules by making a story about them and a rules worksheet which they could keep at their desks to remind them of the rules. For kindergarteners, I would have them draw pictures of what it looks like to be kind, listen and follow directions, and do your best.
I might have two sets of rules, depending on the grade level I end up teaching for my job. For early elementary grades I will use these rules:
1. Be kind.
2. Listen and follow directions.
3. Do your best!
For upper elementary grades I will use these rules:
1. Follow directions the first time.
2. Keep your hands and feet to yourself.
3. Adjust your voice level to suit the activity
4. Be polite and helpful.
5. Keep the room neat and clean.
6. Respect yourself and others.
The reason I only have three rules for the early elementary grades is because I want to keep it short and simple so students will remember them. These rules cover just about any situation; for instance, "Be kind" can mean sharing with others, respecting yourself and the property in the classroom, not calling other students names, and helping clean up the classroom or helping another student learn something. "Listen and follow directions" is important because I want the students to be successful, and this is a necessary behavior to adopt in order for academic success to occur. "Do your best" is a reminder that we are all unique, but we can and should give schoolwork our individual best effort.
The upper elementary grade rules are more specific, but they can all be summarized with the last one, "Respect yourself and others." The first five spell out exactly what respect means. Older children are ready to read the rules and can understand them.
3. When and how should classroom teachers present their classroom rules to students?
I would introduce rules on the first day of class, so the expectations are set up immediately. I liked LouAnne Johnson's idea from Teaching Outside the Box where she suggests introducing rules in a fun way, like giving a multiple choice quiz with non-examples of what the rules mean. For upper elementary students, this would work out great. For early elementary students, I would introduce the rules by making a story about them and a rules worksheet which they could keep at their desks to remind them of the rules. For kindergarteners, I would have them draw pictures of what it looks like to be kind, listen and follow directions, and do your best.
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