Norms & Rules

Establishing & Teaching Classroom Expectations explains how to establish and teach classroom expectations. Rules and expectations must be systematically and situationally taught to students in ways that help them learn how to engage in them and understand why they are important.

6 Steps to Pupil Participation in Democratic School Control shows how to establish classroom democracy. It includes examples of what is means to bring democracy into the classroom. It benefits students by providing them with real-world experience. Early and constant instruction and experience in democratic procedures, with gradual grants of responsibility are required to develop trustworthy students and citizens.

Discipline with Dignity-Beyond Obedience finds that students with high self-esteem have four factors in their family backgrounds that distinguished them from others: warmth, clearly defined limits, a democratic atmosphere, and opportunities for practice in decision-making and problem-solving skills. These four factors are further addressed.

How Do Your Classroom Rules Measure Up is an article that shares five steps to create an effective routine and how to establish and implement rules in the classroom.

Ten Activities For Establishing Classroom Rules is a site with engaging activities to start off the school year and establish rules.

When Children Make Rules explains the benefits of having children come up with the classroom rules themselves. This gives students a sense of self responsibility.

A word cloud (or wordle) can be a useful social contract, highlighting words that appear most often. 

Used as a poster to show that everyone is equal in our classroom.

Popular poster available to buy, or groups can recreate each poster and put them together to make their own. 

References:

1. Kaser, Catherine Hoffman. Series On Highly Effective Practices-Classroom Expectations.

2. Bolmeier, E. (2006). 6 steps to pupil participation in democratic school control. Clearing House, 79(5), 198.

3. Curwin, R., & Mendler, A. (1997). Discipline with dignity: Beyond obedience. Education Digest, 63(4), 11.

4. Callahan, Kevin. Pederson-Seelye, Vicki. Rademacher, Joyce A. (1998). How Do Your Classroom Rules Measure up? Guidelines For Developing An Effective Rule Management Routine. ProQuest Education Journals. (284)

5. Ten Activities For Establishing Classroom Rules. (2011). https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B-kdcxG0DQc9bVE1VUJRSlZlSmc/edit

6. DeVries, Rheta. Zen, Betty. (2003). Educational Leadership: When Children Make Rules. (64-67)

Pictures:

1. Day, Barbara. (2011). Capturing Kids’ Hearts. http://dayintheclassroom.edublogs.org/2011/06/30/capturing-kids-hearts/. 

2. Jaime. (2011). What’s the Buzz? http://whatsthebuzzinfirst.blogspot.com/2011_08_01_archive.html.

3. Zazzle. (2013) Teach Factory In Our Classroom Poster. http://www.zazzle.com/gifts?ch=teachfactory.