Welcome!Group Members

MeganDeniseEmilyCindyJackie

Rules? Group Work

5 groups of 3 people

Assignment: come up with 5 rules and then pick one good rule and write it on the board.

RulesWhat is a rule??

• Emmer and colleagues (1981) – “written rules which are either posted in the classroom, given to students on a ditto or other copy, or copied by students into their notebooks”

• Rules should provide guidelines or benchmarks that help students examine their behaviors and consider the effects on themselves and others.

• Behaviors that violate accepted rules should be dealt with by discussing them with students.

• When dealing with unproductive behavior, teachers must help students examine both their motivations and the consequences of their actions.

The term rule suggests a compliance orientation to

classroom management. However, the goals of education and the

needs of students are better served by working with students to create a sense of shared community. It is more effective to replace the word rules with words such as behavior

standards or norms.

Steps to Developing Classroom Behavior Standards:

1. Discuss the values of having behavior standards

2. Develop a list of standards (3-6 rules)a. Positively stated standardsb. Clearly differentiate/separate rules from proceduresc. Teach the concept of “time, place, and manner”

3. Obtain a commitment to the standardsa. Have students sign this commitmentb. Decide if anyone else should sign and commit to supporting these standards

4. Monitor and review the standardsa. Determine how now students will be involved in understanding and committing to these standards.b. Review these standards when behavior problems increase or at times you expect students may need a preventive review.

Discussing the Value of Rules and Behavior Standards:

Teachers must begin the school year by teaching the classroom rules and procedures, carefully

monitoring students’ behaviors, informing students of mistakes, and reteaching rules and procedures

that students are frequently failing to follow.Rules should be developed in conjunction with teaching strategies that enhance active and

meaningful student engagement in the learning process, relate to students’ cultural backgrounds and interests, and help develop students’ higher-

level thinking skills.The first step in developing classroom rules is to

discuss with students why it is important to develop standards all members of the class agree to follow.Help students understand how rules benefit people

who must work together

Cultural Diffrence“definitions and expectations of appropriate

behavior are culturally influenced, and conflicts are likely to occur when teachers and students come from different cultural

backgrounds.”White, middle-class values and styles, clearly communicate expectations to students whole own values and personal styles may be quite

different than those expected in the classroom.

African American students learn most effectively from teachers who set clear expectations and, in a caring yet firm

manner, hold students to these expectations.

“Compelling State Interests”

“Forrest Gathercoal introduces students to the concept that a person’s constitutional rights do not include the

right to violate the rights of others.Students are denied their individual rights only when their

actions seriously affect the welfare of others.A shared knowledge of constitutional principles allows

objectivity because educators themselves are not personally identified with the rules

When personal biases are used as the basis for rules and decisions, educators are more likely to interpret rules violations as violations against themselves personally.Educators are far more successful with misbehaving students when those students feel they are working

together with someone trying to help them understand and find ways to live within society’s reasonable

expectations.

Students cannot violate the following rights of the

majority:Health and Safety

Property Loss and DamageLegitimate Educational

PurposeSerious Disruption of the

Learning Process

 Students can be expected to support rules and procedures that enhance

learning only if the learning process is respectful of students and their needs

Students’ learning is dramatically related to the creation of a safe climate

in which everyone is treated with dignity.Students benefit from learning about

their rights as citizens and seeing that these rights and their dignity are upheld and fostered in the school environment.

Developing a ListStudents may be asked to describe “the way we

want to act in our classroom so it is a good place for everyone to learn.” During this stage, encourage the

students to state their standards in a POSITIVE manner:

Don’t talk while others are talking Listen quietly while others are talking

Don’t steal from each other, or teachers If you need something, ask to borrow it

“Classroom Rules Consistent with Ensuring Students “Compelling State

Interests” 

Health and safetyTreat each other politely and kindly.

Property loss and damageTreat school and personal property respectfully

Legitimate educational purposeFollow reasonable teacher requests

Be prepared for classMake a good effort to ask for help when you need it

Serious disruption of the educational processSolve problems nonviolently

GathercoalMany students believe that adult decisions are intended to frustrate and

demean them. When students learn that adults are not stating that students behaviors are “bad” but rather that they must stand the test of

time, place, and manner, students often have a much different reaction to limits set by teachers.

Gathercoal also states that all behavior needs to be evaluated by examining time, place, and manner. Most behavior is appropriate at some

time, in some place, and if done in a particular manner. Examples:

TIMETalking to peers during cooperative learning is desirable;

Talking to peers during a test is inappropriate.PLACE

Boxing is an Olympic sport;Boxing in the classroom/hallway is inappropriate.

MANNERRequest clarification about instructions is polite;

Standing up and saying “This material stinks!” is inappropriate.

Getting a CommitmentA number of teachers have their students

take the list of rules home for parents to sign and return. The fact that everyone is

responsible for the students’ behaviors understands the rules and consequences can have a positive effect on their behaviors and

can minimize the confusion and tension associated with instances when parents

much be contacted about a students inappropriate behavior.

When sending a list of rules and consequences home it is important to

include a general philosophy statement about your classroom management and

instruction.

Monitoring and Reviewing Classroom RulesEspecially in elementary school classrooms, it is important to review the rules frequently for

several weeks.A good approach is to review them every day for the first

week; three times during the second week;

and once a week thereafter.

Classroom rules need to be reviewed with every new student who enters the class.Rules should also be discussed when a

student or the teacher indicated that violation of one or more rules is detracting from

learning or is infringing on a student’s rights.

Key Proceduresall my information came from our textbook

-Procedures are what we expect students to follow

during specific classroom and school activities.

-Examples of specific procedures teachers need to set up for an elementary school classroom:

1. Room AreasA. students desks, tables,

storage areasB. learning centers, stationsC. shared materialsD. teacher’s desk and

storageE. fountain, sink, bathroom,

pencil sharpener

2. School AreasA. bathroom,

fountain, office, library

B. lining upC. play groundD. lunch

3. Whole Class Activities/SeatworkA. student participationB. signals for student attentionC. talk among studentsD. making assignmentsE. passing out books and

suppliesF. turning in workG. handing back assignmentsH. makeup workI. out of seat policiesJ. activities after work is finished

4. Small Group ActivitiesA. student movement into

and out of groupB. bringing materials to groupC. expected behavior of students in groupD. expected behavior of students out of group

5. Other ProceduresA. beginning of school dayB. end of school dayC. student conduct

during delays, interruptionsD. fire drillsE. housekeeping and

student helpers

-A procedure is best taught by:1. discussing the need for the procedure2. possibly soliciting student ideas3. having students practice

the procedure until it is preformed

correctly4. reinforcing the correct

behavior

-When introducing the procedures, work with the class to develop

-Classroom procedures must be carefully monitored during their initial acquisition. Early in the school

year, teachers should respond to almost every violation of a rule or procedure. Whether it is the

class or an individual student who violates the procedure the best approach is to ask the student to state the correct procedure and then demonstrate it.

For example, is a class lines up poorly after having demonstrated the correct procedure, you should

politely comment that you know the class can line up more efficiently and ask them to return to their seats

so that they can practice the procedure. You can even ask the students to describe the behaviors

associated with lining up correctly and how it benefits the students.

-Fun teaching method to teach procedures to students:1. puppet play2. story time

3. posters4. letters

5. oops, I goofed (have students share a time when they broke a procedure)

6. create a play7. school in relation to community rules

8. rules unscrambled9. rule bingo

10. wrong way11. hug or handshake

12. contract for success13. picture signals

14. rules in the sack (put rules on index cards into a paper bag, students pull out a rule and explain it)

15. hidden rules16. numbered rules17. wheel of fortune

18. awards19. picture posters

Who’s responsible for each?• Teachers collaborate with students to

identify the need for rules and procedures in the classroom.

• When they are given the opportunity to help create the list of rules, students are more motivated to follow them.

• Students will understand that the rules are meant to keep them safe and help them figure out what to do.

Procedures• Procedures tell students how to perform

routine instructional and housekeeping tasks. • Effective teachers begin introducing

procedures on the very first day of school and continue to teach and reinforce them throughout the year.

• It may be necessary to modify procedures during the school year to adapt to instructional needs or the needs of a particular class.

Consistency• Teachers who wish to have a well

behaved class need to be consistent in their management every day.

• Consistency is what holds together any discipline or behavior plan. Without it, student behavior will go downhill as they realize the teacher will not enforce the rules.

Now knowing what you knew before and learned now would

you change the rule your group chose to write on the

board?