Rules and Expectations

Structure

When classroom structure is discussed, the topics brought up are apt to be the arrangement of furniture, placement of work stations or centers, designated quiet areas, how traffic will flow, and the amount and kind of adult-directed activity. In other words, structure is often discussed in terms of the physical and temporal organization of the classroom. However, structure also refers to the classroom’s rules and expectations for appropriate behavior. Without such rules and expectations, many students truly do not know how to behave or what is expected of them. When successfully implemented, rules and expectations enhance the teaching and learning process.

Classroom Rules

Classroom rules serve the purpose of creating order and safety that make for a productive learning environment. Each rule must have a purpose, and each should be clearly explained, modeled, and practiced. Here is a sample list of basic rules: Be Prompt, Be Prepared, Be Positive, Be Productive, Be Polite. Notice, this list of rules is stated in a positive way so as to better serve the purpose of creating a positive classroom climate. Instead of stating what not to do (e.g., No running in the classroom), rules can be stated in terms of what to do (“Use walking feet at school”).

Notice from the preceding list that some rules are apt to be abstract and therefore in need of being interpreted by teachers so as to make their meaning clear to students. That is, rules are not simply stated and left for students to interpret. They need to be taught—both in discussion with students and sometimes simply in recognition of when students are following a rule. A teacher can use such an occasion to point out that actions are what rules are about: “That was a polite way you spoke to Jimmy. Thanks for following the class rule about being polite.”

The aim, then, is to help students put classroom rules on the inside—both in the sense that they come to know the rules so well that they know them by rote, and in the sense that students approve of them and feel they are not just one more instance of a teacher telling them what to do. In support of this goal, rules should be kept to a short list, and they should be accompanied by a consistent plan for consequences when a rule is broken. To help further the aim of putting rules on the inside, students can take an active part in creating the list of classroom rules. Given proper supports, class meetings [Page 682]for this purpose can occur with children as young as 4 years, maybe even younger.

Expectations

Expectations are about how students should be acting in given situations or in given locations. They may follow or relate to classroom rules, but they go beyond rules by giving much-needed specifics for classrooms to remain safe and orderly. For example, transitions from classroom to out-of-classroom activity need the support of clear expectations—such as the expectation to push one’s chair in before leaving, put materials away, get in line quickly and quietly, keep hands and feet to oneself, and face forward. Putting such expectations in writing and/or in pictures can help students have a clear image and understanding of what it is they should be doing. Developing expectations does take time, but it will pay off in the long run. Once students learn what is expected, less time will be spent on review, and more time can be devoted to classroom instruction on content.

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