Establishing Rules and Procedures

1
Establishing Rules and Procedures

• Or, What Do I Want and How Do I Get Students to
  Do It?

2
RULES

• Govern relationships with
• time
• space
• materials
• RULES DO NOT CHANGE

3
PROCEDURES

• Govern ways to get things done
• Examples
• computer use
• heading papers
• trips to the restroom
• asking questions/talking in class
• sharpening pencils
• PROCEDURES CHANGE ACCORDING TO NEED.

4
How Many Rules Should I Have?

• Generally, should be limited to 3-6 rules for
  elementary students and no more than 8 rules for
  secondary students
• There is no prescribed number of classroom
  procedureshave as many as you need to make
  things flow smoothly.

5
Guidelines for Writing Rules

• Always Applicable
• Stated positively when possible
• Stated behaviorally
• Consistent with own philosophy

• Consistent with school rules
• Understandable
• Do-able
• Manageable

6
Areas to Be Covered by Rules

• Talking
• Safety
• Physical contact
• Movement
• Materials
• Preparation
• Timeliness

7
Evaluating and Improving Rules

• Do not talk in class.
• Abstain from initiating physical contact with
  others in our learning community. Avoid hitting,
  kicking, or otherwise touching your classmates.
• Be ready for class.
• Follow directions correctly the first time.

8
Evaluating and Improving, Cont.

• Listen to everything that is going on in the
  classroom.
• Dont be late for class and be prepared for
  class.
• Leave your desk only when the teacher has given
  you permission.
• Think deeply and have a kind heart.

9
Involving Students in Rule- Making

• Decide ahead of time what behaviors you
  can/cannot live with.
• Limit student participation to realms where they
  can have real input (cant change school rules)
• Remember your objectives. Emphasize that
  students can choose to follow the rules and that
  there are consequences for failing to do so.

10
Teaching Classroom Rules

• Make rules public
• post rules in class
• send rules home for parent signature (keep this
  document on file)
• Make rules explicit
• discuss specific expectations relevant to each
  rule and give specific examples

11
THE KEY Consistency

• Make rules followed
• BE CONSISTENT!!!
• Make sure that stated rules and functional rules
  are the same (rules mean what they say)

12
Times for Procedures!

• Transitions in and out of room
• beginning/ending the day or period
• leaving/returning to the room
• Room Area Use
• teachers desk
• student desks/storage
• pencil sharpener/trash can/chalkboard
• centers/stations

13

• General recurring activities
• materials for class
• distributing/collecting materials
• interruptions, announcements, fire/disaster
  drills, split class periods
• restrooms/water fountains
• library, resource classes, office, phone
• lockers, cafeteria, playground
• classroom helpers

14

• Seat work and teacher-led instruction
• student attention and participation
• talking or getting out of their desks
• getting help
• completed assignments
• Group work
• getting ready
• receiving assignments
• student movement
• expected behavior

15
Steps in Teaching a Procedure

• Explanation
• Give concrete definitions
• provide reasons (rationale)
• demonstrate the procedure
• present tasks step-by-step
• explain and demonstrate cues
• Rehearsal
• Feedback
• Reteaching (as necessary)