In most every classroom there is a prominently displayed list of rules. Some were created by the class while others were laws laid down by the teacher. It doesn’t really matter who contributed the content, they all involve a whole bunch of “don’ts” in regard to raising your hand to speak, leaving the room, doing your homework, cleaning up around your desk, keeping hands, feet and other objects to yourself etc. With thirty years of classroom experience, I am confident that I could create a list of at least a hundred rules about very specific things that happen in a classroom that I failed to include in my list of prohibitions. Somewhere about halfway in my career, my list was so long that nobody even read the stupid poster. I boiled everything down to one rule; DO THE RIGHT THING. I have plenty of expectations and the students know those but if someone blurts out an answer, I ask, “is that the right thing?” If someone says something rude to another student, I ask, “is that the right thing?” If someone keeps dropping a pencil so as to disturb the class, I ask, “is that the right thing?” No matter if you teach Pre-K or high school, this single rule works. Why? They already know. The younger they are, the more they are aware of right and wrong and justice. Everything is black and white. They have to develop reasoning skills before everything becomes gray and subject to argument. Since nothing else about teaching the earliest learners is simple, just take it. One rule is easy….and effective.

This may take some role playing and modeling appropriate behaviors for our PEC students, but they will get it if you are consistent with your expectations.

Pamela Webster, M. Ed., SPED

If you are an experienced teacher and you have a story about classroom rules, please share it in the comments below.