Students Need to Understand the Rules

Setting clear expectations for students will help teachers reinforce the rules and will help the students understand exactly what is expected of them. To do this, teachers must post the rules in the classroom and go over each rule with the students to ensure a thorough understanding.

Posting Rules in the Classroom

When posting a list of rules in the classroom, it is important that teachers consider the student’s perspective. The rule should be posted at close to eye level for the students, a task that can easily be accomplished by sitting at the student’s desks before deciding where to post them. They also need to be posted in a place that catches student’s attention. This way the rules will always be easy for students to see and remember.

Discussing Class Rules

Students who understand the rules and expectations are more likely to follow them. If the teacher does not take the time to thoroughly explain each rule to the students, there is no reason to expect the students to obey those rules. Make sure that when discussing the rules, all the students understand what each one means in practice. Give examples of situations and see if the students can apply the rules as practice.

In order to continue to help set a positive tone in the classroom, each rule needs to be stated in a positive instead of a negative. While this may seem simple to many classroom teachers who have been through any teacher training at all, it is important enough to mention again. The Class rules are to tell student what they are to do, rather than what the are to not do. Think of it as not giving the student any ideas for how to misbehave.