Quick Tips for Creating Classroom Rules

Behavioral goals and guidelines are important to a successful learning environment! If you're looking to establish a classroom code of conduct, here are a few things to keep in mind...

1. Establish rules the first day! Even though the first day of school can be is hectic, attempt to model procedures and lessons as if it were a regular school day. This includes rules! Not only does it help to foster a sense of consistency from day to day, students respond better when they know, and can internalize, what is expected of them.
2. Encourage students to take ownership by helping create classroom rules. One word of caution, student-created rules can sometimes be more strict than those you would have come up with on your own. Make certain that your final list includes manageable guidelines.
3. Keep rules positive in nature. For example, "Be a caring friend" is preferable to "No hitting/kicking, etc." Your guidelines will set the tone for your classroom and students will have an easier time making responsible decisions when confronted with positive ideas, rather than negative.
4. Create guidelines that are short and simple, yet well-defined. While students will have an easier time remembering concise guidelines, it is important that you take the first day to talk about each rule so that everyone is on the same page. {Your definition of respect could be very different from your students'.} Provide students with examples of how each of the chosen guidelines look in the classroom - what it looks like to follow the rules and what it might look like to break the rules.
5. Condense your list into a few, manageable guidelines. Similar to the argument for clear and concise rules, students will have an easier time remembering a handful of guidelines versus 2-pages full!

While these ideas are simple, when put into practice, they make creating rules for the classroom a snap!