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RULES
How to run a well-managed classroom beginning on Day One and developing throughout the year

THE FIRST RULE OF EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTION: Do not confuse teaching with learning. Just because you think you are teaching does not mean someone is learning.

THE SECOND RULE OF EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTION: Do not attempt instruction until students are in compliance with your school, global and classroom rules.

THE THIRD RULE OF EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTION: Only when students know the rules of the game can they win.

THE FOURTH RULE OF EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTION: When you decide to teach something, teach it to mastery. Otherwise, why teach it?

Raise expectations, and push the standards of appropriate classroom behavior to a very high level.

For the most part, teachers are dealing with students who have virtually no social skills. They don't know how to enter a classroom. They don't know how to say "please and thank you." They don't know how to disagree appropriately. They don't know how to act on a field trip.

These same students have had a million excuses made for them. They have been taught that their behavior is not within their control. They have been brainwashed to believe that they are entitled to lives without sweat, effort and focus. They have been taught that their feelings are more important than their actions. In short, they have been robbed by adults, teachers, psychiatrists, schools of education.

With clearly stated expectations and rules; with compliance with these expectations and rules, effective instruction skyrockets. Schools can accomplish what they set out to do: prepare students to successfully continue their educations and hold careers with a future.

The rules of effective instruction require teachers and parents to stop teaching until they have compliance with the rules; to teach the rules; to teach to mastery.

In order to achieve this high level of instruction classrooms must be well-managed, safe and orderly. Until compliance with the rules is achieved, teachers should not attempt any further instruction.

RULE TRAINING OUTCOMES:

• Rules are stated as behaviors which can be observed, counted, recorded and described.Teachers will teach to mastery.
• Teachers will not proceed with instruction until correct behavior is demonstrated.
• Rules will be described as specific behaviors.
• Students will be presented with rationales for the rules.
• Students/children will demonstrate both right and wrong behavior; role playing.
• Students/children will demonstrate correct behavior.
• Correct behavior will be recorded and rewarded.
• Review will take place in different settings: classroom, playground, lunch room, entering class, etc.
• Classrooms filled with pleading, arguing, yelling, threatening and giving up will be a thing of the past.

In order to optimize a child's chances for success, teachers and parents must take the time to clearly outline their expectations, their rules, and what may be earned by living up to these expectations and rules.

When students know the rules of the game they have a chance of playing the game successfully. When the rules are never clearly spelled and consistently enforced, the opportunities for winning decrease dramatically. When one knows the rules, the game can be won.

There needs to be a blizzard of rules, clearly described, useful in a variety of settings. Rules should be clearly written and posted that describe correct behavior for:

assemblies
before and after school programs
car pool
classrooms
dress code
entering school in the morning
entering the classroom
exiting school in the afternoon
exiting the classroom
field trips
format
global
hallways/transitions
line
lunchroom
office visits
P.E.
playground
referrals, how to go to the office
restroom
tardy
voices off, eyes on me
walking/cycling home

RATIONALES

Rationales are "reality statements." They help students, children and adults understand the benefits of following instruction and the rules. Pointing out the positive outcomes of following the rules, and living up to expectations, helps people make better choices about their behavior.

Students benefit from learning about the consequences of both their positive and negative behavior. Rationales let students know why a specific behavior is beneficial tot hem and to others.

An example, "When you enter the classroom with a quiet voice everyone knows it is time to get to work. Your quiet voice helps others to have a quiet voice. A quiet voice shows respect.

People are more likely to do as they are asked when they are given a reason for doing so.

Take the time to list a variety of payoffs that may be derived from showing off a new behavior. Involve students in generating rationales in order to enhance meaning and ownership. Example: "Let's list on the board ten reasons why it could be important to stay seated while eating in the way we just discussed.

CONSISTENCY

Do rules need to be the same for all everyone, at all times?

The more consistent all teachers, supervisors and parents can be with the rules, the greater the child's chances for success. Students should not have to guess from moment to moment about the rules.

When the rules change from moment to moment, classroom to classroom, restroom to restroom, hallway to hallway, opportunities for winning decrease. Students should not have to guess about the rules. Rules should be clearly stated and consistently enforced.

HOW TO TEACH RULES - Beginning on Day One

In a school setting, all teachers should review all the rules with every class. The standard teaching format should be used:

Teacher points to the rule, clearly written so everyone can see, and states the rule.
The rule is, "Enter the assembly area with voices off."
What's the rule? Signal.
"Enter the assembly area with voices off."
Yes. The rule for entering the assembly area is "Voices off."

Next rule.

The rule is...

After reviewing the rules they need to be practiced. Good examples should be demonstrated. Bad examples should be demonstrated. Students should have an opportunity to practice and ask questions.

All rules should be reviewed, practiced and drilled by all teachers, with every class, on Day One through Day Five of the school year.

Rules should then be reviewed as needed, and after every break of longer than one day.

Don't ever give a child the excuse, "Nobody ever explained the rules to me."
Don't expect parents to explain the rules.
The fact that the rules may be written in a student handbook is not enough.
For a well-managed school, teaching high expectations, in a variety of settings, is the job of the teacher and of every adult in charge of supervision.

EXAMPLES OF RULES

Global Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

Outcome: Students will act with an appreciation for the safety and dignity of others.

Assembly Rules

Outcome: Students will attend safe, orderly and respectful assemblies.

1. Enter the assembly area with voices off.
2. Sit in your assigned area.
3. Hands and feet to yourself.
4. After seated, inside voices.
5. Voices off immediately upon signal.
6. Show respect: take notes.
7. Lend a helping hand.

Classroom Rules

Outcome: Students will start on time, stay on task, complete their assignments.

1. Follow instructions the first time.
2. Raise hand to ask or answer.
3. Respond on signal.
4. Stay in your own space.
5. Stay focused on the task at hand.
6. Do unto others...

Entering Classroom Rules

Outcome: Students will enter quietly, in an orderly manner.

1. Enter with quiet voices.
2. Enter with all needed material.
3. Enter dressed correctly.
4. Be seated.
5. Take out pencil and paper.
6. Lend a helping hand.

Entering School Rules

Outcome: Students will enter quietly, in an orderly manner.

1. Enter between 7:40 and 7:55.
2. Enter with quiet voices.
2. Enter with all needed materials.
3. Dress correctly.
4. Walk directly to your locker.
5. Do unto others...

Field Trip Rules

Outcome: Students will attend safe and orderly field trips.

1. On request, line up on teachers or chaperones.
2. On request, "Voices off."
3. Follow all instructions.
4. Nothing may hang out of, or leave, windows.
5. No yelling or throwing out of windows.
6. Stay with our group.
7. Lend a helping hand.

Format Rules

Outcome: All papers shall be turned in on time, neatly, and in our school's format.

1. Your name, teacher name, subject and date in the upper right hand corner.
2. No wrinkled or folded assignments; no pages torn out of notebooks.
3. Neat writing.
4. Correct spelling and grammar.
5. Do unto others...

Global Rules

Outcome: Students will be able to recite the global rule, "Do unto others..."

1. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
2. Be prepared: in seat on time, two sharp pencils, binder with paper, textbooks, voices off, eyes on teacher.
3. Start on time.
4. Work neatly until completion.
5. Silently raise your hand to ask or answer.
6. Lend a helping hand.

Hallway/Transition Rules

Outcome: Students will be well supervised during all transitions. They will move through the hallways safely, quietly and quickly.

1. Inside voices.
2. Hands and feet to yourself.
3. Walk, don't run.
4. Stay to the right.
5. Protect the walls (pencils and markers away).
6. Do unto others.

Line Rules

Outcome: On request, students will line up quickly and quietly, waiting for further instructions from staff.

1. Face forward, voices off.
2. Stay together.
3. Hands and feet to yourself.
4. Listen.
5. Lend a helping hand.

Referrals, how to go to the office

Outcome: Students will walk directly and quietly to the front office.

1. First disruption, name written on board.
2. Second disruption, check next to name.
3. Third disruption, call home immediately or referral to front office.
4. On request, go directly to the office, voice off.
5. You will be readmitted to class once I have spoken with your parent.
6. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

Restroom Rules

Outcome: Students will use clean, orderly and safe restrooms.

1. One student per class at a time.
2. Walk directly to and from restroom, voices off.
3. Remember to flush and clean up.
4. Wash hands (no playing with soap).
5. If thirsty, get a drink of water.
6. Assist younger children.
7. No sitting on sinks.
8. Lend a helping hand.

Voices off, Eyes on me

Outcome: All teachers, students and supervisors will be able to demonstrate this fundamental requirement of effective learning.

1. On signal, voices off.
2. Face teacher or take seat.
3. Eyes on teacher.
4. Wait for instruction.
5. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

When you observe a student breaking a rule, acting poorly or dangerously, take the student aside. Ask him or her, "Was that an example of the Global Rule? What happened immediately before you exhibited the particular behavior? How might you have acted differently?" Do not lecture, establish expectations, provide brief rationales and proceed. Get parents involved immediately if a pattern is observed. Let both parent and child know that the choice is the students. Either the student chooses to comply with the rules and standards of your school or the student chooses to attend another school. The choice is theirs.

Your faculty and staff will modify these rules to represent the requirements of your students and school. The point is, with rules everyone can succeed. Without rules everyone has a built in excuses, "No one told me. I didn't know. My other teacher doesn't do it that way."

While you can't have a rule for every single behavior, with a clear foundation in place you can create a school that is orderly, safe and respectful. This is required in order for effective learning to occur.

Gone are the days of teachers shouting over loud, off-task, disruptive students.

Imagine being part of a faculty where every teacher has succeeded in the classroom for the past six years. The only reason for leaving this school is either spousal relocation or to further your educational growth. For a good article about an effective school where the rules are clearly understood, CLICK HERE.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE: RULES -- How to run a well-managed classroom © June 15, 2001 by Rory Donaldson. All rights reserved. In order to help reverse the tide of academic failure and optimize school success, parents and teachers may copy articles, tools and software for individual, non-commercial use at no charge. Contents may not be sold or repackaged in any manner without the written permission of Rory Donaldson. Since all material is copyrighted, please ensure that this entire copyright notice and contact information continues to be attached to each article you download. Mr. Donaldson appreciates the feedback. Additional academic-success articles and tools may be viewed and downloaded at no charge by logging on to brainsarefun.com. New titles are being released regularly. Suggestions and comments encouraged, email: roryd@brainsarefun.com.

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