Since we all seem to be prepping for the upcoming year, please share your class rules... What are yours? Do you base them off of a acronym? (Like the word RESPECT or something to do with your theme?) Please share...
Debbie Miller's class promise is what we use... When we care about each other and our classroom, we share what we have. Listen carefully, help each other learn, work hard and have fun together. We understand that everyone makes mistakes, that we stand up for ourselves and others, and when someone asks us to stop, we stop. This is who we are even when no one is watching!
I start the year with 2 rules, "Respect everyone and do your best". Throughout the year we discuss if we need other rules and as a class we may add 1 or 2. (Usually things that pertain to that group such as "Don't take things that don't belong to you."
We go through the whole brainstorming session about rules and what we have to do to make our room he best place for learning for everyone. I'll fill the board with all the suggetions and then we simplify them into one rule. Respect yourself and others. Having the kids help with the rule gives them a little ownership.
I have expectations on my website http://mrskitchin.webs.com we also use Baldridge (BiE) and so we have quality students that we develop the first week, each year, per class. I have developed a school-wide behavior plan, and I have that posted on my website as well under the page "For Teachers"
I have one Each student will be Respectful, Responsible, and Ready to learn. We go over in detail what that means.
I really try to just focus on a few. Respect is so important, definitely include that. I think an acronym could be a lot of fun...help them to remember them and recall them easier.
I use the rules from Whole Brain Teaching. The students love the gestures that go with the rules and it helps them to remember the rules.
I have one--Respect--that covers it all. Respect for others, for themselves and for their environment.
Rule 1: Follow directions quickly Rule 2: Raise your hand for permission to speak Rule 3: Raise your hand for permission to leave your seat Rule 4: Make smart choices Rule 5: Keep your teacher happy The rules are not posted in my room. We l;earn the rules from day one, and each rule has a gesture associated with it. The rules become an integral part of every day class, and not just a poster on the wall. It works great!
Someone posted this in another rules forum, and I would like to use it this year: "Be kind to your teachers and friends." I think that pretty much covers everything and is worded in a way for kindergartners to understand.
Same except I changed #2 and #3 since they don't apply to my writing classroom. They are changed to "Respect others." and "Respect yourself." I like emphasizing "respect yourself" to 5th graders because some start to think that maybe they are too cool to study or apply themselves. I do post them for the first day or two or three.
I just want to say that this has been a very helpful post. I have been working on my welcome packet for the parents and this helped me with my "The Root of it All" GREENEhouse rules page. Thank you. My plan is to use the idea someone else posted in another discussion on here. The idea is to have the students come up with rules and then organize them and place them into 4 categories (Be Respectful, Be Responsible, Be Safe and Always Do Your Best).
I have a strategy, that if you make less rules, but with more meaning, it covers everything without being strict. So my rules are: Be respectful, Be responsible, and Be Prepared.
