Blogpost #7

What are some classroom rules, and how are they enforced?

I loved how during this module it talked about some strategies that can help you as a teacher manage your classroom, but not only that letting students be responsible for their own behavior. As I have walked into various classrooms I have noticed the class rules posted up at the front of room usually by the white board. It allows the students to look at them everyday. Classroom rules would consist of
1.  Be Respectful to the Teacher, and Fellow Classmates
2. Raise you had
3. Stay on Task
4. Come ready to learn
 The rules would be simple but critical rules to help each student succeed. It would allows the students to know that they can follow them, and it is expected to follow them. That way they don't get overwhelmed with the amount of rules. I also would hear the teachers go over the rules with the students in the morning. Or giving reminders about the class rules. Such as if a student would talk out of turn then to politely remind the student that a class rule is to raise your hand. Or if kids are talking I would hear the teacher give them a reminder about how they child needed to be reading quietly or working on an assignment. I know that teachers do enforce the rules and reward as needed. Children need to have the encouragement, and recognition. Its human nature that when you do something right you want someone to recognize that behavior.
A few weeks ago I was sitting in a class room, and I was looking up at the front of the board. I noticed that the teacher had a behavior chart. Each student would start on green- meaning good behavior, and if behavioral issues would come up it could change to yellow or even a red. Which allows the students to get some warnings, but if it gets to the red meaning that there will be consequences.
 I know for a little boy a few weeks ago had a substitute teacher. He is a good first grader, but because it was out of his normal routine, and with a change in a teacher that day. He had a hard day especially with wanting to focus. He was sent to the office so he could work on some of his school work that way he could be alone with out disrupting the other children. The next day the teacher brought him back to the office so he could write a note apologizing to the substitute. Which the teacher explained that particular behavior was not appropriate in class. Even though they are young it allowed the student to say sorry, and be responsible for his actions.
I work at Windsor Elementary. There are five Windsor focuses:
1.Respect
2. Responsiblity
3. Integrity
4. Compassion
5. Courage
 Of course we want all students to focus on these five behaviors. The teachers are given tokens, and if their students are demonstrating one of these focuses they are given a token. At that point they bring the token to the office, and each Friday I draw 10 tokens. Each of those 10 students get to spin the wheel for a prize.
It is important to set rules for your classroom, and reward and punish as needed.