Rules are important for all children, from a young age. Having rules creates boundaries to help children understand things they can and can't do in life. They teach children self-discipline and help them learn how to make good decisions while growing up.
Classroom rules are a set of rules and guidelines that are imposed by the teacher that the class must follow. These rules are designed to assist the teacher in behaviour management and ensure there is a positive environment for learning where all students feel comfortable and safe.
They are often drafted with input from the students so that everyone has a say on how they want everyone to behave in lessons.
These rules vary depending on the school, teacher and class.
Let's look at some example rules for a KS1 classroom:
Be on time at the beginning of the day and after lunch and breaks.
Come prepared with stationery, workbooks and completed homework.
Be kind and polite to others.
Keep your hands and feet to yourself.
Be respectful of classmates, teachers, and belongings.
Listen to the teacher and follow instructions.
Work hard and do your best.
Raise your hand when you would like to speak in class or need the bathroom
Obey all school rules.
Building Respect in the Classroom
Classroom rules depend on the respect of students towards their teacher and their classmates. Here are some ways for building respect in the classroom:
To ensure children respect classroom rules, consistency is key. Set the rules on day one and don't change or remove rules as this means children are less likely to understand why the rules are in place, and less likely to respect them.
Come up with the rules together.
Decorate your classroom with respect posters to give children a daily reminder of the importance of showing respect. These posters focus on respecting classmates, respecting the teacher, respecting the classroom and respecting yourself.
If children don't respect 'rules', why not change the vocabulary to make them seem less threatening?
Role-play situations involving respect and be a good role model for showing respect to others. Children learn best from copying what others do.
