Playing by the Rules

The rules I remember the best would be: making sure you hand assignments in on time, treat others with courtesy and respect, raise your hand when asking or answering a question, and ask permission before getting out of your seat or leaving the classroom. Rules are in place to ensure your safety and overall smoothness of running a classroom, they have a specific purpose. So with that in mind, I really do not think that any of them seemed unreasonable. Most often the consequences of breaking a specific rule, you were given a warning, then depending on which rule was broken you either would be sent to the principal, have certain privileges taken away, or take an incomplete grade on an assignment if you failed to turn assignments in on time. Almost every teacher does explain to you what the consequences would be if rules were broken and I always knew what was expected of me and what would happen should I break a rule. Even in the daycare we have rules set and let the children know what happens should they not follow them. With the younger ones we often have to remind them from time to time, but most of them get it and they do a fairly good job of following them. For my classroom the three rules I think I would choose would be 1.)Treat others with kindness and respect 2.)Ask permission before leaving your seat/classroom 3.)Raise your hand when asking and answering questions The first one I think is a very important one as you want everyone to feel welcome and part of the class. You don't always have to like someone, but treating them badly is not okay! The other ones are pretty standard, but you always need and want to know where your students are and if they just get up and leave whenever it would make it harder to keep track of where everyone is and what they are supposed to be doing. Also, by not having everyone shout out answers and talking at the same time, it will make it easier to keep an orderly classroom and be able to give everyone a chance to participate. Depending on what age group you are teaching would depend on what the consequences would be. Say I was teaching Kindergartners I would probably give them up to two warnings before isolating them or sending them to the office. They usually pick up on things fairly fast so after you have to tell them twice, they should get it. If they still have a problem following them I would try a "heads down on the desk away from everyone" or maybe stay in during a recess. If they continue to break them, I think a conference with the principal and/or mom and dad would be appropriate. Overall most kids generally do well with following the rules, but you will always have those few who will test and push you. Rules make your class run smoothly and should be in place in order to maintain that smoothness.