As you plan your rules and routines, consider what roles students will play in their

selection and implementation. Some teachers prefer that students participate

extensively by helping formulate rules discussing their rationale, and offering
alternative procedures in some areas. Other teachers prefer a more traditional teacher
directed-system of rules and procedures. Still others prefer a blend of teacher
specification and student participation. Whichever you prefer, consider your rationale
and the concerns you have regarding alternative approaches.

After five years’ experience in teaching, I found that setting up a number of rules

and routines is essential for every classroom in order to be successfully managed. The author

in this article ‘Choosing Rules and Procedures’ is telling us how important to have rules and

procedures in our classes; he explains why they are needed, and he also suggests numerous

factors that help both the teacher and students as well. In this reflection, I will discuss the

most common rules and routines and connect them to my own experience. I am not a

traditional teacher at my classroom, but I prefer the traditional way in setting my rules and

routines in order to be able to manage my class otherwise I will not achieve my objectives

and then my students will be used to certain misbehaviors.

In addition, teachers need to use rules in class in order to manage it whereas

students need to follow certain procedures to achieve the least requirements and obtain the

give the best performance. It is obvious that all teachers follow or set their own rules and

procedures in parallel with the school system. As for the traditional way in setting up my

rules and routines, I think students will be more controlled and committed to the class. Such

rules may be tough and exhausting to students, but I am sure that if a teacher does not follow

this set, his/her students will misbehave all the time that, by result, distracts the teacher and

wastes class time.

For instance, ‘eating and drinking is only at lunch time or break’. Not following

this, the whole class will be a mess; students who are eating or drinking will not be on track

and others will be distracted by their colleagues’ misbehavior. ‘talking or asking in class is

only by raising a hand’ is another rule that helps the teacher manages his/her class and makes
them more committed. ‘listen and stay seated while someone is talking.’ This rule helps the

teacher maintain the lesson and students give more concentration to the on going activities.

There are much more rules that are important for managing a classroom and much connected

with procedures.

Concerning routines, I think every teacher should have a list of certain procedures

and check them on daily basis. Procedures are routines or activities that help a teacher gets

higher commitment and performance from students. ‘taking attendance, checking students’

assignments, writing a list of objectives, opening and closing the period’ are all daily tasks or

procedures that every teacher must does in his/her class. On the other hand, sometimes a

teacher forgets or doesn’t follow all what s/he has written in his list. This is not negative since

it is rare to happen because students do not have homework every day, or they don’t same

class materials on daily basis. This is why they are called ‘procedures’ and differentiated

from rules.

Consequently, I highly appreciate schools and teachers who follow certain strict

rules and procedures and apply them in class. The class, as a small limited space with a

number of different students of different behaviors, needs to be controlled by some conditions

that are essential for both the teacher and students at the same time.

References:

Marzano, R. J. (2003). Classroom management that works. Alexandria VA: ASCD. CELL Classroom
Management —Marzano Outline rev—SW 5.27.2010

Emmer, T Edmund & Evertson M. Carolyn (2009). Classroom Management, Choosing Rules
and Procedures (pp. 17-41). Pearson.

Emmer, T. Edmund & Sabornie, J. Edward (2015). Handbook of Classroom Management.

Routledge, Taylor and Francis group, New York and London.