Classroom rules

Classroom rules look different for every teacher. Some use only a few, while others prefer to use more.
Here are 37 rules to get you started on building your own:

Ask questions

Respect and listen to your classmates

Respect and listen to the teacher

Raise your hand to speak

Be prepared for class

Be quiet when the teacher is talking

Be quiet when classmates are talking

Share new ideas

Keep your hands to yourself

Respect others’ property

Keep your workspace tidy

Be kind

Always do your best

Walk, don’t run, in the hallways

Be a good friend

Be on time

Share with others

Use equipment properly

Help keep the classroom tidy

Listen to all the teachers

Obey all school rules

Finish your homework on time

Be respectful of classmates who are working

Have a good attitude

Use positive language

Follow the dress code

Line up neatly and quietly

Stay in your seat

Listen with your ears and your eyes

Contribute to discussions

Be respectful of others’ ideas

Follow the teacher’s directions the first time they are given

Cooperate with your classmates

Be creative

Be honest

Use technology appropriately

Be proud of your work

Allowing students to come up with the class rules is a common strategy.

And at first glance, it appears to be a good one.

But dig deeper into the whys and hows of effective classroom management, and you’ll discover it to be a
mistake.

The idea behind the strategy is to provide students with a sense of ownership by guiding them through
the construction of class rules you already have in mind.
If you trust them with this important part of your classroom structure, the argument goes, they’ll be
more likely to buy into your classroom management plan.

They’ll be more likely to feel a sense of responsibility and less likely to dismiss, reject, or complain about
rules they themselves came up with.

So what’s not to like?

Well, the problem with the strategy is that it can undermine your leadership presence. It can negatively
affect how your students see you and your role as their teacher.

You see, if in any way you communicate that you’re in partnership with your students when determining
the direction of your classroom, it will weaken your authority.

They’ll view you not as a confident leader who knows what is best for them and their education, but as
an unsure cohort who makes suggestions they can either take or leave. This, in turn, can make enforcing
your rules significantly more difficult.

It will increase the likelihood of arguments over what does and doesn’t constitute breaking them. It will
cause a reluctance to go to time-out—or an outright refusal—rather than an acceptance of wrongdoing.

Your students will be less likely to take responsibility and more likely to sulk, complain, or blame you for
holding them accountable.

The unintended message students receive by taking part in creating the very boundaries of your
classroom is that everything is negotiable, which then opens the floodgates to debate on matters that
should only be decided by you.
This view of teacher as partner tends to be especially problematic with difficult students, who are quick
to fill any void you leave them. Unless you establish yourself as the clear leader from the get-go, they’ll
spend the year trying to wrest control from you.

Having a teacher students trust to be at the helm from morning bell to dismissal has a calming effect on
the tone and tenor of your classroom. It allows your students to relax, enjoy school, and concentrate on
learning.

This isn’t to say that they should never be given the opportunity to make decisions. You can still
encourage a sense of ownership by letting your students vote on matters unrelated to the course and
direction of your classroom.

Do you want to play this math game or that one?

Do you want to give your presentations before or after lunch?

Do you want to do the lesson inside or outside on the grass?

There are dozens of opportunities to allow students to make decisions that don’t interfere with your
role and position as their teacher.

The truth is, you and your students have distinctly different responsibilities. Problems large and small
arise when those responsibilities become confused or intertwined.

By presenting your rules as non-negotiable boundaries that you put into place for the express purpose
of protecting their right to learn and enjoy school, you establish yourself as a compassionate leader who
puts their interests first.

You establish yourself as a leader worth following.

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