Introduction:

Classroom environment is a conduct where the decision is made by an individual while keeping in

mind their needs and feelings. I believe that decision of the classroom environment should be based

on what is best for the child. This practice leads to having a happy place for the students where they

come to learn, participate, and explore themselves. Furthermore, it also aids in building learners` self-

esteem and teach them the way they will view the world later in their lives. The students` reaction to

the social and physical conditions of the classroom is based on the power that exists in every

individual`s decision. This approach of classroom management builds a safe place to learn they once

own will decorate it, maintain it and decide the rules(Gabriel and Mathews, 2001).  

What I do in the class on the first day of the school will set the tone for the school year and

classroom. As said by Wong (2007), the problem in a classroom is not the discipline but the lack of

procedures and rules. Managing the classroom, he states, automatically removes the behavior

problems when effective teaching is in place. It is important that on the first day of the school, a

teacher implement teaching the procedures and rules that will be used throughout the year. Becoming

an effective teacher starts with classroom management right from the first day of the school. 

Below are the five classroom rules that I will use in my classroom: 

1. Be respectful to everyone 

2. Keep the classroom our safe zone 

3. Be responsible for yourself and your actions 

4. Use the technology wisely and appropriately

 5. Work as a team and learn together 

I take these five classroom rules to be very important as they show the students what is important for

them the most. Being respectful will allow the students to know that they have to show respect for

everyone who is part of the school.

 Making the class a safe place for each other will allow the students to own the class and manage it

throughout the year. They will feel confident and will feel safe when they are in the classroom

making the learning and teaching process easier.  (Rosevear, 2009). 

Furthermore, students need to take care of themselves and be responsible for everything that is related

to them including their actions and learning. For this I need to make sure that the students come to

class prepared for everything. For example, in cases when a student is absent, it is his responsibility to

take initiative of following up what he or she missed and take notes accordingly. 

The use of technology is what I have seen and observed during my teaching experience is used in a

way that exploits its presence. The students tend to use the phones when they have break after each

class. To make sure the technology is not used during the class, I believe that it is important for them

to know that as a rue they must use the technology when necessary and appropriately.

 Lastly, for the class to maintain the decorum, I believe it is important for the students to work as team

and help each other in every possible way. Being a team as a whole will allow the students to support

each other and succeed in the learning process. 

Plan for teaching the rules in the first class

Advance planning

The teacher will prepare everything in advance so that the students as they enter could feel that this is

their new year, and the teacher is there to welcome them prepared to conduct the first lesson of the

class. 

Preparation of the board for the rules teaching lesson plan: 

The teacher will in advance stick magnetic notes on the board consisting of words as follows: 

RESPECT, SAFEZONE, TEAMWORK, TECHNOLOGY, RESPONSIBLE 

Lesson plan routine: 

ACTIVITY: Think, Pair and Share 

Step 1: The students will enter the class and after introductory activity (ice breaker), the students will

be asked to look at the board for two minutes and think of what comes in their mind and note them

down on the sticky notes provided. 

Step 2: Brainstorming will be done via discussions where the students will be triggered to come up

with the word, `rules` through directions given by teacher. 

Once the students understand that the board words relate to rules then the teacher will ask the students

to make five rules considering the words on the board on their own. 

After they are done, the teacher will then pair up the students and ask them to share with each other

what they have written and come up with unanimous five rules and share them with the whole class. 

Teachers` Input 

Step 3: After thorough discussions of the rules, the teacher will provide them with examples/scenarios

where they have to guess which rule implies in that particular scenario together with way to tackle

that situation. 

Scenario 1: Two students saying hurtful words to each other outside of the classroom or inside

the classroom. 

Tackling the situation: Discussions held as a class and students decide what went wrong and work

towards the solution. Every student is unique in its own way, and we need to respect each other

no matter what. 

Scenario 2: A student not listening to another student when he disagrees.

Tackling the situation: Discussions held as a class and students decide what went wrong and work

towards the solution. Listening to each other and allowing others to speak even when you

disagree create a positive environment and everyone feels safe and confident in the class. 
Scenario 3: Student being absent on any day 

Tackling the situation: The students’ needs to be responsible for his own learning and actions. If

anyone is absent it is their responsibility to take a follow up of the lectures missed and get hold of the

materials themselves for successful learning.

Scenario 4: Use of phones during lectures. 

Tackling the situation:  Discussions held as a class and students decide what went wrong and work

towards the solution. Use of technology should always be appropriate and when asked or

necessary. School is for learning and technology such as phones are for emergency uses unless

asked by the teacher to be used. 

Scenario 5: Classroom left unorganized and messy. 

Tackling the situation: Discussions held as a class and students decide what went wrong and work

towards the solution. The class is a team, and we have to work as team for managing, and

organizing the class. Also, the learning process that occurs is also a teamwork and we must

support each other to make it easier for the other person. 

Step 4: The teacher will then print the rules on a paper and ask students to read it aloud in front of

everyone and sign the paper as an agreement to stick to them throughout the year. 

The teacher in the end will tell the student what she expects from them throughout the year and once

again reinforce the rules by discussions held for the last five minutes. The teacher will hold the
discussions with positive statements continuously provided to the students in order to acknowledge

them for what they are doing as stated in SanBdoCitySchools (2017).

End of the lesson. 

Conclusion: 

 The above method is what I did in my class at the start of the year (April 2022). It has been very

effective for me to have the discussions with the students in order to make the classroom rules while

focusing on the major rules that I want to implement. My students are always happy, and they work as

a team from the management of the class to the learning that takes place in the class. The previous

year, the same students were the most disruptive students. However, with me, they feel comfortable

and are very nice and managed till now. We have had no issues of behavior so far as we make sure

that we discuss the rules every day and work towards them at every step in the times we are all in

school. This practice allows the teachers to have good relationship with students allowing the students

to own their class and behave accordingly. The classroom management then becomes not a problem

at all. I believe that with positive comments and appropriate reinforcement of the rules, classroom

management can be achieved resulting in positive environment throughout the whole year.
References: 

Gabriel, E. & Matthews, L. (2011). Choice Theory: An effective Approach to Classroom

Discipline and Management. Retrieved on July 1, 2020 from

http://circle.adventist.org/files/jae/en/jae201173032003.pdf

Rosevear, J. E. (2009). First month: classroom rules that work. Instructor [1990], 119(1), 57.

https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A207360942/AONE?u=lirn17237&sid=bookmark-

AONE&xid=ed7b9a4f

SanBdoCitySchools. (2017, February 12). A Snapshot of the PBiS 4:1 Ratio In a

High School Classroom. [Video]. YouTube

Wong, H. K. (2007). The well-managed classroom. Excerpt from The First Days of

School. Available online: http://go. hrw. com/resources/go_sc/gen/HSTPR034. PDF.