Tips for Better Classroom Rule-Setting

Establishing classroom rules is an important part of establishing expectations for your classroom at the beginning of the school year. But, writes Nancy Flanagan in last week’s most-clicked story, the process and product of collaborative rule-setting with students often falls short of intended outcomes:

“You want kids to behave appropriately because they understand that there are rewards for everyone in a civil classroom.”

To route rule-setting to this course, Flanagan offers seven ideas that encompass how to wield influence, model desired behaviors, and avoid extrinsic motivators such as stupid or superfluous rules and when to provide explicit rules and ethical exemplars.  Read the post for the full discussion.

What’s your advice for classroom rule-setting?