Establishing Classroom Rules and Expectations
It is important to establish rules, expectations and procedures for the following aspects of classroom life.
Lining up and entry to class
How are students to enter the classroom e.g. 'please walk when you enter the classroom'
What do they do when they enter the class, and what are the routines and expectations e.g. 'sharpen two pencils before the day commences', and 'when you are organised you may read or play quietly'.
Positional placing in whole class teaching time
Where does the teacher sit or stand while waiting for attention?, e.g. stand at the front and centre of the class. Bill Roger's (2006) refers to this as 'anchoring' the class.
How does the teacher call for attention – what cues do we use?, e.g. ‘The bell has gone, please take your seats'.
How does the teacher wait for residual noise to settle down? e.g. Pause and scan, then call for attention, '1,2,3, - Eyes to me'
Clarify cues for questions, discussion, gaining attention and requesting help
For example, 'If I am speaking to another student please wait quietly and patiently'.
If a student is calling out, the teacher can give a whole class reminder, e.g.‘Remember our rule for asking questions’ or ‘Hands up if you have something to share’.
Planning for transitions
How do students move from whole class teaching/instruction to individual tasks?. (e.g. moving from the carpet to the desks.) Transitions need to be clear, with visual explanations, and carefully managed. For example, it is best to fully explain a task and answer any questions before students move to their desks to begin individual work. Students can then be instructed to move based on certain criteria, e.g. the neatest and quiestest row. 'Row 3, you are all sitting beautifully - you may move to your work station'.
Procedures need to be established for appropriate movement around the class, sharpening pencils, going to the toilet, noise levels and early finishers and these procedures need to be reinforced and revised regularly. For example, many schools have a policy that two students must accompany each other to the toilets at all times for the purposes of safety. Check your school's policies.
Gaining students’ attention
Gaining and sustaining students' attention is essential to effective teaching and learning. How will you gain student attention at different times of the day? e.g. sing a song until all students are listening and joining in.
Do the lessons incorporate a wide variety of activities that cater to various learning styles and students with special needs?
Effective Lesson Plans will gain and maintain student engagement.
Strategies for gaining student attention include:
– Clapping a pattern, which students then copy, then look at the teacher.
– Singing for attention (for lower Primary) or incorporating simple rhymes like “1,2,3, - Eyes To Me”.
– Ringing a bell and call “Stop, Look and Listen” or “Eyes This Way – Thanks”
_ Teach students a quick attention grabber like 'The Magic 5' for mat time (see below)
Lining up and entry to class
How are students to enter the classroom e.g. 'please walk when you enter the classroom'
What do they do when they enter the class, and what are the routines and expectations e.g. 'sharpen two pencils before the day commences', and 'when you are organised you may read or play quietly'.
Positional placing in whole class teaching time
Where does the teacher sit or stand while waiting for attention?, e.g. stand at the front and centre of the class. Bill Roger's (2006) refers to this as 'anchoring' the class.
How does the teacher call for attention – what cues do we use?, e.g. ‘The bell has gone, please take your seats'.
How does the teacher wait for residual noise to settle down? e.g. Pause and scan, then call for attention, '1,2,3, - Eyes to me'
Clarify cues for questions, discussion, gaining attention and requesting help
For example, 'If I am speaking to another student please wait quietly and patiently'.
If a student is calling out, the teacher can give a whole class reminder, e.g.‘Remember our rule for asking questions’ or ‘Hands up if you have something to share’.
Planning for transitions
How do students move from whole class teaching/instruction to individual tasks?. (e.g. moving from the carpet to the desks.) Transitions need to be clear, with visual explanations, and carefully managed. For example, it is best to fully explain a task and answer any questions before students move to their desks to begin individual work. Students can then be instructed to move based on certain criteria, e.g. the neatest and quiestest row. 'Row 3, you are all sitting beautifully - you may move to your work station'.
Procedures need to be established for appropriate movement around the class, sharpening pencils, going to the toilet, noise levels and early finishers and these procedures need to be reinforced and revised regularly. For example, many schools have a policy that two students must accompany each other to the toilets at all times for the purposes of safety. Check your school's policies.
Gaining students’ attention
Gaining and sustaining students' attention is essential to effective teaching and learning. How will you gain student attention at different times of the day? e.g. sing a song until all students are listening and joining in.
Do the lessons incorporate a wide variety of activities that cater to various learning styles and students with special needs?
Effective Lesson Plans will gain and maintain student engagement.
Strategies for gaining student attention include:
– Clapping a pattern, which students then copy, then look at the teacher.
– Singing for attention (for lower Primary) or incorporating simple rhymes like “1,2,3, - Eyes To Me”.
– Ringing a bell and call “Stop, Look and Listen” or “Eyes This Way – Thanks”
_ Teach students a quick attention grabber like 'The Magic 5' for mat time (see below)
'The Magic 5'
1. Legs crossed
2. Voices quiet
3. Ears listening
4. Eyes to the front
5. Hands in laps
(Adapted from Matthew Flinders Anglican College, Buderim, QLD 2011)
Monitor ‘working noise’
Students need to be taught that different levels of noise are appropriate for different tasks. For example, ‘inside voices’, ‘quiet working noise’, ‘partner voices’ and ‘walking to library voices’. Also remind students to be respectful of other classes around the school, particularly when working in small groups that may 'spill' to the outside of the classroom.
Plan ways to deal with disruptive behaviour
Rogers (2006) suggests communicating our discipline style in a confident and decisive way if we are going to set a positive classroom tone. He believes it is very important to not talk over classroom chatter as this conveys “an ambiguous expectation of how things will be”.
It is also important to think about our body language and what messages it conveys, (e.g. boredom, reluctance, anger, frustration).
To maximise effectiveness of non-verbal communication practice non-verbal skills such as tactical pausing, positive scanning, eye contact, upright posture, pleasant, enthusiastic tone of voice (assertive when necessary) and positive gestures like nodding in agreement.
Some excellent strategies for dealing with inappropriate or disruptive behaviour are outlined by Davidson (1997) and include the use of selective attending, waiting and scanning, body language encouraging, descriptive encouraging and others.
Closing the Lesson
Rogers (2006) states that it is important to have a clear ending to the lesson that isn't rushed with work not collected, desks and room not tidy and chairs still 'out' and so on. The following routine is provided as an example.
1. Give a clear cue that calls for attention, e.g. move to the front of the class, or 'anchor position', ring bell and call 'Stop, Look and
Listen'.
2. Summarise key aspects of the lesson where necessary and appropriate.
3. Ask students to pack away for the end of the day. Incorporate a game like 'beat the clock' or 'the neatest row' to encourage
students to work quickly to tidy floors, litter, stack chairs and clean desks. e.g. 'I wonder how many rows will be spotless in the next
60 seconds - go!'
4. Discuss any homework due for the next day or any important reminders, e.g. 'sport uniform, hat, sunblock and drink bottles for
sports day tomorrow'.
5. Summarise the day, and include any disappointments, but finish the day on a positive note.
6. Farewell the class, 'Good afternoon boys and girls'. 'Good afternoon Mrs Arthur', and release students in an organised fashion
e.g. Ok - the straightest row is row 1 - you may go - see you tomorrow.... Remind classroom rules for departure, e.g. 'Please walk
carefully as you leave the room'
Note: On day one it is important to pack up early and go through the closing procedures for each day. Include details on tidying desks, floors, stacking chairs, handing in work for collection, homework reminders and 'walking' out of the class.
Students need to be taught that different levels of noise are appropriate for different tasks. For example, ‘inside voices’, ‘quiet working noise’, ‘partner voices’ and ‘walking to library voices’. Also remind students to be respectful of other classes around the school, particularly when working in small groups that may 'spill' to the outside of the classroom.
Plan ways to deal with disruptive behaviour
Rogers (2006) suggests communicating our discipline style in a confident and decisive way if we are going to set a positive classroom tone. He believes it is very important to not talk over classroom chatter as this conveys “an ambiguous expectation of how things will be”.
It is also important to think about our body language and what messages it conveys, (e.g. boredom, reluctance, anger, frustration).
To maximise effectiveness of non-verbal communication practice non-verbal skills such as tactical pausing, positive scanning, eye contact, upright posture, pleasant, enthusiastic tone of voice (assertive when necessary) and positive gestures like nodding in agreement.
Some excellent strategies for dealing with inappropriate or disruptive behaviour are outlined by Davidson (1997) and include the use of selective attending, waiting and scanning, body language encouraging, descriptive encouraging and others.
Closing the Lesson
Rogers (2006) states that it is important to have a clear ending to the lesson that isn't rushed with work not collected, desks and room not tidy and chairs still 'out' and so on. The following routine is provided as an example.
1. Give a clear cue that calls for attention, e.g. move to the front of the class, or 'anchor position', ring bell and call 'Stop, Look and
Listen'.
2. Summarise key aspects of the lesson where necessary and appropriate.
3. Ask students to pack away for the end of the day. Incorporate a game like 'beat the clock' or 'the neatest row' to encourage
students to work quickly to tidy floors, litter, stack chairs and clean desks. e.g. 'I wonder how many rows will be spotless in the next
60 seconds - go!'
4. Discuss any homework due for the next day or any important reminders, e.g. 'sport uniform, hat, sunblock and drink bottles for
sports day tomorrow'.
5. Summarise the day, and include any disappointments, but finish the day on a positive note.
6. Farewell the class, 'Good afternoon boys and girls'. 'Good afternoon Mrs Arthur', and release students in an organised fashion
e.g. Ok - the straightest row is row 1 - you may go - see you tomorrow.... Remind classroom rules for departure, e.g. 'Please walk
carefully as you leave the room'
Note: On day one it is important to pack up early and go through the closing procedures for each day. Include details on tidying desks, floors, stacking chairs, handing in work for collection, homework reminders and 'walking' out of the class.
