| Are you feeling great about the excellent progress | | | | permission papers, returning from recess set for |
| you have made as you prepare for that first, | | | | learning, asking for instructions to be repeated, and |
| enchanting day with real students in your own | | | | heading out and returning from lunch). As the school |
| classroom in your dream job? You may also feel tired | | | | year unfolds, you will encounter more procedures to |
| - even exhausted. This is perfectly fine and | | | | clarify and must determine appropriate behavior for |
| acceptable and I recommend that you get used to it. | | | | each. By keeping a list you will be better prepared for |
| Teaching is tiring: being responsible for the learning | | | | next year plus when new students arrive in your |
| success of 15, 20, or 200 students is an ominous | | | | room, you will have a handy tool for sharing the |
| task but one that is also richly rewarding. | | | | procedures in your class. |
| To have your classroom operating on A+ level, rules | | | | With definite expectations for procedures there will |
| and procedures must be clearly explained and then | | | | be fewer disruptions in instruction; fewer disruptions |
| adhered to. Rules include items of behavior like being | | | | in instruction mean more students are learning; more |
| on time or being considerate to classmates and the | | | | students learning create success for you and for |
| teacher. Procedures are every movement in the | | | | them; success eliminates stress, frustration, and |
| classroom and throughout the school. These are | | | | disruption. See how it all circles together. If you are |
| matters like gathering materials, transitioning from | | | | unsure about a procedure (like using the restroom |
| subject to subject, or moving through the hallways | | | | during class time) check with a colleague on how he |
| to music or lunch. | | | | handles this situation. You can also experiment to see |
| Begin by identifying what will make the perfect | | | | what works best for you and your students, i.e. |
| situation for discipline in your room. You want life | | | | written instructions on the board or in a hand-out or |
| under control but you do not need to be a tyrant. In | | | | pencil sharpening only before school instead of |
| fact you will find that if you have rule upon rule upon | | | | between subject changes. |
| rule, it is more difficult to maintain a climate conducive | | | | As long as you are clear with your expectations to |
| to learning. Too many rules can bring confusion. Plus | | | | your students and you continually enforce and |
| you often must add more rules to enforce the rules | | | | maintain your rules and procedures with absolute |
| you already have. The biggest considerations are: | | | | fairness, problems will evaporate and learning will |
| students on time and with learning materials and | | | | radiate throughout your room. Kids really do like a |
| being courteous to others. These just about | | | | teacher who is competent and on top of teaching. |
| encompass everything in a classroom. The remainder | | | | That is you with clear rules and procedures. |
| of a smooth running classroom is clearly delineated | | | | There are times that the best intentions for rules and |
| procedures: sharpening a pencil, getting a drink, asking | | | | procedures fail: vomit, blood, irate parents, or medical |
| a question, moving to a partner, gathering boxes of | | | | crises are examples. For these times refer to your |
| classroom materials, and so on. | | | | policy book for correct procedures (safety gloves |
| While youngsters who are new to the school scene | | | | and office notification), and forge on as best as |
| may need repetition of classroom rules (because | | | | possible. Some of your favorite stories next summer |
| some of them have never sat down and listened to | | | | may well include a few of the disasters that took |
| anyone in their short lives), older students already | | | | place during your first days on the job. I'll warn you |
| know the expectations. A quick review should suffice. | | | | that first graders throw up; physical education |
| It is the procedures that often create havoc for a | | | | students fall down; chemistry experiments run |
| new teacher. Jot down every possible movement for | | | | amuck; cooking projects catch fire. If all of these |
| your students (those previously listed plus late work | | | | don't add to the thrill and excitement of the job, |
| and turning in home working, turning in money and | | | | what does? |