Launching Your Teaching Career Part 3 - Rules and Procedures

Are you feeling great about the excellent progresspermission 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 ownheading out and returning from lunch). As the school
classroom in your dream job? You may also feel tiredyear unfolds, you will encounter more procedures to
- even exhausted. This is perfectly fine andclarify 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 learningnext year plus when new students arrive in your
success of 15, 20, or 200 students is an ominousroom, 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, rulesWith definite expectations for procedures there will
and procedures must be clearly explained and thenbe fewer disruptions in instruction; fewer disruptions
adhered to. Rules include items of behavior like beingin instruction mean more students are learning; more
on time or being considerate to classmates and thestudents learning create success for you and for
teacher. Procedures are every movement in thethem; success eliminates stress, frustration, and
classroom and throughout the school. These aredisruption. See how it all circles together. If you are
matters like gathering materials, transitioning fromunsure about a procedure (like using the restroom
subject to subject, or moving through the hallwaysduring 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 perfectwhat works best for you and your students, i.e.
situation for discipline in your room. You want lifewritten instructions on the board or in a hand-out or
under control but you do not need to be a tyrant. Inpencil sharpening only before school instead of
fact you will find that if you have rule upon rule uponbetween subject changes.
rule, it is more difficult to maintain a climate conduciveAs long as you are clear with your expectations to
to learning. Too many rules can bring confusion. Plusyour students and you continually enforce and
you often must add more rules to enforce the rulesmaintain 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 andradiate throughout your room. Kids really do like a
being courteous to others. These just aboutteacher who is competent and on top of teaching.
encompass everything in a classroom. The remainderThat is you with clear rules and procedures.
of a smooth running classroom is clearly delineatedThere are times that the best intentions for rules and
procedures: sharpening a pencil, getting a drink, askingprocedures fail: vomit, blood, irate parents, or medical
a question, moving to a partner, gathering boxes ofcrises 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 sceneand office notification), and forge on as best as
may need repetition of classroom rules (becausepossible. Some of your favorite stories next summer
some of them have never sat down and listened tomay well include a few of the disasters that took
anyone in their short lives), older students alreadyplace 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 astudents fall down; chemistry experiments run
new teacher. Jot down every possible movement foramuck; cooking projects catch fire. If all of these
your students (those previously listed plus late workdon't add to the thrill and excitement of the job,
and turning in home working, turning in money andwhat does?