Classroom Rules

Coming up with classroom rules has always been one of the most difficult tasks that I'm faced with at the beginning of a new school year.  I'm just never satisfied with the rules I come up with.  I've tried having just 3 or 4 simple rules, but they always seem too vague.  I mean, I teach middle school.  Middle school students don't want to have to read between the lines! (What?! You want us to think about something?!)  So then I tried posting 10 very specific rules.  (Don't sit on the lab tables.  If it's not yours, don't touch it. etc...)  I was no Ron Clark, but I certainly felt close with so many rules plastered across the front of the room!

About two weeks ago the thought started creeping up in the back of my mind... What am I going to do about classroom rules this year?

I just let the thought sit there.  Pestering me.  For two weeks.

And then last night it hit me.

I really don't know why I didn't think of this before!

I'm going to have the students create concept webs around each of the rules!  Here's the specifics:

I've come up with three rules for this year.  All three are simply written and use positive language (just like the "experts" say rules should be!).

On the first day of school I plan to break my students into small groups and have them brainstorm what they think each of these rules means.  (Does Respect Others mean to use kind words? Leave others' materials alone? and so on...)  We'll then put some of these ideas on the Smart board and save it.  At the end of the day, after all 7 classes have completed the exercise, I'll print out the most common answers and post them around each of the rules in a concept web fashion!  Now my students have had a say (sort of) in what the classroom rules should be, and I feel like I can be more certain of their understanding of these not-so-specific rules.

I'm super excited about this and can't wait to share the results of this activity with you!  Our first day of school is August 20, so stay tuned! :)