Norms:

Norms of the classroom can be as important as procedures. They help the

students know what is expected by everyone in the class. Wong refers to norms as
general rules (Wong & Wong, 2009, p. 151). It allows the students a routine of
attitudes, setting up what a normal day should look like for behavior. Each class
sets up different norms. The norms in place depend on the style of management of
the teacher, as well as what works best for the personalities of the students. In
my classroom it would be my goal to set up most of the norms of the classroom
with my students. This would be done the first day of school in the morning period
as explained in the First Day Plans section. In order for the students to feel as
though we truly are a family, I will want them to feel that they have a say and that
their voice is heard. Some norms would be preset though, to ensure they were in
the norms, but the students would help determine how these might look for them
to carry out. The prepared norms are laid out below.
Preset Norms:

Have a Respectful Attitude

Be Willing to Learn
Treat Class as Family
How to Maintain/Enforce Norms:
The students will be in charge of deciding how the norms will look in the
classroom and they will be held responsible to maintain them. The norms will be
posted in the room and the students will be reminded of the norms each morning
and throughout the day. As a group we will talk and see if there were new ways
discovered of how to live these norms, or if we had discovered ways that go against
these norms. The students will have created the consequences as a class on the
first day and therefore will know the outcome of their actions if the norms are
broken. Rewards will also be in place for those who are following the norms set up
by the class. Rewards will be praise, positive notes, and V.I.P time with me (Wong &
Wong, 2009, p. 156).

If Norms Are Not Followed or Working:

If the norms are not being followed, the first step will be to carry out the
consequences that the classroom has laid out. If the whole class is not following a
norm after it has been reinforced more than two times, the whole group will sit
down and reevaluate the norm and why it is not working in the classroom and then
decide as a group how to continue with this norm. If it is one student who is
repeatedly breaking a norm and the consequences are not properly enforcing
that/those norm(s), then I will sit down with the student individually and together
we will complete an action plan, coming up with new consequences for the student if
a norm is broken. (Example below) (Wong & Wong, 2009; Gurcan &Tekin, n.d.;
Delisio, 2011; Fay, 1998).

Rules:
Rules are also important in a classroom atmosphere so that students
understand the limits of what is acceptable versus what is not. Wong refers to
these as specific rules. It is the exact idea of what the teacher and/or the
students set as appropriate from the classroom atmosphere. Each class sets up
different rules. The rules in place depend on the style of management of the
teacher, as well as what works best for the personalities of the students. In my
classroom it would be my goal to set up most of the rules of the classroom with my
students. This would be done the first day of school in the morning period as
explained in the First Day Plans section. In order for the students to feel as
though we truly are a family, I will want them to feel that they have a say and that
their voice is heard. Some rules would be preset though, to ensure they were in the
rules, but the students would help determine how these might look for them to
carry out. The prepared rules are laid out below.
Preset Rules:

No Causing Physical Harm to

yourself or others

No Misuse of Words- swearing,

talking down to others, or name calling

How to Maintain/Enforce Rules:

The students will be in charge of deciding how the rules will look in the
classroom, so they will be held responsible to maintain them. The rules will be
posted in the room and the students will be reminded of the rules each morning
and throughout the day. The students will understand that breaking a severe rule
would result in immediately going to the principals office. The students will have
created the consequences for other rules they created as a class on the first day

and therefore will know the outcome of their actions if the rules are broken.
Rewards will also be in action for those who are following the rules set up by the
class. Rewards will be praise, positive notes, and V.I.P time with me. (Wong & Wong,
2009, 156)
If Rules Are Not Followed or Working:
If the rules are not being followed, the first step will be to carry out the
consequences that the classroom or I have laid out. If the whole class is not
following a rule after it has been reinforced more than two times, the whole group
will sit down and reevaluate the rule and why it is not working in the classroom and
decide as a group how to continue with this rule. If it is one student who is
repeatedly breaking a rule and the consequences are not properly enforcing
that/those rule(s), then I will sit down with the student individually and together
we will complete an action plan, coming up with new consequences for the student if
a rule is broken (Example below) (Wong & Wong, 2009; Gurcan &Tekin, n.d.; Delisio,
2011; Fay, 1998).

Action Plan:
Today, I

(name) chose to

(Draw a picture explaining what happened)

This made me feel

Next time I will chose to:

(Draw a picture explaining what will happen)

My consequences for my actions so that I will be more likely to make better
choices are:
1.
2.
3.
Student Signature

Date Discussed

Teacher Signature

Questions/Comments
(Adapted from Fay,

1998)