Rules

In an earlier post, we talked about Responsive Class.
And their foundational class rules,

Are rules we make as a class.
The students are dialoguing and really coming up with,
Essentially what makes a safe learning space.
Using apositive phrasing and collaboration is great.

Coming up with rules together is great.
Class compacts are great.

Except.
When they are not.
When kids are coming and going.
And arriving at noon on Tuesday and having to be assimilated into our family.

Then it's like: Hey, we've been a great community,
and now things are changing.

Instead, my littles doing their brainstorming,
come up with brilliant ideas,
and then sort them under the 5 Whole Brain Teaching Rules.

Do they all fit somewhere - boy howdy, do they ever.

Rule #1 Follow Directions Quickly

Rule #2 Raise Your Hand For Permission To Speak

Rule #3 Raise Your Hand For Permission To Leave Your Seat

Rule #4 Make Smart Choices

Rules #5 Keep Your DEAR Teachers Happy

*There is also the Diamond Rule - but I'll let you visit the WBT page to learn more about that.

Each rule has a quick gesture.
We review the rules and gestures at each morning meeting and again after Yoga.
After the first week, the morning meeting leader (a student), will run the rule review.
The class mirrors that student.

The true bang for my buck is after they own them.
I can hold up two fingers and they know, rule #2.
When I'm working with a student and they get up to wait in line behind them, rule #3.

When I asked you to line up and it takes too long - rules #1.
And Rule #5 is my unbreakable - like the one that just hurts my heart.
If we're talking #5, someone is not being safe for themselves or others, since that's the only thing that makes me truly unhappy.

Link to the Whole Brain Teaching:
5 Classroom Rules

Link the Whole Brain Teaching Classroom Rules Posters in our Room:
WBT Rules