I am a fifth grade teacher going into my second year. I discovered WBT about halfway through the school year but I was too chicken to start it so late in the year. I'm looking forward to starting fresh with this year's group of kids. My question is about rules. I always hear that kids will respond better to the rules they make, and so I was planning to have my kids collaborate on this year's rules (with my guidance, of course.)

In one form or another, this is what I hoped my rules will look like this year (I worry these are too complex, but I saw them on another Intermediate teacher's website):
- Participate and Cooperate
- Be on task and do your best
- Be respectful and responsible
- Make good choices

I am wondering what to do....1-Tell my kids the rules (the ones above) 2- Tell my kids the rules (from WBT gestures) 3-some other variation.

Thoughts???

I'm of the opinion that if you trust in something, you should go for it.

If you think it is important to build the rules together with your students, do it. You can always find gestures for those new rules (because you MUST use gestures, remember ). You can even ask your students to give you a hand choosing the gestures!

Best,

Edward

I like the idea of using their input to create the gestures - if you want them to have a hand in the creation of the rules.

In my room we have rules and values, rules are the PT rules that we use everyday, values are the "big ideas" we have in class, they help me create the values and we refer to them often. Its like our classroom moral code - like we don't want to be interrupted when we are speaking, we want to be able to ask questions with out someone rolling their eyes and sighing, everyone should do their best at all times... Would this work?

SReevesTX wrote:


I'm fascinated with this concept you have in your classroom about moral code. I've seen similar ideas where teachers have approached rules in the form of students' rights. Something else to consider.

Can you elaborate a bit more on your moral code? What grade do you teach? How did you introduce the idea (by telling them the moral code, o by having the students brainstorm?)

I teach 7th grade math, introduce the school year with basic Power Teaching set-up, class/yes - teach/okay - scoreboard, etc... all on the first day of school. On te second day, we review those things, and then we have a discussion about things that make a class good or bad. We make a list on the board - they get to add things like boring/babyish lessons, or teachers that get mad if you ask a question... I add things like students who put their heads down, or are tardy class. We decide what the most important values are and create about 5 class values. They always end up about the same by the end of the day - we post them and refer to them often.

**I also tell them that if I mess up, and I interrupt someone, or I am rude that they need to let me know, but it needs to be done appropriately, and we talk about the most appropriate route to go about discussing a problem with me. Sometimes it is hard to take, but they are always right...

I would do what you feel most comfortable with. Maybe it can be a combination of all three variations that you mentioned.

In all of my years of teaching, the most important factor in classroom success (in my opinion) is to comfortable with yourself and what you are doing. Adapt the techniques to your personal teaching style so they fit comfortably.

So the students should "have a hand in the creation of gestures". Isn't language delightful? LOL!

Diane
"Cadenza"