Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Keep it Simple

With all the complicated projects I find myself caught up in . . . I keep one thing in my classroom simple from year-to-year: our rules!


It's funny that I came up with 5 simple rules for 5th grade (I must be attracted to that number).  I realize that many teachers prefer to create their classroom rules each year with their students; however, I love the simplicity of these magic five rules. 

One new thing I plan to do this year (before unveiling this poster) is to brainstorm rules with my students on the board and then correlate our rules with these overarching five rules.  I think it will be a fun activity for us to come together as a group as well as a great lesson in categorizing and summarizing.  

When my students want a rule for "not talking out of turn" . . . this would go under the big rules of respecting others and respecting learning.  When students say we should "keep books looking like new" . . . they're really saying to respect materials.  I can't wait to match my students' ideas with our big rules.

Although a unique and creative rule would be "Don't whine to Mrs. Touponce when it's math time because you really would rather have your nose stuck in a book and because you feel like you can't do math even though it's just solving problems which you do every day of your life."  Isn't it more concise and realistic just to say DO YOUR BEST?!

Okay, now I think it would be funny to come up with an elaborate rules poster, too...

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