I declare a ban on stupid rules.
As a first-year teacher, I struggled over which rules to adopt. I knew that it would ruin my whole school year if I had too few or too many rules. They had to be fair and enforceable. Classroom Management gurus say that there is a difference between rules and procedures. I had to make sure I was not punishing students for not following a procedure, and I had to punish students for not following the rules. Above all else, I knew that my rules HAD to make sense to my students in order for them to adopt them as their own.
I recall a teacher who used to take 10 points off an assignment if it was turned the wrong way in the tray. Stupid.
A collegue used to give detentions for kids who forgot to bring pencils to class. I decided to confront said teacher and the conversation went a little like this:
Teacher: “These kids have to learn to come to class prepared.”
Me: “So, giving them a detention for not bringing a pencil to class is going to help them learn what?”
Teacher: “To be prepared. They know that they are going to take notes in my class, so they should remember to bring something to write with.”
Me: “Do you ever ask the cashier at the grocery store if your could borrow a pen?”
Teacher: ” Sometimes.”
Me: “Did you not think you were going to write a check when you went in? Did you think they were going to just let you walk out with a cart full of groceries”
Teacher: “That’s not the same thing.”
Me: (thinking to myself) Stupid.
Rules are necessary, but only good rules are necessary. So, let’s get rid of stupid rules in our classrooms.
What rules do you see being enforced in classrooms today that need to be trashed?
Entries (RSS)
October 31st, 2008 at 2:07 pm
You can’t chew gum in the classroom. Some students actually THINK better when their mouth is occupied with chewing instead of talking! Hm, wouldn’t that be nice? I just ask that they not chew it like a cow regurgitating their cud – that is just way too noisy & funny!
October 31st, 2008 at 2:07 pm
Wow. I totally agree.
October 31st, 2008 at 2:26 pm
When a student repeatedly comes to class without their supplies it does become a discipline issue. Student do need to be taught habits for success and that starts with the simple things. If a student is failing at the small things they are usually failing at the big things. Compassion is necessary of course and strategies gone over with the student to help them to remember the small things rather than over-reaction and overly harsh penalties. But students need to learn forethought and planning. Students are required to bring their supplies to my class every day. I don’t punish the occasional offender (we all forget from time to time). But I do address the habitual offenders.
October 31st, 2008 at 3:51 pm
I can think of a rule that is always broken and I think it is DUMB that people don’t follow this rule! We are asked to keep our doors shut and locked when we have students in our classrooms. Many times, you walk down the hall and teachers have their door WIDE open while they are teaching. For one, if you keep your doors shut, your students will not be distracted by the people passing in the hallways. Two, S-A-F-E-T-Y HELLO! We have witnessed violence at others schools. As an educator who cares about young adults, wouldn’t you want to keep your students safe? That is my soap box! Thanks for including me!
December 2nd, 2008 at 9:51 am
I totally agree!! I mean when I was in, I think, 1st grade, my teacher was very strict and creating these stupid rules all the time. It was very frustrating!! Well I think all teachers should ban all these stupid rules.