Today I am going to talk about the rules I have in my classroom.  Every teacher sets up rules differently and each classroom has different expectations.  As students in regular education grow into more abstract thinkers the rules change.  A sixth grade teacher would not have the same rules as a first grade teacher.  Going by this logic a special education teacher would not have the same rules as a regular education teacher.  As I was setting up my first classroom I thought long and hard about the rules, consequences, and expectations that I would have in my classroom.  I came up with 5 very concrete rules that form the basis of my classroom management plan.  

Rule #1:  Eyes on Teacher

This rule is very important for my students.  A lot of time students with severe disabilities don't attend to instruction.  We practice keeping "eyes on teacher" all the time.  I know this is just a basic thing most teachers expect, but in my classroom it is taught explicitly to ensure students are engaged.  I also encourage my students to look at my eyes when we speak.  This social skill is valuable and most students pick up on it naturally.  It can be uncomfortable for students with disabilities to make eye contact, but since we practice all the time my students are making great strides.

Rule #2:  Quiet Mouth

Basic rule.  I know most teachers have this rule in one form or another.  At the beginning of the year we practice having a quiet mouth.  We also talk about when it is okay to talk and when it is not okay to talk.  Along with this rule we learn about the volume of our voice and when we can be loud, and when we need to be quiet.

Rule #3:  Listening Ears

This is another rule about attending to instruction.  My students learn that having listening ears is important because it helps us learn and it keeps us safe.

Rule #4:  Calm Body

As I talk about my rules I realize that they are all about attending to instruction.  We practice having a calm body with either arms folded or in our lap.  We also have a calm body by keeping our feet still.

Rule #5:  Follow Directions

Most of my students have a difficult time following directions.  We learn how to follow directions by saying "okay" and doing it immediately.  My students know that it is not okay to tell a teacher "no" when given a direction, because the directions I give help us learn or keep us all safe.

I spend 3-4 weeks at the beginning of the year teaching my students the rules in my classroom.  We create a social story using pictures of the students following the rules and read it every morning.  We play the "Rule Game".  I have small visuals that correlate to the rules and we silently (except for saying okay with rule #5) do whatever rule is on the card.  Please use these rules as they would work in your classroom.  Adapt what you need and leave out what doesn't work for you.  I have found these rules are concrete enough and visual enough to work with even my most severe students.

Happy Teaching

~Lindsey