My 4-D Strategies for Collaborating with Students in Creating and Implementing the Classroom Rules.
I create the 4-D strategy named from the first letters of Design, Discuss, Display, and Deliver.
Traditionally, teachers determine classroom rules, then students have to accept and follow them. Now, when the learner-centered ideology becomes popular, students have more chances of involving in creating or helping creating rules.
Coming to this idea, I am reminded of a highlight of Kohn (1995):
“for teachers who want to develop a positive learning community where students voice and choice is heard, involving students is a step towards”.
Yes, inviting students to create the rules is a very good approach of teaching them the rules, like Jonathan Erwin’s (2004) note, “One of the most effective and practical ways teachers can give students a say in the classroom is by allowing them to participate in developing the classroom rules or behavior guidelines.” (p. 101).
One of my proud practices is that, with the homeschooling class, I have collaborated with my colleagues to integrate learning rules into their teaching plan. We bring some ideas into practice, such as translating into poetry, using classroom rules poetry as the topic in the art class, composing classroom rules song, and helping students perform as art show about classroom rules. The children enjoy the activities immensely, and on top of that, I can see their big improvements in learning just by understanding and obeying the rules.
With these encouraging results, I have learned more about classroom rules and procedures topics to design more creative strategies. Then I have tried to translate all the steps I have done into a memorable model. I begin with the first phase — designing the rules, and I find another “D” to describe the entire steps. As a result, I create the 4-D strategy named from the first letters of Design, Discuss, Display, and Deliver.
Design
The rules must obey the principle “form follows function”, as well as should be specific and observable.
Besides, before creating the rules, teachers should envision not only what kind of behavior students should have to attain their learning goals but also what kind of man students would become in the larger world. In other words, the rules should be “democratic”.
Discuss
Students can be completely involved in creating the rules, yet, of course, with the guidance of teachers. I invite the learners to read some stories relevant to the rules and express their thoughts and feelings because stories always make complicated ideas become more simple and compelling. The learners are encouraged to post their opinion and discuss the stories in the “classroom” community. Exposing to many perspectives may help them discover the lessons deeply.
As the comment of Marzano. R, Marzano. J, & Pickering. D (2003):
“The more successful teachers took pains to explain both the rule itself and the reason behind it to the children. This was important in helping the children to see the need for the rule and therefore, to accept it”. (p. 17),
Teachers need to design some activities for learners to discuss and make decisions rather than simply posting an announcement. Teachers present the core values or expectations, and students explore the reasons behind, expand to behaviors in specific scenarios as well as express their feelings or concerns about the rules.
The important thing is that teachers must be the only ones who makes the final decision. It is because having students involved in the process may lead a bit vague about authority. If students can decide the rules once, they think that they may change the rules and support their change with many excuses. In this case, to ensure that students do not feel unfair or imposed, teachers may take a lot of time to negotiate with students.
Display
“When students are involved with presenting the rules, they’re more likely to remember and uphold them” (Campen, 2019, para. 10). Therefore, teachers should organize activities in which students can decorate, demonstrate the rules in the classroom walls in a creative way.
Besides, singing classroom songs, role-play, presentation, and setting the procedures to implement the rules also make sense. Those activities can help students to feel and understand the rules clearly.
Deliver
Successful classroom delivery means students voluntarily commit to follow the rules and. I invite the learner to read and commit the rules. Every learner is encouraged to sign and save this commitment for own self. This step makes them not only feel the seriousness of obeying the rules but also realize that the most meaningful commitment is a commitment to their own self.
Besides, using student-book is a suitable strategy because they are personal and nurture the habit of self-reflection. The below picture is an example of the student book in my K1 homeschool classroom.
At the beginning of the week, the student and the teacher discuss about the goals as well as how to evaluate student's results. The first goal is about obeying the classroom rules. Because at K1 level, the students are limited in writing, teachers encourage them to write simply as much as possible, ánd draw the goals and the measures. Students review their progress by themselves every day. My students very enjoy this activity and show their leaps and bounds improvement
In sum, “No rules, then no game; different rules, then a different game” (Dewey, 1938, p. 22), I think that rules are the heart of not only class management but also society construction.
To successful rules implement, we, teachers, should invite students to join the process. The point is ensuring that students, as well as teachers ourselves, are playing a healthy game of learning, and beyond it, a humane game of life.
P/S: This write-up is adapted from the story entitled “GOOD TO GREAT “TEACHER”: why and how we should build up from effective instructional techniques to positive classroom rules”
References:
Campen, M. (2019, March 6). 37 Classroom Rules for Student Success. Prodigy. Retrieved 2019, September 25 from: https://www.prodigygame.com/blog/classroom-rules/
Dewey, J. (1938). Experience and education. New York: Touchstone Book, Simon and Schuster. Retrieved from http://ruby.fgcu.edu/Courses/ndemers/Colloquium/ExperiencEducationDewey.pdf
Erwin, J. C. (2004). The classroom of choice: Giving students what they need and getting what you want. ASCD.
Marzano, R.J., Marzano, J.S., & Pickering, D. (2003). Classroom management that works: Research-based strategies for every teacher. ASCD.
McEwan, B. (1997). Contradiction, Paradox, and Irony: The World of Classroom Management. In R.E. Butchart & B. McEwan (eds) Classroom Discipline in American Schools (chapter 5).
