Rules – Many programs have detailed written policies for teachers to follow, most of which (rightfully so) deal with physical safety and health. Within a program, teachers should follow these health and safety policies to the letter without question.

But let’s talk about classroom rules. Some teachers LOVE rules and they create one for EVERY possible situation that may arise. Others see no need for stated rules of behavior and simply deal with situations as they arise. As with most things, the mid-point is the smartest place to be.

Rules on Rules – Classroom rules should be developmentally appropriate; agreed upon by parents, teachers, and children old enough to have input; consistently enforced whenever possible; practical and useful – with rules of safety being the most strictly enforced; simple and practical and limited to common sense situations (not nitpicky regulations for imagined worries that may not occur); and they should be stated and written positively, telling the children what TO DO, not just what not to do.

Developmental appropriateness is the rule for all things preschool. Whenever possible – and as possible as often – children should be involved in rule writing. Even two-year-olds can begin to take part. Hence the rules in my room one year included, among others:

• Be Nice
• No Taking Toys
• No Tee Tee on Thomas (or anyone else)
• If you gonna’ ‘flow up’, ‘flow up’ at home

When children are involved in making the rules, there is more ownership of the behaviors. This does not mean there will be fewer unattractive behaviors, it’s just another way of instilling ownership and creating an environment of child-centeredness. The benefits of ownership for young children are these:

• When they have ownership of their bodies, they learn to use them more appropriately and to protect them with safety, nutrition, and health
• When they have ownership of their environment, they learn to respect & care for it
• When they have ownership of their actions and behaviors, they learn to be more aware of the consequences of those actions
• When they have ownership of their attempts and their mistakes, they learn to keep trying
• When they have ownership of their decisions, they learn to make better ones
• When they have ownership of the learning process, they become increasingly self-sufficient, independent, and more successful as students and human beings
• Psst! – (Two more secret side effects of ownership and responsibility are that the greater the ownership, the better the behaviors and the better you look to parents during Teacher Appreciation Week).

Rules need to make sense to the children; need to be followed by the whole class and consistently enforced by the adults; should be posted (even in non-reading classrooms) for referral; and even though NO! is a fine word, to be saved for instances where physical safety is in peril, rules should be stated positively so they tell the children what TO DO, not just what NOT TO DO.

Remember that the word, “DON’T” is confusing for young children. They may not even hear that word itself, but will recognize the verb after the “don’t”, and many times do the exact opposite of what the teacher intends. Saying, “Don’t Run!” often results in a stampede of two-year-old marathon sprinters headed for the finish line.

So, let’s review:

• Be Nice
• Be a Friend
• Pee Pee in the Potty
• If You Are Sick, Please Stay at Home