Only One Rule: Respect – Part 4 – Getting Specific

Welcome back to the fourth installment of the Only One Rule: Respect series. If you missed the previous installments, you can find them at Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.

In this installment, I want to get a little more specific.

Having only one rule is good, but for most students, like I mentioned in part one, respect is a concept that is too abstract.

Kids need specifics.

So, what does that look like in the classroom?

On the day you go over your classroom expectations, let the students know that you only have one rule – Respect.

Then give them some basic examples of how the respect rule can be followed.

Here is what I mean:

You might want to put this on the board or on a poster where students can see it every day.

1. By listening to the teacher when he/she is talking, we are showing respect to him/her and to the other students in the class.

2. By arriving to class on time, we are showing respect to the teacher, the class, parents and ourselves.

3. By doing your homework, you are showing respect to yourself and your parents.

4. By studying for your tests, you are showing respect to yourself and your parents.

5. By keeping your comments positive, you are showing respect to each other.

6 By raising your hand before asking a question, you are showing respect to the teacher and the other students.

These are basic expectations that can fit into pretty much any classroom.

You might have to modify or add to this list depending on your particular group of students.

The important part is to make the concept of respect more than just an abstract idea. You have to make respect more tangible for the students if you want to succeed in creating an environment where it is valued.

You may have only one rule in the classroom, but without specific examples, it will be a little more difficult to get your message across.

You may already have some “rules” posted in your classroom. Try re-writing those rules into more positive respect-related expectations like the ones I listed above.

I would love to see how you do this. I would love to hear about what kind of reactions your students have when you share the One Rule idea.

Please share.

Don’t forget to download your free Only One Rule: Respect poster. You can find it at: www.OnlyOneRuleRespect.com.

Thank you again for all you do for our kids.

You are amazing!

Until next time, here’s to your Success in the Classroom!

Thanks,

Sam