Classroom Rules and Expectations Teaching Resources

Ready to introduce your classroom rules and expectations? Or maybe your students could really use some practice to make sure they know what behavior is expected in your room?

Set the refresh button on classroom management with printable classroom rules posters, games to help students learn classroom procedures, behavior charades, and more teaching resources created by the expert teachers at Teach Starter!

Looking for some tips on creating classroom rules and teaching them to your students? Read on for a primer from our teacher team!

What Are Classroom Rules?

The name may seem self-explanatory to some, but there's no shame in wanting to learn more! Classroom rules are basic guidelines for students to follow, so they know what is expected of them when it comes to classroom behavior.

A cornerstone of behavior management and classroom management, rules may cover everything from what is acceptable in the classroom to procedures that should be followed.

How to Teach Classroom Rules So Students Remember Them

You're going to be spending a lot of time reminding your students about your classroom rules, and that's OK. The need for repetition is normal!

But how do you make the learning stick? Here are some ideas from our teacher team to teach classroom rules at the start of the school year:

1. Have your students create posters that show kids following the various rules in your classroom.
2. Have your students role-play forgetting the rules and then having a do-over moment.
3. Lead classroom discussions about why rules are important. Talk about what to do if you feel impulsive or forget to bring your best self to class.
4. Practice. Practice. Practice. For example, if you use call and response, practice it until they all get it right, and praise the class each time they respond to reinforce the positive behavior.

Why Are Classroom Rules Important?

The exact rules in a classroom may vary based on your teaching philosophy, the age and abilities of your students, district rules, and a whole lot more, but the basic premise is the same: Students need structure and order.

Well-defined rules that are implemented well and consistently enforced provide bumpers for students not unlike the bumpers in a bowling alley. Students can move around between them, but they're there to gently guide students back toward appropriate behavior when they start to roll a little bit sideways.