Classroom Discipline:

Children Make the Rules

Mikala Klein - Addie Sternad
You Lack John Fitzgerald - Juli Doyle
Discipline!
Morghan Huff
 Why let the children make the rules?
Making the rules is more than classroom management.

It promotes growth in respect and autonomy.

Rulemaking occurs in an atmosphere of respect a goal of moral development.
The children respect the teacher,
the teacher respects the children,
and the children respect each other.

The atmosphere of respect is necessary to promote the development of self regulation.

With self regulation, children will know how to behave in the absence of adult guidance.
 The Constructivist Classroom
Constructivist classroom: Learn by doing:

The learner is the center of the educational
focus (the stage).
Knowledge must be constructed by the
learner by interpretation and
reinterpretation.
Understanding why things work.
Allowing the children to be involved in
the classroom rulemaking process gives
them a clear understanding of why the
rule is necessary.

Kinesthetic learning (hands on)

 The teacher norms
The rulemaking occurs within boundaries referred to as the teacher norms.

Norms- specific expectations that teachers establish for childrens behavior - ways of behaving
that everyone takes for granted as part of the culture of the classroom.

Safety and Health Norms: Moral Norms: Discretionary norms:

Ensure childrens well being.
Ex - No hurting others
Lie down at rest time.
Respect for people and animals.
Ex - Take fair turns
TALK THROUGH CONFLICT
Routine and procedures to make the
classroom smoothly and learning
possible.
Ex - sit with the group at group time
Clean up after lunch
 How do we invite our students to make the Rules?
Ask them how they would like to be treated in the classroom

Try to make positive rules not just Dont rules

Make sure rules are specific responses to problems or potential problems

Have the reason for the rule as part of the rule as necessary
 The rulemaking Process
Dont Rules:
Children may view rulemaking as another Children find it easier to think in terms of
exercise in trying figure out the right prohibitions than in terms of what they can or
answer or say what they think the teacher should do.
wants to hear. Children have trouble thinking in generalities.
This is not rulemaking. The child does not Try to make Dont rules into Do rules.
understand the need to treat others in
Ask the children how they like to be treated and
moral ways. what they would need to do to make the
classroom a happy place.
The GUIDED rulemaking process
When children are suggesting rules and the teacher enforces the rules, the reason for the rule
should be emphasized.

Student: No running in the classroom or hallways!

Teacher: WHY?

Student: Because you could fall down and hurt yourself or run into someone and hurt
them.

RULE - No running because you could hurt yourself or someone else.

 The Guided Rulemaking Process cont.
Allow Impractical rules to be made.
teacher Students
points out problems during discussion opportunity to discover rule
has no veto power - unless a rule puts does not work
the children at risk in someway Gain clearer understanding
constructivist teacher uses external of why
cognitive control over students
Conscious and deliberate feedback (not
impulsive or automatic, but The Minions
thoughtful, critical well thought out classroom rules
and yet immediate
 How the ZPD ties in...
Stage 1 Stage 2
Guided rule making children self assess understanding of
rules and practice them
Teacher gives instruction and models how to
Children monitor one another
make a rule
reminding each other of rules
teacher asks assisting questions to foster, Teacher Guidance necessary, not as
filter and guide students ideas for frequent
rules
Contingencies related to the rules are
defined (positive and negative)
 ZPD (continued)
Stage 3 Stage 4

The student is self regulating. Dysfunctional or impractical rules

They are capable of behaving without adult will be discovered by children
oversight Children will return to stage 1 to
they understand, respect and remember create an improvement to the
the rules. rule or remove it
Reaching stage 3...
In summary, We should do this as educators because...
1. Children are more inclined to remember, respect and enforce rules when they are part of
rule making process

2. It creates a constructivist atmosphere

3. It helps children become self-regulated

Questions and
4. Fosters the development discussion - suggested videos to watch
of autonomy/independence
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTGPP2SgD2c https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zULcO55d31g