Reinforcing Rules in the Classroom

Post date: Mar 28, 2017 12:48:48 PM

By: Due-Anne L. Tolentino

Pupils do influence each others’ values. When they act positively and politely, they enhance the learning experience of those in the classroom. Negative pupil behaviors, such as outbursts, disrespectful comments and back-talking, become disruptive, cause interruptions and take away from what others are trying to learn. As such, teachers have a responsibility of monitoring and reinforcing the rules in their school classrooms to manage pupil behaviors.

A teacher must identify the types of behaviors that should not be tolerated and behaviors that are ideal. Bullying others, acting disrespectfully, talking out of turn and touching other pupils inappropriately are examples of behaviors a teacher may not tolerate inside the classroom. Once the types of behaviors are identified, the teacher creates a set of classroom rules or guidelines for pupils to follow.

It is a teacher’s responsibility to educate pupils on the behavioral rules at school. After the rules and guidelines for the classroom are drawn up, teachers read them to the class. It is also a good idea for the rules and guidelines to be posted in the classroom where students can see them. Then, the rules are used as references and reminders to pupils to always act accordingly.

Classroom management involves teachers monitoring pupil behaviors. Monitoring efforts include talking to pupils about their behaviors, correcting poor behaviors as soon as they occur, not letting negative behaviors go unaddressed, cathing students behaving well and even rearranging the classroom if necessary to separate students or reduced distractions.

For a teacher to reinforce the behavioral rules of the classroom, a consequences and reward system maybe instituted: negative behavior are met with adverse consequences and positive behaviors are rewarded.

Monitoring and reinforcing rules in the classroom is vital and the teaching and learning process. If the pupils are well-disciplined, the teacher will have more time to teach rather than correcting the misbehavior.