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PROGRAM PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT  * 2 HOURS * LEVEL 2

Positive Strategies for Classroom Management 

Setting Expectations

Page 9
According to Rosemary and Harry Wong, the very first days of the school year are vital to setting expectations for classroom management. This starts children off on the right foot and makes classroom managing much easier. The video below clearly supports this and gives some practical and useful information for teachers and child care professionals.
Click here to view this video in an alternate link
On the first day of school a schedule should be set as much as possible. This schedule can be posted for children to view at all times. It is also important for students to learn the transition expectations as well as proper placement of personal belongings, classroom supplies, restrooms and more. Doing this from the first day in class gives students ample time to practice and perfect the routines and expectations. Repeating the exercises as often as needed is also beneficial, as repetition builds strong habits and skills and makes things occur more fluidly after practice.
Setting rules (or expectations) early on is also important because it makes students aware of the consequences of their actions so that there are no surprises. It can also help to thwart problem behaviors. It is important to take certain steps to prepare students for the expectations and the consequences that may rise if they do not follow the rules or expectations. Be sure to reinforce to the group that everyone makes mistakes and that it is okay, but that there are consequences for intentional misbehavior. 

An example of a classroom conversation about expectations and consequences:
Teacher:
Everybody makes mistakes and there is nothing wrong with that. It is my job to help everybody follow our classroom rules so that nobody gets hurt, gets their feelings hurt, or doesn’t get the opportunity to learn or participate in the fun things we do. What do you think might happen if you ran through our classroom instead of walking?
Child 1: 
I could bump into someone.
Teacher: 
That’s right, you might bump into a friend. And what if that friend were building a big tower in the block area when you bumped into them?
Child 2: 
It would fall.
Teacher: 
You’re right, it would fall over. If you were to run in the classroom and bump into a friend and knock down their block tower, I might ask you to help them fix it.