Classroom rules

I teach 2nd grade. I have classroom rules but I'm tired of them in the sense that I want to rewrite them.

Any ideas for 2nd grade? I know a lot of people do this with their class during the first week of school. Ii do this and it usully turns to the same thing as what I have already. I just want some fresh ideas of wordings.

What are your rules?

Message edited 7/28/2008 7:51:27 PM.

Re: Classroom rules

I usually keep it simple,

Ask three before me
Use kind words
Try your best
Things like that..

Re: Classroom rules

I use the "Listening 5" (I teach Kindergarten). You put up your hand and say "Give me 5". My five are:
1. Eyes on me
2. Listening Ears
3. Mouth is quiet
4. Hands in lap
5. Feet and Body still

This is for when I need their attention, Of course i have the others, hands and feet to self, raise hand to speak, treat others kindly, stop and think before you act...

Re: Classroom rules

i taught k may teach 1st but i'll stick with what i had

classroom rules
we raise our hands to speak, we sit quietly at our seats
we use voices soft and sweet
we keep our places tidy and neat
we are helpful, friendly and fair
we take our turns and willingly share

it keeps it positive and they love that

Re: Classroom rules

Re: Classroom rules

Re: Classroom rules

I've taught 2nd grade for a long time. I've always had them tell me the rules to write. I tell them I write the first rule. It is the most important rule. It's the golden rule. This is the rule that if we all follow, we'll have a fun year. That rule is: When my teacher is talking I'm listening. Then they get to come up with 6 more rules. I tell them since they are 7 years old, they can come up with 7 rules for the year. I know it is usually recommended that you keep the rules under 5, but this always worked in my class. I told them we can't use the word don't. Some of the rules that I can remember that they came up with are:
We treat others the way we want to be treated.
We raise our hand when we have something to say.
We keep our hands and feet to ourselves.
We help others.
We walk in school expect for gym and recess. (They love that one.)

It is a challenge for them not to use the word don't, so I tend to help them reword their rule. I do it in a way so they don't feel they said it wrong. We work as a team. I say to them now that they are in 2nd grade, they know how to behave in school. They really do a wonderful job with this. We discuss the rules all week. We talk about consequences and rewards. Then they trace their hands and write their name on it and they glue it onto the rules. At the end of the year, I raffle off the rules. They all want to take the rules home. It stays up all year and when needed we reference them.

Re: Classroom rules

I teach 3rd and keep it simple


Be Polite
Be Prepared
Be Productive
Be Positive


But we go over what they each mean and how each simple one contains rules inside of it

I make a poster for the class with a bumble bee in the place of "Be ___"

And they each get a copy to go home in their homework binder