Differentiated Classroom Tip of the Month!

August: 

Display Classroom Rules

Make sure your classroom rules or expectations are posted in an area that can be seen by all students. You should have between 3 and 5 positively stated rules so students know exactly what they should do. Also, refer back to the rules before and during a lesson to visually remind students what is expected of them. Examples of positively stated rules are: Quietly work on independent work, Respect Others, Keep hands and feet to yourself, Use nice words toward your peers. In my experience, when teachers have a rule posted such as "Do not cause disruptions while working," students usually argue when they do something they believe is not considered disruptive. Instead, the rule should be written as "Quietly work on independent work" so students understand that all they can do is be quiet, nothing more!