The Difference Between Rules & Procedures for Students

Is there a difference between rules and procedures?  Yes there certainly is!

Rules are non-negotiables.  Actions that students must do and not do.  Actions that have consequences.

Procedures are the methods and routines you use to run your classroom.


However, the two are often mixed.  In my classroom I have two rules:

                               * Be a respectful student          * Be a responsible students

Respect and responsibility are two words that kids have heard many times by the time they reach 6th grade. But unfortunately many do not fully understand what they mean.  At the start of any course (school year) I always demonstrate what these two words LOOK like in the classroom.  In order to do this, I go over specific examples of what students can DO to be a respectful student and a responsible student.

I always provide a list to students.  Together we read through and discuss.  I always ask for questions, and I always ask for ideas from students - anything else they would like to see added.  This helps with buy-in from students.  Then, if they can all agree to do their best to follow the rules and procedures, I have them sign, indicating their agreement.


​Click on the image for Midgley's list of examples for respectful and responsible students:
Don’t stop now - you’re on a roll! Since we’re tackling the nitty-gritty of classroom management today, I’ve hand-picked these three posts specifically to help you level up your systems even further. Which one will you tackle next?
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Teaching with Textbooks | Teach Like Midgley

​I’m Hillary Midgley, and I help teachers move from classroom chaos to streamlined success with no-frills systems that make managing student work easy. New here? Start with the Manage Student Work ebook.