Investing Students in the Rules

This process is facilitated by the teacher and consists of four steps: setting SMART goals, connecting the goals to rules, connecting the rules to concrete behaviors, and making the rules come alive

A Proactive Discipline Strategy

When students are clear about the expectations, they will be less likely to test them.

Broad rules foster critical and ethical thinking and the practice of self-control by allowing students to apply general behavior expectations to various situations. The concrete details of each rule become part of the rich and ongoing learning of the year.

Steps for Investing Students in the Rules

  1. Guide students in setting SMART goals.
  2. Post existing rules or create rules with students. 
  3. Explicitly model how the rules will look, sound, and feel when followed. 
  4. Build an understanding of how positive actions contribute to everyone’s success.

Resources for Investing Students in the Rules

Help students make explicit connections between classroom rules, their own goals, and concrete behaviors.
Investing Students in the Rules PLANNER

This graphic organizer helps students understand how classroom and school rules support them in achieving a SMART goal.

Rules Support Me in Achieving My Goal

Use the Looks Like, Sounds Like, Feels Like graphic organizer to highlight rule-following behaviors. 

LSF Chart – Looks Like, Sounds Like, Feels Like

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