Classroom Management That Works: Research-Based Strategies for Every Teacher

Probably the most obvious aspect of effective classroom management involves the design and implementation of classroom rules and procedures. Emmer, Evertson, and Worsham (2003) attest to the need for rules and procedures by explaining that they

… vary in different classrooms, but all
effectively managed classrooms have
them. It is just not possible for a
teacher to conduct instruction or for
students to work productively if they
have no guidelines for how to behave
or when to move about the room, or if
they frequently interrupt the teacher
and one another. Furthermore, ineffi-
cient procedures and the absence of
routines for common aspects of class-
room life, such as taking and reporting
attendance, participating in discus-
sions, turning in materials, or checking
work, can waste large amounts of time
and cause students' attention and
interest to wane. (p. 17)

Even though this quotation comes from a textbook on secondary classroom management, the authors make the same assertion about elementary rules and procedures (Evertson, Emmer, & Worsham, 2003).

Although the terms are sometimes used interchangeably, rules and procedures have some important differences. Both refer to stated expectations regarding behavior. However, a rule identifies general expectations or standards, and a procedure communicates expectations for specific behaviors (Evertson et al., 2003; Emmer et al., 2003). For example, a teacher might establish the rule [Respect others and their property.] This single rule addresses a wide range of expected behaviors. The same teacher might also establish separate procedures for collecting assignments,

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