Code of Conduct

I would establish a code of conduct with my students during the first week of school. This might be done as a morning meeting activity in which I would ask the class to brainstorm rules we should establish so that everyone feels safe and respected in the classroom. Creating a class code of conduct as a class connects with a democratic classroom/collective decision-making (part of my teaching philosophy) and the classroom management theorists Rudolf Dreikurs and Alfie Kohn. Dreikurs believed the teacher and students should collaborate in creating rules for behavior as well as logical consequences. Kohn emphasized that students are members of the classroom community and should therefore be able to participate in matters of the classroom, including creating the rules of the classroom.

Below is a sample code of conduct I would hope to create with my students:

Discipline Approach

Below is a sample discipline approach I hope to use in my classroom:

Below, I explain how my discipline approach connects to my teaching philosophy:

Creating a Healthy Learning Community

Social emotional learning (SEL) and culturally responsive classroom management influenced many aspects of my code of conduct and discipline model. I decided that I would collaborate with students in the creation of a code of conduct because 1) I believe students know what is best for themselves and 2) it is an activity that allows students to discuss amongst the group of diverse students and build relationships during the first week of school. The classroom rules I would hope to create with students share a common theme of respect for all students and the teacher.

Some measures included in my discipline plan involve making sure students have equal access to and are consistently reminded of the classroom rules. The rules should be posted in different areas of the classroom and at different heights so all students are able to see. The rules should also be reviewed daily so all students are reminded of what behaviors are required of them and which are unacceptable.