All About Classroom Norms: What Are Norms and How to Set Them

Written by Allison Scott

All About Classroom Norms: What Are Norms and How to Set Them

Creating a classroom is more complicated than simply putting up posters and deciding on a theme. It requires teachers to establish classroom norms that dictate how students, teachers, and everyone in the vicinity are expected to behave. These behaviors are set in advance and communicated to everyone involved to ensure consistency.

Ironing out how these norms are created and enforced, though, is a lot of work for teachers. They have to decide what they want their classroom to be like, what is best suited for the age of the students, and how they can adjust their expectations to ensure a successful year. Ultimately, the teachers guide how these classroom norms are implemented, communicated, and enforced, and this teacher guide will explore the process.

What Are Classroom Norms?

Classroom norms are expectations set by teachers and students to ensure consistent behavior in the classroom and help foster a better learning environment.

While the specifics of classroom norms are something teachers likely have not seen in official testing like the TExES Test, they are valuable tools to implement for optimal learning. From acceptable behaviors to the process for turning in homework, norms will differ across the board. The great thing is that classroom norms are customizable for every unique classroom. Some groups of students will respond better to some guidelines than others, and adjustments can always be made to be inclusive of students with different needs.

Benefits of Setting Classroom Norms

Establishing classroom norms comes with several benefits that can make life as a teacher much easier. Some of these include:

What each classroom norm ends up being for every classroom will likely vary. They are adjustable to fit the needs of the specific groups of students in the class and work to resolve the problems those students face that hinder learning. Eventually, teachers will find that norms become part of their teaching strategy because of their usefulness.

Classroom Norms Examples

When it comes to classroom norms, they are customizable to each classroom and what will be most beneficial for the students and teachers involved. A few classroom norms examples to consider implementing include:

• Acceptable Behavior: From not biting, bullying, or hitting classmates for younger students to phone restrictions and digital boundaries for older students, behavior requirements are reasonable classroom norms to establish. They help students understand limitations on how they should behave in a school setting that can stick with them throughout their academic careers.
• Safety Protocols: In-person school requires a lot to keep up and running in the best way possible. With natural disasters, power outages, and fire drills, there are particular steps students have to take to stay safe. Establishing these protocols as classroom norms is essential to make that happen.
• Schedule Expectations: Ensuring young students know when lunch and recess are can help make them feel comfortable. They will have the confidence to know what is coming next and, after a while, will have a grasp of what is upcoming. Setting these schedule expectations also helps reduce the frequency of questions teachers are asked about what activity is next.
• Bathroom or Nurse Protocol: Informing students how they can go about asking to go to the restroom or what to do if they need to go to the nurse can create a more comfortable classroom setting. Whether they can take a hall pass for what they need whenever or they are expected to ask to ensure the teacher is in the know, explaining these protocols is a great idea.

What ends up as the best classroom norms to implement could change year to year and may depend on the students and their needs. But creating a guideline of how to behave and what is and is not acceptable can only positively contribute to the classroom.

How to Determine Classroom Norms

Each teacher should determine which classroom norms will work best for their classroom. It can be focused on concerns specific to the students each year or general ideas that are routinely benefited from creating some regulations around them. And while it is ultimately up to teachers to determine which classroom norms to establish, there are a few other ways to decide the options available. Those include:

1. Having an Anonymous Survey: Getting input from students anonymously can facilitate real change that is void of peer pressure. From personal concerns students face daily — like distractions in the classroom — to preferences, it is always good to get information from the class to understand their priorities.
2. Facilitating a Classroom Discussion: Teachers can also host a classroom discussion to decide which classroom norms to use. It may be easier to start with classroom norm examples and build from there to give students an idea of what to suggest. As opposed to an anonymous survey, an open discussion can provide more color to opinions and motivations behind why some ideas are a better fit than others.
3. Asking Other Teachers for Input: Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and the same can be said about classroom protocols. Teachers can seek information from their colleagues to understand what they have done and are currently doing and get an idea of the best norms. This kind of insight can be very helpful if teachers and students are uncertain about how to proceed.

The beauty of classroom procedures is that they can be ever-changing. If something works at the beginning of the year and proves not to be as useful later on, it is as easy as tweaking it or setting a new expectation to improve it.

How to Set Classroom Norms

While vocalizing expectations is a great first step for teachers when setting classroom norms, it may not stick with students. In addition to the conversations about expectations, teachers should consider implementing a few other reinforcements of the information:

• Displaying Charts: For younger kids, having charts with progress on certain privileges can make understanding them more likely. Whether it is a treasure box for good behavior or the ability to have a parent bring a special lunch treat, a visual display of reward norms can be motivational and serve as a great reminder of what they are working toward.
• Posters: When it comes to more procedural norms like homework expectations or behavioral guidelines, putting together a poster can be influential. Whenever there are questions about the rule, students can self-serve and review it on their own time. They can also use it as a reference point to reinforce previous conversations about it.
• Practicing: Many people learn best by doing, and classroom procedures are no exception. Teachers can reinforce their norms by having students run through them regularly. Either speaking to them or physically going through the movements can work wonders to instill routines and make them stick.
• Discussing Norms: Sometimes kids may question why something is expected of them and may be too afraid to ask. Maybe they think they will look dumb or be made fun of. That is why facilitating conversations about norms and having those on a semi-regular basis is a great practice to implement.

In the end, having routines that no one is aware of or is unclear of what they actually mean in practice is a waste. They will ultimately cause more confusion, chaos, and disconnect in the classroom, which makes teaching and learning more challenging.

How to Practice Classroom Norms

Simply saying that students should abide by classroom norms is likely not enough to make the actions second nature. Instead, teachers should prioritize practicing the norms to involve them in daily classroom behavior and encourage consistency.

Teachers should start by modeling the preferred behavior themselves. Talk through each step to ensure it is apparent to students and encourage them to ask questions along the way. Consider going through the motions a few times to ensure it is understood. From there, it becomes much easier to have students model the behavior themselves while talking through it. Involving both verbal explanations of what they are doing with the physical movements makes it much more likely they will remember the norms and be able to put them into action.

It can also be beneficial to go through deviations from the norms and have the class identify what was done wrong. Challenging students to analyze actions and how they align with norms — or fail to align — encourages attention to detail and can keep kids focused on the task at hand.

Consider having the whole class do more involved safety drills simultaneously. Ensure they know where to go and what position to take, and explain the need to stay quiet so they can hear any new instructions along the way. While there are likely school-mandated drills, it is beneficial to run them a few extra times to verify that all kids know what to do.

Ultimately, practicing norms by showcasing the right steps makes them more memorable and easier to put into action. That will lead to a more effective process and an efficient classroom that any teacher can appreciate.

Practicing Positive Behavior Response and Consequences

As with any classroom behavior, it is essential to teach students right from wrong while clearly identifying the consequences of failing to adhere to the set classroom norms. Explain that these norms are an expectation of being a student in the classroom and are meant to help make things run more smoothly. They exist for a reason and are enforced because they benefit everyone involved.

If the classroom norm is for students to raise their hands before speaking, teachers should be encouraged to acknowledge and appreciate that behavior. Simply thanking the student for raising their hand to ask a question can do the trick. On the contrary, if a student speaks during a lesson without raising their hand, teachers should call out the action directly. Something kind but pointed to identify that raising hands is the expectation before interrupting should do the trick. If the behavior becomes a consistent issue, that can be managed individually.

Teachers can benefit from identifying norms, showcasing how they may be disregarded, and explaining the potential consequences of not following the rule. For example, if phones are expected to be put away and on silent after the bell rings and a student is texting after that happens, teachers will give an initial warning. If it continues to be a problem, the teacher will confiscate the phone for the remainder of the day. If the issue persists, the teacher can speak with the parents or guardians of the student in question.

Setting these expectations is not an attempt to intimidate students. Rather, it is meant to encourage agreed-upon classroom behaviors and discourage misbehaving. The end result is a better functioning, more effective, and efficient learning environment that teachers and students can enjoy.

When to Implement Classroom Norms

Teachers should get in the habit of implementing classroom norms starting on the first day of school to increase the chances students will understand and follow them. While it is not required to put them to practice so early, it can make the whole process much easier than waiting until later in the year.

Plus, teachers being able to start the school year with a clear list of things students can expect creates a more consistent classroom experience. Instead of wondering what rules are going to be established, students are prepared for what they are supposed to do and supposed to avoid. They also fully grasp the potential consequences and can be further encouraged to follow them, knowing what they may be up against if they do not.

Norms do not only have to come from teachers, either. There is the option in the first week, when students are still adjusting to their new grades and class schedule, to request any suggestions they might have. While teachers will have the ultimate decision-making power, this approach can help create a more balanced and respectful environment because students feel empowered by having a voice.

There is always the option to adjust or build onto classroom norms too. If certain behavior stands out as a distraction in class, a new expectation to the existing list may be worthwhile to ensure learning occurs without interruption.

Using Positive Language in Classroom Norms

It is not always what is said; it is how it is said. While there are occasions where negative language needs to be used — namely in situations that could be dangerous or urgent for one reason or another — it is typically best to stay positive.

For example, if students are running in the classroom and teachers want them to stop, saying "please walk in the classroom" instead of "do not run" has a softer delivery. It is not a harsh judgment of the student and their wrong behavior; it is simply a correction of something with redirection to something else. Instead of running, they should walk. While it may seem small, this can help breed an environment that is supportive and inclusive without distributing harsh blame on students for wrongdoings.

The same could be said for things like noise levels, sharing with classmates, and language choices. The list goes on. But the main thing to remember is that kids, for the most part, do not want to get in trouble.

However, they are kids at the end of the day. They want to have fun and enjoy their school experience; sometimes, that means making mistakes or breaking classroom norms. Correcting the behavior with a positive tone and positive language that encourages the preferred behavior is a great way to get what is required across without disheartening the child. And teachers have to prioritize safety and learning in the classroom because those are in the best interest of the kids now and as they move through life.

Setting Classroom Norms: A Recipe for Success

As a student, knowing what is expected in a classroom setting makes the academic experience easier. While they may not always adhere to the rules and regulations, having them in place makes consequences easier, too. And that will always benefit teachers for behavioral adjustments and classroom management.

Not to mention, classroom norms help keep order in the classroom and keep everyone accountable for the same things. This consistency is fair and encourages students to focus on their behavior and others to create a balanced learning environment.

Are classroom norms a cure-all for every issue teachers face? Absolutely not! However, they can make focusing on the class work and lesson of the day easier while also teaching kids about following rules. If teachers involve students in creating classroom norms, they even get exposure to better-grasping norms on a bigger scale. That can set them up for success in the future, which is really what school is all about.