• • 1. Clearly post your classroom rules. ( See chapter 6, Classroom rules.) make a living document by quoting them frequently to your students. Remember to state them in a positive manner such as, “Work quietly in your assigned area.” By doing so, you accomplish two things : You demonstrate the that classroom rules matter, and you clearly state the acceptable classroom behavior.
• 2. Avoid forcing students to write rules as punishment. They become meaningless if used in this manner. If you feel you must assign some sort of written punishment, use Think Paper ( see Figure 1.2 ). This not only provides students with an opportunity to give their sign of the story, but also helps them to process why the problem occurred and to identify better options for the future.