Teaching responsibility in our classrooms is crucial for students' personal growth and academic success.
Here are 5 ways to teach, reinforce and encourage responsibility in your classroom from DAY ONE plus a few resources to get you started.
If we want our students to be responsible, we also need to demonstrate responsibility by modeling positive behavior and expectations.
1. Demonstrate responsibility through your actions.
Show that you are organized, ready to begin your day on time, be prepared for everything (think on your feet) and show respect for others in your words and actions.
I know, I know...there are THOSE days that this plan flies right out the window and it becomes "The Day Jimmy's Boa ate the Wash!" We all have those days, but you know what I am saying...simply try your best!
One way to do this is to to talk about how you decide what you are doing each day. Maybe you have a schedule posted where all students can see it.
Share your decision-making processes and the importance of accountability.
Students often emulate the behaviors they observe in their teachers.
So how do I do this?
Accountability or taking responsibility for your actions and accepting the consequences of your choices. It's important for children to learn about accountability so they understand cause and effect.
- Explain the purpose: Explain why you've assigned a task or reading.
- Set expectations: Be clear about what "good preparation" looks like and might even sound like.
- Praise children for taking responsibility by praising specific big or small actions. For example, you could say "I noticed you completed your job this morning. That shows responsibility! " I really appreciate how you put your name on your paper your bed without a reminder!"
Model your classroom expected behaviors the first day of school: Show or have a student model how they are expected to walk in the classroom, where they need to put their bookbags, lunch etc. You might even have a Morning Classroom Procedures Chart as a reminder. Show them the first day or second day and role model throughout the week. i always got a little silly with it to get a chuckle.
- Make time to explain the consequences. For example, if your name is not on your paper, I will not know who the paper belongs to. If your paper is not in your folder, then you might lose your work. If you throw a pencil, someone may get hurt.
- Allow students to see that we all make mistakes, but that is okay. We learn from our mistakes.
Here are some organizational ideas that ARE READY TO PRINT, REVIEW AND USE.
An organized library with labels so students know what is where is so important for students and knowing classroom procedures for taking and returning books to and from the classroom library should be reole-modeled and practiced before giving your students free range of those precious books!Take a closer look at these HERE!
Classroom supply labels help YOU as well as your students. if classroom supplies are in a specific spot, it saves time and supports students to find something they need in a timely fashion.If you have a supply manager or individual supply monitors like paper passer etc. as one of your classroom jobs, that is even better.
I NEED THESE!
Send home a brochure with all the information about your procedures in one place. This is easy to edit and use as well as a great way to keep parents and students organized at home. It can be kept on the refrigerator or in a special place in the student's home
Home and school ready to print and use communication forms to keep parent/teacher lines open, which in turn will create a strong positive classroom community. Home and school communication sheets, which includes self-portraits, weekly student self-reflection sheets and weekly news frames for students to communicate to their parents about what they have learned, liked, fun times and goals they are working on in school! YES! THIS IS PERFECT FOR ME!
Here are some organizational ideas that ARE READY TO PRINT, REVIEW AND USE.
An organized library with labels so students know what is where is so important for students and knowing classroom procedures for taking and returning books to and from the classroom library should be reole-modeled and practiced before giving your students free range of those precious books!
Take a closer look at these HERE!
Classroom supply labels help YOU as well as your students. if classroom supplies are in a specific spot, it saves time and supports students to find something they need in a timely fashion.If you have a supply manager or individual supply monitors like paper passer etc. as one of your classroom jobs, that is even better.
I NEED THESE!
2. Incorporate Classroom Jobs:
Giving students specific jobs, such as organizing supplies, helping with attendance, or leading a group activity, helps them understand the importance of contributing to the classroom community and taking ownership of the activity they are assigned. They understand if the lunch count person doesn't do their job or the paper passer forgets that it disrupts the procedures and take more time.
3. Set Clear Expectations:
Establish rules and expectations for behavior and academic goals or learning objectives. Consistently reinforce the expectations so students understand the effects of their actions and how these actions support a calm and positive learning environment.
Establishing classroom expectations, routines and rules with your students and discussing the importance of each rule and why we need those boundaries, supports positive classroom management and builds a strong classroom community with responsible learners
When students understand the expectations and procedures of your classroom, you will see a difference. During the first few weeks of school as these ideas and concepts are established, your students will safe, less confused and calmer knowing how the classroom runs.
4. Encourage Goal Setting and Self Reflection:
Support students in setting social and academic goals. Every so often have each student reflect on their growth and progress with these goals and how they can achieve them or be better with them. This teaches them to take responsibility for their learning and personal growth.
These behavior and academic goal setting sheets for students are perfect for encouraging and supporting your students with setting personal goals and creating a plan to achieve these goals. They can keep them in a personal growth folder and see how much they have grown each semester, week or month!
5. Encourage a Growth Mindset:
Encourage students to view challenges as opportunities to learn and grow. Allow students to see the power of YeT and that everyone and grows at their own pace. How they need to keep trying until they are PROUD! This approach helps students take responsibility for their learning and outcomes.
Grab these GROWTH MINDSET and POSITIVE MINDSET POSTERS HERE...
These are my favorite posters. They are bright and colorful and can add a little sparkle to any classroom or school hallway!
I hope you back to school is filled with laughter, smiles and lots of sunshine!
Remember even on a cloudy day, the sun is still shining!
Here is a sample of what they might look like in YOUR classroom.
Here are a few extra Back to School September resources you might like to start the year!
