This post is part of a series on my visit to the Ron Clark Academy, where I learned about the importance of classroom management using the Essential 55 Rules from Ron Clark.
As an experienced teacher, I know that classroom management is essential for
student learning and growth. That's why I was blown away by Ron Clark's
classroom management system, which is based on the Essential 55 Rules outlined in his book of the same name.
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After visiting the Ron Clark Academy, I realized that I wasn't always following through, and I hadn't explicitly taught them all of the behaviors and skills that I wanted to see in my classroom. Ron Clark's classroom management is amazing! If you have never had the opportunity to see him in action, check out this video. You will see that the students are engaged, on task, and problem behavior is managed in seconds!
Ron
Clark Essential 55 Poster for Effective Classroom Management
The Ron Clark Academy has
a huge banner hanging above the stairs with the Essential 55 Rules, showing
just how important they are. These rules cover a range of behaviors and skills
that students need to succeed, from respecting others to taking responsibility
for their actions.
At first, I was intimidated by the sheer number of rules (55!), but after seeing them in action at the Ron Clark Academy, I knew I had to incorporate them into my own classroom. That's why I purchased the Ron Clark Essential 55 poster from the gift shop and hung it up right away.
I printed out this version of the Essential 55 for each of my students to keep in their binders.
I bought the Essential 55 Rule Workbook to help practice each of these rules with my students.
We take time each day during our morning meeting to complete the suggested activities and go over each rule individually.
Why the Essential 55 Rules from Ron Clark Are Key to Classroom Success
All of the teachers at the Ron Clark Academy have the same expectations and procedures. I think the students thrive under these conditions, because they know the routine, and they know exactly what is expected of them throughout the day.Because my students are with me the entire day, it is easy for me to be consistent with my expectations. I do tell my students that they are expected to follow these same expectations with specials teachers and substitute teachers even if they aren't explicitly told to do so.
If you're looking for an
effective way to manage your classroom and set your students up for success, I
highly recommend getting the Ron Clark Essential 55 poster. It's a visual
reminder of the rules that will help your students thrive. You can buy one for yourself here.
If you would like to buy the book, The Essential 55 to use in your classroom, you can find it on Amazon here.
The Essential 55 has been updated! Check out the newest version here:
And before you leave, head on over to our Giveaway page to enter our current giveaway!
I have a hard time with some of them. Answer with "Yes, ma'am" or "No, sir"?? What is this, 1952? My father wouldn't have expected that, and he was a STICKLER for polite behavior. Saying, "Yes, Mr.______" or "No, Mrs. ___________" is appropriate enough. As for #41 -- PLEASE. It is not our damn business how they answer the damn phone. They have caller ID, they know who they can be formal or informal with me. DO NOT misunderstand me: I completely agree with you that classroom management is EVERYTHING, that consistency is key, and that common language and expectations at a school site make for an amazing school culture. BUT: most of these expectations don't need to be codified, and some of them just need to go! My school has six basic rules. That's it. We have a well established system that we buy into and that is applied TK - 5. This, to me, is off the hook.
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