Why teach the Rules, Expectations, and Routines during the first week of school?
Instilling behavioral expectations and routines consistently across various settings is crucial for ensuring a shared understanding among all staff members. This fosters uniformity in the enforcement of school rules, addressing the common issue of staff harboring disparate expectations regarding acceptable behavior in different contexts, which can be perplexing for students. Another key rationale is the necessity of avoiding assumptions that students are already familiar with the expectations and routines.
What are Routines?
Procedures and processes designated for students, known as routines, play a vital role in maintaining a smooth operational flow and preventing potential issues. These encompass various activities such as entering the cafeteria, navigating the lunch line, dismissing classes from lunch, and the protocol for sharpening pencils during class. It is essential to carefully select routines, as some may inadvertently encourage student misbehavior. The teaching and reinforcement of routines during the initial week of the school year are imperative to ensure a standardized set of procedures is followed by everyone in the school.
During the inaugural week of the school year, our Mustang Round Up will transpire. This event offers students the chance to familiarize themselves with different areas on campus and review corresponding expectations and routines. These areas encompass the cafeteria, library, office, playground, and bathroom, each featuring a presenter elucidating the expectations of Being Safe, Responsible, and Respectful.
