Setting expectations in the classroom…
…from day one to every day.
Hello all. Welcome to the 187th edition of TEPS Weekly!
Little Blooms School conducted a TPD session on classroom management. One of the strategies the trainer mentioned for effective classroom management was setting expectations in the class.
Scenario 1: Mr. Francis, a middle-school teacher, decides to set classroom expectations with his students. He discusses a few expectations with the class in detail. The students actively participate in the discussion and agree on the expectations. They write them on a chart themselves, and the chart is displayed at the front of the classroom.
The next day, the classroom is noisy. Students interrupt each other while speaking, move around during the lesson, and some come without the required materials. “Everyone, please settle down.” “I have already told you not to talk while someone is answering.” “Why are you still moving around?” The same reminders continue over the next few weeks.
Scenario 2: Ms. Arya sets the same expectations as Mr. Francis with her middle school students. Students write them on a chart and display them at the front of the classroom.
The next day, most students follow the expectations. Ms. Arya finds it easy to handle the class and can utilise maximum time in discussing the chapter.
Both teachers set the same expectations. What made the difference?Mr. Francis stated the expectations very clearly, but students were unclear about what they needed to do to meet them. Ms. Arya set expectations into clear actions and routines that students could do.
What if some students don’t follow the expectations? How should the teacher make students follow them? Is there any strategy to set expectations in the classroom for better and sustained classroom management? Let's look into it.
What classroom expectations are
An expectation is a clear picture the teacher sets for the students of how to behave and learn in the classroom. For example: Respect everyone, Listen carefully, Be Responsible, Keep Your Classroom Clean.
How do set expectations help a classroom? Well-set expectations will help both teachers and students to teach and learn better.
For Teachers:
Protects learning time: Clear expectations reduce unnecessary disruptions and repeated instructions.
Makes responses more consistent: Teachers can refer to shared expectations instead of reacting differently to similar behaviours.
Supports proactive classroom management: Teachers can teach and reinforce expected behaviours rather than responding only after problems occur.
Creates predictability: Students know what to expect from the classroom and from their teacher, making the learning environment easier to manage.
Creates a positive classroom environment: Helps to establish a classroom culture where students know how to behave and treat others
For Students:
Self-regulation: Learning to manage behaviour, attention and emotions.
Responsibility: Taking ownership of materials, tasks and commitments.
Social skills: Listening, taking turns, collaborating and respecting others.
Independence: Knowing what to do without waiting for constant teacher reminders.
A sense of belonging: Feeling respected, included and part of the classroom community.
How can we plan and reinforce classroom expectations?
Students don’t always know what their teacher expects from them. Even with common school rules or an expectation chart on the classroom wall, it is up to each teacher to make those rules clear, practice them, and hold students to them every single day.
A simple five-step approach to effectively set expectations in the class is:
Set: Establish the most important expectations to be met
Expectations should be thoughtfully chosen and clearly defined. They should be behaviours that support learning and participation in the classroom.
Identify and prioritise expectations. Think about what behaviours are important for learning, participation, and working with others and in which common situations do students need clear expectations? For example: listening when someone is speaking, asking questions, group work, transitions, using materials
Involve students in the decision-making. Use their ideas to shape the expectations.
Make expectations clear. State expectations as specific, observable behaviours that students can understand and follow. For example:
Expectation | What I will do |
Respect everyone |
|
Ensure the expectations are realistic and inclusive for all learners.For example: “Everyone must make eye contact when someone is speaking” may not be suitable for every learner. Instead, “Pay attention when someone is speaking” allows students to show attention in different ways.
Teach: Explain and model what the expectation looks and sounds like
Once expectations are set, students need to know exactly what each expectation means in practice. Do not assume that students already know how to meet it. Explicitly explain it and show them what it looks and sounds like.
Explain: Tell students clearly what the expectation means and why it matters. For example: “When someone is speaking, give them your attention. This means stopping your own conversation and focusing on what they are saying.”
Model: Show students the expected behaviour yourself. If needed, briefly demonstrate an unacceptable behaviour and discuss what needs to change too. For example, to ask for help:
Expected: show how a student can raise their hand, wait, and say, “Could you please help me with this?”
Unaccepted: show calling out “Ma’am!” repeatedly and then show raising a hand and waiting.
Practise: Give students opportunities to use it
Students need opportunities to practise expectations in real classroom situations. For example: If students are learning how to participate in discussions, practise taking turns and listening.
When a routine does not work, stop, check why it didn’t work, fill the gap and practise it again. The aim is not simply to tell students what to do, but to help them become able to do it independently.
Reinforce: Notice, acknowledge or correct
Reinforcement does not always mean correcting students. It also means noticing and acknowledging when students are meeting expectations.
Be specific: Connect your feedback directly to the behaviour you want to see.
Example: Instead of saying “Good job,” say “You waited for your turn to speak. Very good”.
Immediately acknowledge the behaviour when you see it so students can connect the feedback to what they have done.
What to do when students do not follow expectations
Stop and address off-task talk rather than continuing over it.
State the expected behaviour again.
Give students an opportunity to correct it.
Re-run or reteach the routine when necessary.
Continue to reinforce the expectation when students meet it.
Use the school's behaviour warning or consequences system consistently when required.
Make it clear that you will follow up consistently when students don’t meet the expectations.
Review: Revisit expectations when neededRegular review keeps expectations relevant, clear and consistently followed as classroom needs change. Expectations may need to be revisited when:
a routine breaks down
the classroom context changes
students need reteaching
a new activity requires a different routine
students are no longer consistently meeting the expectation.
How does this change for different age groups?
The expectations may be similar across age groups, but the way they are taught and reinforced should change based on students’ age and development.
For younger students:
Keep expectations simple, concrete and visual.
Show students exactly what the expected behaviour looks and sounds like.
Practise the behaviour together and repeat it frequently.
Use visual cues to remind students.
Middle-school students
Explain what the expectation means and why it matters.
Involve students in deciding what the expectation looks and sounds like.
Give students a voice in creating class norms.
Discuss how their behaviour affects their own and others’ learning.
High-school students
Give students more ownership and responsibility.
Involve them in setting class norms, routines and responsibilities.
Give them opportunities to make decisions and solve problems.
Let students monitor and manage expectations, while the teacher maintains clear boundaries.
Setting expectations is more than putting rules on a classroom wall. When expectations are turned into clear routines, taught, practised, reinforced and gradually owned by students, they become part of everyday classroom life. The goal is the shift from teacher-directed reminders to student ownership and self-management.
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Edition: 5.42
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