The Golden Rules

In their study of Australian schools in the early eighties, Cohen and Thomas (1984) identified four different kinds of disciplinary climate in approaches to learning:

Controlled climate

• Low misbehaviour
• High severity of punishment
• Punishment rare
• Strict and well-ordered classrooms

Conflictual climate

• High misbehaviour
• High severity of punishment
• Teachers overreact
• Constant tension

Libertarian climate

• High misbehaviour
• Low severity of punishment
• Over-relaxed
• Lack of pupil self-direction

Autonomous climate

• Low misbehaviour
• Low severity of punishment
• Self-disciplined pupils
• Pupils actively involved in learning

I would say that my classroom environment is a mixture of a controlled and autonomous environment.

It includes:

- Low severity of punishment

- Low misbehavior

- Pupils actively involved in learning

- Strict and well ordered lessons

- low misbehavior

- Punishment rare

Here are my classroom ‘Golden Rules’:

1. We will work to create a safe and comfortable classroom environment.
2. We will put our best effort into schoolwork and homework.
3. We will be respectful and supportive whilst providing encouragement to each other.
4. We will come to class on time, prepared with homework and materials.
5. We will come to each lesson with new information relevant to the topic being studied