When it comes to choosing elementary classroom expectations you want to choose ones that will set you up for a successful school year. You want to set them in a way that builds classroom community and helps with behavior management. That is why today I’m sharing elementary classroom expectations to help you have a successful school year.

Learn exactly how I introduce these elementary classroom expectations in my first week of school plans. This is a free google docs where I have typed up everything I do the first week of school and you can tweak things to your needs. Get your free copy here. It also comes with my Back to School Checklist to help you save time and brain power this back to school season!

Elementary School Expectations

 

When thinking of elementary school expectations, I start with thinking about how I want my class to be while I’m teaching. This includes how it should look like, sound like, and feel like to me and students. This helps me brainstorm ideas of the expectations I want the class to live by.

 

Classroom Expectation Display

 

Classroom Expectation Cards

I have a few options for a classroom expectation display you could use in your classroom. My first one is my Editable Expectation Cards. I use this to show students what I expect from them as I teach. During a lesson what do I expect of my students? I want my students to know explicitly what I want to see. That is why I created a classroom expectation display of this. 

I have cards with clipart and expectations like raising your hands and working hard. We go over when I teach what it should look like, sound like, and feel like. I have students model these and we practice them.

 

Then later in the year if students are having a hard time following these expectations I refer them to my display to help remind them and to reteach the expectations. Find these Editable Expectations Cards here.

 

Class Agreement

I also make a Class Agreement with my students. This one really builds a positive classroom community because students help make the classroom expectations they believe we should live by. 

I first introduce what values are. They are things you believe are important to live by. During the first week of school we read lots of children’s books that share good values, like being respectful, being kind, working together, and never giving up. We keep a running list of all the good values we can find in these books. 

 

Then I help students narrow down a few to make our class agreement. I type it up nice on a piece of paper and have students write their name on it. I let students know that by writing their name they are agreeing to follow these values. Then as a class students help make up hand signals for each value. For example, for the classroom expectation of “always be kind” students make a heart with their hands.

 

Then we recite our Classroom Agreement every morning. It helps set the tone for the day and is a reminder of our classroom expectations. Find my Classroom Agreement template here. To learn more about creating a classroom agreement, read this blog post here: How to Make A Classroom Agreement for Elementary

 

Anchor Charts

Our school has set some expectations as a whole. There are: We are Respectful, Responsible, and Ready. These can be big words for elementary students to understand. So I make anchor charts with my students during the first week of school to help them understand. 

 

I’ll split the large poster paper in 4 sections. In the middle of the anchor chart I will write, “Being Respectful” Then I print out a student friendly definition of what it means to be respectful. We have a class discussion on why it is important to be respectful. Then we will read a children’s book that shows different ways to be respectful. As we do I have students think about how they can be respectful to their teacher, classmates, and school. I have premade cards with different examples of showing respect. Students have to help me sort them whether they show respect to their teacher, classmates, or school. I love how making this anchor chart is interactive. It’s very engaging for students.

Then I will repeat this with “Being Responsible.” By making classroom expectations anchor charts, elementary students can truly understand what is expected in and classroom and what is not.

Find these Elementary Classroom Expectations Anchor Charts to use in your classroom here.

Learn more tips on how to use these anchor charts here in this blog post: How a Responsibility Anchor Chart Can Help You Have a Successful Year

 

How to Set Classroom Expectations

 

I have already given you some ideas on how to set elementary classroom expectations such as using expectation cards, creating a classroom agreement, and making anchor charts.

 

But another good idea is to create a classroom expectations ppt. This is a PowerPoint where you have all of your classroom procedures listed out. For each procedure you write the steps students take to complete the procedure. Then you model the steps for students, having them practice, then have them come up with how the procedure should look like, sound like, and feel like.

 

You are getting them involved in the classroom expectations that revolve around your classroom procedures. In return, your classroom will run smoother and you will save instructional time. 

Find my Classroom Procedures PowerPoint template to use here. 

 

What Are Good Classroom Expectations

 

When it comes to creating your overall elementary classroom expectations it’s good to think more broadly. That is why like our whole school expectations of “We are respectful, responsible, and ready.” So many good behaviors fall over those categories. When students understand what those values mean it makes a big difference. Then when you have a student misbehave you can talk to them about how it wasn’t responsible. It will be easy to have those conversations with them.

 

Rewarding Students on Meeting Classroom Expectations

I like to reward my students for working together for good behavior. That is why we have a class flower as our whole class rewards system. I post it up in the corner of our front whiteboard. The middle of the flower is special because it says the reward the students are working towards. It might be a movie party, or extra recess, or another fun reward. But here’s the key… The students get to vote on the reward they want to work towards. This increases their motivation to follow classroom expectations and rules.

I add a petal when I see students go above and beyond with following our rules and expectations. When the students get all 10, they earn the reward!

Find this whole class rewards system here.

Learn more tips on having a whole class reward system in this blog post.

 

I hope you have been able to see how setting classroom expectations in an elementary setting is so important. I also hope you have found ideas you can take and use in your classroom. To save money on these elementary classroom expectations tools, check out this bundle here.

For more ideas on classroom management, check out this blog post: Classroom Behavior Management Techniques

Looking for everything you need for Back to School? Check out this bundle where you get all of my classroom management tools plus other back to school essential in this Back to School Mega Bundle here. 

 

Learn more about creating classroom rules with your students in this blog post here.

Check out this blog post about how to create a calming classroom environment here.