#1 Rule

I use what is called the #1 Rule: Never hurt anyone on the inside or the outside. It is our only rule. It covers everything.

I also have the kids sit in "learning position" when we are on the rug - they are given an invisible magic bag that comes to school with them everyday. In it are their listening ears, looking eyes, quiet mouth, folded hands, crossed legs, thinking cap, and pocketful of patience. When they choose to break the #1 Rule or have trouble sitting on the rug appropriately, I use a quiet mat (a carpet square) and put it away from the rug a little bit. They must sit on it until they are ready to rejoin the group. I also use this during center time - I give them a quiet activity like a puzzle and they are required to sit on the quiet mat in an area away from the general group until they feel ready to rejoin center time and act appropriately. I also use a thinking chair if necessary and take away part or all of their recess time as further consequences to inappropriate behavior.
Submitted by: Kelli Jenkins

Happy Cylinder

I use a "Happy Cylinder" in my room (an old cheese ball can covered with contact paper).  When the child is caught being good, he puts a slip of paper with his name on it into the cylinder.  I have a basket of slips sitting close to the cylinder.  On Fridays I pull 3 or 4 names out of the Happy Cylinder and that person gets a prize out of the "Happy Cylinder Bag."  The bag is a gift bag in which I put small toys, candy, etc. It really motivates the kids to be good during the week. They love seeing how many times they can get their name put in the can.  Of course, the more times their name goes in the more likely it is to come out and thus teaches probability in a round about way.  I also change the shape once in a while (cube, rectangular prism, cone) which helps learn geometric shapes.  By the time we are ready to conquer this in math, most already know these shapes, because of using it everyday. Submitted by: Christy Hewitt, South Carolina

Never Spit on Your Shoes

The book Never Spit on Your Shoes by Denys Cazet
Teacher comment: This is a funny book about a puppy named Arnie and what happens on his first day of first grade. In the story, the class is asked to help make up the rules. One student suggests, "Never spit on your shoes." I love to use this book to begin talking about classroom rules.

Rule Jar:

During the first weeks of school, students enjoy practicing basic classroom procedures and rules using the "Rule Jar." Inside the jar are slips of paper. Each slip lists a procedure or rule, such as "Show me how to sit in a chair." I also include silly ones like, "Show me how not to line up." This quick activity is a fun way to get children thinking about how we act in the classroom and it is a great filler when you  need a two minute activity!
Submitted by: Julie Anne McDowell

Clifford's Manners

On the first full day of school we go on a Blues Clues Hunt. The hunt takes us on a tour of the school. The clues lead us back to our classroom where we find a stuffed Clifford and the story Clifford's Manners. We read the story and talk about manners and rules. We make a Clifford project and choose a favorite rule from the story. On the second day we write our own classroom rules on chart paper and we all sign them and post them in the room. We have a rule reader who reminds us of the rules each day at circle time.
Submitted by: Mary Martell

Super Fridays

To help with discipline—especially during the second part of the year—we have Super Friday for all the children that have had excellent behavior for the week. We use playdough, puzzles, etc. for a specified amount of time on Friday morning. We try to use things that we do not use on a daily basis, so that it will be new and different. It has been excellent for my first grade class!
Submitted by: Bobbi Eure