Rules, rules, rules. Everyone knows the key to success in school
is to follow the rules. Unfortunately, this belief persists in
many of today's classrooms and schools. Next time you are in a
classroom, take a look at the posted rules. Maybe they're rules
such as, "No talking while the teacher is talking. Stay in your
desk during work time. Raise your hand if you need help." If so,
I think these rules say a lot about the teacher, the work
environment and the level of meaningful, engaging tasks. They
imply that the teacher is the only one who holds the knowledge,
that the teacher will give you great wisdom only if you will
listen and only if the work you undertake will be solitary and
designed to measure how well you listen. (Photo credit: mick62)
Why is it that some classrooms need these types of rules and
some do not? For the teachers that do not post such rules, what
is the difference? How can they manage without them? One answer
to these questions is to take a look at the type of tasks the
student is being