Aren’t you tired of lecturing your high school and middle school students about your expectations and just reading the ground rules for your class or program? Year after year we review how we expect our students to behave, and may sometimes feel like the information goes in one ear and out the other. This post discusses how to avoid the boredom and monotony of lecturing about the expectations of the class or program, and provides engaging ways for you to create ground rules and expectations. Honestly, that way never really worked for me in engaging my students!

Creating a positive and productive learning environment begins with establishing clear ground rules and group agreements. When middle and high school students are involved in this process, they are more likely to take ownership and adhere to the guidelines they create. It is important to involve your students in this process, including building crucial skills.

There are several reasons why it is important for student involvement.

Ownership and Responsibility: When our students are actively participating in creating ground rules and group agreements, they feel a sense of ownership over the rules. This sense of ownership fosters personal responsibility and accountability, as students are more likely to follow and enforce rules they helped create.
Enhanced Engagement and Buy-In: Students are more likely to engage and become invested in a learning environment where they have a say in how it is designed. They feel connected to the class or group and feel that their voice is heard.
Development of Critical Thinking Skills: Involving students in the rule-setting process helps them develop critical skills such as communication, negotiation, collaboration, and problem-solving. They utilize all of these skills when they are working in their group activities to develop their ideas.

There are several activities that I am excited to share with you! These activities have worked for me to engage my students and have them take ownership of their class and group rules and expectations. These activities will help them express their needs from the program or class and identify expectations. Here are a few activities I’ve done with my students in the classroom and the results couldn’t have worked better. Not only were my students engaged, but they were also understanding of how to collaboratively and independently work towards a goal.

For any of these activities, you want to make sure that students include the basic rules and expectations:

Arrive on time
Put away cell phones
Bathroom Policies
Respect for the space
One person speaks at a time
Everyone gets a chance to speak
Keep your hands and feet to yourself
Confidentiality
Respect for yourself and others
Show acceptance and sensitivity to differences
Create a space free of judgment
Share stories
Ask for clarification if you don’t understand

These three hands-on activities can be used in your classroom to help your teens collaborate efficiently and effectively:

The Carousel Method

This is a great way for your students to gain insight on the array of different and unique perspectives on the various topics you will be covering with them.

Facilitation tips:

Explain your instructions very clearly!: You want to clearly and concisely explain the purpose of the activity, how the rotation process works, and the time allocated for the students to answer all four questions.

What to do:

Create four questions and write them all down separately on four pieces of paper. Hang up the questions around the room. These questions should be about expectations;
- From their peers
- From the class or group
- From the teacher or facilitator
- From the program or class
Then, assign or randomize students into four groups.
Have students answer one question at a time.
As your students move around the room, have each group write down an answer for each question and continue the process until there are four answers on each paper.
Carousel method
- The groups of students rotate around the classroom, stopping at each station in the room where a question has been posted
- Students spend a few minutes at each “station,” discussing answers for each question within the group. The time spent at each of the four stations will be a designated amount of time
- Each group will record their answers at each station
Have students share the responses.

2. The Mock Class or Group Activity

Facilitation tips:

Explain to your students that they will be assuming your role for the day, in creating and facilitating an activity for the class.

Provide an outline of expectations that you would like to be included in the activity.

What to do:

Have your students become facilitators for a day.
Break your classroom into groups and have them create their own rules on how they want a certain lesson plan to go. This will allow them to recognize what they want to see in a classroom and to see how they can improve engagement for not only themselves, but for their peers as well.
Each group will brainstorm rules and expectations that they want to include in their classroom rules lesson plan.
Have students create their activity in their groups to facilitate
Use the Jigsaw method to share their activities with the other students.
Jigsaw method
- One member from each group will then break off from their original group to form a new group
- The members of this new group will then share their group’s classroom rules lesson plan with the other students

3. The Song/Rap Game

Facilitation tips:

Explain to your students that they will be creating a rap or song about classroom rules and expectations.

Provide an outline of expectations that you would like to be included in the activity.

What to do:

Assign or randomize your students into groups and have them create a song or rap about the rules they expect or want to see in the classroom or program.
Of course, you can create limits to what they can or cannot include. (Make it a PG) Let them have fun and explore their creative side!
Each group will perform their rap or song for the rest of the class.
You can choose or have the class or group vote

This team-building activity will make the first day more fun and set a great mood for the rest of the semester, every time the rap is used.

All three of these activities have helped set the tone for the year and have allowed the students to take ownership of their learning and behaviors.

Involving middle and high school students in setting ground rules and group agreements is a powerful way to foster a sense of ownership, respect, and community. By using engaging activities and ensuring their voices are heard, you create a collaborative environment where students are more likely to adhere to the agreed-upon guidelines. This not only sets the stage for a successful learning experience, but also helps students develop essential skills in communication, collaboration, and responsibility. Engaging students in this process is not just about establishing rules; it’s about empowering them to contribute to a positive and effective learning environment.

I would love to hear about activities you have done to engage your students in setting ground rules and expectations. Please share it in the comments below!

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