Consistency is key when it comes to school-wide policies! Routines, procedures, and policies are much easier to remember and enforce if they are consistent across a grade level or even a school. Ambiguity between what’s allowed and not allowed in various classrooms can create problems down the road. I recommend deciding as a grade level how the following will be handled:
- Cell Phone Policy – This is number 1 for a reason! Whatever the policy is, it needs to be consistent across all the teachers that a student will see in a day. If Ms. A allows phones, but Ms. B doesn’t, then there will definitely be push back from a student who gets their phone confiscated by Ms. B. It can also create bad blood between teachers. I highly recommend getting your administration on board with whatever is agreed upon, so they can back you up too!
- Make Ups and Retakes – This is an example of a policy that can be hard to keep track of if every teacher has a different number of days a student can turn in things late or what grade is required in order to retake a test. Decide as a grade level what these policies are, so messaging can be consistent. To be safe, you can also include a caveat that it is at the discretion of the teacher.
- Technology Policies – Policies regarding how student computers are to be used should be consistent across classrooms. Consequences for not following those policies should also be consistent. If a student uses a computer inappropriately in Class A, do they lose access to computers in Class B?
- Attention Getters – Having 1 or 2 attention getters that are known by the entire grade level can help during an assembly or at a field trip. Getting 100+ students’ attention at the same time can be tough! It is much easier with a shared attention getter. (See more ideas for attention getters here.)
- Homework – The amount and frequency of homework needs to be discussed among teachers. Avoid students having 2+ hours worth of homework on a given night. Example: you could agree that each core class has one day of the week for assigned work (Math is Monday, Reading is Tuesday…) or that each core class will agree on only assigning 10-15 minutes of homework a day.
- Conduct in Shared Spaces (cafeteria, hallways) – What is the appropriate volume level? Are phones allowed here? Where can they stand and talk without blocking traffic? I have found that when expectations are not high in the hallway, it affects my classroom.
- Dress Code – Dress code is tricky, but it is much easier to enforce if it is super clear what is allowed and what is not allowed.
- Expectations for Homeroom/Advisory – When one advisory gets unlimited free computer free time and one is study hall, it can be an issue. Discuss as a grade level how that time is best spent for everybody.
What grade level or school wide policies would you add to the list?
