classroom management, General Teacher Tips

Setting Classroom Expectations in Middle School

Linda Asaro
August 8, 2023

This is the fourth part of a mini-series on back-to-school tips with a focus on setting classroom expectations.

Setting classroom expectations…we know how wildly important this can be to create a conducive learning environment. We can’t let our middle schoolers “run the show”…it’s not fair to the rest of the class, to us, or to them. Kids need structure and clear expectations. In this blog post, we will explore five important portions of classroom expectations to provide practical strategies to establish a positive and productive learning atmosphere.

blog post on setting classroom expectations in middle school — Read here for tips to establish class rules and expectations for a smooth year.

1. Setting Classroom Expectations: Non-Negotiables

Kids should know what you consider to be a “non-negotiable”. These are things that they absolutely have to follow. Because of the nature of what “non-negotiable” means, you don’t want to have a huge list. Decide on a few class rules and the consequences for not following them.

When I taught kindergarten and first grade, we always created a class constitution that was done in a very democratic fashion. We would decide on our class rules together, and then sign our constitution. It was felt that kids would buy into it because they came up with the rules. And it worked.

But for middle school…I’m sorry, but I’m not playing that game. Kids know the rules before you tell them or pretend to have them devise them. I have a list of class rules, and I show them and tell them that I expect them to follow them.

Keep it simple

My class rules are simple: Listen when others are speaking, turn in assignments on time, work productively in a volume that is conducive to learning, and show respect.

I don’t have specific consequences here because these rules cast a pretty large net, so I tell them that if they are breaking rules, they will be spoken to and that an appropriate consequence will be given. I am very blunt with telling them that they are old enough to know that fair does not always mean equal.

For example, if there are two students that are talking when someone else is trying to share, one student might just be politely told to please listen while another student gets an email sent home. I then ask students why these two kids, who are breaking the same rule, would have a different approach to consequences.

Kids already know!

Kids know…they know that there are kids who are repeat offenders and have been spoken to multiple times. I do highly recommend, though, that when you are at the point of sending a parent email, you tell the student “the next time you break this rule, I will be emailing home”, and do this in private.

Honestly, I don’t want to waste kids’ time with a long list of rules. They know how to act by the time they are in middle school, but I do want to set and post a few clear expectations. And then you have to be consistent without being what I would consider offended and angry.

Setting Classroom Expectations: Dealing with “repeat offenders”

If a student is talking for the 95th time when they shouldn’t, you might walk over quietly and say, “I’d like to talk to you at the end of class.”. This way, it gives you time to get your composure because hey, we are human and it can be maddening. Then calmly tell the student, you know the rule, you are breaking it again, and I’m going to be emailing home.

I would also ask the student why they are doing this so that they can reflect. It is also so, so important to consider the whole child at this point…do they have ADHD? Are there issues at home? Again, here you want to maintain that “fair is not always equal” mentality and deal with each student as an individual. I’m not suggesting that kids with issues don’t follow rules, but I do think it’s important to show care when doing so.

For example, I’ve had many kids that just simply have ADHD and really have a hard time controlling themselves. I might say something to them like, “I know it’s not always easy for you to control yourself, but I must ask that you stop talking when I am giving a lesson. You can ask questions, and there are times to talk with classmates, but when I am giving a lesson, you simply can not. I want you to learn what I am teaching so you can do your best in this class. Is there something I can do to help remind you? Perhaps I could put a post-it on your desk to warn you the first time?”.

I know this is not perfect, but it is all part of the process of getting kids to follow rules that ultimately benefit them.

2. Late Assignments Policy

Deciding on your late policy is crucial for determining middle school classroom expectations. This is such an important expectation that you need to be very clear about not only with kids, but with their parents.

I create a slideshow that goes on my Google Classroom™ with everything kids/parents need to know, and I put my late policies there for the year. This way, it’s in writing, and everyone has fair warning.

I have a free template for you to create your own slideshow! Take a look:

Free Setting Expectations Template

free slideshow for setting classroom expectations to improve student accountability — Grab your free, editable slideshow!

Setting Classroom Expectations: Suggestions for late policies

For me, it goes something like this:

You hand in homework late that we already went over in class, it’s a 0 and stays a 0. If it’s a major assessment piece, like an essay, it’s 5 points a day. If it’s an assignment, like an entry for a writer’s notebook that’s 10 points, it’s worth a point a day. I always put a disclaimer in there that if you are sick, this does not apply to you and that we will discuss your due dates when you return. And again, fair is not always equal. If I notice a student has been “off” and not themselves, I will pull them aside and talk to them and if it’s out of the ordinary, I will ask if they are ok. I will most likely at that point give them another day.

Homework: When a student hands in a homework assignment late that we already went over in class, it’s a 0 and stays a 0.
Assessment: If it’s a major assessment piece, like an essay, it’s 5 points a day.
Assignment: For various assignments, like an entry for a writer’s notebook that’s 10 points, it’s worth a point a day.

Again, fair is not always equal when setting classroom expectations

I do always put a disclaimer in there that if you are sick, this does not apply to you. I tell students that we will discuss their due dates when they return. And again, fair is not always equal. If I notice a student has been “off” and not themselves, I will pull them aside and talk to them. If it’s out of the ordinary, I will ask if they are ok. I will most likely at that point give them another day.

Honestly, it’s like parenting. You know your kids and what they need and when they need grace and when they need a lesson. But you do need to have a policy in place so they know what to expect.

3. When Kids Are Absent

It is absolutely crucial to have a policy for when kids are absent. It can be flexible, but kids and parents need to know from the start what they can expect.

Like I said above, if a student is sick, we just talk about a plan to get them caught up in a reasonable way that works for both of us. What I do is I tell students if they are sick, they are sick. I don’t expect them to do work.

In this category I’d like to mention something about vacations. I happen to work in a district where kids go on vacations outside of days off. They miss days due to cheer competitions and hockey tournaments. This blows my mind but that’s a topic for another blog.

In any event, I do tell them that if they are absent for anything other than illness, they will have the same due dates as the rest of the class and to follow along on Google Classroom™. I honestly have to be strict with this in my district because there is a bit of a sense of entitlement that the vacation takes precedence.

I will, of course, adjust things if a student comes to me beforehand and is concerned and we might decide on another plan, but I do put it out there in writing about keeping up with due dates during vacation or it becomes a nightmare.

In any event, whatever your policy, make it known!

4. Forgetting Materials

Unless you have some sort of wizarding training, your student will forget to bring in materials. I am always amazed at how kids can come to class without their book when we are in a reading unit, or without a pencil.

Every teacher has to do what works for them obviously. Here is how I handle it:

My students are told tell them if they forget something, it’s not my problem to solve it. I don’t allow kids to go back to lockers. I started off very soft here, and it just became this huge thing of kids coming in and going back to their lockers.

So the deal is, if you don’t have something like a pencil, grab one from the student shelf and return it. I spoke about the beauty of a student shelf in my BTS episode 2 on setting up your classroom. If there are no pencils left, borrow from a classmate. Don’t ask me.

I hate to sound like that, but that is how it is for me. I get that your district might have other needs, but again, just let kids know. If you forget your writer’s notebook, grab a piece of paper, do the work there, and transfer it into your notebook tonight. If you don’t have your book, you can borrow a copy from the library, but if your book is not available, you’ll have to read it tonight and do something else in class.

Again, I put all of this in my slideshow about expectations and leave it on Google Classroom™ for the year.

5. Middle School Expectations: Teach Them!

If we want kids to know something, we have to teach it to them. We don’t expect kids to know what a conjunction is without telling them. The same goes true for classroom expectations.

I don’t do classroom expectations until the second class meeting day. It’s preferable to use the first day for something a little more fun and engaging, along with a meet your teacher activity, which I spoke about in another blog.

I have lots of fun stuff on TPT for day one, and I’ll link them below. There’s even a freebie…it’s a back-to-school flipbook it’s really cute and I’ll link that freebie as well.

free back to school flipbook — Grab your FREE back-to-school flip book!

In any event, for me, I create a slideshow of expectations, like the one I linked above. I include what we spoke about as well as things about the curriculum. Like I said, I post the slideshow on Google Classroom™ for the year, and I project it and go through it like I would any lesson.

For homework, I have kids fill in a sheet with a couple of questions about it, and have them write if they have any questions for me. I also have their parents sign that they’ve read through it and print it again for back-to-school night.