Diane Myers, Ph.D. is senior vice president, special education – behavior for Specialized Education Services, Inc.

When circumstances change rapidly, people often find solace in what’s familiar. Like adults, students are more productive and comfortable in predictable environments. All educators can help create a more predictable environment by establishing specific, positively stated behavioral expectations that communicate how to be successful across all routines students encounter during the school day. Let’s look at five key strategies for establishing behavioral expectations:

Select Behavioral Expectations. Begin by choosing three to five broad expectations (e.g., "Be Safe," "Be Responsible," "Be Respectful," or "Careful," "Accountable," "Kind," "Engaged"). These should be easy to remember for staff and students.

Identify Settings and Routines Students Encounter During the Day. Determine the different settings and routines that students experience each day, including school-wide (e.g., hallways, common areas, transitions), classroom (e.g., independent seatwork, computers, group projects), and others as needed (e.g., restrooms, recess, social worker’s office).

Tell Students What the Expected Behaviors Look and Sound Like. Define what each behavioral expectation (e.g., "Be Responsible") looks like in the context of each setting or routine (e.g., "Hallway"). For example, "Being responsible in the hallway looks like keeping your hands at your sides, going directly to your destination, and remaining silent." Be sure behaviors are stated positively, telling students what to do (e.g., "Accept feedback") rather than what not to do (e.g., "Don’t argue").

The easiest way to define behavioral expectations across settings is to develop a "rules within routines" matrix; we’ve provided an example below. Keep in mind that you can have up to three behaviors in each box, if applicable.

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5 strategies for establishing student behavioral expectations

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