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The only way students will know your expectations is for you to teach them. Classroom rules should be few in number, positively stated, and brief. According to Wolfgang (2005), classroom structure is important as once students understand what is expected of them, "they are free to act within defined boundaries and have the sense of security that they will be safe and can relax" (p. 72). Wolfgang (2005) points out some myths concerning structure and rules: students already know how to behave, it takes too much time to teach rules, rules only need to be announced, teach rules early and forget about them, teaching rules is undue strictness, and students hate rules (p. 72).
When I develop rules for my classroom, I will ensure that I present them to my students in several ways like handouts, overhead projector, poster, and reading them.  I will check in with students to find out if they understand the rules and why we have them, and ask if they have any questions or concerns about them. I will be sure the students know what consequences are associated with not following the rules.  I will re-visit the rules, expectations, and consequences often to ensure the students have not forgotten them.  And finally, I will be sure to follow up on consequences for breaking rules to demonstrate that the rules are there for a reason and they are important.

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When students fail to follow rules, they should have consequences for their actions. Understanding and applying natural and logical consequences will help change student misbehavior rather than causing student to develop a power struggle attitude or create an atmosphere in which the student wants to get revenge on the teacher (Wolfgang, 2005) Natural consequences is defined as "that which happens as a result of one's behavior" (Wolfgang, 2005, p. 115), like tripping and falling when running. A logical consequence is "arranged but directly related to the preceding behavior" (Wolfgang, 2005, p. 115), like having to clean up a mess that was created.
One way to use logical consequences in my classroom would be to have a student who wasn't able to stay on task with an in-class on project have to stay after class to complete the assignment and miss part of the afternoon pep rally or that student would have to take it home as a homework assignment.

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Every teacher wants students to behave in a manner which allows every student to have an opportunity to learn in the best possible environment. Misbehaving students distract from the learning process. The behavior management approach of Discipline with Dignity involves "creating positive motivation for children to adopt new behaviors" (Delisio, 2011, October 2, para. 4). Delisio (2011) also said, "to really inspire change in youngsters, you have to get them to want to change" (para. 3). Applying Discipline with Dignity creates an environment in which students do not feel pressured to fight back against teachers' rules by establishing relationships of respect.
One example of using Discipline with Dignity in my classroom would be if a student was not following directions to work on a project, I would tell them how I understand it takes a lot of courage to work on something this difficult, but that I believe he has the tools and if there is a question that I can help with, I would be happy to help.  Then the student has the option to work on the project or ask for assistance.

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There can be several reasons students misbehave even after understanding rules and expectations.  One of the first questions a teacher should ask when students misbehave is: "Could I do something different that will make this behavior less likely to occur?" (Waller, 2008, p. 8).  Waller (2008) goes on to explain that everyone is different and responds differently in different settings and situations.  Next, is to ask "What does the child get out of the problem behavior?" (Waller, 2008, p. 8).  According to Waller (2008), "the majority of their behavior problems can be attributed to four broad factors;  Getting (or avoiding) attention, Escaping from something, Getting something, or Getting sensory stimulation of some kind" (p. 46).
In my classroom, I will first look at what I am doing that may have influenced my students poor behavior. Next, I will look at the student as an individual and see if there is a reason they are acting the way they are. For instance, if the student is acting out just to get attention, I will choose to ignore the behavior thus not giving him or her the attention they are seeking.

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The most important aspect of classroom management is building positive relationships.  According to Waller (2008), the skills associated with building positive relationships include actions such as "listening to others, giving the benefit of the doubt, assuming the best (rather than the worst) about your students, letting your student have a voice in what happens in the classroom, and taking responsibility to try to accommodate their interests" (p. 23).  These actions show that a teacher cares about the student and when the student feels caring and compassion, the student is more likely to cooperate and be a part of the classroom community.
I will actively create positive relationships in my classroom.  The first thing I will do is to greet my students at the door each day. I will conduct a survey within the first couple days of class to have something to read and get to know a bit about my students. I will actively engage with my students during class, between classes, during lunch, and during after school events like sports. I will use some of the things I learn from listening and engaging, from my surveys, and from observing the students to make meaningful connections!

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Delisio, E. R. (2011, October 2).  Discipline with dignity stresses positive motivation.  Retrieved from https://www.educationworld.com/a_admin/admin/admin534.shtml

Waller, R.J. (2008). The educator's guide to solving common behavior problems. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Wolfgang, C.H. (2005). Solving discipline and classroom management problems: Methods and models for today's teachers (6th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.