Group Norms
It’s beneficial to involve students in the creation of “group norms of conduct” that guide the behaviors and expectations of the group. This may take the form of social contracts, written statements that reflect the group’s commitments.
- Begin by having students brainstorm a list of group expectations.
- Record these on chart paper, ensuring there are no duplications.
- You may choose to keep the entire list, or have everyone vote on their top three choices.
- Once the contract is finished, have each student sign it to display their commitment.
Here are some examples of possible group expectations:
- Be on time for all activities.
- Come to activities prepared with all necessary materials.
- Be an active listener.
- Be fully involved in all activities.
- Treat all group members with respect.
It is important for the teacher to model behaviors and strategies for students. When setting expectations, students should be asked to describe what they believe each statement means.
It is helpful for the students and the teacher to establish signals for group work. A stop signal can be an upheld hand, a card with the word printed in bold letters, an image of an actual stop sign, or some other visual signal that informs children it is time to stop what they are doing and pay attention to the teacher. A quiet signal is also helpful. This is used whenever a group is becoming too noisy and distracting others. You can create a norm for when the quiet signal is used, such as every member in the team must whisper or use their quiet voice for the next 30 seconds.