Establishing Norms for Meetings, PLCs, or a Classroom

Establishing Norms for Meetings, PLCs, or a Classroom

Establishing norms helps set clear expectations that everyone in the class or learning community can build together and agree to.  

Start by discussing what you want your learning environment to feel like, look like and sound like. 

Talk about what areas you may want to think about having norms for (use of time, talking, respect, technology etc.) and write these on the board. 

Give each person 3 to 5 index cards and have them write down the norms they feel are most important to make the group successful.  

Then pair up with a partner and group your norms together for ones that are the same and agree on wording.  Then join another pair and repeat the same process.

Then each group of 4 to 6 shares out the one norm they all have in common.  It's discussed and if everyone agrees, it's accepted.  

This process continues until you have 5 or so norms.  You don't want too many or they are too hard to remember.  

Then everyone comes to consensus on the norms and agrees to follow them.  This is key! Everyone must agree.   

You can even have the group members sign the norms and post them.  They should be revisited at the start of each meeting (or on the agenda) or posted in a prominent place in the class.  They should be reviewed daily until very well known and then revisited weekly in a classroom or as needed.

Here is an example of norms developed using this process by a Grade 7/8 Math class.