You may be getting new first graders, you may be getting new first graders, and you may be considering classroom motivation and inspiration for classroom rules - functioning within the group, communication, etc.

In creating classroom rules, I have found it is good for children to "feel" the rules within the classroom, experience them, discover them and know why and how they arrived at them. Then they are all the more likely to accept them as their own and follow them. Of course, I take it for granted that as teachers we ourselves set an example in the classroom not only in observing these rules, in our behaviour, but also in keeping our promises, time and deadlines to the pupils.

As I tell them and the parents:

"I'm not asking you to do anything I wouldn't do myself. Everything applies to all of us. We're in the same boat now."

Probably all of us from our school desks remember the period of the beginning of the school year in any classroom when we were just read the school rules. I also remember the absurd times when, as a teacher, I had to require signatures on a document that "confirmed" that the pupils were familiar with the contents of the document, and this was handed in to the school office ... even from week-old first graders, so with a child's clumsy signature or a little handwritten note. I can't even put a smiley face here.

No one asks me for any document now, and yet the charter and signatures hang in our classroom for a year or more, and we go through the classroom routine with smiles and naturalness. And I am happy to put it here.

So, below I will try to describe how we "go on an island journey" for the rules in the classroom.

Class Rules - Goals and Motivations

Objectives

• establishing rules of communication and coexistence in the classroom
• fostering positive relationships and tolerance
• respectfulness and cooperation
• cooperation and responsibility

Motivation

• finding the hidden map
• debate over the map
• travelling around the islands

Age

• 1st-3rd grade, opportunity to work with older children (One year my former third graders were the original residents and they uncovered the journey for the new first graders, which also helped inter-class relationships).

Time

• 45 - 90 minutes. Depending on the number of children and their attention span and experience with lateral guidance and role play

Materials

• Map
• seals of each island
• emblems for the ruler - crown, mantle, scepter, throne

Possible Course

The teacher previously hides a curved map in a designated area (in the classroom, in the gym, on the playground, in the hallway...). He explains to the children that he needs help to find the map. He will point out to them that each of us likes surprises and discovery and so, in order for everyone to experience it, he will not bring it right away to the first one, but on the contrary , when he finds it, he will continue to be quiet and unobtrusive and after finding it, he will just sit quietly in a circle that will gradually increase, according to the number of successful "discoverers"...

And we're moving on in points:

• The last one brings the map to the circle.
• From now on we are no longer alone, we are a crew that goes to study the map and the direction of the voyage. Getting to know the names of the islands (Smiling Home, Land of the Discerning Ear, Land of Stopped Time, Kindhearted Goodman, Island of Silence and Tranquility).
• Perhaps reflecting on what we will learn on each island and bring back to our class island, Smiling Home, so that we can have a good time here.
• We sail away - from the Smiling Home, where we want to return, having learnt what life is like elsewhere and what will help us to smile at home.
• We "transport" ourselves between the islands by different movements - we swim, we fly in a balloon (which we inflate imaginatively together before departure),we sail in a common boat (which we make of ourselves),we take a train ...
• On each island there is a ruler who speaks his own language. He can be represented by a teacher in character or by older pupils that you "borrow".

We draw up a contract, sign and affix the seals of the neighboring islands of knowledge, the contract is posted in the classroom, we respect the rules, we set our own sanctions in class if something is violated and if we need them at all.

There is a sheet from the Island Cruise pasted on the first page of their class passes, where students evaluate and reflect on the day by themselves and the teacher.

Islands of knowledge

Land of the discerning ear

Here the ruler speaks in a half-voice, his hands are put to his ears, the crew must understand that the king does not speak to anyone who does not speak the same way, he confides more information to the one who reveals it, he welcomes him and the others join in, when they all speak the same language, the whole group is given a task - a message passed by silent mail - they receive a seal.

The Land of Stopped Time

The ruler speaks and moves in slow motion until the children figure it out and they all have common ground again - they are given a task and are introduced to the word "STRAIGHT". They then try out its use and understanding in an improvisation in the marketplace, in a display of professions... - the King says his "magic word" - the visitors stop like statues and gradually introduce themselves, come alive to who they are in this country and why - task completed - seal.

Cordial well-wishers

The king greets them with a smile, courteous, obliging, his hands folded as if he were pleading. The task is to put together a puzzle, the words - THANK YOU and PLEASE and then use them in some situation in pairs, after completion the crew will receive a seal. If no one in the class is reading, you can have a picture of a puzzle in a situation where the words are used instead of a letter puzzle and then groups of children act it out. (Note: according to the number of children, adjust the number of groups of children for whom you prepare the tasks on each island in copies, and adjust the method of relocation with regard to the safety of the pupils).

Island of peace and quiet

We are greeted by a king who walks on tiptoe - the task is to learn to respond to the symbol "pin" (fingers in a "pinch"-like holding a pin, hand raised),whoever notices the gesture raises his hand too, he must not speak. The task the crew gets from the ruler is to create a forest - walk through the forest, like wild animals, hunters, create a sound plan... at the gesture of "pin" be quiet, but not petrified. Upon completion, the crew gets a seal.

Smiling home

A return to the King - to the class teacher who sent us on a journey to learn, to learn something. Now we tell each other what we have seen, experienced and learned. We make and sign a charter if we agree and think that learning from the islands will make our daily classroom life more enjoyable. And the children will also understand that politeness - greeting, asking and thanking, listening and gestures are possible ways.

Conclusion

The above scenario is just my own tried and tested and working suggestion and can be an inspiration or suggestion for your further use. There can certainly be variations and extensions at your discretion and according to your needs and considerations given the composition of the class.

I wish you a successful class cruise full of enjoyable and adventurous days in the world of knowledge, learning and discovery with your school children.