Classroom Rules
Of Civility

One of the important events in George Washington's life is said to be that, as a 16-year-old student, he copied into his notebook all 110 Rules of Civility. Those rules were commonly known and circulated during Washington's time.

You might share those rules with your students. Invite them to translate the old-style wording into modern language and discuss the meaning of each rule. After talking about some of the rules of civility, talk about rules in general -- why they are needed, and what purposes they serve.

Invite students to share their ideas about what rules your class should have. Once the rules have been decided, have students copy those rules (as George Washington did) onto the first page or inside cover of their notebooks, where theyll serve as a reminder of the class rules.