1. Reasonable, socially valid behavioral rules are established for the classroom, and are clearly explained to the students. Reasonable, socially valid rules are rules that will be profitable to follow, not only in the classroom, but also outside the classroom in daily life. It is recommended that teachers establish 5 to 7 rules concerning respect for others, respect for property, and assignment completion. Posting the rules in a highly visible location in the classroom will serve as a constant reminder to the students.

2. Natural and realistic consequences for following the behavioral rules, as well as for violating the rules, are clearly explained. Consequences are not always negative. In the classroom, students should enjoy pleasant consequences for following the rules and unpleasant consequences for not following the rules. Pleasant consequences can include privileges, free time, computer time, etc. Unpleasant consequences can include loss of privileges, inability to access free time, etc. When possible, consequences should be natural and realistic.

3. Academic expectations are established and directions for completing every assignment clearly given. Students often function better when they know exactly what is expected of them. Some students will fail to complete assignments because they do not understand the directions. In clearly explaining the directions to assignments, teachers are increasing the probability that the assignments will be completed.

4. Consequences for completion of academic assignments, as well as for failure to complete assignments, are clearly established. As with Characteristic #2, there should be predictable pleasant and unpleasant consequences for completion or noncompletion of assignments. By providing pleasant consequences for completed assignments, the teacher is helping the student to understand that academic productivity has benefits in our society. If the student chooses to be nonproductive, he learns that he forfeits those benefits.

5. Consequences are firmly, consistently, and predictably enforced. One goal of the structured classroom  is to help students understand that the relationship between behavior and consequences is predictable. The teacher must be consistent in order for students to understand this relationship and thus predictably. Consistency means that consequences are enforced uniformly from one situation to another and from one student to another. In addition to consistency, the teacher should be firm which means that the consequences that are stated will surely be enforced.
   
6. Enforcement of consequences is accompanied by explanations, questions, or conversations. At the time that consequences (whether pleasant or unpleasant) are enforced, the teacher can enhance the student’s understanding of the behavior – consequence relationship by offering a simple explanation or, if time permits, engaging the student in a conversation about what is happening.  To illustrate, if a student is not allowed to go out for recess because she or he did not complete all of the day’s assignments, then the teacher can say, “I wish that you had finished your work so you could go outside; but, unfortunately you chose not to finish, so you will have to stay in today.” If more time is available, the teacher can engage the student in a conversation by asking, “What would have happened if you had chosen to finish all of your work?” or “Why do you think you are having to stay inside today?”  The goal is to get the student to focus on the fact that she or he  is faced with unpleasant consequences because of choices that she or he made.

7. The teacher helps the student to consider other behavioral alternatives and their possible consequences. When a student makes a bad choice, and suffers the consequences, the teacher can ask the student what other behavioral options were available, and what their probable consequences would have been. For example, the student who has to come in early from recess because of fighting might explain that he fought because someone else taunted him. The teacher can ask, “What consequence did fighting get you?”  She can then ask, “What else could you have done when the other student taunted you, and what would have been the consequence?” Here, the goal is to help the student understand that there are often other choices that she or he could have selected, and that their outcome would have been more pleasant.

8. An emphasis is placed upon self-control and independent functioning.  A goal of the structured classroom is not to coerce students into making good choices; rather, it is to arrange consequences in the classroom environment so that the student will eventually want to make good choices because she or he has learned that good choices have more pleasant outcomes.

9. The teacher viewed as the student’s ally, rather than the student’s adversary. Three basic elements in most classrooms are the teacher, the students, and the requirements (rules, assignments, expectations, etc.). The teacher’s verbal behavior will often determine whether students sees the teacher  as an ally or an adversary. The adversary teacher is often aligned with the rules (“Finish all of this work, or you will not be allowed to go outside.”). The ally teacher is aligned with the student and conveys the message that, together, student and teacher will accomplish the goals of the class for that day (“Here is the work that we have to do today. I will help you understand it.”)  If the student views the teacher as an ally, rather than as an adversary, the student is more likely to be motivated to make good educational choices.

10. The teacher emphasizes the positive whenever possible. Instructions that are worded positively often create a better learning atmosphere in the classroom than instructions that are worded negatively. To illustrate, “Try to finish all of your work, so you will get to go outside” will probably result in greater student motivation than “You had better finish all of your work, or I will not let you go outside.”   Often, the same basic instructions can be interpreted positively (or negatively) as a result of how the instructions are stated.  Positively worded statements tend to convey to students an expectation of success. Many students tend to live up to high teacher expectations; conversely, many students tend to live down to low teacher expectations.