8 Short & Engaging Videos for Teaching Classroom Expectations

At the beginning of every new school year it is imperative to teach your school’s and classroom’s expectations to your students. This will be the foundation for how your classroom runs during the course of the school year. It is important to be firm and consistent, but it is equally important to make sure the expectations are understood by every student. One way I’ve found to help with this is by showing short and engaging videos for teaching classroom expectations.

At many schools PBIS is followed (mine included). Part of PBIS is having schoolwide expectations. Then, these schoolwide expectations are used on a behavior matrix for each place in the school that students’ will be required to follow the school’s expectations (ex. bathroom, lunchroom, hallway). The expectations are on each matrix, along with the rules to follow in each of those places. Your classroom should, also, have a matrix with the same school expectations. Then, the rules to be followed in your classroom are displayed next to the expectation that each rule falls under.

Many schoolwide expectations that are chosen have a focus on core values, such as respect, fairness, responsibility, kindness, making good choices, etc. With that in mind, that is how I will sort the videos for classroom use.

Respectful

1. Sesame Street: Respect (Word on the Street)- This video gives kid-friendly definitions of respect. The video goes on to share examples and non-examples of respect.

2. Good Choice Bad Choice by Coach Maraska- As the title suggests this video is all about what choices are good and which are bad. Making good choices show respect to people around you. The choices are shown in picture form. The good choices are said aloud and written below the pictures. You may want to pause the video, if you’d like to discuss both choices with your students.

Responsible

1. Being Responsible- Responsibility Song, Kids and Toddlers by Shoe and Friends- This video is an upbeat song all about responsibility.

2. Character Education-Responsibility by Ragby Road- This video gives an understandable explanation and example of being responsible.

Listening Carefully

1. Sesame Street: Furry Potter and the Goblet of Cookies (Harry Potter Parody)- My students thoroughly enjoyed this one, even as kindergarteners! Furry Potter, Cookie Monster, is trying to get a goblet of cookies and must listen carefully to the tasks in order to get it.

2. Be a Whole Body Listener by Jack Hartmann- If you use whole body listening rules in your classroom, this one is a must! It has great visuals of each rule with a catchy song.

Show Self-Control

1. Sesame Street: Star S’mores (Star Wars Parody)- In this video, Princess Parfaitya must be saved by Luke Piewalker, Flans Solo, and Chewy, the Cookie. Flans Solo, Cookie Monster, has difficulty controlling himself to not eat Chewy. Only One Cannoli, Groda, and Darth Baker give him strategies for controlling himself, so they can eventually rescue Princess Parfaitya.

2. Self Control by Beech Acres-This video is an activity to practice self control, reminding that self control is when you slow down like a sloth to think and control your actions. It is only 2 minutes long and a great reminder for students!

Conclusion

I included two engaging videos for teaching classroom expectations in each section, so one could be used at the beginning of the year and one could be used after the winter break. Usually that is when students need a reminder of the expectations and rules. But feel free to show them as often as is needed in your classroom.

If you’re working on your first day of school schedule, be sure to check out my post First Day of School Schedule for Grades K-2 that is Actually Doable and if you’re looking for what student supplies are imperative to purchase check out 10 Must-Have Student Supplies. Share in the comments which video your students liked best!