The Essential 55

You will learn a collection of 55 rules that will enable you to be successful in and outside of the classroom.

Adapted from the book

The Essential 55

By Ron Clark

Rule #1

• When responding to any adult, you must answer by saying, “Yes ma’m” or “No sir.” Just nodding your head or saying any other form of yes or no is not acceptable.

Rule #2

• Make eye contact. When someone is speaking, keep your eyes on him or her at all times. If someone makes a comment, turn and face that person.

Rule #3

• If someone in the class wins a game or does something well, we will congratulate that person. Claps should be of at least three seconds in length with the full part of both hands meeting in a manner that will give the appropriate clap volume.

Rule #4

• During discussions, respect other students’ comments, opinions, and ideas. When possible, make statements like, “I agree with John, and I also feel that . . .” or “I disagree with Sara. She made a good point, but I feel that . . .” or “I think Bo made an excellent observation, and it made me realize . . .”

Rule #5

• If you win or do well at something, do not brag. If you lose, do not show anger. Instead, say something like, “I really enjoyed the competition, and I look forward to playing you again,” or “Good game,” or don’t say anything at all. To show anger or sarcasm, such as “I wasn’t playing hard anyway,” shows weakness.

Rule #6

• If you are asked a question in conversation, you should ask a question in return. If someone asks, “Did you have a nice weekend?” you should answer the question and then ask a question in return.

Rule #7

• When you cough or sneeze or burp, it is appropriate to turn your head away from others and cover your mouth with the full part of your hand. Using a fist is not acceptable. Afterward, you should say, “Excuse me.”

Rule #8

• Do not smack you lips, tsk, roll your eyes, or show disrespect with gestures.

Rule #9

• Always say thank you when I give you something. If you do not say it within three seconds after receiving the item, I will take it back. There is no excuse for not showing appreciation.

Rule #10

• When you are given something from someone, never insult that person by making negative comments about the gift or by insinuating that it wasn’t appreciated.

Rule #11

• Surprise others by performing random acts of kindness. Go out of your way to do something surprisingly kind and generous for someone at least once a month.

Rule #12`

• Occasionally, we may grade each other’s papers as a group. When grading other students’ papers, if you give someone an incorrect grade, whether it is higher or lower than they deserve, the amount the grade differs from the actual grade will be deducted from your paper. The only marks you are allowed to make on others’ papers are an “X” and the number they got incorrect.

Rule #13

• When we read together in class, you must follow along. If I call on you to read, you must know exactly where we are and begin reading immediately.

Rule #14

• Answer all written questions with a complete sentence. For example, if the question asks, “What is the capital of Kentucky?” you should respond by writing, “The capital of Kentucky is Frankfort.” It Is also important in conversations with others to use complete sentences out of respect for the person’s questions. For example, if a person asks, “How are you?” instead of just responding by saying, “Fine,” you should say, “I’m doing fine, thank you. How about yourself?”

Rule #15

• At times throughout the year, I will give rewards for good behavior, academic performance, and other acts worthy of praise. If you ever ask me for a reward, however, it will not be given. It is rude to ask if you are getting something for good behavior. You should be good and try your best because you are trying to better yourself, not because you are anticipating a reward.

Rule #16

• Homework, when assigned, will be turned in each day for each subject by every student with no exception.

Rule #17

• When we are in transition from one activity to another, the change will be swift, quiet, and orderly. The opportune amount of time to spend in transition should be less than ten seconds, and we will work toward a goal of seven seconds.

Rule #18

• You will make every effort to be as organized as possible. Bring your subject divider and books to each classroom with the additional materials you will need for that class.

Rule #19

• When homework is assigned, there is to be no moaning or complaining. This will result in a double assignment.

Rule #20

• While you are with a substitute teacher, you will obey the same rules that you follow when I am with you. NO EXCEPTIONS!

Rule # 21

We will follow certain classroom protocols. We will be organized, efficient, and on task. In order to do so, we will follow these rules.

A. Do not get out of your seat without permission. Exception: If you are sick, leave immediately.

2. Do not speak unless: 1. You raise your hand, and I call on you. 2. I ask you a question, and you are responding. 3. It is lunch, and you are quietly talking. 4. I instruct you otherwise (for example, during group work).

Rule #22

• Do not ask me if you can get a drink of water while I am teaching a lesson. Take care of your business during class changes.

Rule #23

• Quickly learn the names of other teachers in the school and greet them by saying things like, “Good morning, Mrs. Julie.” NOTE: If you are in line with the rest of the class, you are not allowed to speak to the teachers at that time.

Rule #24

• Flush the toilet and wash your hands after using the rest room. Get a paper towel before washing your hands and use it to turn off the faucet when you finish. Get another towel to dry your hands and use to open the door. The last thing you want to do is touch areas with clean hands that others have touched with dirty hands.

Rule #25

• When a visitor enters the classroom to talk to the teacher, you are to to stay seated and remain quiet! (No exceptions!)
• If someone is coming to visit our class, I will send two students to the front door of the building. You will have a sign welcoming the person. When our visitor arrives, you will shake hands, tell him or her who you are, and welcome the person to our school. You will then give a small tour of the building before bringing him or her to our classroom.

Rule #26

• Do not save seats in the lunchroom. If someone wants to sit down, let him or her. Do not try to exclude anyone. We are a family, and we must treat everyone with respect and kindness.

Rule #27

• If I or any other teacher in the school is speaking to or disciplining a student, do not look at that student. You wouldn’t want others looking at you if you were in trouble, so don’t look at others. If you are the student I am talking to, do not get angry or fuss at students who are looking at you. Let me know, and I will handle the situation.

Rule #28

• If you have a question about homework, you may call me. If I am not there to answer the phone, please leave a message in the following manner: “Hi, this is ____. I need help with ____. You can call me back until __:00. My phone number is ___. Thank you.” There is no need to leave this message fourteen times.

Rule #29

• There are several manners dealing with food that you must follow: I call these my ABC’s of Etiquette.
• A – When you first sit down for a meal, immediately place your napkin in your lap. If your silverware is wrapped in a napkin, unwrap it as soon as you sit down and place the napkin in your lap.
• B – When you are finished eating, place your napkin on the table to the left of your plate. Place it loosely beside the plate. Don’t crumple it because you don’t want to seem untidy. Don’t fold it neatly because you don’t want the restaurant to think you assume they are going to use it again. Never leave your napkin on your chair. This implies that the napkin is too dirty to be left on the table. In some cultures, leaving the napkin on the chair is known as a way to say that you don’t intend to return to the restaurant again.

C - Never place your elbows on the table.

D – Use one hand to eat, unless you are cutting or buttering food. Never have your fork in one hand and a glass in the other.

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F – Do not smack your lips and chew noisily.

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E - Do not lick your fingers. There is a napkin provided for the purpose of cleaning your fingers. There is no need to lick yourself clean.

G – Do not chew with your mouth open

• H – Do not talk with your mouth full. Sometimes people will place a hand over their mouth and talk anyway. Don’t do that. Wait until you have swallowed your food to speak.
• I – If something is caught in your teeth, don’t go in after it; wait until you are in the restroom to remove it.
• J – Do not slurp.
• K – Do not play with your food.
• L. - If you drop your fork, napkin, or anything else on the floor, do not pick it up until you are finished eating. If you do pick up something that has dropped on the floor, then you will need to excuse yourself and wash your hands before continuing your meal.

• M - You are to use your utensils for eating almost everything. Here are ten types of foods you may use your hands to eat: 1 - pizza, 2 - bacon, 3 - cookies, 4 - bread, 5 -corn on the cob, 6 - hot dogs, hamburgers, and sandwiches, 7 - French fries and chips, 8 - fried chicken, 9 - asparagus, 10 - small fruits
• N - Never reach over someone’s plate to get something. You should say, “Will you please pass the salt?”
• O - Never start eating off of your tray until you are at your seat.
• P - When we are eating at a restaurant, you are not to begin eating until everyone at the table has received their food.
• Q - You should never complain if the line is too long, the food isn’t good, or if there is a wait. You don’t want to be negative to the point where you spoil the enjoyment of the event for others.

• R - If you are unsure which silverware to use, simply start with the fork, knife, or spoon that is the farthest from your plate. On the left, you will have your salad fork on the outside and your dinner fork on the inside. On the far right, you will have your soupspoon. Beside it you will have the spoon you will use to stir your coffee or tea, then your salad knife, and then your dinner knife. The utensils above your plate are to be used for dessert.
• S - When you are finished eating, do not push your plate away from you. Leave it where it is in the setting. If you want to show you have finished eating, you should lay your fork and knife together diagonally across the plate. You should place the fork with the tines down, and you should have the sharp side of the knife facing you. Of the two utensils, the fork should be closet to you.
• T - Never place a piece of silverware that you have used back on the table. Leave it on the plate or saucer.

• U - If you didn’t use a utensil, do not place it on a plate or saucer when you are finished. Just leave it where it is.
• V. Always look a waiter in the eyes when you are ordering, asking a question, or saying thank you.
• W - Make a point to remember the waiter’s name when he introduces himself to you. Use his name as often as possible throughout the course of the meal.
• X - If you have to go to the restroom, you should stand up and say, “Excuse me,” as you leave the table.
• Y - When you are offered desserts or asked a question such as, “Which sides you like?” it is best to ask, “What are my options?” That way, you aren’t going through a process of naming things the restaurant might not have.
• Z - Never talk to waiters or waitresses as if they are servants. Treat them with respect and kindness, and remember, they are the ones who are fixing your food and bringing it to you. You do want to be on the bad side of a waiter.

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Rule #30

• After we eat, we will clean up after ourselves. This includes cleaning off the tables and making sure we haven’t left any trash on the floor or around the eating area. It is important to be responsible for your trash no matter where you are and to be sure not to litter.

Rule #31

• When you stay in a hotel room, it is appropriate to leave a tip on the pillow for the hotel workers who are responsible for cleaning the room after your stay. Two to three dollars per night is an appropriate amount, depending on the cost of the room.

Rule #32

• When we ride on a bus, we will always sit facing forward. We will never turn around to talk to other students, stick anything out of the windows, or get out of our seats. When we exit the bus, we will always thank the bus driver and tell him to have a good day.

Rule #33

• When we go on field trips, we will meet different people. When I introduce you to the people, make sure that you remember their names. Then, when we are leaving, make sure to shake their hands and thank them, mentioning their names as you do so.

Rule #34

• Whenever you are offered food, whether it be on a buffet or treats in class, never take more than your fair share. You never want to be greedy and try to get more than you should, not only because it is wasteful, but also because it is disrespectful to others when you do not leave enough for them.

Rule #35

• If someone drops something, pick it up and hand it back to them. Even if they are closer to the object, it is only polite to make the gesture of bending down to retrieve the item.

Rule #36

• If you approach a door and someone is following you, hold the door. If the door opens by pulling, pull it open, stand to the side, and allow the other person to pass through first, then you can walk through. If the door opens by pushing, hold the door after you pass through.

Rule #37

• If someone bumps into you, EVEN IT IT WAS NOT YOUR FAULT, say, “EXCUSE ME.”

Rule #38

• The Quiet as Mouse Rule – When we are on a field trip, there will be no talking as we enter a building. We will enter the building so quietly that no one will even notice that we are there. This rule applies to entering any place where people are gathered, whether it be the movies, a church, a theater, or any other venue.

Rule #39

• If we are on a field trip, it is a good idea to compliment something about the place where we are visiting. For example, if we visit someone’s home, it would be a nice gesture to tell them that you think they have nice curtains. People are always self-conscious when they have guests visit their home, so you want to make them feel at east. Also, if we are visiting other places, such as a museum or theater, it would be nice to comment on how beautiful the architecture is or to tell the guide that you think the facility is very nice.

Rule #40

• During an assembly, do not speak and do not look around and try to get the attention of your friends in other classes. We must uphold an image that shows we have our act together!

Please No Talking!

Rule #41

• When you answer the phone at your house or in the classroom, you must do so in an appropriate manner.

• Say, “Hello, this is the Clark residence.”
• The caller will ask if someone is there, and you should say, “Yes she is, may I ask who’s calling?”
• Tell the person, “Hold on, please, and I’ll get her.”
• Place the phone on mute or cover the receiver with your hand and tell the person who is on the phone for her.

Rule #42

• When we return from a trip, you will shake my hand as well as the hands of every chaperone. You will thank us for taking the time to take you on the trip, and you will let us know that you appreciate having the opportunity to go. I am not concerned with being thanked; I am concerned with teaching you that it is appropriate to show appreciation when someone has gone out of his or her way to help you.

Rule #43

• Stand right – Walk left Rule When we are on field trips and we have to go up escalators, we will stand to the right. That will give other individuals who are in a hurray the option of walking up the left-hand side of the escalator. When we are going to enter an elevator, the subway, or a doorway, we will wait for others to exit before we enter.

Rule #44

• Third Rock Rule - When in a line, walk single file, two to three feet behind the person in front of you with your arms at your sides. You should face forward at all times. There will be absolutely no talking

Rule #45

• Never cut line. If someone cuts in front of you, do not say or do anything about it. Let it happen, but let me know about it. I will handle the situation. If you fuss with someone who has cut in line, you could get in trouble as well. It’s not worth it; just let me know what happened. Please handle all disputes with other classmates in the same manner, by coming to me with any problems before you take matters into your own hands.

Rule #46

• When we go to a movie theater, there will be no talking whatsoever. I don’t care how good the movie is or what you want to say to the person beside you, you will not so much as whisper during the show! You will not put your feet on the chair in front of you. If you are going to eat during a movie, you need to eat as quietly as possible. If you purchase candy to eat during the movie, open the wrapper and have it ready before the movie begins; trying to open a bag of candy during a movie is very annoying to others. It is also very rude to leave a cell phone or beeper on during a movie.

Rule #47

• Mr. Clark’s Rule: Do not bring DORITOS into the school building.
• My Rule: Do not stir the pot by spreading gossip or talking about others!
• AND . . . Do not bring sunflower seeds into the school building!

Rule #48

• If any child in this school is bothering you, let me know. I am your teacher, and I am here to look after you and protect you. I am not going to let anyone in this school bully you or make you feel uncomfortable. In return, I ask that you not take matters into your own hands; let me deal with the student.

Rule #49

• Stand up for what you believe in. You shouldn’t take no for an answer if your heart and mind are leading you in a direction that you feel strongly about!

B.A.S.S.

Believe

Achieve

Soar

Succeed

Rule #50

• Don’t sweat the small stuff! Be positive and enjoy life. Some things just aren’t worth getting upset over. Keep everything in perspective and focus on the good in your life.

Rule #51

• Live so that you will never have regrets. If there is something you want to do, do it! Never let fear, doubt, or other obstacles stand in your way. If there is something you want, fight for it with all of your heart. If there is something you want to do, go for it and don’t stop until you make it happen. If there is something you want to be, do whatever is necessary in order to live out that dream.

Rule #52

• Accept that you are going to make mistakes. Learn from them and move on.

There is NO shame in not achieving your GOALS!

The shame comes in NOT ATTEMPTING to achieve your GOALS!

Rule #53

• No matter what the circumstances, always be honest. Even if you have done something wrong, it is best to admit it to me because I respect that, and oftentimes I will forget any disciplinary measures because of your honesty.

Rule #54

• Carpe diem. You only live today once, so don’t waste it. Life is made up of special moments, many of which happen when caution is thrown to the wind and people take action and seize the day.

Rule #55

Be the BEST person you can be!