CLASSROOM RULES

An investigation of how children and

youngsters in the US, Finland and Sweden
perceive classroom rules and their
connections to [musical] [life] learning

Cathy Benedict, EdD, Florida International University

Marja Heimonen, DMus Sibelius Academy
Cecilia Ferm Thorgersen, PhD, Karlstad University
Disposition
• Background
• Theoretical base
• Aim
• Discussion in pairs
• Research questions
• Method
• Results
• Further thoughts
• Questions for collaborative student work
Background
• In day to day encounters with students in the music
classroom it began to be apparent that rules of behavior
and social engagements were undermining the critical
and creative practices needed and desired.

• Cathy
• Cecilia
• Marja
Theoretical basis
• Hannah Arendt
• Preconditions for political activity /vita activa

• Common sense

• A balance: vita activa – vita contemplativa / the public – the private

• Bildung

Michael Apple – Ideology of Hidden Curriculum

• The discourse of common sense and the production of sense and
meaning
• Lather (1991) “the denial of how our commonsense ways of looking
at the world are permeated with meanings that sustain our
disempowerment” (p. 59)
Aim

The aim of this ongoing study is to explore classroom rules

and their connections to music education from a learner’s
perspective.

• experiences of children and youngsters

• in three different countries
The audience’s views of rules
• Ask your neighbor what (s)he thinks rules are for in the
classroom?
Research questions
• How and to what extent do students recognize or identify
classroom rules?

• How and in what ways do students relate to, obey and

resist classroom rules?

• In what ways if any do classroom rules have an impact on

how students view the classroom environment?

• In what ways if any could classroom rules have an impact

on students’ participation in the world outside of
schooling?
Method
• Qualitative interviews with youngsters in US, Finland and
Sweden

• First phase of analysis (qualitative content analysis)

• Giving voice to the youngsters’ relations to and interpretations of
classroom rules in the different countries

• Group discussions during the process via Skype

Preliminary results
• Students’ recognition and identification of classroom
rules

• Students’ ways of relating to classroom rules

• The impact of classroom rules on classroom environment

• The impact of classroom rules on students’ participation

in the world outside of schooling
Students’ recognition and identification of classroom
rules
• They are to obey

• On tietty sääntöi.

• Ööhh…det är något som sätter en gräns...för vad man får och inte får
göra.
Students’ recognition and identification of classroom
rules
US
“They are to obey” (8 year old)

“These are the rules” (10 year old pointing to the board):
1. Follow directions the first time they are given
2. Raise your hand and wait to be recognized before speaking
3. Keep your hands, feet and objects to yourself
4. Stay in your seat unless you have permission to get up.

“Rules are just for individuals in charge just to have control. They are the
ones that establish them so they can have control of the environment.”
(age 17)

• There are created by forces above – almost always adults (sometimes

their teachers but almost always nameless and faceless)
Students’ recognition and identification of classroom
rules
• Finland
• Rules “keep things together”, promote “an order” and prevent a
“total chaos”, teach to “wait for one’s own turn” and “to listen to
each others”, create a safe environment (prevent accidents) and
make learning possible
• Taught by the teachers “in the first grade”, ”first lessons” (girl 11),
and repeated until high school.
• Open, clear, numerous (“millions of rules”, boy 9) and well-known.
Some specific rules connected to music.
• Created mainly from “above” by teachers, rectors, or
municipal/state authorities. The pupils’ board may suggest a rule.
• Rules show themselves through teachers’ talk and actions
(sanctions). A booklet of rules in high school.
Students’ recognition and identification of classroom
rules
• Sweden
• The children define rules as something that decides,
puts a limit, and gets a system function
• The children learn the rules rather immediately when
they come to school “Like third day” (boy 6 years).
• They distinguish between; rules and norms, subject
specific (musical) and social rules, open/hidden rules.
• Rules are created from “above”; Gods, bosses,
(teachers)
• Rules show themselves through explanations or
teachers actions
•
Students’ ways of relating to classroom rules

• I need to know what is expected of me in order to succeed

• Kyl niit joskus tulee rikotuks

• Jag vet inte, jag tror att man ska hitta någon balans mellan det…inga
regler och jättehårda regler
Students’ ways of relating to classroom rules
US
• In every classroom in which I have observed in New York City and
Miami Public schools rules were posted on the walls:

1. Follow directions the first time they are given

2. Raise your hand and wait to be recognized before speaking
3. Keep your hands, feet and objects to yourself
4. Stay in your seat unless you have permission to get up.

“Assertive Discipline”
• 1st Incident – Your name goes on the board.
• 2nd Incident – A check mark gets placed next to your name and
parents are called.
• 3rd Incident – If you have 2 checks you get a failing mark
Students’ ways of relating to classroom rules
• Finland
• Rules are mostly followed (but not always)
• Sanctions (& prizes) are used by teachers
• Pupils would like to participate in creating rules:
the chewing-gum rule suggested by the pupils’
board; smiles as prizes
• Reasons for rules are most important: why
something is forbidden
Students’ ways of relating to classroom rules

• Sweden
• The children (mostly) follow the rules otherwise the
teacher gets angry
• They would like to change some of them to be more
free and creative in their musical learning, and to have a
more comfortable environment
• They expect their teachers to be flexible according to
the rules to adapt to specific social and individual needs
and make learning meaningful “He adapted the
teaching to me and thereby broke the norms or rules”
(Girl 19)
• There should be a balance between hard and no rules
in schools
The impact of classroom rules on classroom
environment

In Pre-K we had to line up, listen, raise your hand, It hasn’t’t

changed. At all.

Ettei siit tulis ihan sellast hullunmyllyä

Men jag tycker ändå att man ska kunna diskutera på samma sätt inom
musiken som i andra ämnen, så kanske man kommer fram till något, i
stället för att vara såhär snäll typ (som reglerna förespråkar
The impact of classroom rules on classroom
environment
• US
“The world would be topsy turvy.” (10 year old boy)

• “We would be all over the place. Like people would be standing up
and going to the bathroom without permission.” ( 9 year old)

• “You might miss out on assignments. She might be talking about a

test.” (9 year old girl)

• “I want to say to keep community in check but it sounds so, ick,

controlling, but it still is a fundamental of peace and tranquility in the
area, so not everyone is doing things that cause trouble and chaos.”
(17 year old)
The impact of classroom rules on classroom
environment
• Finland
• Create a space for learning
• Protect pupils (against teasing and getting hurt)
• Protect surroundings (prevent total chaos,
hurly-burly)
• Rules also limit behaviour such as play and
jokes
The impact of classroom rules on classroom
environment
• Sweden
• Rules aim to create (friendly, safe, (too) fair and
inspiring) space for learning “you must let each-
other to express oneself…and respect each-
others music” (Boy 17) and order, that is easy to
handle for the teacher, but can also limit what is
possible to do and learn musically, and create
bad atmosphere “If the teacher lets go the
students are not so angry and irritated” (Girl 15)
• Rules aim to protect surroundings and
instruments
The impact of classroom rules on students’
participation in the world outside of schooling

• This is just like a community: like society there are leaders

[the band director] and there are people that follow.

• Et kaikki niinku sujuis helpommin

• Att man inte ska säga emot reglerna. Att man ska följa
dem för att det ska gå bra...för att man ska få…framgång
The impact of classroom rules on students
participation in the world outside of schooling
US
• No mention of outside connections from younger ones

• When we were in that environment [band] we knew it was different. It

was already established and put into our heads that when we come
here we’re here to take care of business, it’s a job. The other
educators in other classroom never said that, they said… we’re like
family. In [band] he said, “This is just like a community, like society
there are leaders and there are people that follow.”

• The only time I broke a rule is when I was trying to help someone. We
weren’t suppose to leave the line but I went to help an older women
carry a box. My teacher yelled at me. Okay, I might have broken your
rule, but I felt better. I helped someone. That’s more important to me
than staying line.
The impact of classroom rules on students
participation in the world outside of schooling

• Finland
• No direct connections, seems to depend on age
• Rules are internalized as part of behaviour via
systematic repetition: the obligatory aspects of
rules disappear in high school
• Outside schooling, at home, the rules are more
flexible
• Arguments for rules are claimed
The impact of classroom rules on students’
participation in the world outside of schooling

• Sweden
• The younger ones don’t see any connections
• The older ones think that they learn to organize
their lives but also that “you have to claim
space” Girl 19.
• To follow rules leads to success (high grades)
Rules are conforming – and kills creativity and
interests in art
• They also think that rules hinder real open
dialogues (about art)
Discussion and further thoughts

• Rules as frames for activities and learning

• Ethical rules
• Historical, cultural rules – society and
individuals
• Hidden and outspoken rules
• Development of learner’s relations to rules
• Musical rules and creativity
Questions for collaborative work
• How do you see the function of student
participation in rule making?

• How could rules influence possibilities for

musical learning?

• In what ways could the theme of rules be

investigated further within the field of
music education?
THANK YOU FOR YOUR
ATTENTION
Cathy Benedict, Florida International University
cathy.benedict@fiu.edu
Marja Heimonen, Sibelius Academy
mheimone@siba.fi
Cecilia Ferm Thorgersen, Karlstad University
cecilia.fermthorgersen@imh.kau.se