Research On Contemporary Elementary Schools' Class Norms

Elementary period is a key developing phase for students' sociality. Class norms are basic contents and means for students to study social norms and realize initial socialization. It is essential for the healthy moral cultivation, proper daily behavior, formation of good habits as well as the important guarantee for orderly arrangement of classroom life. Based on this knowledge, taking an elementary school in shanghai as a research sample, this paper analyses the current operation of class norms of different school grades , meanwhile this study does some research on existed problems of class norms and their causes as well as provide some strategies to tackle these problems.This paper consists of four parts:The introduction part briefly expounds the background and significance of the research, provides the overview of current study and major concerns, describes the research object and method.The first chapter describes the survey of the basic position to the class criteria. Firstly, this part analyses the contents of norms, class, class norms and so on, then discusses the types and functions of class norms. This research argues that as obeyed behavior criterions for the class, class norms have the functions of improving social integration, ensuring class development as well as leading individual development.The second chapter is the main point of this paper. This part firstly introduces the background of the sample school's plan and practice on conduct education, secondly it analyses respectively the operational state of class norms in this school from junior to senior grades as well as the whole features, picking out the deficiency .This studies summarizes the characteristics of class norms' operation in the sample school: Firstly, from junior to senior class, the students' behaviors have the tendency of saddle shaped development. Secondly, all the teachers are on the position of interchanging the ensured rules and euphemistical requirements on the operation of class norms, without any distinctive grade variation features. Thirdly, the main concerns of teachers' are the behavior norms rather than the intrinsic order. Fourthly, these class norms emphasize students' obedience of the rules rather than foster students' independence. Last but not least, these class norms are almost the same without any unique characteristics. As to the operation of these norms, there are also some disadvantages. Firstly, these norms are largely teacher-centered. Secondly, the value exploration of class norms is superficial.The third chapter mainly points out the strategies of improving elementary class norms based on the prior research, that is, how to develop a team of highly qualified elementary school teachers. The author points out that from the teachers' prospect, they should improve their quality both in concept and methods, rationally percept the responsibility and authority of their own and reasonably understand the calling of the new ear for the basic quality of our children as well as the features of children's growth. Meanwhile, teachers should properly acknowledge and deal with the contradictions in the operation of these class norms, make efforts to broaden the openness of the norms, utilize graceful language to educate students to promote their self-directed growth.