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You probably agree that life is about making choices. Values play an important role in our thinking and decisions. They also fulfil a motivational and directional purpose (Hartman, 1973).Values serve as beacons to help us navigate the unpredictable seas of human existence. (Nieuwenhuis 2007:11). Internalised values are thus powerful in directing our behaviour and influence our decision making regarding our self-development and the way in which we manage ourselves.
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Kruger and Van Schalkwyk (1997:114) make the following assertion, which will be the focus of this section:
| How learners behave in the teaching-learning situation has an influence on the degree of success of the situation. |
As the classroom manager, you must control and handle (i.e. manage) the learners’ behaviour in order to ensure the goals of the teaching-learning event are achieved.
If the rules and boundaries set by educators (Links to an external site.)are applied correctly, they give learners security. This helps to create a positive classroom climate. Learners feel secure in a school and classroom where they know what their boundaries are and what is expected from them. This is especially true if they know that the boundaries are there to ensure an environment in which they can learn without fear.
The question is, how should the rules be applied?
However, values also operate at group, community and social levels. In the same way that a  personal value system gives us direction in the choices we make and the actions we choose, values are an important consideration in the school or classroom as a small community (Links to an external site.).
Because we as a community attach importance to the things we value, we can derive certain principles from these values that direct our decisions and the way we live. For instance, because we value honesty (Links to an external site.), we do not lie or deceive others. This then becomes one of the principles by which we live as a community. We may derive rules based on these principles, for example, ‘you may not lie to others’ or ‘you may not deceive others’ or ‘you must respect (Links to an external site.)others’. These rules become the norms for measuring right or wrong (Nieuwenhuis 2007:16-17). This should also be done in the classroom.
Values and their derived principles and possible rules
| Value |
Derived principles |
Possible rules |
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Justice (fairness, equality, impartiality)
Freedom
Respect
Non-violence
Truthfulness
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No discrimination on the basis of irrelevant differences such as colour, race, creed, gender, etc.
Equal treatment, equal access and equal opportunities.
Freedom of speech, press, thought. Freedom of assembly.
Freedom of religion.
Freedom from threat and anxiety.
Consideration of other people’s interests.
Consideration of minority interests. Maintaining human life and health. Protecting the weak (disabled).
Safeguarding others from harm. Safeguarding others from abuse.
Adherence to contracts. Keeping promises.
Presenting evidence.
Protection against indoctrination or coercion.
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Stand in a queue. Take turns.
Don’t talk out of turn.
Don’t take what is not yours. Obey (impartial) judges (parents, referees, educators).
Don’t bully others. Don’t harass others.
Don’t interfere with others. Respect other people’s privacy. Don’t abuse or manipulate people. Don’t coerce or force others.
Don’t be selfish or greedy. Help those in need.
Don’t insult or degrade others. Be thoughtful of other people. Be generous.
Don’t physically or mentally injure others.
Don’t fight. Don’t be mean. Don’t steal.
Don’t damage property. Don’t cheat.
Don’t lie.
Don’t fabricate evidence. Don’t deceive.
Don’t be a hypocrite.
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We want to suggest that you use a big poster at the beginning of the year in cooperation with the whole class to do the following:
It is important to involve every learner in this process to ensure that all of them identify with the values, the derived principles and the rules. It is crucial that every learner understands why it is so important for a group of people, as well as for the individual, to live according to certain values and why rules are important in any  society, but especially in the classroom.
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The values, principles and rules poster should be displayed in a prominent place in the classroom where everyone can see it. These behaviour expectations must be systematically taught, reinforced and monitored. If an individual or a group breaks a rule, you have to look at the transgressor/s and ask them which rule on the poster was infringed. Positive behaviour should be acknowledged and reinforced. Negative behaviour should be punished or suppressed.
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In secondary schools, every individual learner may sign a contract of conduct with the educator concerned.
What is even more important is that the identified values must be instilled in everyone in the classroom. Every individual must breathe and live these values, until they become the standard in the classroom and especially in the school (Prinsloo, 2006:316).
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