This one bugs the heck out of the Educrats. I write this with tongue-in-cheek of course, but in the past I have been accused by educational bureaucrats of turning buildings into prisons or of being a "control freak" not always concerned with the "rights" of children. In my defense, buildings at which I have been assigned have ALWAYS witnessed increases in normed and criterion-referenced test scores and the plummeting of discipline problems.
An orderly environment is by definition a "safe" environment (apologies to Lezotte, whom I consider a genius).
"Orderliness" is energetic but at all not chaotic. Schools that are orderly are purposeful and businesslike, and are indeed places of intense energy.
These places are controlled by adult values and standards and not those of children.
Activities are always clearly tied to the curriculum.
Structure and schedule are usually transparent and predictable (some variety is needed periodically, however).
The school's academic goals and objectives are known by all.
Aimless, student hall traffic is unknown.
Stakeholders are concerned with punctuality and use of time.
Childish exhuberance is not prohibited; it is simply given importance in an appropriate place at an appropriate time. There are appropriate times and places to "bounce". These are determined by adults.
During the children's recess or free time there is no rough horseplay or violence (pretend or otherwise).
When at or on instructional tasks children communicate with normally modulated voices.
All rules are enforced, consequences and explanations are always issued.
Hostility is banished. There is NEVER reason to administer a behavior management process with hostility or belligerence. Behaving like an adult or acting according to adult standards is not a natural act for a child. Most of us haven't thought about it in those terms. Behaving like an adult is not normal behavior for a child. We have to understand that when children fail to act like adults, it is not always a challenge to us or to our authority. Indeed, when children misbehave thay tend to be acting much more naturally than they do when they are "good" for us. Paradoxically, our instructional systems depend upon the willingness of children to attempt to behave in as adult-like a manner as possible. Children behaving to adult standards is not something that we ever completely implement. At our most successful, it is something that we can only strive to approach.
But....we....must....try!!!!
Under construction
