2000 Disney’s Teacher of the Year
and founder of Ron Clark Academy
Ron Clark
The Essential 55 and the excellent 11
Instruction with Song / Song 2
The Essential 55
55 rules…. Really????
Rule #1
When responding to any adult, you must answer
by saying “Yes ma’am” or “No sir”. Just nodding
your head or saying any other form of yes or no is
not acceptable.
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…”
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 # 20
While you are with a substitute teacher,
you will obey the same rules that you
follow when I am with you. (I know this
is hard, but it is important)
“I approach each year with the
knowledge that I have only one year
to make a life’s worth of difference ine
ach child in that classroom, and I give
it everything I’ve got”
- Clark
Rule # 52 – Accept that you are going
to make mistakes. Learn from them and
move on.
# 1 – Kids need and like
structure
# 2 – Kids will work hard for
you, if they like who you are as
a person
The Four Universal Truths about Kids
Consequences
1. Name on Board (warning, no
consquences)
2. One Check – sit with me at
lunch – no talking whatsoever
“I didn’t want to get bogged down with having to
punish students and putting stars by names or keeping
up with stickers on charts on their desks. I wanted it to
be quick and easy.”
- Clark
“In order for a classroom discipline plan to work, it is
imperative that you have the support of your parents.”
- Clark
“Sometimes, however praise is
not enough. I usually take my
students on twenty-five to thirty
small trips a year, but I don’t
necessarily take the entire class
each time.”
“A final component to getting
children to perform deals with
giving rewards… One of the
main rewards I use is good old
fashioned praise.”
- Clark
Excellent 11
• Qualities Teachers and Parents Use to Motivate, Inspire,
and Educate Children…
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Enthusiasm
Adventure
Creativity
Reflection
Balance
Compassion
Confidence
Humor
Common Sense
Appreciation
Resilience