📘 Part 3: Rules

This episode's vocabulary

Broad (adj.) - very wide.

Applicable (adj.) - affecting or relating to a person or thing.

Principle (noun) - a basic idea or rule that explains or controls how something happens or works.

To internalize (verb) - to accept or absorb an idea, opinion, belief, etc. so that it becomes part of your character.

Offender (noun) -a person who is guilty of a crime.

Withdrawal (noun) - an act of taking something back, removing something, or moving something back..

Restorative (adj.) - something that makes you feel better or more energetic if you are feeling tired or ill.

Approach (noun) - a way of considering or doing something.

To reinforce (verb) - to make something stronger.

Boil down to sth (phrasal verb) - if a situation or problem boils down to something, that is the main reason for it.

Limit (noun) - the greatest amount, number, or level allowed or possible.

Clamp (noun) - a device used to hold something tightly.a device used to hold something tightly.

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Questions and Answers

M: What's the rules students should follow at school?

R: Well, the ones that make sense, like, for example, being respectful, ready and responsible, though, in other words, they should show awareness they're learning with others, and to be respectful of that, be prepared to learn and try their best to look after the shared space. They seem like broad enough to cover the more important parts of being at school.

M: Are the rules at school good or bad?

R: Well, I suppose that depends on the school and the rules, doesn't it? I mean, I find three or four simple, short and broadly applicable principles to be quite effective. But if you have, like a small book on every single possibility, then that's impossible for people to internalize. So that's not a good set of rules. In my opinion.

M: What can teachers do to make students obey the rules?

R: Well, I think by asking them to and explaining why they should is usually enough, though, in extreme cases, it might be necessary to have some punishments or consequences for repeat offenders.

M: What kind of punishments?

R: I think the punishment should reflect the crime. So basically, withdrawal of privileges or involving restorative approaches.

M: Should students be involved in making school rules?

R: Well, to a certain extent, they already are, I mean, by following the rules, you show they're worth something. So you're reinforcing the ideas behind them. And if you repeatedly break them, for whatever reason, then you're inadvertently involved in making or reforming them. But if you mean, they should be included in the conception of the rules, then I don't see why not. That's how real life works.

M: But why do you think that students should be involved in making school rules?

R: Because that's how real life works. If the purpose of school is to prepare students for the world, then that's useful.

M: What rules are there in the workplace?

R: Well, which one? In general, there are like pages and pages, but they mostly boil down to don't be horrible to your colleagues, try to be professional and don't damage the company or wherever it is you work.

M: What rules should children follow at home?

R: Whichever their parents decide on and are in line with the broader culture. I'm sure they're similar to what I just said. And I imagine some rules about having a proper bedtime and being polite and not being rude are quite common.

M: What rules do families usually have?

R: Watch your language was always a popular one when I was growing up. Try to control your behavior is another. I imagine there are like limits on bedtimes, parties having friends over and other aspects of childhood.

M: And do you think these rules are the same in different countries in different families?

R: Well, no, it depends on the culture. So in, in some countries, the rules will be much stricter compared to others.

M: Why do some people refuse to follow the rules?

R: Well, usually, it's because the rules don't make sense for them, or even they don't apply or they don't seem to apply. Like imagine if you were constantly asked to do things that don't make sense. Or the rules were constantly changing, you'd probably give up trying to go along with them too. Other people would just feel the rules don't apply to them.

M: And do you think that nowadays more people follow the rules than they used to?

R: I don't know how you'd begin to measure that. I want to say it's probably not changed. We're just more aware of it.

M: And what about the future? Do you think more people will be law abiding, more people will follow the rules?

R: I think human nature is really difficult to change. So with that in mind, I think it will stay pretty much constant. The proportion of people who break rules, compared to the proportion of people that follow them will stay largely the same. And most people follow the rules most of the time.

M: How are people punished when they park their cars in the wrong place?

R: Well, usually they get a parking ticket with a fine, they have to pay. I think in some areas, you have clamps placed on your wheels too. And in extreme cases, like where it keeps happening or if there's a traffic hazard, then your car could get towed too, couldn't?

M: Thank you, Rory, for your answers!

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