Building strong routines is
essential in any classroom. From
routines for turning in papers to establishing the restroom procedure, it is
important that students know what is expected of them. Whenever considering any new routine, follow
the 4 Ps.
1
–
Plan
Sit down and write out how you would
like the routine to run. Consider the
order of events, any materials needed, problems that could arise, etc. Make sure you 100% understand what you want
to happen in your classroom. Then
organize the plan in a bulleted list so you are prepared to share with your
classes without forgetting any details.
2
–
Present
Take a few minutes to thoroughly
explain and demonstrate the plan to your students. I recommend explaining the new plan with
visual cues projected on the front board.
And actually show students what you would like to have happen.
3 –
Practice
Students need time to practice the
routine. More than once. In fact, practice it many, many times. As long as it takes. It can feel like wasted time in the
beginning, but you will thank yourself later on when the rest of the year moves
along so smoothly.
4 –
Praise
Praise your students when they
correct complete the routine without prompting.
And on the other hand, immediately make corrections when the routine is
not effectively working. Your students
need consistency, so continue to monitor the class to ensure the routine is being
utilized correctly.
Here are some specific routines that
have worked really well in my classroom.
And, of course, I used the 4 Ps!
Beginning of
Class
-Students
enter classroom, pick up the handouts they will need throughout the class, and
find their assigned seat.
-Write down
homework in agenda book.
-Read front
board to see Objective/Agenda for the day.
-Take
homework out and place it on desk.
-Begin the
Problem of the Day, which is projected on the front board. (Get your free POD template here.)
This routine has worked fabulously
in my classes. I love saving time by
having students pick up the handouts on the way in, instead of taking a minute
here or there to pass out materials.
Having a Problem of the Day is awesome because my students are reviewing
material, while I get a chance to circulate and look briefly at everyone’s
homework assignment. I scan for
completion, but I also typically choose 1-2 problems to look for answers so I
get a sense of whether most students got it or not.
Turning in
Assignments
-I have a
file sorter that has each section labeled with a different class.
-Students
turn assignments into their “class bin.”
-When
students finish with their assessments, they also turn these into the class bin
and then can take out a longterm assignment to work on quietly at their desk.
This has been such a great way for
me to organize work from my students. No
more being handed papers and shuffling through everything later on to find them
again. I know many teachers like
students to stay seated until everyone is done with the assessment because it
can be distracting, but I have found that once the routine is established,
everything is so fluid that this has not been an issue for us.
Using the
Restroom
-Students
do not need to ask for permission.
-Passes
hang by the door.
-Place pass
on the desk to indicate someone is out.
-Only two
students out at a time.
-Sign-out
sheet by the door.
-Get these bathroom passes, sign-out sheet and more here.
We tried many different bathroom
routines on our middle school team. I
have been very happy with our most recent routine. The most important part of all of this is to
talk with students about time on learning and appropriate and inappropriate
times to leave the room. Set the
expectation very clearly. Students
should leave at the beginning of class, end of class, and during transitions in
activities, if needed. If students begin
to take advantage of the free sign out policy, talk to them about it. Of course, take away privileges if any
ongoing issues occur. I love this policy
because I never have anyone raise their hand amid a conversation to ask to go
to the bathroom anymore.
Switching Desk
Configurations
-I often
switch between pairs and groups of 4-5.
-Train
students exactly how the desks should look so you don’t end up with a big mess.
-Model
& (yes) Practice!
Desks can become a mess and the flow
of the classroom can be disrupted if you are someone who moves your desks
around a lot. Take time to model what
you’d like the desks to look like for students.
Provide reminders every time your students move desks for the first few
months and sporadically throughout the year as needed. Also, consider using tape on the floor to
mark where desks should go.
Absent work
-For an
extensive post about how I handle student absences, click here.
-Ideas
include clearly setting expectations at the beginning of the year, using my
free absent slips, and keeping organized records.
What else do you want to know about?
I love organizing routines and would
be happy to provide suggestions for any of your other needs. J
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