Routines and procedures are what keep our classrooms from going crazy! Kids thrive off of routine and consistency so any sort of procedure you can put in place that creates normalcy will benefit the atmosphere of your classroom. Throughout my years of teaching, I have learned a few routines and procedures that help make our classroom day flow smoothly. These ideas will help you ease into your day stress-free and get everything done without worrying about the small tasks.
Morning / Entry Routine
Greeting students in the morning, assigning them tasks, and preparing lessons are your morning duties. In a perfect world, we would be prepared for every single moment and lesson that the day brings, but we all know that rarely happens. We are constantly pulled in multiple directions when the day begins. It can be stressful.
Use these Entry Tickets and Morning Meeting Slides to help streamline rules and procedures in the classroom.
My first graders put their backpacks up, put their take-home folders in a basket on my desk, and begin their morning work.
When I taught middle school, I had an entry routine as well. They got out their supplies and immediately began the morning work that I had displayed on the board. Use these same slides to make their mornings easy and quick.
Putting the students’ tasks on the board each morning gives them a routine and provides you with time to take attendance, tend to students who were absent, and take care of last-minute items that come up before class. The kids won’t be left wondering what they need to do.
Restroom Routine
It’s just a fact that students will have to use the restroom throughout the day. I don’t suggest taking that right away from them, but you can minimize distractions by creating a routine.
One idea is to take a group of students to the restroom before, after, or in the middle of your lesson. This works well for classrooms that don’t have a bathroom in them and students instead have to use a hall bathroom. If you have a teacher assistant, they can help with this task.
Another idea is to have a designated time you let each student go one (or two) at a time. Let one boy and one girl go so they won’t distract one another in the same bathroom. I make independent work time their restroom break time and call them by tables. Designate a center or two as the restroom centers. Usually, this center is the computer or independent reading center. They will learn that when in these centers they can take a bathroom break but others they need to focus on their work.
Use these Reading Groups Slides that also have a timer on them to regulate your small groups and keep everyone on task.
Take a look at how I keep my hallway line nice and quiet as we walk to recess, lunch, and specials. You’ll love this quick and easy tip.
Paper Distribution & Collection
Kids are eager to help, so use them to help with small tasks around the classroom. Assign classroom jobs so students can feel useful throughout the day. Assign jobs that last at least a whole week in order for them to get used to the task before moving on to something new.
Some job ideas include:
- Line leader: They model how we should walk in the hallway and show a starting point to our line.
- Door holder: This person is responsible for holding all doors and then becomes the caboose after the last person goes through the door.
- Light helper: This student turns the lights on and off during lessons if I have to dim the lights.
- Bathroom monitor (one girl and one boy): This students stands inside the bathroom to make sure students are behaving and not goofing around.
- Teacher’s Assistant: This student might help pass out or collect papers or run a message to a teacher across the hall.
You might also utilize a lunch helper, a librarian, and anything else you can think of. Use these Class Job Cards from my Pastel Floral Collection in your classroom. I use clothespins with the students’ names on them to easily change out jobs.
Find all of the collections mentioned above by clicking on the images below!
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