Establishing Routines for Students

Do we like routines? Do we dislike routines? I don’t know the answer to what people like or dislike. What I do know is that despite some people saying they may not like routines, it is an unavoidable fact that everyone uses some sort of routine in their life whether they know it or not.

If you get up every day morning at a certain time during the day, brush your teeth, make coffee and listen to a certain station on your drive to work or school, then you have a routine.

Routine helps us by working as a reminder of what needs to be done. Our brain recognizes the list of things to be done through the routine and puts us in that state of mind whether it is getting ready for school, work, or out to have fun.

For students, routine is essential to creating a classroom environment conducive to learning in my personal humble opinion. As a former teacher and school administrator, I encourage and urge all teachers and educators to build a routine with students to help them get the most out of their school day.

Here is an example of a routine in an 8th grade English Classroom:

• Bellwork in a basket at the door so students walk in and start bellwork immediately

• While students work on bellwork and as they continue to pour in, the teacher greats students as they come in and takes attendance

• 3 minutes after the bell rings, bellwork ends with random questions answered from the bellwork

• Class always begins with a reading of a short passage in pairs and sticky note thoughts (where students write down their thoughts on sticky notes as they read together ) 7 minute activity

• Sticky notes go on the Wonder board and a classroom discussion begins. The activity lasts for 5-7 minutes (expectations of classroom discussion are reiterated to students and are as follows):

  • Teacher reads one of the sticky notes from the wonder wall

  • Students turn and talk to discuss the note

  • Voluntary or random selection sharing of thoughts

• Modeling of concept/skill of the day by the teacher while students listen, take notes, or draw

• Group work for guided practice of the concept/skill

• Classroom discussion

• Independent practice with finished work going to Final Copy basket and students have a choice of different optional work listed on a chart in the classroom

  • Example Option Work after Finishing

    • Read your own book - sticky note thoughts

    • Read a book from the library - sticky note thoughts and place in binder to help other readers

    • Create a graphic organizer using the concept we learned today

    • Create a short assessment for the concept we learned today

    • Finish unfinished homework/classwork

• Wrap up activity - random sharing/discussion/questions

• Review learning objective and exit slip