How to Establish Classroom Routines

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Establishing effective classroom routines early in the school year helps keep your
classroom running smoothly and ensures that no time is wasted while students
wonder what they should be doing during times of transition. Classroom routines
can be established for many activities, including entering the classroom in the
morning, transitioning between activities and preparing to leave the classroom. The
basic procedures for establishing solid routines remains the same regardless of the
routine procedure that you are teaching your students.

Explain the routine to your class. Tell your students why the routine is important and what you expect
them to do as part of the routine. If you want your students to enter the classroom quietly in the morning
and select a book to read, explain how entering the room this way helps get the day started quickly;
define what quietly means, because without clarification, some students may consider quietly to mean a
whisper voice while others will take it to mean no talking. Allow students to ask questions about the
routine and your expectations.
Model your expectations. Act out, in detail, what you expect from students when completing a routine.
Break the routine down and narrate what you are doing. Show each step of the routine and how it should
be properly completed.
Have students practice the routine. Select one or two well-behaved students to demonstrate the
routine first, allowing the class to see how the routine should be completed by a student. Once students
all understand what is expected, have the whole class practice the routine. Younger students may benefit
from completing the routine one step at a time before practicing the whole routine at once. Have students
practice the routine until the class feels comfortable completing the routine without teacher assistance.
Implement the routine in your day. Once students understand the routine, have them complete it during
the day. As you implement the routine, remind students of the proper procedure and your expectations,
making your reminders less detailed until they are able to complete the task completely on their own.
Review your routine as necessary. If the class struggles to remember the routine or has trouble
completing the routine after a break from school, review your expectations and have students practice the
proper way to complete the routine again.

The Importance of Routines in Classroom Settings

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Classrooms particularly those with young children need to have routines. These
routines help you maintain order and also help the kids stay calm. If there is a set
activity for every part of the day, you will be able to focus more on your teaching and
less on giving instructions and generally controlling the class. This is just one of
many reasons routines are important for teachers.

Guesswork
Making things up as you go can be extremely exhausting. Routines take away the need to do this as
often as you would without them. Rather than think up an activity for students to do when, for example,
they first come in, you can simply direct them to their routine and let them manage themselves for a few
minutes. Using routines doesn't completely eliminate guesswork and the capacity for you to improvise. It
does, however, allow you to focus more energy into the times you do need to guess and improvise, which
makes your teaching more effective.
Behavior Management
Students often misbehave to fill a stimulation gap. If there is nothing going on around them, some
students will make their own activity by messing with another student or by talking out of turn. Routines
help to minimize this behavior by constantly giving students something to do. If students know what is
expected of them at certain times of the day, they will follow through with these tasks rather than invent
their own less-constructive activities.
Fun
Routines can be fun, too. If, for example, you have students clean up their desks every day before lunch,
you can make it a game by playing a song with a set length. When they hear the song, they need to clean
up their desks as fast as they can. By having this as part of their regular routine, they start to enjoy school
and the routine it provides rather than seeing routine as a chore.
Responsibility
If you have a set routine, you can have your students carry out daily tasks that require a high level of
responsibility. They may not perfect it the first or even second time, but doing something every day is a
surefire way to become proficient at it. Added responsibility also improves student self-esteem. This helps
their social intelligence and makes school something they look forward.

"Routines are the backbone of daily classroom life. They facilitate teaching and learning…. Routines don’t just make
your life easier, they save valuable classroom time. And what’s most important, efficient routines make it easier for
students to learn and achieve more."
—Learning to Teach…not just for beginners by Linda Shalaway

When routines and procedures are carefully taught, modeled, and established in the classroom, children know what’s
expected of them and how to do certain things on their own. Having these predictable patterns in place allows
teachers to spend more time in meaningful instruction.

Go inside 16 classrooms from across the country to see how other teachers have successfully established routines to
manage important times of the school day. Each of the slideshows below takes you on a visual and audio tour
explaining how to establish similar procedures in your classroom

As children start trickling into the classroom, they need to know exactly what to do. What should they do
with their homework? Where should they put their book bags? Where do their coats and other materials
belong? What should they do while they wait for the rest of the class to arrive? When does class actually
start? When kids know the answers to these questions, they can move smoothly through the morning
routine and get straight into learning.
After the bustle of putting away book bags, coats, and homework, taking attendance and discussing the
schedule can help bring students together and build community in the classroom.

Students move through many activities during the course of a typical day, from whole-group lessons to
small-group work, from reading time to math time, from in-class work to specials outside the classroom. It’s
important to plan for these in-between times just as carefully as you plan your lessons. With predictable
routines in place, students can move smoothly from one activity to the next without losing learning time.
The teachers in this section share some clever ideas for signaling transition times and keeping track of
students as they leave the classroom for various reasons during the day.
Just as a morning routine helps set the tone for the rest of the day, an end-of-the-day routine helps get
children and the classroom ready for the next day. You may want to enlist some children’s help in tidying
up the classroom while others gather their belongings, including homework.

Teaching Classroom
Routines and
Procedures
By Paula Naegle

Posting rules and procedures isn't enough; you

have to teach them. Here's how to get started.
Grades
PreK–K, 1–2, 3–5, 6–8

FROM

It would be easy if all we had to do was tell our students what all of our classroom
procedures are on the first day of school. In a perfect world, they would remember the
procedures and follow them without fail until the very last day of school. Dream on! They
are kids. They will forget.
Make learning the procedures a concrete, hands-on activity throughout the first weeks
of school. Begin with the most important procedures: entering the classroom, opening
the class, transitions, and dismissal. Then you may add other procedures later, such as
putting the heading on papers, turning in homework, sharpening pencils, etc.
In his book The First Days of School: How to Be an Effective Teacher, Dr. Harry K.
Wong suggests a three-step process for teaching classroom procedures to students:

1. Explain classroom procedures clearly.

2. Rehearse classroom procedures until they become routines.

 3. Reinforce a correct procedure and reteach an incorrect one.

The bottom line is: Plan on spending a lot of time teaching your classroom procedures,
practicing them with your students, and reinforcing them during the first few weeks of
school. And if you teach middle school students, remember that your students have
several other teachers whose procedures may be different from yours. You may want to
get together with some of the other teachers before the start of the school year to agree
upon a set of uniform procedures for those not already regulated by your school district.
In addition, post your procedures in a prominent place. This is a good way to remind
students of how things are done in your classroom. For example:
When the tardy bell rings . . .

1. Be in your seat ready to work quietly.

2. Place your homework assignment on your desk so it is ready to be collected.

3. Begin the opening activity (directions are on the board/overhead projector each day).

4. Wait quietly for the teacher's instruction.

When the dismissal bell rings . . .

1. At the sound of the bell, close your book and stop working.

2. Stay in your seat until you hear the teacher dismiss you.

3. Leave quietly and in an orderly manner.

Design and Establish Effective Classroom

Routines for a Successful School Year

Introduction
Designing and establishing classroom routines was not a course that my teachers'
colleges offered me.
I think that was a serious omission on their part.

We all know that if students are free to move about as they please,
when they please, they will do exactly that. Limiting their choices
and restricting their movements do wonders for establishing a
conducive learning environment.

The first step in creating classroom routines is to establish optimal

traffic flow patterns.

Quick Links for THIS Page

You may use the following quick links to go directly to what interests you on this
page. You may also scroll down the page manually if you choose to do so.

 Traffic Flow
 Preparing Students for Entry
 Obtaining Classroom Materials
 Organizing Classroom Materials
 Managing the Pencil Sharpener
 Movement During Class
 Dismissing the Class
 Implementing Classroom Routines
 Signs for Everything
 Conclusion
Traffic Flow
With the exception of computer labs and science labs, there doesn't
seem to be a lot of essential variation from classroom to classroom
within the same school. But, the location of the entry door is
sometimes in the left corner, the right corner, or even in the
middle.

How do you want your kids to enter and exit your classroom?

If you channel them all in one direction, you won't have to worry
about them swarming in, knocking stuff off the teacher's desk, and
otherwise acting chaotic.

In my case, my classroom door was in the left corner of the room

and my desk was located directly across from it. As a result, I
determined that students entering the room should immediately
turn right, proceed to the back of the room, turn left, continue to
the appropriate aisle, and then move forward to their assigned
seats.

When exiting the classroom, students would follow the same

movement pattern in reverse.

Preparing Students for Entry

What do you want your kids to accomplish before they enter your
classroom?
I think that we would all agree that students should be prepared for learning when
they enter your classroom. They should have already visited the restrooms. They
should have already had a turn at the water fountain.
But most importantly, they should have made that visit to their
lockers to get what they need for your class: textbook, paper,
something to write with, and anything else that you require them to
bring to your class.

As a language arts teacher, not only did I inform them of what I

expected them to bring to my class, I also posted daily reminders
on the hallway bulletin board right outside the classroom door.

If you make this clear to your kids from the very beginning, you
won't find yourself in the position of having to write hall passes
throughout the class period instead of facilitating learning. Unless
there is a true emergency, I remind students, no one will be allowed
to leave my classroom.

If that sounds a little draconian, remind students that we are in the

business of success. Success requires full participation, attention,
and sincere effort. The kinds of things that they are likely to learn
in the hallway, will not likely contribute to their chances of being
successful.

Obtaining Classroom Materials

What additional materials will students need after they have gotten
to your class, and how will they obtain them?

On Mondays in my class, for example, students know that they need

their reading journals for Readers Workshop. Their reading journals
are actually file folders containing their written responses to writing
prompts, a list of prompts to write about, and the rubric to guide
their efforts.

Without these folders, students will have nothing to do during work

time. As a result, I keep these file folders in my classroom so that
they will not magically disappear in lockers or end up under beds.

Organizing Classroom Materials

When they enter my classroom on that particular day and they have
gotten to the rear of the room, they get their folders from a
document holder that I have labeled to match their seat
numbers. Document holders are relatively inexpensive and can be
purchased in your local office supply store.
Because I have five classes, each numbered slot contains as many as five
folders. To prevent them from standing there sorting through folders to find theirs,
I color code the folders.

Everyone in my first period class has blue folders. The only blue
folder in slot number eight belongs to my first period student,
Andrew Garcia. As a result, Andrew is able to select his folder
quickly and then proceed to his seat. Time for horseplay is radically
minimized.

Boxes of color file folders are slightly more expensive than manila
folders, but they are well worth it. Other than blue, I normally use
green, red, yellow, and purple. The color doesn't matter so much
as long as each member of the class has the same color.

Can you imagine the chaos that would ensue if students had to sort
through a big stack of manila file folders to locate their own?

On Tuesdays in my class, students know that they will need their

writing journals. Their journals are actually standard composition
books that their parents buy for them before the beginning of
school. I store these journals in a bookcase at the back of the
classroom that is labeled "Writing Journal Library."

Once again, I use color coding. Most composition books have black
spines, but there are a few odd variations. I tape large stick-it
notes near the bottom of each spine and direct students to write
their assigned seat numbers on the notes so that they are visible
when approaching the Writing Journal Library. The composition
books rest on the shelves like regular books--spines placed
vertically in a row, organized by color.

All of my first period students now have a blue file folder and a blue
composition book, and they are able to locate them quickly and
easily.

Managing the Pencil Sharpener

As I'm sure you will agree, the pencil sharpener can be the bane of
our existence as teachers. If you allow it, the pencil sharpener
becomes the social gathering point within the classroom. It can
also be a primary location for conflicts. So, it is imperative to
include sharpener management as part of your classroom routines.

Unless you are a math teacher, consider requiring students to use

ink only. However, ink pens can be a tool for classroom disruption--
they get "leaky" or busy fingers somehow find ways to break them
open, depositing ink all over fingers, clothing, desks, and the floor.
Now they have an emergency. They have to go to the restroom to clean up. Now
you have to summon the custodian.

If you choose to use a pencil sharpener, please consider buying a

professional grade sharpener. Not one of those small electronic
things that they issue at the beginning of the school year that never
seem to make it through the first grading period.
Professional grade sharpeners are pricey--around $150 or so. But
they are well worth it. They are much quieter, much faster, and
much more resilient. The one I purchased about five years ago was
still going strong when I retired. Plus, I ended up selling it to
another teacher for $25.

I require my students as they enter the classroom to use the

sharpener once before the beginning of class. The sharpener is
located near the Writing Journal Library, so crossing to the other
side of the classroom is not necessary. Once they have sharpened
their pencils for the first time, they're done--any future sharpening
must be accomplished with handheld sharpeners at their desks.

Movement During Class

Students have arrived prepared for your class. They have obtained
the necessary materials as you have prescribed, and they have
sharp pencils. Because they have found their seats and begun the
warm-up activity, class begins right at the tardy bell.

There is no need for further movement during class, unless an

activity requires it. No one gets up to throw away trash--trash is
kept at each desk for deposit in the trash can at the end of
class. No one balls up paper in preparation for a visit to the trash
can. If they "mess up their paper," they put aside the whole sheet
for disposal at the end of class.
Please consider structuring classroom routines for specific activities during the
instructional day by using the CHAMPs Management System.

Dismissing the Class

Establishing effective classroom routines for the dismissal of
students is crucial. The last thing you probably want is for everyone
to jump up at the bell and run out of the classroom.

About three minutes before the final class bell, I call section by
section for students to return their materials to their proper
locations, deposit trash, and come back to their seats. When the
bell does ring, everyone is prepared to go.
Students exit in the reverse order that they entered. Everyone has
cleared the room, and I am ready to greet the next group of
students.

Implementing Classroom Routines

I begin implementing classroom routines on the second day of
school. Normally on the first day of school, it is impossible to
accomplish much more than to introduce the first warm-up activity,
assign seats, check the roll, and explain the first
assignment. Please see the First Day of School page for more
details.

But, I reserve the entire second day of school to explain my

classroom routines. I demonstrate each routine for them. I step
out into the hallway, re-enter the room, and go through it step-by-
step. At the end of my demonstration, I quiz them about what they
have just observed.

I present this quiz in the form of a simple PowerPoint presentation

which I display on the classroom television. There are fifteen
multiple-choice questions and five true or false statements. I
include a bonus question at the end. I explain that if they get the
bonus question correct, it will add 10 points to their scores. If they
get it wrong, no points are deducted from their scores.

It's a win, win situation. After all, I explain, we are in the business
of success.

Before I advance to the slide that contains the bonus question, I

explain that this will require a short answer. Please use three to
five complete sentences to express your response.
Bonus Question: Why do you think having classroom routines is
important?

After a few minutes of thinking and responding time, I direct

students to exchange papers for grading. Then, I display the
answers to the quiz. In this way, students have immediate
feedback about how well they did. I conclude by explaining what an
acceptable answer would be for the bonus question.

Invariably, I get lots of questions from kids about whether the

answer that they are looking at on someone else's paper is
acceptable. And, almost always, it is.

They get it! They understand the classroom routines, and they
know why they are important. They have bought into it.

My classroom routines are in place.

Signs for Everything

First, I post my CHAMPs Classroom Management Signs on the main
whiteboard. With that done, I put up signs on almost everything
that’s left in my classroom.
This is just simply because it makes it easier for kids to find things. There are signs
for the Writing Journal Library, the Reading Journals, and even a large sign pointing
to where the pencil sharpener is located. There are several more signs throughout
the room, but I'll save that for my page on Classroom Design.

I even have directional signs located at strategic points. There is a right-turn

indicator that greets students when they first enter the classroom. There is a left-
turn sign in the first corner of the room that they encounter, indicating the path of
movement.

Several of my colleagues actually tape large arrows on the floor of the classroom to
remind students of the path that they are to take.

Everything has been thought out, everything is labeled, and there is no room for
confusion.

An important tool that may help you to structure such an organized classroom is 125
Classroom Signs for Structure and Organization.
Signs included in this collection are…

 Classroom Entry Signs (19)

 Workshop Model Signs (12)
 Weekly Agenda/Common Core Signs (24)
 Document Center Signs (31)
 Classroom Traffic Flow Signs (5)
 Classroom Object Location Signs (36)

Additionally, 68 of these signs will accept your own typing, insuring

that what you post on your walls and whiteboards reflects your own
unique circumstances.

See complete details here where you may download the Free 12-
Sign Sampler, or purchase 125 Classroom Signs for Structure and
Organization.

Conclusion
Establishing effective classroom routines requires a considerable
amount of thought and effort.

Kids truly respond positively in a structured environment. If you

can guide them into the discovery of the importance of classroom
 routines, and if you can get them to buy into them, you will have
greatly enhanced your chances for having a successful school year.

But, if you have never used classroom routines before, please

consider doing so. It will be the best time that you ever spent, and
it will repay itself over and over again.

Kids truly respond positively in a structured environment. If you

can guide them into the discovery of the importance of classroom
routines, and if you can get them to buy into them, you will have
greatly enhanced your chances for having a successful school year.

Five Important Classroom Procedures

Key Procedures for Teachers and Students

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For Educators
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byMelissa Kelly
Updated January 31, 2019

Every teacher must develop classroom procedures in order to make their life
easier and create a more effective learning environment for students. Teachers
who have not created and reinforced procedures for each of the following
situations will cause themselves undue stress while robbing their students of
important classroom time.

01
of 05

Begin Class on Time

Muntz/Getty Images

Class begins even before the bell rings. Research shows that when teachers greet
students at the door, the class period gets off to a good start. Greeting students at
the door with positive verbal or non-verbal interactions can improve student
engagement and motivation. A teacher who greets students at the door can
remind them of the time when learning will begin.

Starting class late means a loss of instructional time. For example, a loss of five
minutes at the beginning of each period is a loss of 250 minutes, or five class
periods, every 50 days. While those five minutes do not seem to matter that much
on a given day, when they are added up they account for a lot of lost learning
time.

Teachers should begin with a task students can do independently as part of a

daily routine. A journal prompt, a problem to solve, a location to identify, an
independent book to read, or a graphic to analyze are all examples of
independent tasks students can do.
These routines are important for classroom management at the start of class
because of the number of teacher responsibilities (attendance, homework
collection, announcements) that are not directly tied to instruction. When
students are engaged in a task, they are less likely to misbehave.

Many teacher evaluation rubrics address the need for beginning classroom
routines, as in the criteria for managing classroom procedures in the Danielson
Teacher Evaluation Rubric:

"Instructional time is maximized due to efficient and seamless classroom

routines and procedures. Students take initiative in the management of
instructional groups and transitions, and/or the handling of materials and
supplies. Routines are well understood and may be initiated by students."

Beginning class on time is a learned behavior for both teachers and students.
Students change based on the expectations of their teachers. Starting class on
time with a task every day can maximize the use of available instructional time.

02
of 05

Create a System for Restroom Use

Students will need to use the restroom during class, so the teacher needs to set in
place a system that is the least disruptive possible while ensuring that it is not
easily abused. Specific strategies or rules that can be implemented include:

 Set a rule that restroom use is not allowed 10 minutes before or after a bell
(beginning or end of class).
 Use a small whiteboard with an erasable pen and eraser on the end of it by
the door. When a student needs to use the restroom he/she must print
his/her name on the whiteboard before leaving the classroom and erase
his/her name when returning to class.
 One laminated pass by the door can be used to limit the number of people
who want to leave to use a restroom.

Teachers can also enforce a time limit if they feel students are abusing the
restroom policy. Learn more about implementing restroom use policies.

03
of 05
Procedures for Questions
Students should feel that they have the ability to ask for help during class. It
would be a bad math teacher, for example, who did not help students struggling
with multiplying fractions. However, a clear system needs to be set up at the
beginning of the year of how students should ask for help. Teachers will want to
avoid having students call out unrelated questions during a lesson or task or
when they are helping other students.
Some policies teachers might want to consider:

 require students to raise their hands,

 ask students to jot questions as during the lesson;
 provide them designated time to ask questions during class,
 create a "parking lot" or area where students can post questions;
 have office hours before and/or after school when students know that they
can come for help.

Some teachers have also used social media or a classroom website as a forum for
students to ask questions. These platforms can help students share information
as well.

04
of 05

Collecting Work
Collecting student work should be a streamlined process. However, if teachers do
not have a practical plan on how they want students to turn in work, the process
can quickly become an inefficient mess with papers handed in at odd times.

This can lead to classroom disruptions or grading issues. If students have paper
copies, there is the possibility of lost papers. Therefore, a teacher needs to decide
when and how students will turn in their work. Ideas that teachers might want to
consider include:

 Collecting work, particularly homework, at the door as students enter the

class
 Having a specific colored folder in a designated location where students are
responsible for turning in their homework before class begins.

In the digital classroom, students should know where to post work. Educational
software platforms can include Google Classroom, Schoology, Edmodo,
or Blackboard. Student work is timestamped when it is submitted.
No matter what system is chosen, a teacher must consistently enforce that system
to get the greatest benefit.

05
of 05

Ending the Class Efficiently

The same attention given to the way a teacher starts a class should be given to
how a teacher ends a class. The lesson should maximize the use of instructional
time. Many teacher evaluation rubrics address the need for designing coherent
instruction from the beginning to the end of class such as the criteria explained
in Danielson Teacher Evaluation Rubric:

"The sequence of learning activities follows a coherent sequence, is aligned to

instructional goals, and is designed to engage students in high-level cognitive
activity."

The concluding activity or routine is all important for classroom management at

the end of a class. All lessons should provide time for students to prepare for a
future lesson or to distribute materials. Teachers may use different strategies to
assess what students learned during class such as:

 a 3-2-1 form on which students write or talk about three things they
learned, two things they still want to learn, and one question they still
have;
 a reflection card on which students reflect on the lesson and write down
what they have learned or how this lesson can connect to real life;
 a short comprehension quiz at the end of class.

At the end of each lesson, the room should also be reset to its original formation,
especially if the classroom is shared with another teacher. For example, if the
lesson required students to move around and desks rearranged for group work,
the room should be set up for the next period.

Materials used in the lesson need to be returned for future use. Books should be
returned to a specific location to ensure that they accounted for future use.
 Set Up Rules and Routines

Give Yourself More Time To Teach

Adapted from NEA's "I Can Do It" Classroom Management training module, developed by California Teachers
Association

Share45
ARTICLE SECTIONS

o Rules
o Routines
o Administrative Procedures
Rules and routines keep your class running smoothly so that you have more time for
teaching academics. Here are some ideas for establishing, using, and reinforcing rules
and routines.

Rules
Rules are just like other instructional activities. They have to be taught, reviewed, and reinforced if
they are to be remembered. As we start the year, the teaching of rules and routines is the first activity
we should accomplish. Once this has been done, we can begin to teach and will teach more by the
end of the year than if we had simply handed out books and started instruction.
Introduce each rule and discuss the variety of behaviors that the rule might include. Reinforce
students who are following the rules. Thank them for their consideration. At the elementary level,
reinforcement can be done aloud. Upper grade, middle, and high school students can be thanked
quietly and privately.
Rules should be both written and taught to students at the beginning of the year. Guidelines for
establishing rules are:
o Involve the class in making the rules.
o Keep the rules short and easy to understand.
o Phrase the rules in a positive way.
o Remind the class of the rules at times other than when someone has misbehaved.
o Make different rules for different kinds of activities.
o Key children in to when different rules apply.
o Post the rules and review them periodically.
o If a rule isn't working, change it.
 Sample Rules
Elementary School
o Be polite.
o Let others work.
o Work quietly.
Middle School
o Enter class quietly.
o Raise hands to talk.
o Respect the rights of others.
High School
o Enter class quietly.
o Raise hands to talk.
o Respect others' rights to speak.
Routines
Routines refer to specific behaviors and activities that are taught in order to provide smooth,
uninterrupted class operation.
Routines, carefully taught, can save large amounts of time during the year. When students know
exactly what is expected of them in a variety of situations, the time saved can be spent teaching
rather than organizing or disciplining.
Develop, teach, and enforce a specific routine for these basic situations:
o Passing papers
o Leaving to go to the restroom
o Sharpening pencils
o Heading of papers
o Getting supplies and books
o Working in small groups
o Dismissing the class
o When assignments are complete
o Putting away materials
o Safety routines
o Taking attendance
Administrative Procedures
What are students to do while roll, lunch count, and administrivia are completed?
What are the procedures for students who are tardy, have excuses, or leave early?
What are the routines for hall and playground behaviors, e.g., lining up, walking in the halls, passing
time, lockers, lunchroom, restrooms?
What are the school or district procedures that must be followed?
Some tips:
Don’t teach them all at once!

While it is important to teach routines and procedures the first day or school, it
is not a good idea to sit students down and go over this list one by one. Pick out
the most important ones like bathroom and hand-raising policy to teach first.
Many of them, you can teach as they are needed. For instance, 30 minutes
before lunch, you may go over lunch procedures and then practice lining up.
It’s ok to make changes!

As your year goes along, if you realize a certain routine isn’t working, it’s ok to
tweak things. Be honest with your students, tell them it isn’t working, and then
introduce and practice the new way. Don’t feel like you have to be stuck with
one way of doing things just because that’s what you taught them on the first
day of school.