Establishing Routine

Practice makes perfect!

Whatever procedures you decide to use in your classroom, remember to practice them with the whole class, giving children an opportunity to demonstrate that they know and understand them. This practice is critical.

Our job as an effective classroom manager is to develop procedures for all major classroom activities, then teach and have students practice those procedures the first few days or weeks of school until they become established routines. The beginning of the school year is the time to teach and re-teach classroom routines.
It usually takes several weeks for these to become firmly established, but the initial time invested pays huge dividends throughout the year.

When setting classroom routines, first ask yourself, what do I expect my students to do and then how do I expect them to do it? Start by answering the following questions for each subject: How do I expect my students to line up, raise their hands, get a pencil, use the toilet, become quiet, collect and submit their work, hold a book, sit in a chair…?

Thus, I intend to share with you a series of procedures which we have been using systematically aiming at getting learners (kids and pre-teens) used to a classroom environment which can lead them to involvement, pleasure and learning.

Routine

Establishing routine is of paramount importance.

Routines facilitate teaching and learning. Routine is good for the teacher and good for the students. Well-practiced routines don't just make your life easier; they also save valuable classroom time. And what's most important, efficient routines make it easier for students to learn and achieve more.

That's not to say that teaching and learning can be routinized. Never! But procedures for going out, talking in class, changing places, lining up, getting your assistance, using the pencil sharpener, and passing out materials must be.
Starting lessons with copying the date, the weather, routines about homework, warm-ups and ending lessons with reviews/tickets to leave are also extremely important for everyone to be successful.

Routines differ from teacher to teacher and from class to class. Routines are an individual thing. You use what's best for you and your students. Their students know the procedure because they've been taught to follow it, and no time is wasted directing students on what to do.