Classroom routines and procedures are for ALL students. They can be especially effective at the middle school and high school level to help with classroom culture and management. If students know what to expect and they come to anticipate your high-interest lesson, your management issues will definitely decrease. Here are 5 classroom routines and procedures in my arsenal that I believe will help any secondary teacher run their own class more smoothly.
#1: Review Email Etiquette
Face it– you’re going to get a lot more email this year than you would probably like. Wouldn’t it be nice if those emails were professional and polite? I learned years ago that I have to teach (and re-teach) this process several times throughout the year. From getting entire emails in the subject line to emails that are just plain rude, setting a high expectation for your inbox is essential.
Teach students how to effectively craft a professional email with a greeting, body, and conclusion. Show them examples and non-examples. (The non-examples always give us all a giggle!) I use my Email Etiquette Mini-Lesson to get this done quickly and efficiently.
For a more in-depth look at how and why I teach email etiquette each year, click here to read a full blog post.
#2: Use Daily Agenda Slides
During hybrid learning, Daily Agenda Slides were my lifesaver. There is no better classroom routine that will save you time and energy quite like agenda slides. Each day include the date, bell ringer, attendance question (see below), and activities for the day. You can include the objective and reminders too if you want. The possibilities are endless. Include what you know your students will need for the day. I have some templates available in my shop if you are looking for a quick win, but they’re easy enough to create. (Tip: I use Canva!)
#3: Implement Attendance Questions
Attendance questions have been, hands down, one of the best practices I’ve ever implemented as a teacher. They are so simple, yet so powerful. Each day, ask students a random question. When you call attendance, give them each a chance to answer instead of saying the usual “here”. It gets everyone engaged and you will learn so much more about your students than you ever thought. It builds strong relationships and helps to establish predictable classroom routines. I have a pre-made list you can grab here or you can even have your students come up with them!
For an in-depth blog post all about attendance questions, click here.
#4: Begin with a Bell Ringer
Each day should begin with your students knowing there is something to get started on. I often use visual writing prompts for mine, but you can use anything from brain teasers to content-related material or even silent reading. Students should know that when they come in, they should get started on their bell ringer quietly while you’re taking care of housekeeping tasks. This will start your class off strong each period.
#5: Make Time for Classroom Culture Boosters
I like students to know that something fun is coming. Obviously every day in classroom isn’t always going to be “fun”, but I like to include engaging (and often seasonal) fun where I can. This keeps students on their toes and it’s a routine that you and your students will look forward to.
I like to incorporate interesting creative writing assignments like my roll a story resources, classroom games, high-interest icebreakers at the beginning of the year, and sometimes I’ll even throw in some banner making at the end of an exam or extended writing assignment. (Bonus: the banners double as student-made classroom décor!)
No matter what you choose to include, make sure you are making time for classroom bonding all year long. The time you put into the relationships will decrease the time you have to spend maintaining ones that go awry.
If you’d like my set of resources that will help you implement these routines seamlessly, click here to see the bundle. When you buy the bundle, you’ll save 20% off of each individual resource and countless hours of planning time that you can spend on other projects.
What’s your favorite classroom routine or procedure? Sound off in the comments below or follow along on IG or Facebook to join the conversation.
Happy teaching!
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