Why is it significant to establish classroom routines and procedures early in the school year?

Teaching students what to do during daily routines will help them be successful and can minimize disruptions in the classroom. The beginning of class, in between lessons, and the end of the school day are all critical times when having clear routines can help maximize instruction time. Teaching classroom routines as early in the school year as possible will allow students to learn expectations and the flow of the classroom. Once routines are learned, students should be able to transition throughout the day with minimal lost time.

The purpose of defining and teaching classroom routines is to reduce disruptive behavior, therefore maximizing the time spent on instruction. When students know what to expect, daily transitions from one activity to another will be smoother and you won’t need to correct students as often, which will improve your interactions with them.

There are five elements to effectively teaching classroom routines:

1) Define behavioral expectations for each routine so that they are developmentally appropriate, culturally responsive, positively stated, specific, and observable.

2) Explicitly teach and review the routines.

3) Practice the routines.

4) Provide positive attention to students when they effectively demonstrate the routines using praise or rewards.

5) Provide visual prompts of the classroom routines, keeping each routine to the fewest steps possible.

How to Teach Classroom Routines

Why is it significant to establish classroom routines and procedures early in the school year?

Begin by making a list of various routines that occur throughout the day.

Posting Classroom Routines

First, using a poster board, butcher paper, or some other easily displayable medium, put together a display with the routine written out step by step.

  • Keep each step of the routine as concise as possible.
  • Ensure that the steps are developmentally appropriate. Using pictures and large print is a great way to communicate classroom expectations for young children who may not be able to read the labels.
  • Try to keep routines to as few steps as possible.

Next, identify an area of the classroom to post the routines. Ensure that the area can be easily viewed by the entire class without causing disruption. Placing it in proximity to where the routine happens can be a helpful reminder to students (e.g. posting the line-up routine next to the classroom door).

Examples of Classroom Routines

Why is it significant to establish classroom routines and procedures early in the school year?

Example of Posted Morning Routine with Images

Why is it significant to establish classroom routines and procedures early in the school year?

Morning Routine with Images and Words

Why is it significant to establish classroom routines and procedures early in the school year?

Why is it significant to establish classroom routines and procedures early in the school year?

Use the following form to create a lesson plan for teaching routines you have identified.

Why is it significant to establish classroom routines and procedures early in the school year?

Take a moment to make sure your plan is going to work.

Why is it significant to establish classroom routines and procedures early in the school year?

Use the following form to set your classroom routine goals.

References to Other Relevant Resources:

Sprick, R. (2009). CHAMPS: A proactive and positive approach to classroom management. Eugene, OR: Pacific Northwest Publishing.

Reinke, W., Herman, K., & Sprick, R. (2011). Motivational interviewing for effective classroom management: The classroom check-up. New York, NY: Guilford Press.

How important is it for a teacher to establish classroom routines?

Routines also encourage students to take responsibility for how their classroom functions. In other words, routines ensure both the teacher and the students are accountable for creating a class environment that runs smoothly and efficiently, thereby maximizing everyone's opportunities to learn.

Why is it important to have a morning routine in the classroom?

Children tend to respond positively to structure, and having a predictable classroom morning routine will show students what's expected of them each and every day. As long as it's carefully taught and modeled, you can ensure that your students will learn in an efficient and productive manner.

What is the impact of this classroom routines to students learning?

Classroom routines help students feel more at ease with the daily activities of the classroom and give them a sense of knowing what to expect when they walk in the door each morning.