Classroom Routines and Procedures

Overview and General Implementation: Focus 4th and 5th Grade

 Introduce:
o All procedures will be introduced in the context they will be used by the students
and teachers.
o Ex. Class dismissal and small group time will be used only when these situations
occur to give the students the context and direct practice of the routines and
behaviors.
 Model:
o The teacher will first model how to perform the behaviors through verbal and
visual mean. Displaying visual pictures of expected behaviors. After, the students
will talk in partners about what they are to do. If the teacher overhears that a re-
explanation is needed of certain aspects, she will do so now. After, a small group
of students will model the behavior for the class. The remaining students will
watch and provide feedback to the students as their actions relate to the procedure
or rules. Finally, the students will have two opportunities to practice the procedure
as a class. The first time will be with teacher feedback and areas of improvement.
 De-brief:
o The teacher will first express to the students how long the procedure took the
entire class and how it relates to work time. Second, the teacher will pinpoint one
to two areas of improvement. She may even model how to better the routine or
ask students to model before sending the students to model the behavior again.
 Check for Understanding:
o Ultimately, the teacher will check for understanding through observation of the
students during the classroom routine. Another option she could also use is having
the student verbal the order of the steps to each other. She could also informally
quiz the students through choral response of key parts of the procedure.
o Every Wednesday or Thursday key aspects of the procedures will be reviewed so
the procedures are always fresh in their minds, especially going into the last
couple days of the week.
 Consequences:
o The first consequence for a student not following the procedure is practicing the
procedure until he can successfully complete the procedure. Another consequence
could be the student not following procedure will be the last to perform the
procedure, causing that student to miss out on receiving what they want right
away. For example, the student to complete the procedure last could be last in the
lunch line, last to pick supplies, or last on outside to recess. The delay in what the
students want acts as an incentive to perform the procedure next to gain what they
want.
 Incentives:
o Incentives will be given individually and as a whole group. If certain students
stand out for consistent procedure completion, those students will receive
individual points for classroom rewards. If the whole group does well in the
procedure, points will be earned for the whole group towards a classroom
celebration or treat.
 o Incentives also could include more natural incentives, such as more time to work,
being one of the firsts to receive materials, or choosing classroom work location.

1. Entering Classroom
 Beginning the first day of the school year, the teacher will advise the student to leave all
their belonging at their desks and come to the large group meeting area in the classroom.
The teacher will explain that for the day to start quickly and effectively that the students
and teacher need to put away their extra materials and bring their essential materials to
their desks. The teacher will then display a visual of each individual item that belongs in
the student cubbies/lockers. The teacher will say each item and the image flashes up on
the SmartBoard screen. The teacher will then show a picture of the locker/cubby with all
the materials inside of it and how it looks. The teacher will point to each item in the
cubby/locker and say exactly how the items should be in the lockers.
 Next, the teacher will show images of the items the students are to bring to their desks or
other assigned locations in the classroom. Again, she will show each individual item and
say the name of each. Then, the teacher will show an image of a student at his desk with
all the needed materials. The picture could come from a previous year, the teacher’s
child, the teacher herself, or another person within the school community.
 Since this is to happen the first day of school, the teacher will refrain from partner
summaries until the students know each other better. Instead, the teacher will bring out
the entering the classroom procedure chart with the steps in order. The chart will have
images attached to the short phrases of the expected behaviors. The teacher and students
will read the procedures aloud.
 Next, the teacher will demonstrate the procedure. She will then ask the students to give
her feedback on what she did well and what she needs to improve on. The teacher could
even mess up one of the steps to ensure that the students are paying attention and know
the procedure steps.
 Again, the students and teacher will read the procedure aloud. Next, the teacher will
explain that half of the class will practice the procedure now while the other half watches
for feedback. The roles will then switch.
 Once both halves of the class practices, the teacher will hang the procedure chart in the
designated classroom spot, drawing students’ attention to the chart for their reference and
reminder.
Entering the Classroom:

Enter the classroom quietly.

Take off backpacks and coats.

 Hang items in locker.

Bring binder and 2 pencils to class

Sit at your desk and write assignments in your planner.

2. Dismissing Class
 This procedure teaching will occur at the end of the day right before clean up should
occur.
 The teacher will make procedure routine explicit just like the beginning of the day
routine, showing the pictures and talking through each step.
 The teacher will model the routine.
 A small group of students will model the procedure as the remainder of the class observes
and offers feedback.
 The whole group will practice the procedure.
 One addition to this routine will include the teacher pointing to the area of the chart that
needs work before the students can leave. If the teacher sees that one aspect needs to be
done before dismissal, she will point to the part that needs to be fixed. The students will
fix the part of the procedure and then again wait for the teacher’s verbal dismissal.

Get ready quietly.

 Get items from locker.

Pack your backpack at your desk.

Sit at your desk and wait for dismissal.

3. Transitioning from Classroom

 Teacher will tell students the importance of staying quiet in the hallway and getting to
and from the classroom quickly. Transitioning quietly helps other classes to stay focused
and the transitioning from the classroom on time means other classes or events happen on
time.
 Teacher will ask students what a good line looks like. The teacher and student will
brainstorm expectations and “look fors” in a good line. The teacher will document
appropriate responses on anchor paper.
 Teacher will narrow down responses to fit within her framework of an acceptable line.
Responses could include standing behind classmates, facing the door, hands at sides, and
voices off.
 The teacher will ask a few students to model lining up, provide feedback, and allow the
rest of the class to line up.
 The students will repeat lining up and walking down the hallway two times before
actually implementing the whole procedure for an actual transition.

4. Bathroom Breaks
  Bathroom breaks will be provided by the teacher during morning snack, after lunch
recess, and after afternoon recess.
 At other times, the students will raise their hand with the sign language indicator of an
“R” in ASL. The student will remain at their seat to avoid interrupting class. The teacher
response will be a yes or no in ASL.
 The teacher will model how to form the “R.” Then student will then try together. Then
one by one the students will try the “R” and get an individual response from the teacher.
 The teacher will then remind the students that only one student may go at a time.

5. Done Early….What do I do now?

 In the classroom, the teacher will have a “Do Early…What Do I Do Now?” bulletin
board. On his bulletin board, a teacher will list appropriate options for students who
finish work early during class.
 The bulletin board will include such order of suggestions: finish late work, finish needed
practice work, silently read, practice math facts (approved website), practice spelling
words (approved teacher manipulatives), any approved teacher websites, write a short
story, write a nice note to a family or friend, etc.
 The teacher will first introduce this board after the first session of classroom work time as
students are finishing at different times.
 The teacher will go through all the options and the way in which students can choose an
options.
 The teacher will make it clear that the options are in a certain order—any late work or
additional practice work needs to be done first before any other item on the list.
 The teacher will have the first student to finish during the first work time to show how to
turn the finished assignment into the bin and then make a decision from the done board.

6. Turning in Assignments
 This procedure will be introduced during the time the students fill out their “About Me”
pages for the teacher.
 As the students are finishing their questionnaires, the teacher will then explain that any
work done in class will be collected by one person in the group and will be walked over
to the homework turn in bins by the teacher designated group member.
 The teacher will point out the blue star in the corner of one student’s desk in each desk
pod. The student with the blue star is the homework collector. This person will collect the
papers and walk over the homework bin to turn in the pod’s assignments.
 The students will complete this procedure with their “About Me” sheets. After the
collecting students return to their seats, the teacher will then explain that the stars can be
removed from desks and the pods will rotate who the collector is each week.
 The students will have more opportunities to practice throughout the day.

7. Small Group Time

 Student small groups will be their desk pods. Desk pods will change once every month.
 The desk pod small group times will be used for shorter transition times.
 This procedure will be introduced during a get to know your peers activity on the first
day.
  The teacher will display small group task cards on the SmartBoard. She will go over all
the roles and the duties of each.
 The teacher will explain that during small group times, the teacher will pass out tasks
cards to each pod. The person the teacher gives the tasks cards to will pass out the tasks
cards face down, so no one can see the roles. After all the cards have been passed out, the
students will flip over their cards to see their roles and assume the responsibilities.
 The teacher will explain the game before passing out the task cards.
 The teacher will pass out the tasks cards and the students will assume the responsibilities.

8. Getting Students Attention

 To save her voice, the teacher will have a bell in which she signals the students need to
be done with what they are doing and they need to direct their attention to the teacher.
 The teacher will introduce this also during the first small group game of the day.
 Near the end of the game session, the teacher will ring the bell. Naturally, the students
will look toward the sound.
 The teacher will explain that that is exactly what they should do every time they hear the
bell.
 The teacher repeats that they students will stop what they are doing immediately and turn
their heads to look at the teacher with voices off.
 The teacher will have the students return to their game, but interrupt the last ten minutes
of the game with the bell so students have two to three chances to practice the behavior.

9. Raising Hands
 The teacher will explain that it is hard sometimes for a teacher to know what a student is
thinking and wants to say when she raises her hand. She will demonstrate this by having
a students come to the front of the group. The teacher will have the students think of a
comment or a question related to pizza (or a common experience or object). The teacher
will ask the students to raise their hands once they have a response. The teacher will ask
the student is she can determine which student has a question and which student has a
comment. The students should answer no because just their hands are up.
 Then the teacher will have the student put their hands down. Now the teacher will show
all the students how to make an “I” in ASL. She will have all the students try this.
 She will explain that this stands for I have a question. She will explain that it is easier for
a teacher to teach when she know whether a students has an answer or a question.
 Again, she will have another student come up to be the “teacher.” She will ask the
students to think of a comment or question related to pizza. This time the students who
 have a question will hold up an “I” and the students with a comment will just raise their
hands.
 The teacher will then ask the student to call on a couple students with questions and a
couple students with comments.