When you were a student, how did you know what to do to succeed? Thinking back on my experiences as a student in the classroom, I was best successful when classroom procedures and routines were clear and consistent. How are you expected to succeed without knowing first what the expectation is? Would you expect that of your students? Setting up classroom procedures and expectations is the foremost important step a teacher can take during the first weeks of school — and the research supports this.
These are my top tips in creating a successfully managed classroom through clear and concise procedures, so you can truly teach and your students can learn to their maximum potential. Classroom procedures are important for all levels – middle school, high school, and elementary.
Tip 1: Brainstorm all the classroom procedures
The most important step you can take in creating classroom procedures and a classroom management plan that WORKS is thinking of absolutely every detail. Create a list of all the procedures your class will need to know, such as where do students put their belongings? What do they do when they need water? What is expected when they are done with their task?
When creating and establishing procedures, it is so important to be clear and to really know what you want this process to look, feel, and sound like. If the teacher is unsure of what he or she is expecting during a procedure, how are students held accountable to it?
When you’re done making your list, sort your classroom procedures and routines by priority. Which ones are SO important that they MUST be taught on the first day of school? Organizing your list of classroom procedures will help you figure out what needs to happen during the first week or day of school, like bathroom routines, and what can wait until later. What helps me during this step is going through my kindergarten classroom’s daily routine and seeing what information will be vital throughout the first week of school.
Tip 2: Do ALL the research!
There are so many brilliant resources out there about classroom management and establishing classroom procedures.
A couple of the books I recommend are The First Days of School – MUST READ for all teachers! Wong and Wong do a fantastic job of explaining why procedures and clear expectations are super important in the classroom. AND they dig into how to effectively teach your procedures during the first weeks of school to your students too!
I also recommend checking out THE Classroom Management Book, also by Wong and Wong. This book is a companion to the aforementioned book and it really teaches how to be an effective teacher with classroom management skills.
Tip 3: Consistency is KING
My last (and probably most important) tip is to be consistent with whatever procedures you choose. When incorporating procedures and routines within the classroom, it is super important to provide consistency for your students. Be consistent in routines, schedules, expectations, you name it. Being consistent will not only help your students know what to expect, but will also help YOU know what to expect and save your sanity a little!
BONUS Tips: Incorporate a Classroom Management Plan
Classroom procedures can be overwhelming, but if you approach them in an organized, methodical way, it will feel way less overwhelming. Having a plan for your classroom procedures prior to the first day of school will make starting the schoolyear way less overwhelming. Take time to visualize what specific procedures and routines would look like in the classroom and make sure it would be a good fit.
You can check out my Editable Classroom Procedures pack here (hint: this is the EXACT classroom procedures checklist I’ve used year after year!). It even includes a classroom procedures template to make the process easy and quick for you!
There you have it – my top tips for a successful, well-managed classroom that will help you teach your heart out and your students to live out their potential. You now have the tools needed to start on your own set of classroom procedures! Wondering where to begin?? Click here to gain access to my full workbook on creating classroom procedures.
If you’re a lower elementary or early education teacher reading this post all about classroom procedures, be sure check out my other teaching tips, such as how to teach kindergarten measurement and utilizing choice boards in the classroom.
