January is the perfect time to reset your classroom routines.
Not only have your students surely "forgotten" all of the rules, procedures, and expectations over their holiday break, but you may also need to fine-tune your expectations in response to issues you had during the first half of the school year.
Ready to help yourself and your students start out 2025 on the right foot?
If your answer is "yes", you're ready to use Daily Routines Checklists.
Having a short and clear routine checklist for your students to reference can simplify transitions and improve classroom management.
Why Routines Matter
Have you ever walked past a classroom and cringed at the sound of the teacher screaming at the class? That sound haunts my nightmares.
Have I been that screaming teacher before? Not often, but yeah.
How can you limit your scream sessions and times driving home crying? Spend A LOT of time teaching classroom rules, procedures, routines, and expectations to help avoid this situation.
Research shows that students are more successful (and teachers are happier) when good classroom management is in place.
For example, if your students really know the routine for entering the classroom and getting to work, they're much more likely to do it without being prompted in the future.
What to Include in Your Checklists
When designing your checklists, consider the different parts of the school day/class period (e.g., homeroom, transition into the beginning of class, transition at the end of class, etc.).
How students entered the classroom was one area in which I had to have order so not to lose my mind.
For example, my middle school ELA "Entering the Classroom" routine is as follows:
- Enter the room quietly.
- Walk directly to your seat.
- Get out your supplies and sit down.
- Copy your homework assignment into your planner.
- Complete the Do Now activity.
How to Implement a Daily Routines Checklist
When introducing the checklist to your students, teach it like you would teach a standard that's going to be on the test.
It's going to feel weird and unnecessary, but it is VERY NECESSARY.
Plan it into your lesson plans-- I'm so serious lol. I even found middle grades ELA common core standards to tie to my direct instruction, practice activities, and assessments.
The following ideas will get you started:
- At least 2 days of direction instruction using visuals (Google Slides, etc.)
- Classroom posters hanging in a visible location all year
- Small printables for student desks and/or student notebooks
- Games and other fun activities like acting out or designing comic strips to help reinforce
- Student reflection opportunities
Reflection and Growth
Now that you've got the tools to teach and reinforce your daily routines, involve students in evaluating how well the class is following routines.
As your ticket out the door, try asking them to reflect and rank themselves and the class as a whole.
Incorporate student feedback to refine routines. Ask them how they would reword, add, and remove steps from the routines. Are there other routines they think the classroom needs?
You're on your way to a strong classroom management system now, teacher bestie!
Want more ideas and access to my editable templates tried-and-true for teaching daily routines? Click to find out more about my resource, Daily Routines & Procedures Checklist for Middle School ELA Editable Template.
Have questions?? Comment below or email me anytime at ms.t@talbertscurriculumcorner.com.
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