Human brains love pattern!
Routines are Known to help Not only classroom performance, but also helps manage classroom behavior!
Middle schoolers can be erratic in their behaviors–even on the same day! They can be focused and follow directions with ease, or struggle finishing the smallest of tasks and have an attitude doing it! When daily routines are put in place with very purposeful instructions and repetition, a student’s brain (whether age 4 or 94) rewire in a way that uses less and less effort– which decreases stress, thus decreasing behavior issues. This is a win for everyone involved!
Here are some sample routines that I make sure to train my students early in the school year so that hopefully we have a smoother flow for the WHOLE school year!
How to enter the Room
It has taken me a while, but I have finally realized that the way students enter my room really sets the tone on how the period will go. When students rush in pushing each other, hollering to each other, slamming backpacks, I already know it is going to be tough management day!
So a few things I try to work into our routine are:
ASSIGNED seating
(Students have to be in the EXACT seat I’ve assigned them and my excuse as to why is that when there is sub, the sub knows who you are)Expectation of Materials for the day:
The first thing that students see is my rolling white board that has the main topic we are covering the day, and what needs to be out when the bell rings. (If they ask me, I do not verbally say it, but point to the board)Bell Ringer or as I call it- The Science Starter:
Students automatically pick up the science starter near the door where handouts are always placed, so that we do not spend time passing things out AND they know right away that they need to start to work. This then gives me time to take roll and handle anything that I did not finish from the last period.I have learned that Bell Ringers are not about assessment or getting them to think, but a behavior management hack. Choose questions that are low stakes such as what did they do yesterday or super easy science questions like ‘What did you do this morning that used kinetic energy?’.
To increase the stakes and knock out a great “CFU” or Check For Understanding action, go around and check the responses quickly, then stamp their page. Read out the best answers after a few minutes.
How to finish up the day!
How students exit the room are also important to learn and to start learning EARLY in the year. Some of the biggest issues I see with my Middle Schoolers in science, but especially STEAM classes are:
Put away borrowed supplies (Do they go in a supply cart? Is there a container already at the table?) and Hand In Your Work! (Where is the hand-in box? Do YOU collect it?)
Leave the table as you found it, CLEAR & CLEAN! (I am a victim of “tidying” after each class period, but we probably we all agree that this SHOULD NOT be our job!)
Students should know what cleaning supplies they can use and where are they found. They should also know that there will be consequences if they do not clean up.
*Another Hack to help with this problem is to assign Student Jobs which have worked miraculously as well! But you need to manage it and it helps to have a reward system.
Finally, YOU ARE NOT EXCUSED unless I EXCUSE YOU!
The bell is a dangerous thing. Kids will run and step on each other to get out first so having them stay at the table until the bell rings and YOU excuse them is a helpful work-around!
What are the behavior Expectations? and don’t forget Classroom VOLUME!
I know this seems like a no-brainer, but it is such a simply way to get the rules across to the kids– but used in the way described here.
I made this board as a technique to “reset” my classroom when I felt like I lost control. Here are the steps I took:
Make a LARGE & BOLD visual and title it: Room Expectations OR Non Negotiables. (You can write it out on your dry erase board, make a poster, or put it in your slides that show everyday.)
Choose only 5 or so rules to keep to highlight.
You want it short and direct. (I chose the 5 things that we had the hardest time with.)During the first weeks of school, go over the rules and what kind of consequences will happen.
Consequences: I’ve used a 3-strikes-you’re-out system. The first 2 are warnings, and if they get a 3rd it was a call home. (Instead of a call home, it could be a detention with you, or tailor it to the “crime” that was done.)At the end of the period, take time at the end and re-read the rules.
Have the students vote on how they did that day.
Create an incentive such as maybe once the class reaches a certain point tally, they can end class early have free time. (This can be anything that you know would motivate your class!)
To supplement this, I use these push lights to remind the class what the expected volume level is!
