Any veteran teacher will tell you that the first few weeks of school they focus on procedures, procedures, and procedures. So, why are procedures so important? Because they set up your entire year. This is especially crucial in the primary grades. Teaching classroom procedures well at the beginning of the school year will save you time and headache for the rest of the 9 months of school.
How to Teach the Basic Procedures
The moment students walk in the first day, you are already teaching classroom procedures. Even though you may have a fun morning work for the first few days, you will still tell the students where to go and how to be. You will need to be directly involved in the smaller parts of the procedures the first few weeks.
The main important thing here is follow through. What does that mean? It means if you want each and every student to walk from their desk to their carpet spot, you let each one walk independently and have the other students observe. When you transition to get materials from the carpet, explain what materials they need to get out. Keep your directions to about 3 steps the first few weeks. Again, dismiss one student at a time and give positive and/or corrective feedback the whole time. Once you think all the student understand, you can transition to allowing a multiple students go at a time.
Use Direct Instruction
While modeling is so important, explicit instruction is as well. You will need to tell students the overall expectations and procedures. For example, students will need to know the bathroom behavior expectation before going to the bathroom for the first time. You’ll need to list out each step. I write out the expectations in small, bite-sized steps on my Classroom Procedures Slides so students can read along with me. Remember to keep the number of steps small.
Example of Bathroom Behavior Expectations
- Line up quietly.
- Walk to the bathroom.
- Use the bathroom with respect.
- Wash my hands.
- Walk to line up.
After you talk through this direct instruction, have some students model this behavior. Then take the whole class to the bathroom. Remember to offer constant positive and corrective feedback. Praise the class when down.
Don’t forget visuals! You can have pictures or sentences that list out the expected behavior. What keeps me on track is having a Teaching Classroom Procedures presentation already made. I have already sat down to think about the different parts of my day that student need to know. I can show students complete sentences, step by step directions, and pictures.
Model, Model, Model
Model, model, model, and model again! You need to show students how to do each part. You need to show them how to walk to their desk, show them how to get their materials, show them how to line up. You need to be the one to model first so they have the visual image of what to.
- Give the direct instruct.
- Model the expectation.
- Show a non-example.
- Demonstrate the correct way again.
- Ask for volunteers to show the right and wrong way.
If it makes sense, you can have the entire class model one behavior. I use this way especially for read to self. I want to set the expectation so high that it’s worth the time it takes.
I explain and model how to walk to get their book bin, find a smart spot, get set up, and start reading. I send one student at a time. Each time we watch closely and I make observations like “Look how Haley is walking to get her book bin. Notice how calmly she choose a book to read.” I wait fully until “Haley” has followed all the directions before sending the next student. I do this in a gradual release model. Over the days, I won’t focus too much on one student but I’ll start sending several. Then once I notice all students are doing it how it should be, then I can release the whole class.
Take a Tour to Show Classroom Procedures
I love class tours! This is the chance for you to introduce the different spots in your classroom. Not only that, but it gives you the chance to model and review the specific behaviors the students are expected to do when there (like the classroom library).
You may think this would be a tedious and boring time, but the students are so excited about their new classroom that they are totally engaged. However, don’t make it so long they lose interest. Have the students move around the room with you so they are physically engaged.
I also like to take a school tour. Student need to get the new perspective from their new room. It also provides you a change to practice hallway behavior. You can even do a virtual tour by taking pictures of the different places in the school. During the pandemic, this is what I had to do at the beginning of the year because we weren’t allowed to walk the hallways at unspecified times. I went around the day before school and took pictures of the important spots. The students really appreciated it!
If you take the time to teach classroom procedures, your year will be so much better. Your students will know exactly what is expected of them and you need to keep them accountable the whole time with follow through of their behaviors and actions. You’re setting yourself up for a year where you can teach and your students can learn.
