Having a flexible schedule is important during the regular class day, however, classrooms have routines and procedures to keep the day organized and on track. Students find comfort in routines but the routines should consist of different content. Managing a class full of diverse individuals, learning routines and procedures take time and patience. Taking the time to scaffold routines and procedures allows students to fully understand what is to be expected of them in the classroom.
Morning
Choice time
As students begin to start their school day, they will participate in morning choice time. Choice time includes finishing work, playing board games, coloring, reading, etc. This is time for students to take to themselves, socialize and complete work. Giving students this time lets them transition easier to the school day.
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Breakfast
Many school have a breakfast program. Depending on the demographic of the school, students may be on free and and reduced breakfast and lunch. Providing time during the morning to let students sit in the classroom and eat a substantial meal. Eating breakfast with others creates an opportunity to socialize with one another. Breakfast also allows students to meet some of their primary needs which reflects on the rest of their learning throughout the day.
Morning Meeting
Morning Meeting is a daily routine in the classroom that follows a flexible procedure. The purpose of Morning Meeting is to provide an opportunity for students to practice socializing skills, give them a feeling of belonging, and can also be used to review class content. Morning Meeting is held at the same time (if possible) every morning and includes every student in the classroom. When the school day starts, students will be signal to transition from choice time / breakfast to the Morning Meeting carpet. Students sit on the edge of the carpet, where every student can be seen. The importance of every student being seen is to make every individual feel welcomed and valued. The teacher will also be sitting in Morning Meeting as all the students. It is essential for teachers to be models for expectations during Morning Meeting.
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Standards:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.5.1A - Students come to discussion prepared CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.5.1B - Followed agreed-upon rules for discussion (expectations for morning meeting) CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL5.1C - Pose and respond to specific questions, making comments that contribute to discussion |
Procedure:
Morning Message: Students read and interact with a message that is written by the teacher for all to see and access. The message can be written on a white board or chart paper. Students will have spots below to write their responses. The message includes what the students will be learning during that day. Some teachers may also include questions related to behavior/expectations if the class has been struggling with following them. Song: Hello There
Teacher: Hello there (students repeat) Teacher: How are you? (students repeat) Teacher: It's so good (students repeat) Teacher:To see you (students repeat) Teacher: We'll sing and (students repeat) Teacher: Be happy (students repeat) All: That we're all here together again |
Example "We will continue to talk about our classroom rules. Think about a way you showed respect for a classmate yesterday. What does the word ‘respect’ really mean anyhow? Be prepared to share your ideas at Morning Meeting today." |
Greeting: To start Morning Meeting, students and teachers will participate in a greeting activity. Greetings tend to be short but allow every student to be greeted. Greetings can be individual or whole class. Every student and teacher must be greeted. Students practice everyday social skills and feel welcomed by the class community.
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Example
Snowball Fight: When the recycle bin is full of paper, this is a fun greeting to try. Give each child a piece of recycled paper and have them write their name on it. Then have them crumple the paper into a ball (i.e.- “snowball”) and put the kids into 2 groups on opposite sides of the carpet. Signal “Go!” and give them 1 minute to have a “snow ball fight.” When it’s over, have each child pick up a piece of paper and greet the child whose name is written on it. - This is a greeting that can be modify to student interest or class content! |
Group Activity: Everyone participates in a brief and engaging activity that promotes group cohesion and is an opportunity for students to practice social and academic skills. Group activities must incorporate a social aspect, however, does not need to include academics in every time, Group activity brings the classroom community together. The group activity typically has a goal for the whole class to work towards together.
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Example
Pedoodle!: In this activity, one student is chosen (by the teacher/stick) and goes out into the hallway. As a class, students will decide a word (verb) for the student in the hallway to guess. Students in the classroom will have to come up with sentence to use with the verb. The student in the hallway will be directed to come back into Morning Meeting. The student who is guessing the word can go up to other students and ask them for a sentence. Students who are asked to give a sentence will provide one where the verb would be used in, but instead of saying the word, they replace it with pedoodle. The guesser has three tries to guess the mystery word. Verb: Fly Sentence: I like to pedoodle my kite in the summer! |
Afternoon
There should always be an afternoon routine to help students transition calmly from school to home life. Students may begin to get antsy towards the end of the and excited to go home. Establishing a simple routine to bring students back together before leaving is essential. At the end of the day, give about 15 minutes (may vary depending on class) to provide an opportunity to review content learned and prepare the classroom for the next day.
Agendas
Agendas are a wonderful tool to assist students with knowing the work they need to do and any upcoming dates at school. Up on a board for all students to see, the teacher should write down the work for the night and any other important information. Have it posted at the beginning of the day until the end of the day. Students can determine when they write down the work that needs to be down during any point of the day. At the end of the day, have students place their agendas on their desks and have another students check to see if everyone has the work written in.
Sign Language
The use of sign language in the classroom supports a calm and organized environment. Teaching sign language for water, bathroom, question, etc. lets students express their needs without disrupting learning. This procedure is also useful for Morning Meeting as well. When students share something and students agree or want to congratulate the student sharing, teaching them to use hand signals allows for Morning Meeting to run smoothly with little interruptions. Students are still able to express their thoughts without preventing the student who is sharing to continue. Students will need support to learning the hand signals and using them effectively.