Your students go to school to learn academics and gain real-life experience within the four walls of the elementary classroom. As the real world is full of rules, your elementary kids should have classroom procedures and routines to prepare them for what lies ahead. As your learners transition from their laidback days at home to everyday classroom learning, they need structure and daily activities. Here’s a comprehensive list of classroom management procedures and routines to help you get by!
1. Classroom Expectations
Kick off the school year by discussing general classroom expectations with your class! Ask them about their daily routine at home before introducing them to your basic classroom rules and expectations.
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2. Collaborate on Ideas for Classroom Routines
Invite your pupils to collaborate on potential ideas for classroom procedures. Encourage them to express their thoughts on what they think should be incorporated into their day. This will create a collaborative classroom atmosphere while also making them feel included in dictating how their days run.
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3. Entry/Exit Guidelines
For a calmer classroom atmosphere start by establishing some exit and entry guidelines. Create a system of order by encouraging your learners to line up alphabetically or according to height when they leave or enter the classroom.
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4. Morning Routine
Perk up your kids’ mornings with some daily activities! Ask them to mention their daily tasks or responsibilities that they have to do during the day or get them to participate in a fun activity like an exercise or a simple game.
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5. Start With a Clean Desk
According to studies across the world, a clean desk can improve your students’ productivity! After greeting them, prompt them to clean their desks by having them place their possessions in cans or baskets. Their space will instantly look more inviting and they’ll also learn how to clean up after themselves.
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6. Bathroom Policy
Prevent your class from taking advantage of bathroom breaks by introducing them to these procedures. Inform them of appropriate times to use the bathroom by displaying a stop or go sign in your class, and provide them with a suitable time limit to ensure they don’t waste their precious learning time.
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7. Make Students Accountable
It’s never too early to keep your kiddos accountable! Simply set out a comprehensive routine for them by placing visual reminders on a chart to serve as reminders for their daily tasks.
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8. Mid-Morning Routine
Recess should be a fun and controlled time in your kids’ day. Establish rules for them to follow during lunchtime to ensure everyone interacts safely and respects their communal spaces.
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9. Independent Work Time in Digital Classrooms
As the world evolves, your classroom should evolve with it! Engage your learners in a period of digital time where they can use laptops or tablets, making sure to set out guidelines to develop their mindsets on responsible tech use.
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10. Behavior Management
Deal with disruptive behavior calmly with these behavior management strategies! Simply display logs around your classroom to keep track of whether certain learners’ behavior becomes a pattern. This also allows them to physically observe any negative patterns that you can fix using positive discipline.
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11. Homework Management
Set aside some time in the day for your kiddos to do their homework. Provide them with a homework routine to keep them organized and to ensure homework time runs smoothly.
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12. Eating/Drinking in Class
Eating and drinking in class should be kept to a minimum with the exception of extreme situations or fun class parties! Provide your littles with a comprehensive schedule, making sure to set aside plenty of time for them to indulge in their delicious snacks while having a break from learning.
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13. Getting Student’s Attention
Grab your students’ attention with these engaging strategies! Prevent classroom chaos by using bold hand signals or rhythmic claps to guide them back into working mode.
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14. End of School Day Routine
Wrap up those busy days by treating your kiddos to relaxation time! Task them with taking turns to read a story aloud or invite them to fill in their planners with reminders of projects or assignments they’ll be working on the next day.
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15. Dismissal Procedures
Get your little ones excited to come back to class the next day by ending off with a cheerful goodbye song! Encourage them to participate in singing catchy tunes before leaving their classroom on a harmonious note.
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16. Classroom Calendar Routine
Kickstart your learners’ mornings by consulting a classroom calendar. Engage them in a discussion about what the day holds, while also reminding them about important upcoming events.
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17. Sharing Circle
Create a safe space for your kids by hosting a routine sharing circle! Allow them to share their feelings at the beginning of the day to touch base with whether they’re feeling motivated or need a helping hand.
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18. Silent Reading Time
Treat your littles to a silent escape by allocating time for reading. Invite them to sit back and relax as they pick up their favorite books and dive into literary worlds. It’s a great way to develop their literacy skills while also giving them a well-deserved break!
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19. Health Check Procedures
Schedule routine health check-ins carried out by professionals! Invite individuals such as doctors or nurses to perform health checks for your class, where they can look over your kiddos to ensure they are happy and healthy.
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20. Hand Washing Routine
Teach your little ones about the importance of hygiene! Encourage them to wash their hands throughout the day by prompting them to clean their hands using a cheerful step-by-step process.
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21. Daily Classroom Jobs
Develop those leadership skills early on! Simply assign daily classroom jobs to your pupils like trash collecting, holding doors, or managing materials – making sure to rotate their duties to provide a diverse learning experience.
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22. Physical Exercise Routine
Set aside time in your learners’ day for physical exercise. Encourage them to take a break as you guide them in carrying out a series of simple movements. This classroom procedure is guaranteed to recharge and energize their minds!
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23. Learning Stations
Introduce workstations around your class for an engaging day of learning! Prompt your kiddos to start at one station before moving to the next station after they’ve completed each task.
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24. Show and Tell
Here’s a classroom procedure that’s sure to pique the interest of your little learners. Simply allocate a time in the week and encourage them to bring an item from home that they can present to their classmates. Task them with describing their item or have them tell a funny story that their item is connected to!
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25. Music Break
Introduce some relaxing melodies into your kids’ day with these musical breaks! Invite them to take a breather between high-focus activities by playing catchy tunes.
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26. Classroom Library Routine
Create a literary sanctuary right in your classroom! Simply set up a reading corner where your students can unwind after completing their daily tasks – a well-earned reward for a hard day’s work.
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27. Seating Arrangement Routine
Spice up your classroom setup by playing with seating arrangements! Task your pupils with mixing up their seating patterns by having them periodically shuffle around their seats. It’s a great way to inject change into your classroom to create a dynamic learning environment.
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28. Cleanup Time
Teach your little ones the art of decluttering! Encourage them to clean up their shared spaces by having them place toys, blocks, and other materials back in their storage bins to develop a harmonious learning environment.
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29. Positive Affirmation Routine
Uplift your little learners’ spirits with some positive affirmations! Start the day off right by prompting them to repeat some positive statements – perfect for boosting morale and building a resilient mindset.
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30. Peer Tutoring
Teamwork makes the dream work in this interactive routine! Start by appointing a few of your learners to the role of peer tutor. They’ll be your classroom helpers as you prompt them to assist their classmates with tough sums or intricate words.
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31. Attendance Routine
Add a twist to morning roll call! Engage your kiddos in an interactive register by posing a question of the day or calling out each of their names before greeting them with a smile.
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32. Agenda Review
Invite your littles to review their agenda for the day. Simply present them with a comprehensive plan of the day – complete with time limits, interesting activities, and even potential surprises!
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33. Journaling Time
Treat your kids to quiet time by inviting them to do some self-reflection. Simply allow them to whip out their journals before prompting them to fill each page with their feelings towards school or how they’re coping with daily challenges.
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34. Personal Belongings Routine
Keep your students’ spaces neat and tidy by providing them with storage nooks! Invite them to use their personal space to store their belongings at the beginning of each day.
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35. Fire Drill Procedures
Turn safety into a fun-filled adventure with these fire drill procedures! Task your kiddos with listening carefully as you read them interesting fire drill books or reward them with playful “brag tags” after completing a successful fire drill.
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36. Weekly Review
Gather your class around as you make time for weekly reviews. Simply provide them with weekly worksheets as you encourage them to fill in the prompts with their feelings of the week.
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37. Classroom Meetings
Include your littles in classroom planning as you host morning meetings! Begin by asking them to voice their opinions and suggestions on what they think could improve their school days. It’s a great way to involve them in classroom decisions while also reassuring them that their feelings are heard.
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38. Art Time
Haul out those paintbrushes for some creative expression! Set aside time in your learners’ day where they can express themselves through art. Whether it’s painting or crafting, they are sure to love these hands-on activities.
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39. Classroom Garden Routine
Inspire those green fingers in your class with a classroom garden! Simply start by setting up a gardening space before prompting your kiddos to carry out daily tasks to ensure they nurture each growing seed.
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40. Snack Time Routine
Who doesn’t love a snack during the day? Implement a snack time routine where you invite your students to indulge in their favorite snack to refuel their energy for the rest of the day. Ensure a controlled environment by setting out snack time rules such as handwashing or polite conversation.
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41. Field Trip Procedures
Keep the chaos at bay by setting out ground rules for field trips. Before departing, remind your little ones of the various rules they’ll need to follow to ensure they’re kept safe while also enjoying a captivating day out of the classroom.
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42. Guest Speaker Procedures
Teach your kids proper etiquette that’ll come in handy for special guest visits. Encourage them to give all their attention to the guest and prompt them to ask engaging questions once their visitor has concluded their visit.
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43. Science Experiment Procedures
Science experiments are guaranteed to provide much excitement, but should also be carried out safely. When carrying out any experiment, remind your little scientists of the ground rules they need to follow when testing their various hypotheses.
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44. Recycling Routine
Transform your students into eco-warriors by engaging them in a recycling routine. You’ll implement these green strategies by having them use recycling bins and more to foster a lighter carbon footprint.
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45. Storytime
Storytime should be a relaxing experience for all. So introduce your littles to storytime etiquette by reminding them to put on their listening caps when you’re reading and allowing them to ask questions once you’ve concluded your enchanting tales.
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46. Birthday Celebrations
Brand your learners as VIPs for the day with a special birthday routine! Start by setting up a birthday calendar in your class before prompting them to use streamers, candles, and sweet treats to celebrate their classmates’ special days.
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47. ‘Question of the Day’ Routine
Stimulate your kiddos’ curiosity with a question of the day! Engage your learners in some critical thinking as you present them with interesting questions, riddles, or trivia at the beginning of each day.
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48. Notebook Check Procedure
Set your students up for success by carrying out routine checks of their notebooks! Simply prompt them to take out their books as you inspect each one to gain valuable insight into how they’re coping with lessons. Provide them with positive feedback and constructive criticism to help them along in their learning journey.
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49. Feedback and Reflection Time
Here’s another engaging reflection routine that’s perfect for checking in on your class’s progress. Simply allow them to ask questions about work that’s bothering them or host a revision session where you guide them through reviewing homework or assignments.
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50. Use of Classroom Materials
Teach your littles to take care of shared possessions by imposing rules for the use of classroom materials. Encourage them to treat each item with respect by setting out simple rules like always putting things away or properly closing boxes and lids.
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51. Parent-Teacher Communication Routine
Invite your little learners’ parents into their class for a comprehensive parent-teacher dialogue. Inform their parents of the amazing progress that their little brainiacs are making, while also providing their parents with time to ask questions or voice any concerns.
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52. Class Reward System
Encourage your kiddos to always be on their best behavior with a playful rewards system! Provide them with a reward that they can work towards by simply meeting classroom expectations or going above and beyond. This is sure to motivate your class to always put their best foot forward each day.
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