Last year, as a first year teacher I didn't realize the IMPORTANCE of Classroom Procedures. I don't want to make that mistake this year. Ill be teaching 6th , 7th and 8th grade. What are MUST have procedures? I have these kids 1 hr a day.
I have lots of procedures. The most important (to me) are: Turning in work. I have class baskets (a basket for each class period) and students are directed to turn in all work there. They do not hand it to me, ever. Picking up and putting away textbooks. One person from each row picks up textbooks. This job falls on different people at different times. Usually I'll ask the person with the shortest hair or darkest shirt or biggest shoes, whatever. When putting books away, books go on the bookshelf with spines vertical. They do not get returned in a haphazard, messy way. End of class. Before being dismissed, books are put away, rows are straightened, trash is picked up off the floor, etc. It takes only a few seconds once students get used to this expectation. Entering class. We start class every day with a bellringer/warm-up activity. Students enter the room, get their wiggles out, go to their assigned seats, and get started on the bellringer. I don't allow students to leave class except in case of emergency, so I don't have a restroom procedure, but that one is definitely important if you allow bathroom passes. Some other procedures to think about are pencil sharpening (when), getting up to get a kleenex and where to blow noses, etc.
I'm huge on procedures too. I'm happiest when my class is running on its own (minus my actual teaching ). I'd say the "must-have"s are what to do when they enter and how to solve problems during lecture. Having a calm, orderly beginning will make the whole class go smoother. My students are expected to always: shake my hand as they enter, pick up any papers in the tray, take out their homework to turn in and notes from last class to review for 4 minutes, sharpen/borrow any pencils/paper they need before that 4 minutes is up. When 4 minutes are up, I give one instruction to clear down for the quiz. If they haven't done so by the time I get to them, they don't get a quiz. When they finish, they flip the quiz over and begin the displayed warm-up. All of this means that we're about 15 minutes into class and the only things I've said to them are "Good morning/afternoon" and "Please clear down for the quiz." By the time, I'm ready to lecture, it's usually (usually....) very calm and quiet. That's the only part of the day when I'm a major stickler but there are many other routines as well. Procedures for what they should do if they need to get up are major too as well as if there's a fire drill and if there's a visitor in the room.
I have baskets for the kids to turn in their work. One for each subject. They turn in their work there. Never to me and never to my desk. And I don't accept "I left it on your desk" as an excuse for me not having their work. On Wednesdays we do SSR. If they want to go to the library that day, they have to sign up on a piece of paper on the board. I send them three at a time when we get to SSR time. I always have bell work for them to do. I'm thinking of doing some kind of sign out board for the bathroom this year with time left.
I posted mine on this thread. http://forums.atozteacherstuff.com/showthread.php?t=174019&page=2 I think procedures are key to middle school success. I wish I had been better with them much eearlier in my career.
WOW! Your classroom procedures are pure gold! Love them! Now back to the original post... In addition to those listed above, I think having some sort of procedure in place for getting work to students after an absence is another "must have". When a system is not in place, some kids will simply neglect to get work from their absence, or those who do may not get everything they need to make up.
One method that worked for me was to have a folder on the wall for each class period. When a student was absent, I would put his/her name on any handouts, and leave them in the folder. If the student missed a quiz, test, or other type of assignment that I didn't want out in the open, I would just write a note on a post-it for them to see me.
Can I use some of your stuff it is AWESOME! I'm wondering though in an English class how to go over them b/c It would be hard to "demonstrate" them instead of just reading them.
Definitely this too. I have mine in a hanging file folder organizer with a folder for each class. Their work goes into it if they are absent (with their name on it) and they are responsible for getting it when they get back to class.
