Routines / Choreography

I have observed classrooms that are choreographed and routinized and ones that are not. Whether in the secondary classroom or the elementary, the choreographed classrooms seem to allow even weak pedagogy to have successes, while classrooms with haphazard systems can deter even powerful pedagogy from having an impact.

Everybody has a different choreographic style that is adapted for specific situations. I want to choreograph the class experience so folks know what to expect most of the time; the students are calmer, feel safer, and are more focussed on learning.

A student walking in the door to my Grade 9 Humanities classroom is more than likely greeted by me with eye contact and a nod or a wave. The student has to walk around me to get into the classroom. This is my way of reminding folks that they are walking into a controlled space and leaving the chaos of the middle school hallway behind.

As students pass me they are to show me the book that they are about to open and read. They do not make it into the room without their book. They read while I silently take attendance and then I also sit down to read or take the opportunity for a quiet conference with students about missing work or something that went well.

These are the routines that I feel are needed in my school, where students, hallways and classrooms are be very "energetic" as a rule.

The other way in which I attempt to choreograph the class is to break it up into 20 to 40 minute chunks of activity, which are various enough to keep the flow going. Silent reading might lead to a more active and engaging activity requiring social learning, followed by a creative or hands-on activity. If we are engaged in an intense project that is taking the whole class, we will break to walk around the outside of the school.

As the year progresses, we tend to only have larger-scale projects on the go. Then we simply move from one project to another with very little need for teacher direction. There are days when I will speak to the class only a moment during the 75 minute class. These are my favourite days.

One of the ways I know I have been successful is when I hear a student say: "Is class over already?"

Ahhhh.

Choreography and routines are imperative at elementary and middle school levels, and are simply smart business practice at the secondary level. We will begin by looking at a very controlling Grade Three teacher (Remember all you secondary teachers, I was trained for secondary, but my first job was with a Grade 2/3 split. You have NO IDEA where you are heading... and that is a great thing.)

Jot down thoughts and ideas inspired by the video.