The National Education Association Defines Routines

Routines refer to specific behaviors and activities that are taught in order to provide smooth, uninterrupted class operation.

Routines, carefully taught, can save large amounts of time during the year. When students know exactly what is expected of them in a variety of situations, the time saved can be spent teaching rather than organizing or disciplining.

Develop, teach, and enforce a specific routine for these basic situations:

• Passing papers
• Leaving to go to the restroom
• Sharpening pencils
• Heading of papers
• Getting supplies and books
• Working in small groups
• Dismissing the class
• When assignments are complete
• Putting away materials
• Safety routines
• Taking attendance

Schedules: Within a class schedule, there should be time for conferring and needs-based small groups or strategy groups. Instead of a set rotation, consider pulling groups based on their needs using assessment data (formative and summative; formal and informal). Be sure the schedule is flexible enough to adapt and change throughout the year. Also, in the beginning of the year, students may struggle with independence and may not be independently productive for long periods. Knowing this, it may be beneficial to break up independent stretches with whole-class discussion circles, check-ins, and additional mini-lessons. See sample schedules below.

Don't include yourself as a rotation station. See Flexible Grouping for more detail.

Movement: Studies show that children who are more active exhibit better focus, faster cognitive processing, and more successful memory retention than kids who spend the day sitting still. Keeping the body active promotes mental clarity by increasing blood flow to the brain, making activity vital to both learning and physical and neurological health. Here are some activities to keep students moving in the classroom.

Technology: Technology should be integrated into workstations. It should provide choose for students to explore and express the process standards and their content knowledge.

Why Sitting Shouldn’t Be the Standard

Sitting still and being quiet have always been schoolhouse rules. In recent years, the mantra has gained more steam with worries that today’s children lack focus or aren’t grounded enough in what has been dubbed an age of distraction. A 2011 study by researchers at Duke University found that a student’s capacity to concentrate is one of the best predictors of success. The researchers studied more than 1,000 children in New Zealand over a period of eight years to track their ability to pay attention, then followed up with them as adults to measure their health and financial stability. Those with more self-control were less likely to have difficulty with money or health problems.

Given the endless media streams from devices like smartphones, iPads, and iPods, it’s no surprise that children today seem less focused than kids 30 years ago. But tying them down is not the solution. Over the past few decades, the time schools have dedicated to physical education and recess has steadily decreased. Yet experts agree that children need at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day. With this in mind, savvy teachers are increasingly making physical activity an important part of their lesson plans.

Play and movement give kids the chance to release stress and take breaks from the rigor of schoolwork. While it’s important for children to learn how to work while sitting still, we also need to realize when our bodies are telling us to take a break—even as adults.

I learned the necessity of movement for myself in my college years. I retained a lot from sitting and focusing for two hours, but gained much less if forced to sit for five hours at a stretch. This knowledge has translated to my own work as a school-based physical therapist. I now help children and adolescents (and their parents) access specific strategies that can lead them to a more productive lifestyle. Learning in Motion

Have SIGNS and LABELS for EVERYTHING.

If your are at a dual language school have them in English and Spanish.