In the midst of the confusion, drama, and social pressures
of the teenage world, students crave routine and procedure. One great piece of advice from Harry and
Rosemary Wong’s The First Days of School
is that shaping class culture by stating and practicing procedures is worth the
time.
Do your students know what the first five minutes of class
will look like as soon as they walk in the room? Do your students know where to find their
assignment and how it relates to their success?
Do your students know exactly what their options are when they finish a
quiz or a test? Do they know how to ask or
answer a question in your class? This
week, take a look at your classroom routine and find three (or more) ways you
can eliminate the guess-work for your students.
Here are some areas for scrutiny suggested by Harry Wong:
-Entering the classroom
-Getting to work immediately
-End-of-period class dismissal
-Listening to and responding to questions
-Checking out classroom materials
-When a student needs pencil or paper
-Indicating whether a student understands
-Coming to attention
-Getting caught up after a tardy or absence
-Passing in papers
-Returning student work
-Asking a question
Isn’t it too late to be introducing a new procedure now that
we are more than half-way through the semester?
Instituting a routine during the first week of school is ideal, but I
have been amazed at how quickly students adopt a new procedure when I introduce
and practice it with them- even in the middle of the year.
Take a few minutes to do some of the dreaming you always do
at the beginning of the year. What part
of the period can be more efficient? In
what small ways can you add structure to your students’ lives? It’s worth the time and it’s never too late. Try something new this week and see what you
can learn.
A few years ago, I saw a major need for changing my homework policies and weighting. I thought it would never work. Kids would rebel, parents would sue, and my classroom would crumble to pieces. However, after a solid explanation and good reinforcement, it worked. It's never too late to make a change.
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