There was a time when routine and procedures were non-existent in my classroom. Where are my “wingers” at? You know, you fly by the seat of your pants, make your lesson plans on the way to school, thrive on spontaneity…That’s me, I’m a “winger”. The last minute is my best friend! We get along so well and actually come up with some really great ideas! My first years of teaching were kind of stressful in the planning and classroom management areas. Why? We didn’t have a plan! No one knew what was going to happen until it was happening!
Friends, let me be the first to tell you this is not helpful for you or your students. Don’t get me wrong, it’s ok to have fun and be spontaneous but there are some parts of your classroom that need routine and predictability! Check out this video of which routines and procedures you could add to your day!
Here are 4 reasons you NEED to have routine and procedures in place in your classroom!
They offer a sense of security and stability
Have you ever gone to a new place and when you got there you had no idea what to do, where to go, etc. Like there were no signs of where to park and no signs about which door to go in? Everyone was following the other people that also didn’t know what to do. Gah! Talk about chaos and stress! This is what it can be like for our students when they come into a classroom that doesn’t have routine and procedures. They don’t know what to expect at each moment or what is expected of them! This causes them to feel anxious and stressed and more likely to act out and get crazy!
Believe it or not, kids do not want to be in charge. Oh they THINK they want to be in charge. But deep down at their core…they need YOU to be in charge. Letting children “rule the roost” ultimately causes stress and anxiety for our kids which leads to more meltdowns and tantrums. The structure created by having set routine and procedures gives the security needed to feel at peace and like things are under control. They feel safe knowing that YOU are in control. I’m not saying that your students shouldn’t have any say or can’t have opinions. It is good and healthy for them to have opinions and a say in age-appropriate content. Which song do you want to sing? What book should we read? Do you want the red car or the blue car? These are age-appropriate choices for preschoolers!
Students do not know what is best for them so routine and procedures are one way that we create structure and guide them toward success.
Routine and procedures build responsibility and confidence
One of my favorite things about being a preschool teacher is when I see my students doing the tasks that we talk about, without being reminded! Like…I can actually hear the crowd cheering.
They walk in and hang up their jackets…cheering.
Someone throws away their trash and push in their chairs after snack…cheering.
They clean up when the timer goes off and then go right to the rug…cheering.
Having routine and procedures teaches students about being responsible. Everyone has a job and when we do our job the way we are supposed to…everyone is happier and safer. Responsibility is a character trait that will benefit our students in every area of their lives for all of the years to come.
When students learn and follow the routine and procedures that we have taught them they are going to be more confident in themselves and their abilities. They might be little but they CAN do things and make right and responsible choices!
Have you ever noticed when you compliment one child, the rest of them will start to do the same thing? “I love how Susie is cleaning up,” immediately ten little voices say, “And me too?” To which I reply, “yes, you too!” and get a huge grin in return. Confidence Boost…check.
Routine and procedures build good habits
Every year I am amazed at what these littles can accomplish! They are capable of so much more than they get credit for! I think one of the things that makes teaching preschool so awesome and intimidating at the same time is that we are LITERALLY teaching them all of the things about being a human that can function in society. So when we have established routines and procedures in our classroom, we are essentially helping to create adults that can contribute positively to society.
Cleaning up after yourself and waiting your turn. Following directions, doing your job well. Using time wisely and efficiently, taking care of belongings, etc. All of these things can be taught to your students by having and enforcing routines and procedures in the classroom. If students can begin learning these things at a young age they are going to be able to continue to build on those good habits.
You are able to get more done and have a smoother flow to the day
The first few weeks of implementing routine and procedures may feel chaotic and like nothing else is getting done. Don’t lose heart! Once the habits are formed, you will be so glad you took the time to work on it.
When students know what comes next and the transition to get to that point, your classroom is going to basically run itself! Doing the same routine every day gives students confidence about what they will do next and eases those transitions. You won’t be spending valuable minutes every day reminding students the next move because you took the time at the beginning of the year to build those routine and procedures.
The Bible tells us that God is a God of order. He is not a God of chaos and confusion. And there is a time for everything. These verses refer to different things in the Bible but the principle is the same! By setting up these routines and procedures for our students, we are creating a safe place for them to learn and grow. More importantly, we are showing them a little part of the character of Christ which is our main responsibility as Christian teachers.
Ok, have I convinced you? I hope this has helped you to see another side of why its important to have routine and procedures, beyond just to calm the chaos! If you’re wondering how to implement routine and procedures from the get go… head on over and read the 3 Must-do’s when introducing classroom routines!
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