Use of Classroom Routines for Class Management

Introduction

Class management is one of the tasks that a teacher is required to carry out in order to ensure that learning process is smooth while objectives of education are achieved. Class routines are one way through which class management in ensured. Routines involve day-to-day activities adopted by student for the purpose of better learning condition and effective learning. The procedures described in this task are used to implement routines that would not only ensure orderly classroom but also ensure students achieve their objectives in learning.

Procedures

1. Cleaning classroom, Desks and lockers

   1. Tidy up environment that surround your desk
   2. Make sure that you have separate folders and spiral for each subject
   3. Place folders at the bottom, spirals then follow and finally books at the bottom
   4. All learning materials required for day’s study should be in your desk before the begging of school day.
2. Class arrangement

   1. Take your assigned desk before the start of a lesson
   2. In lesson outside the class, wait for instruction for class arrangements
   3. Class leader should give guidelines to other students
3. Lesson Progress

   1. The teacher will greet the students with enthusiasm and welcome them to the day’s lesson.
   2. Children will be offered with a schedule for the days works
   3. Student should go through they schedule and prepare for lesson in advance
4. Talking privileges

   1. Students are not expected to talk during the progress of a lesson without permission from the teacher.
   2. Student should raise up their hands when they have a question. Exhaustive answer to questions asked will be offered.
   3. Student should do only assigned duties in group assignment and talks in these groups should about subject discussed in class.
5. Learning procedures

   1. Class procedures should always be followed; each students should lean the routine and practice them though out the year
   2. Class leader is responsible for ensuring that procedures are followed
   3. Five point will be offered for students that adhere to class procedures
6. Lining up procedure

   1. The identified line leaders will expected to lead at the front of the line
   2. Everyone in the line always face forward
   3. Students should always walk, without running, in silence
7. Taking tests

   1. The folder should always at the front of the student
   2. Only pencils should be used for writing during the test
   3. Each student should find a quiet place and concentrate on the paper without movements

Appropriateness of the procedures

The environment through which student learn is very important to students’ ability to concentrate learning (Colvin & Lazar, 1995, p47). A clean environment in required not only for learning but also for general health of students. Clean room, desk and locker are an integral part of learning. Desk and locker arrangement affect the how student store and access learning materials. Ensuring students’ responsibility in classroom, desks and lockers cleanliness ensures less time wastage in class preparation while ensuring orderliness required in learning.

Class arrangement is one of the factors that affect students’ comfort in class (Burden, 2003, p 57).The comfort of students is classroom is important to their ability to concentrate. For effective class arrangement, teachers should be able to predetermine the most effective class arrangement to be used on various lessons. Ensuring that student take up their assigned desks in a class reduces the time required for students to settle before a lesson starts.

Students’ enthusiasm to a lesson or a subject is a major factor in learning. Teachers have the responsibility invoking and maintaining students’ enthusiasm (Docking, 2002, p33). To do this, teachers should ensure that they create the right attitude towards learning. Greeting the students enthusiastically before the start of the lesson is important while having a personal chat with students would increase student’s confidence. A schedule should be used in classroom. A schedule enables student to prepare for lesson in advances by collecting necessary resources or doing prior reading.

Managing class behaviors is one of the most difficult roles in class management. Students may be tempted to talk, have movements or engage in other side activities during a lesson (Newsom, 2001, p25). A routine such as raising hand when a student requires opportunity to talk is very important. When lining up, students should be aware of the appropriate order to follow. This relieves the teacher the trouble of following up students on every activity.

Bonnie Petrone Classroom

Ms Petrone use classroom routine to manage her class. Her first concern is on the learning environment. She engages the children in a routine to ensure order in the class by engaging the student in a routine for ensuring neatness and orderliness, right from the first day. She then focuses of the classroom arrangement. She informs the students on the expected classroom arrangement. For example, she makes the students to respect the listening center right from the first day of the class. She informs the student to respect each other’s desks as well as her desk. Ms Petrone uses classroom schedule to remind the students on the daily routines. From the first day of the class, the students are put into a routine of how they will be expected to present their work. For example, the students are informed that all their work would be presented in form of script.

The students are informed on what in expected of them through out the year right in the firsts. With knowledge of their expectation, students will commit themselves to the expectations. The routines set out in the first days help the students to achieve the expectations. Since the objectives of the routines are well spell out, the level of student’s engagement to the routines will be high. The routine for having a schedule is important to Ms Petrone’s class. The routine of referring the schedule is aimed at helping the student to prepare for lessons and other class activities in advance.

Learning environment is a very important element to learning. Learning environment may promote or impede learning. As observed in Ms Patrone’s class, classroom can be used to improve the learning environment. Ms Petrone puts her class into a routine to ensure neatness and orderliness in class. This routine creates a good environment for learning. Routine for talking and asking question in class provide an order that is necessary for learning.

Conclusion

Classroom routines are important tools for class management. Although classroom routines are sometimes criticized for their static nature, they are very important for class management. Routines help to reduce the complexity of some environments and inform students on what is expected of them. Managing class behavior can be complicated without routine; routines make students accountable for their behavior. With effective use of routines, student will have ample time for study while the teacher may concentrate on instruction rather than class management.

Reference List

Burden, P. R. (2003). Classroom management: Creating a successful learning community. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Colvin, G., & Lazar, M. (1995). Establishing classroom routines. The Oregon Conference Monograph, 7: 209-212.

Docking, J. (2002). Managing behavior in the primary school. London: David Fulton Publisher Ltd.

Newsom, J. (2001). Sanctuary or Sanction? American School Board Journal, 188(7): 24-28.