My high school classroom routines and procedures are my top priority out of everything that I have to prepare for back to school. My high school classroom procedures are the very foundation of how my classroom operates. Once I have a plan for my classroom procedures, everything else falls into place.
Getting Ahead with Routines & Procedures
Every little thing we do repeatedly in our classroom has a routine and procedure attached to it. In my classroom, I want to be the one that determines those routines and procedures. (If you don’t determine your classroom routines and procedures, then your students will.) The key is to plan ahead. I made a list of everything that happens regularly from entering the classroom to dismissal, including procuring supplies, throwing out trash, and getting my attention. Next, I outlined how I wanted that procedure to work, and then I outlined how I would teach that procedure. When you have a clear vision of what you want students to do and how you want them to do it, you will be better able to communicate your expectations to your students, and then your students are more likely to be successful in meeting your expectations.
Read on for some of my most important classroom routines and procedures examples.
Entry Routine for the High School Classroom
This routine sets the tone for our class every day. As students enter the classroom, they get a calculator, their interactive notebook bins, and paperwork that is laid out for them in their class bin. They sharpen or acquire a pencil if they need to, and then they are seated and working on their bell work. In order for this routine to work, I have my classroom set up with everything that students need along the wall by the door. Everything is laid out for them, and ready for them to pick up on their way in. To teach this routine, I demonstrate what they are to do, and where everything is on the first day of school. We start practicing this routine on the second day of school.
Dismissal Routine
This is the area where I need to focus some attention this summer. Currently, our dismissal procedure is that I stop class 1 to 2 minutes before the bell. We use interactive notebooks, and students need a minute at the end of class to secure their pages to their notebooks. They also need time to put their supplies away. Again, everything they need is right by the door. This solves the problem of what happens if we don’t end class before the bell. Since everything they need to return is on their way out, they don’t have an excuse for not putting their supplies away.
However, this creates an issue in which students are already out of their seats, and it makes sense to them to line up at the door and wait for the bell. Being all of five-foot-two, I cannot see all of my students when they are standing up. To me, that is a safety issue. How can I supervise my students if I cannot see them? Students standing and waiting at the door has caused other issues, like horseplay, destruction of property, and students even leaving the room early because I cannot see them. I will be brainstorming solutions to this problem over the summer. (If you have any ideas, please leave them in the comments below.)
My Micro Classroom Routines and Procedures for High School
Having a routine and procedure in place for even the littlest of things helps your classroom run much more smoothly. I even created a routine for throwing out trash. In my classroom, students are to just get up, walk directly to the trash bin, and then walk directly back to their desks. This procedure helps to prevent students engaging with other students on the way to the trash, and students that try to literally throw their trash in the bin from their seat.
Another micro procedure I implement in my high school classroom is for sharpening pencils. Students are to sharpen pencils before class begins, but pencils do break in the middle of class. In this case, students are to get up, walk directly the pencil sharpener, sharpen their pencil, and then walk directly back to their desk. Students are also taught to wait until no one is speaking before using the electric sharpener. They also have the option to use my favorite silent pencil sharpener ever (not an affiliate link).
Special High School Classroom Routines & Procedures
It is easy to forget to create routines and procedures for events that do not occur daily, like classroom assessments, but these are just as important. When we take quizzes or tests, my students make sure to get their calculators and privacy shields (because my students sit at tables), and clear their desks. They also put their phones away, preferably in the pocket of the over-the-door shoe holder (not an affiliate link) that matches their desk number.
Another procedure that does not occur daily is having a substitute teacher. As long as I know in advance that I will be out, I warn my students. I tell them that I will be out, what they will be doing, and what my expectations are. I write on my board a list of my expectations, which include sit in your assigned seat, complete your work, follow all the rules, and be cooperative and helpful.
Teaching High School Classroom Procedures
Setting your classroom routines and procedures is only the first step. It is imperative that you then communicate your routines and procedures with your students. Some are simple enough that you can just describe them to you students, but some need more explanation. For the most difficult and most important routines and procedures, I like to demonstrate what to do, and how to do it. Another strategy to teach procedures is to have students demonstrate them. If you plan to demonstrate nonexamples as well, do those demonstrations yourself to avoid creating a context for students to not follow expectations. This is a chunk of what we do for our first days of school. Once these critical routines and procedures are initially taught, I post them on my SMART Board as a reminder for students over the first week.
Classroom Procedures & Routines Build Classroom Culture
Having your routines and procedures in place, and taught to students are crucial for building your classroom culture. You are communicating with your students what you expect of them, and likewise what they should expect of you. Being consistent with your routines and procedures helps to build trust with your students.
Each procedure is part of a system that I planned for ahead of time. Systems are the ultimate productivity tool, and what keep my classroom running smoothly. To learn more about how to implement systems in your classroom, download the free Secondary Classroom Systems Checklist.
You can learn more about the systems I plan to teach my students as procedures in this post.
You can hear more about my high school classroom procedures by viewing my video below:
