Starting off Strong in the New Year

Happy New Year! As we head into 2026, it’s a good time to pause and reset our classroom routines and expectations. Not because students “forgot how to behave,” but because transitions, time off, and changes in routine impact all of us. I know I don’t like jumping right back into my normal rhythm right after a break, and our students are no different. Taking time to reteach routines helps everyone feel more grounded, safe, and ready to get back into learning.

In our classrooms, routines and expectations are not about compliance, but about creating predictable, supportive environments that help students feel safe, regulated, and ready to engage. When students know what to expect and what support is available, the cognitive and emotional load of the school day is reduced.

This mindset connects directly to the work we explored in the Building Neuroaffirming Classrooms series and sets the foundation for our upcoming series on Supporting Regulation in the Classroom. Before we can expect engagement, communication, or learning, students need environments that proactively support regulation.

Revisiting routines at the start of the year is one of the most powerful regulation supports we can provide. Predictable schedules, clear visual supports, and consistent adult responses reduce uncertainty and anxiety. Rather than pushing students to “self-regulate” independently, routines allow us to co-regulate by removing unnecessary stressors from the environment.

As you reteach routines, think less about enforcing expectations and more about answering this question: How does this routine help my students feel safe, supported, and successful? When routines are taught with this purpose in mind, they become a regulation tool rather than a compliance tool.

If you’re thinking, “I know I need to reteach routines, but what does that actually look like?”—you’re not alone. Here’s a practical, neuroaffirming way to approach it.

1. Identify routines that support access and safety.

Start with routines that help students navigate the day with less stress. These might include checking schedules, transitioning between activities, participating in group instruction, or moving through shared spaces like hallways. Ask yourself: Which routines reduce uncertainty and help students feel safe and supported?

2. Be intentional about when you reteach.

Morning meeting is often ideal because it sets a calm, predictable tone for the day. Routines can also be retaught during centers, small groups, or naturally within the flow of instruction. The goal is not perfection, but rather consistency and clarity.

3. Focus on one routine at a time.

Break routines into manageable pieces. Consider adding to your slide deck:

• One slide that visually shows the steps of the routine

• One slide that highlights what helps create safe routines

Teaching routines slowly allows students to process, practice, and build confidence.

4. Model the routine clearly and respectfully.

Model each step of the routine exactly as you want students to experience it. You can still keep this engaging! Modeling both helpful and unhelpful examples (with humor) can spark discussion and understanding without shaming. The focus is not “catching mistakes,” but helping students notice what supports success.

5. Use video modeling when possible.

Video models allow students to revisit routines as many times as needed and support learners who benefit from visual repetition. Pause to discuss what’s happening and invite curiosity rather than correction.

6. Build in interactive, low-pressure practice.

Hands-on activities help routines stick while reducing performance anxiety. For example:

• Use pictures of routine steps for matching, sequencing, or simply identifying what comes next depending on student readiness.

• Create a Helpful vs. Unhelpful or Safe vs. Unsafe T-chart related to the routine. Students can sort pictures or scenarios based on how they impact safety or access. Check out the template available in the Resources section to create your own!

These activities reinforce routines while honoring different learning styles and communication needs.

By approaching routines as tools for safety, predictability, and access rather than compliance, reteaching becomes an act of support rather than correction. This mindset sets the foundation for everything we’ll explore next in the Supporting Regulation in the Classroom series.

In collaboration with MDE and PELSB, we are asking for about 3 minutes of your time to complete a survey on MN Special Education Licensure. We want the experiences of those working in the field to be reflected in decisions that are made at the state level Your responses will remain confidential.

Please share this link with your special education colleagues to ensure we are hearing as many voices across the state as possible.

Unlock the power of visual supports! Visual supports are one of the most powerful tools we have for creating predictability and supporting student success. Join us in exploring ways to make information more concrete, reduce the load on working memory, and help students understand routines, expectations, and next steps without relying solely on verbal instructions.

📅 January 8, 2026 | 3:30–4:30 PM CST

This must-read newsletter is filled with exciting events, valuable opportunities, and expert insights for educators and professionals supporting autistic students.

Don’t miss out! Click the link below to access this incredible resource, and be sure to subscribe to receive the Minnesota Statewide ASD Newsletter in your inbox each quarter. Stay informed, inspired, and connected!

Check out the Winter Animals Themes First! Unit, which includes original songs, books, and activities that support students’ skill development and generalization with content that’s fun, accessible, and theme-based. These monthly units now include an expanded Social Studies suite, containing fun, theme-related activities that reinforce cultural engagement. Included in all Themes First! units are lessons, activities, and worksheets for group and independent work at a wide range of levels.

The next Themes First! release, February's Forecast Fun is ready to prep!

💡Print all the activities you plan to use for the upcoming month as soon as they become available. Put printed activities in a "prep" area equipped with a laminator, file folders, Velcro, labels, and baggies. If you have a large laminator, laminate all the activities at once! When you or your team have a few minutes to spare, you can laminate, cut, and add Velcro as needed. It helps to organize activities in trays by "Needs to be Prepped" and "Finished." Don't forget to teach your team how to prep the activities and to model this new expectation. Check out the How to Prep a Month-Long Themes First! Unit below.

Building Neuroaffirming Classrooms Series

What is Neurodiversity?

"Hearing Autistic Voices"

Teaching Through Lived Experience

It Starts with Us: Shifting Mindsets

Honor All Communication

Build Trusting Relationships

Take a Strengths-Based Approach

Challenge Assumptions

Moving Forward

STAR Media Center Updates: Themes First

STAR Media Center Updates: Routine Essentials

Welcome Back! 9/2/2025

2023-2025 Tuesday Tips & Tricks

Feel free to reach out anytime with questions or concerns—I’m happy to help! You can contact me by email or phone, and I’m also available for quick Zoom chats on Fridays from 7:30–8:00 AM and 3:00–3:30 PM. If those times don’t work for your schedule, just send me an email, and we’ll find a time that works best for both of us.

Use the link below to ask questions about this week's Tuesday Tips 'N' Tricks and/or give suggestions on future topics.