Over the past six weeks, we’ve concentrated on building effective classroom routines. This included setting up your classroom to support routines, learning the steps to teach them, and exploring various strategies to make teaching routines successful. Using this foundation, we developed detailed plans for teaching two key routines: arrival and check schedule.

Before we wrap up this series, let’s focus on an essential element of routines-- and your classroom overall: expectations. Thoughtfully planning and explicitly teaching expectations for each routine is critical to ensuring their success and consistency in the classroom.

When I say "expectations," I’m referring to a clear set of rules that guide how a routine should be completed. For example, during my morning meeting routine, students were expected to:

• Have a quiet mouth, hands, and feet
• Attend to the speaker
• Sit in their seat
• Raise their hand to share or ask for help

I had the same class for three years before they transitioned to high school, so we could gradually build up to this longer list of expectations. If you’re working with younger students or those just starting to learn expectations, begin with a few key ones and gradually add more as their skills improve.

Important Note: Expectations need to be tailored to each student’s current level of support. While the above expectations were the general expectations I would recite and practice daily with the class and individual groups, some students had individualized expectations that better suited their needs.

Every routine throughout your day comes with a set of expectations, and it’s important to explicitly teach these expectations within the context of the routine itself. Approach teaching expectations in the same way as teaching routines, following these steps:

Step 1: Set up the environment for success.

Design a classroom environment that minimizes distractions and potential triggers, creating a space that supports student success. Also, incorporate embedded supports to help students succeed. For instance, use tape on the floor to indicate where students should line up.

Step 2: Generate a list of expectations for the routine.
Consider what behavior is needed for success in this specific routine. When creating the list, also think about the expectations in inclusion settings since the ultimate goal is for students to thrive there.

Step 3: Narrow your focus based on your students.
Take into account the age and support levels of your students. Prioritize a few key expectations to teach first, ensuring they are developmentally appropriate and achievable.

Step 4: Create a visual for the expectations.
You guessed it! Always create a visual. Visuals help make abstract concepts more concrete, providing a consistent point of reference for students.

Step 5: Place the visual in the routine’s area.
Ensure the visual is easily accessible and visible in the space where the routine occurs.

Step 6: Teach the expectations explicitly.
Walk through and model each expectation with your students, referring to the visual as you go. Provide a clear model to help them understand what success for that expectation looks like.

Step 7: Use the visual consistently during the routine.
Before the routine begins, review the expectations by pointing to the visual, naming the expectation, and modeling it. During the routine, if a student needs redirection, use the visual as a reminder and positively reinforce them when they follow through.

Following these steps ensures that expectations are clear, accessible, and consistently reinforced, helping students build independence and confidence in their routines.

Now that we’ve wrapped up the Classroom Routines series, the next three weeks will focus on strategies to bring structure and calm to the often chaotic time between Thanksgiving and winter break. This season is packed with parties, crafts, and unexpected schedule changes, which can easily throw our classrooms and students off balance. We'll explore ways to keep things organized and manageable during this busy time!

Check out the Fantastic Fall unit in Themes First!, 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, I'm Going Places, is ready to prep!

Resources for the New Year Series

STAR Media Center Updates

Caregiver Survey

Home-School Communication

Reset Checklist Visuals

2023-2024 Tuesday Tips & Tricks Newsletters

Feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns via email or phone. I'm also available to chat via Zoom Mondays from 7:30-8:00 AM and 3:00-3:30 PM. If these times do not work for your schedule, please email me and we will find a time that will work for both of us.

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