Last week, we talked about the importance of classroom routines and shared a few examples. This week, we’ll focus on strategies for establishing and teaching those routines.

Establish a structured environment with a thoughtfully designed and well-organized layout. Clearly label all the areas in your classroom so students can independently navigate to different areas. Additionally, use labels for supplies and other items students will need to follow routines.

Make a clear, easy-to-follow schedule of daily activities using pictures, symbols, or text that matches the students' needs. For more information on individual schedules, check out the Tuesday Tips & Tricks below.

Set clear and consistent routines, as students often thrive on predictability. Knowing what to expect can provide a sense of security. Additionally, use clear cues, either visual or verbal, to signal transitions between activities. For example, a countdown timer or a verbal prompt like, "In five minutes, we'll begin center rotations," helps prepare them for the upcoming change.

For example, an arrival routine can be broken into several steps: get off bus, walk to school, get breakfast, walk to locker, take out items from backpack, hang up backpack, pick up items, walk to classroom, put items in appropriate places, sit in assigned seat at table.

Divide the routine into small, manageable steps and use visuals for each one (e.g., a card for hanging up coats, another for sitting at desks). This helps students better understand and follow each step of the routine.

Model

Demonstrate the routine by performing each step yourself. As you go through each step, point to the corresponding visual. For example, if the routine is "arrival," show how to hang up a coat, put away belongings, and sit at a desk while referencing the visuals. Provide short, clear instructions for each part of the routine, using simple and direct language (e.g., “hang backpack” instead of “Now I'm going to hang up my backpack in my locker”).

Practice

Have students practice the routine by guiding them through each step and offering plenty of positive feedback. Be sure to point to the visual for each step! If you're teaching the arrival routine, take your students to the starting point (for example, outside) and have them practice completing each step. Try to make it fun, framing it as a game, and remind them multiple times that they are practicing.

When beginning to teach a routine, you may need to use a lot of prompting, and that’s perfectly fine since you’re in the teaching phase. Here are steps to effectively use prompts:

Using Prompts During Routines

1. Gain the student’s attention, and give the cue one time-- "Hang backpack"

2. Give the student a chance to respond (e.g., wait 5–10 seconds).

3. Respond to the student’s attempt:

• Correct response: Provide positive feedback
• Incorrect response: Repeat the cue, provide the least restrictive prompt needed to complete the step of the routine, and then provide positive feedback

4. Go to the next step of the routine. Repeat Step 3 as needed throughout the routine.

Regularly repeat the process to reinforce the routine. Continue reviewing any supporting visuals, such as social stories, schedules, and checklists, to keep routines clear and predictable.

In addition to modeling, practicing, and systematic prompting, we can incorporate other teaching strategies such as social narratives, video modeling, and routine checklists.

Social Narratives

Create short, personalized social stories that describe the expected behavior and the steps for different routines (e.g., “In the morning, I will hang my coat, put my lunch away, and sit at my desk to start the day.”). Read the story together and review it before the routine starts.These stories can help students understand and internalize the routine

Video Modeling

At its core, video modeling involves showing a video of the student or other students successfully completing the routine. The student watches the routine before performing it. Seeing others complete the task provides clarity and offers a concrete example of what’s expected. Below is a video model for an arrival routine.

Routine Checklists

Create simple visual or written checklists for students to follow for each part of the routine. Go through the checklist and model each step before they complete the routine. Checking off each step as it's completed gives students a sense of accomplishment and helps them stay focused. Below is an example of a checklist I used in my math class. Not all students needed this support, but for some, this strategy worked very well!

By consistently following these steps and utilizing strategies tailored to each student's individual needs, classroom routines can be taught in a structured, supportive manner that fosters success for every learner.

Next week, I will share a strategy that was a game changer in my classroom for implementing routines!

Check out the Monster World 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, Fantastic Fall, is ready to prep!

💡Tip: 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 and your team have a few minutes to spare, laminate, cut, and Velcro. 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.

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.

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

Tuesday Tips 'N' Tricks is made possible by Minnesota Low Incidence Projects