Back to School: Rules and Routines to Teach and Practice

If you are going back to school, you are probably thinking about teaching rules and routines. Here's how I do that:

👍Expectations of Carpet Behavior 

I have a little saying:

Bottoms on the carpet, pretzel legs, hands in lap, voices off. I am extremely consistent with this and it helps! I will also use students who are sitting appropriately as examples. 

👍Hand signals are really helpful. As you know, having to go to the bathroom/water fountain/nurse is contagious. Hand signals are silent so most of the time, no one else knows. I just nod or shake my head to answer. Click to get this file. 

👍What do I do when I'm done? 

If you don't tell them, they will find something! Click to get the link. 

👍How do I use my school supplies? First off, I don't give them access to much. Yellow pencils only. No scissor covers (they "get lost"). Only 1 glue stick. NO squirty glue unless specifically allowed. Markers and pencils are stored in a caddy so I can see that they are capped and sharpened. The gray bucket is for table scraps.

They have a school box with crayons, a gluestick, and their scissors. When they need to get a supply, I like them to be as self-sufficient as possible. They can get what they need from here: 

Notice the ones for glue caps (they are notorious for disappearing) and marker caps. They can go and get a spare cap when they can't find theirs. 

👍Don't touch! While they are sitting on the carpet, I go around the room explaining where things are and what they cannot use. 

👍When is PE? When is lunch? Visual schedules are a must. They can't tell time, so skip that. Click to see in my store: 

If it is different from last year and for new kids, how do lunch, recess, and specials work?

👍Can I go to the restroom? 

They have to show me the restroom or water hand signal and then they put a cone on their desk (Dollar Tree). I have 2 of each but don't always let all of them go at once. At the beginning of the year in first grade, we have 2 dedicated restroom breaks, one about 10:00 and one after lunch. I phase out the first one and many just go at lunch but can go anytime if they really need to. You figure out quickly who needs to and who wants to just get out of the room and the kids who cannot be trusted to go at the same time. 

During our whole class restroom break, we line up on the wall outside the restroom, and I let in a few at a time. I have a 120 Chart on the wall outside the restroom and the waiters practice counting or play guess my number. If my number is 13 I will say, 'I'm thinking of a number with a 1 in it.' If I want to make it easier, I will say, 'My number has a 1 in the tens place.' If the guess is 21, I'll say, 'It's less than 21'. I will point to the chart as needed. Some listen to others' guesses and narrow it down and some don't and that is ok. It really tells me who understands place value, greater than/less than, and how a hundred chart works. 

Click the pic to get it for free. I used my printer to print it as a poster. 

👍Where do I put my papers? I inherited this mailbox shelf in my 2nd year of teaching and it is still going strong. It is handmade but there are some shoe organizers that are similar. 

I like to put the folders in them after I have checked them before they put the day's papers in so when they go to get their mail, the folder is on the bottom and it reduces spillage. They are numbered so I don't have to put name tags on every year. Folders included so I can quickly put them in order and know whose is missing. 

I also have a couple loaner folders with different colored inserts to alert parents that it is a loaner. 

These are Nicki's Folders. They hold up well. 

👍How do I turn in papers?

I have tried lots of trays with multiple levels to separate spelling/math/writing/etc. The kids can't figure it out so I just use a "red basket". Put it in the "red basket" probably comes out of my mouth 50 times a day, especially at the beginning of the year. I also use it as a catch all during the day and empty it every night as well as clean off my desk (table). And sometimes it looks like this. 🤦‍♀️ #realteacherlife

👍How do centers work?

I have a love/hate relationship with centers. Some kids do really well with independent work and others don't. I have done rotations in the past but what I have settled on now is this: 

This is my reading center time. If they have anything to finish (morning work usually), their name is in catch up. Must do includes a center in the basket (one basket per table), read two decodable books from their zipper pouches, and complete an iReady reading lesson. 

Pick one is for a spelling activity. And if they get finished, they can play Boddle or read a book. 

Similar set up for math centers except they listen to 2 online books posted to my Google Classroom, the pick one is different activities I put in the drawer, and may do are math computer games. I have also used the Ketchup, Mustard, Pickle, and Mayo in a pocket chart or on my white board. Here is a file with the icons: 

These are some examples of what is in the basket.

👍Can I help? Kids love to be the helper. I just have 1 helper per day. I go in number order so they know when their turn is coming up. They get to be the line leader, choose the brain break/book/song, do any errands I need, lead the calendar routine, etc. 

At the beginning and end of the day, they get this page and do the jobs. Click to get access to it. 

Speaking of Number Order, I post a list near my mailboxes that is larger enough so I can see anywhere in my room so that I can see who is what number. I put them in girl/boy order and I do not go alphabetically so if someone moves in or out, it doesn't bother me! Click to make a copy of this file. 

👍Where can I go if I'm sad or mad?

Calming techniques if something we practice every day. My calming corner has a little carpet, some pillows and lots of fidgets. I explicitly teach how to use it. 

👍Is this Trash or Recycle?

Unfortunately not every family recycles so some kids just don't know what they can and can't recycle. They are notorious for putting tissues, paper towels, and clorox wipes in the recycling. 

I put signs on the recycling can to remind them.

Click the picture to download. Also included are pictures of common school supplies for sorting purposes on Meet the Teacher night. 

👍I'll just copy off my neighbor's paper, right? 

No, sorry! I call these privacy offices. They are the corrugated plastic. They will poke holes in them and write on them but they wipe off well. I've had these for 5 years so far. Really Good Stuff really is really good stuff. 

👍What to do if hurt? A bandaid can cure a lot and as long as they can put it on themselves, it saves me time! But no blood = no bandaid. 

I hope that gives you some ideas for back to school!