Rotuines

The first month of school is a very crucial part of the school year. In many ways, the first month is what sets the tone for the entire school year. The first month is where many of the expectations are set up that follow students throughout their year. Routines like walking to the classroom, lining up, walking in the hallway, when to talk and when not to talk are all crucial procedures that help a classroom run smoothly. Without these routines the classroom would fall apart and not facilitate a good learning environment. In the classroom I am currently interning in the classroom expectations and routines are all simple and precise, as to reflect the age of my students. For the most part the routines in my classroom are extremely effective and work well for the students. However, one routine I do not agree is being utilized to the best of abilities is transitioning centers during center time. As it stands now the students switch when a timer goes off every 15 minutes. I like the autonomy this practice gives the students, but I do not feel like it is used effectively. When the timer goes off I think if a student wants to switch their center, they should first be asked to clean up what they are working on before changing. Right now that does not happen, instead they switch and worry about cleaning later. I think that teaching students to not leave the center they left a mess, would help build accountability and responsibility in an age appropriate manner. The biggest problem I have with making any sort of adjustment in my classroom is the lack of communication and trust between my PPP and I. I hope to build this relationship, but I do not know how effective this will turn out.