by Catherine Tyler-Cochran

Procedures are part of everyday life.
Procedures demonstrate how people are to function in an acceptable, organized manner. For instance, consider the following:

• On an elevator, people get off before others get on
• In church, people bow their heads to pray
• Guests stand when the bride walks down the aisle at a wedding

Consider the effect if the procedure for these had to be explained each time they occurred. There is usually a smoothness to these activities because the procedures are clear. On the other hand, most people have also been in frustrating situations where the procedures weren't clear—traffic circles and four-way stops come to mind!

In the classroom, procedures work much the same way. When everyone knows what to expect, routines take place almost effortlessly, but when there are no procedures, students' confusion can derail the best-intentioned teacher.

Procedures are simply methods used to accomplish different tasks. Where rules describe how children are to behave, procedures describe how students are to work in the classroom.

Teach and reiterate procedures until they become routine for the children. When your students have a routine for common activities, they tend to be less disruptive, especially during transitions. The answers to questions such as these will help you form your procedures:

How do you want students to enter the room?
How should students ask for help?
How will they put their work away and where should they put it?
How should they move to the carpet from the table?
How should they work in groups?
How will you get the children’s attention?
What should they do when they finish their work?

You also may want to establish procedures for beginning and ending class, handling interruptions, and distributing and collecting materials. You might have procedures for activities specific to your classroom. However, don't feel like you have to spend the first several class sessions teaching nothing but lists of procedures. Simply teach each procedure as the situation arises.

Teaching Procedures and Routines
Teaching procedures and routines involves three steps: explain, rehearse and reinforce. Rehearse procedures until they become routine. Students most likely won’t learn the procedures in one day, but each class time is a new opportunity to practice. Even adults have to practice new procedures and sometimes must be re-taught two or three times. The goal is for students to perform the procedure without teacher supervision.

For example, perhaps you would like your class to stack the chairs before they leave your classroom. Ten minutes before the end of the first class, you might say, "At the end of every class, we will each stack our chair in the corner by the window. When I'm finished with my instructions, I'd like you to quietly pick up your chair and take it to the corner." And since every experienced teacher knows that many kids will try to find out how many chairs will stack before they topple, you may want to add, "Let's see how many stacks we will make if there are only four chairs in each stack." When the chairs are stacked, you can make a small production out of checking their work. Are there only four chairs in each stack? Are the stacks neat? Are they in the right place? How many stacks are there? Guide the children to fix any stacks with too many chairs or to straighten them. This might seem time-consuming, but next week, you'll likely only have to say, "It is time to stack your chairs by the window; remember—only four in a stack." In very little time, you'll have to say almost nothing to have perfectly stacked chairs. It takes time to teach a procedure well, but the time you'll save time later by not having to explain and remind will make up for the initial time investment. And like the rest of us, kids really like knowing what to expect in given situations.

Praise children when they follow procedures correctly. Smiles, high fives, and hugs are great ways to let the children know you are proud of their efforts.

Common Procedures
Beginning Class
When children enter the room, where do they go? Is there a designated place to put coats and belongings? Will they work independently at a table or go to the carpet to sit with other children? How will you greet the class? The beginning of class sets the tone for what happens next.

Materials and Equipment
Materials and equipment are critical to most lessons. You may use books, art supplies, and sometimes even media equipment. Think about how you can distribute materials without wasting class time. Some teachers give dependable students the responsibility of "Materials Manager." You may assign this role to one person at each table for the day. Go a step further in letting the students know where to get paper, etc., so they don’t have to ask you each time. They can also help in collecting and storing materials when the activity is complete.

Leading the Lesson
Most teachers use a combination of styles when teaching. Each style requires different procedures. When children work in groups, how will they move in and out of the group? What will the role be of each child in the group? If the children are working independently, what will the early-finishers do? Where will they put their work?

Transitions and Interruptions
It’s important to plan for transitions and interruptions during class. How will children move from the carpet to the table? Will you call a few at a time? Some children may come in late or leave early. A student may need to leave to use the bathroom. An unexpected visitor may knock at the class door. Without procedures in place, these interruptions at best waste time and, at worst, can cause chaos.

Ending Class
When will children know it is time to stop working and put materials away? What will your signal be? "High-Five" is a popular technique used by teachers. The teacher holds up their hand showing all five fingers. Each finger represents an expectation. (1) Eyes on teacher, (2) be quiet, (3) be still, (4) hands free, and (5) listen.

Ending class leaves an impression with children that carries over to the next time you meet. Decide the routine of cleaning up work areas and putting away materials. Designate a helper who can put supplies in the appropriate place. Since parents pick up children at various times, choose a flexible ending activity where interruptions will not intrude on class climate. Praise the efforts of the children before you dismiss.

When students know how their teacher runs the class, they will be more eager to follow instructions. Procedures give teachers and children structure, and structure provides security because students know what to do and can depend on the consistency.

Catherine Tyler-Cochran has taught for five years in Clayton County public schools and currently teaches first grade at River’s Edge Elementary School. She is a graduate of Berry College in Rome, Georgia, and has a master’s degree in Educational Leadership from the University of West Georgia.