In the complex world of education, pedagogy, and evidence-informed practice that we find ourselves in, sometimes going back to the simple basics of human behaviour is what brings out the best in students and teachers alike.
We are all creatures of habit and, just as we find in our own lives away from the classroom, routines are often the things that we crave to pave the way for a structured and coherent day-to-day life.
Our classrooms are no different. Without clear and consistent routines, a learning environment can be unorderly, unstructured, and chaotic.
Classroom routines are therefore the unsung heroes of effective teaching, providing a structured framework that enhances behaviour, fosters consistency, and lightens the cognitive load on students.
So let’s take a deeper look into the significance of classroom routines, drawing insights from two prominent educational voices on classroom management – Doug Lemov and Tom Bennett.
Patterns, routines, predictability, and order
A primary reason that routines are crucial for students lies in the brain's innate desire for patterns, routines, predictability, and order.
The human brain thrives on patterns, as they provide a sense of security and stability.
Routines offer a structured framework that allows children to anticipate and comprehend their daily activities. Predictable schedules create a sense of safety and reduce anxiety, enabling children to focus more effectively on their academic tasks.
In addition to the cognitive benefits, routines play a crucial role in emotional regulation. Knowing what to expect on a daily basis provides a sense of control, empowering children to navigate challenges with greater resilience.
Emotional stability, in turn, enhances the overall learning experience by creating an environment conducive to concentration and effective information processing.
Socially, routines instil valuable life-skills such as team-work and collaboration. Many group activities in school, including group projects and team sports, require a collective adherence to schedules and routines. By participating in these activities, children not only develop interpersonal skills but also learn the importance of dependability and cooperation.
SecEd Podcast: High-impact classroom routines: This episode looks at how to embed high-impact routines into your classroom and your teaching. We ask which routines or learning habits are the most successful and how can they be established in order to make teaching and learning more efficient and effective. Click here.
Behavioural foundations
One of the biggest advantages to the naked eye of implementing classroom routines is their positive impact on student behaviour.
Consistent and well-established routines create a sense of predictability and security, helping students understand what is expected.
Predictable routines also help children to manage their time effectively, enhancing their ability to focus on tasks and participate actively in class.
In Teach Like a Champion (2010), Doug Lemov explains how routines act as behavioural anchors, guiding students through the daily rituals of learning. When students know what to expect, it reduces anxiety, stress, and uncertainty, contributing to a more focused and conducive learning environment.
Tom Bennett emphasises the role of routines in establishing clear boundaries. In his book Running the Room (2020), he advocates explicit teaching of behaviour expectations through routines.
Teaching good behaviour through routines
While some may argue that children should inherently know how to behave, the reality is that teaching good behaviour is a vital component of a child's holistic education.
Children are highly influenced by their environment and without proper guidance they may pick up negative behaviours that hinder their personal and academic growth.
By actively teaching and modelling good behaviour via positive routines, teachers provide a road-map for students to navigate social interactions effectively.
Expecting children to instinctively know how to behave may overlook the fact that they are still in the process of learning and developing.
Indeed, teachers have the opportunity to explicitly model and reinforce positive behaviours through established routines.
For example, a morning routine that begins with a greeting and sharing of positive affirmations sets a tone of respect and kindness for the rest of the day.
Consistency breeds success
Classroom routines provide a consistent framework that also facilitate a smoother flow of instructional activities. When routines are established and adhered to, students can better anticipate transitions and activities, leading to a more efficient use of instructional time.
Lemov's work emphasises the idea that the most effective teachers are masters of routine. By consistently employing routines, educators establish a rhythm that allows for seamless transitions between tasks. This continuity minimises disruptions and maximises the time dedicated to learning.
In Lemov's view, the predictability inherent in routines allows for a more efficient use of instructional time, fostering an environment where learning becomes the primary focus.
Bennett highlights the impact of consistency on behaviour management. In his work, he advocates that routines act as a safeguard against behavioural issues, as they establish a normative pattern that students can follow.
Cognitive load and automated habits
The cognitive demands placed on students in a learning environment are immense. From processing new information to navigating social interactions, students are constantly managing a complex array of tasks. Classroom routines serve as a powerful tool to alleviate some of this cognitive load by automating certain aspects of the learning process.
In Teach Like A Champion (2010) and Practice Perfect (2012), Lemov shows how daily classroom routines can transform into habits, freeing up mental bandwidth for more cognitively demanding tasks.
When both teachers and students become adept at routines, these actions become automatic, requiring less conscious thought. This not only allows students to focus more on the content being taught but also promotes a sense of independence and self-regulation.
Bennett's perspective aligns with this idea.
Fundamentally, by reducing the cognitive load associated with managing daily tasks and expectations, routines empower students to engage more deeply with the academic material.
Where to start?
Where do we start first? The answer is to think about all the things that happen in your classroom (from children entering to children exiting) and reflect on where a set of simple routines might speed things up, make things clearer or easier, reduce wasted time, or enable students to do things without having to think about them.
Entry routines: Look at entry routines into the classroom, such as how students enter and what they do immediately after they enter and sit down. By creating a strong and consistent routine here you can ensure that your students enter in the correct manner, sit down, and get to work on your starter or a bell activity immediately – all while you are meeting and greeting and then doing your register.
Transitions: Think about routines to help smooth the transitions between tasks. Or perhaps for how students give out or collect in books and equipment. Transition time between tasks can be done quickly and smoothly without fuss but transitions can also become the nemesis of the teacher, derailing your lesson, and meaning you have to take a few minutes to get students back into a productive work mode.
Exit routines: The way that teachers let their students leave the classroom has a big impact on how students arrive at their next lesson. Calm and orderly exit routines (end and send) might just help every teacher in your school. We all know that if students leave in a chaotic and unstructured manner then they will probably need settling down in their next classroom before the lesson can begin.
Final thoughts
The implementation and reinforcement of positive classroom routines demands a deliberate and conscious daily effort by teachers. By establishing routines that are clear, consistent, and purposeful, teachers can create a learning environment that not only fosters positive behaviour but also reduces cognitive load and allows students to redirect their energies and thoughts into their learning.
As creatures of habit our brains are wired to seek out consistent and familiar environments. We must remember that our children are no different and that our learning environments need to embrace this if we want them to be the best that they can be.
- Jon Tait is the director of education at the Northern Lights Learning Trust in the North East of England. Find him @TeamTait or via www.edutait.com. You can read his previous articles for SecEd via www.sec-ed.co.uk/authors/jon-tait