Routines

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Routines
By Amanda K.

Good question! I'm always interested to see what other teachers do about these routines, as well. I guess it all boils down to what works best for you and your particular class.

Sharpening Pencils: I let the kids sharpen
a pencil whenever they want in class unless we are taking a test, but I have to look at the pencil first to decide if it needs to be sharpened. The kids are able to figure out for themselves when a pencil really needs to be sharpened after a few weeks, and this cuts down on the incessant asking.
Water: I let the kids line up to get a drink when they come in from recess. Each child

has until the count of five to finish drinking (I had to teach the kids the difference between slow counting and fast counting for this.) We live in the desert, and most of the kids bring in water bottles, so this isn't really very much of an issue for me. I encourage parents to let their kids bring in water bottles so they can have a drink whenever they want. Ordinarily, I won't let the kids get a drink from the fountain during class unless they are coughing or hiccuping. In my first grade building, we really try to teach the kids that that's what recess is for. I would have kids getting drinks all the time if they could.

Bathroom: I'm not very consistent with my bathroom policy, I'm afraid. First graders still have problems with incontinence, and so I usually will let them go if they have to. However, there are always a couple of kids who suddenly realize that they have to go just because their neighbor went, or always have to go right when we start math, etc. I am less lenient with these kids. I also do not let more than two students leave the room at a time, unless it is very apparent that someone has to go urgently.

As far as other routines go, my kids pretty much have free rein over the room (except my desk and small-group table areas). If they finish an assignment early and I have checked it, they know that they can go choose a math game, or a class library book, or get some writing paper from our drawer, or another activity that they choose. I try to make the room as user-friendly as possible. Accelerated Reader books are in leveled boxes so the AR kids can choose a book without too much help. I also keep my guided reading books in leveled shelves so students who are not in AR can also choose a book at their level. The kids know where all the supplies are and can get them for themselves without my having to help them. I really emphasize that the things in our room belong not just to our class, but to future first graders, and so we must be very careful not to damage anything. The kids seem to like that just about everything in the room belongs to all of us, and not just the teacher.

Welcome to First Grade! You're going to have a great year!