In my opinion, routines are important, especially for younger children. When there is a lack of routine, I feel that it affects the ability of the students to learn without distractions. I also feel that doing the same things at the same times each day tend to reduce anxiety in students. I also believe students should be given choices in their learning, as it increases engagement. In my classroom, I have must-dos. When the students have completed their must-dos, they have choices in what they can do next. All of the choices are ways to re-inforce what we are learning. Some are on computer, some are games, toys, drawing etc.. Children choose the activities that appeal to them.
Routines are very important in education, and generally in life for children. I've found kids do best when they know what to expect, when lessons, assignments, tests, activities are consistent day to day and week to week. Once routine is established, I do give a lot of freedom for students to choose to follow the routine. Obviously this is the expectation, and they do very well overall will following routine while self-starting.
I feel like routines are important. Routines make students feel safe and comfortable, especially if their home life is chaotic. Knowing what to expect when entering a classroom is comforting to both students and teachers. Now when it comes to giving students freedom, I would say that I am comfortable with doing it to some degree. I am okay allowing students to tackle tasks in the order that best suits them, but I would say I have never provided full freedom. My freedom is more about here is a list of tasks we need to complete and master. You have until Friday to complete them as needed. I do provide pretests and only require practice for students who have not mastered the content. I know that we are about to do junior research papers next semester, but we want to develop a guiding theme because giving kids full freedom has not been successful. We might have to revisit this idea. I think I am comfortable giving freedom that still has limitations. The whole time I am reading this chapter, though, I am wondering how to make a Biz Town that implements English.
Routines are very important in my classroom. They teach the students what to expect. and provide a safe learning environment for the students. When routines are in place, my students actually have more choice and freedom in the classroom. They know what the boundaries are, and as long as they stay in those boundaries, then they can have more autonomy in how they learn or the tasks that they do. I establish routines well at the beginning of the year so that the rest of the year, any students in my class know the expectation. I would say that this year, there is probably a little less freedom than in a typical year, as we are in our first year with a new curriculum and standards, and I am working to try and figure out where I can provide more choice within each unit.
I think routine is important for students but should also be provided with variety or opportunities of choices. I think like most teachers, I spend a lot of time at the start of the year establishing routines and expectations and then as the year goes on am more flexible and provide more choices. I thought the idea discussed in this chapter of starting with freedom was a solid idea in theory but honestly made me nervous. I like to think I am flexible and provide freedoms in my classroom but a lot of that also comes with comfort in understanding my curriculum and my current set of students as students needs will vary year to year.
Are routines important? What degree of freedom are you comfortable giving your students? What does [or could] this look like in your classroom?
Routines are very important, no matter what grade you teach. It’s important that students know the routine and the expectations of the routine. When there are set routines in place and practiced by the students, the routines will be impactful. It will take a load off the teacher when routines are set in place and students know the expectations and have shown that. When routines are set in place, the classroom is a more calm learning environment and less chaos.
Depending on the routine, there are times that I give my students a tad of freedom. I understand as a teacher we need to be flexible, not all days are going to be perfect and the same. When I think about a routine and giving freedom, I think about their morning routine. There are mornings where I let students move around and talk to their peers before we move onto morning announcements. There are other days where I let students just visit with peers at their table. When I give students freedom, I let them know that I still have the expectations such as their voice level needs to be at a level 0 and they need to have self control. If not, they will have to visit with peers at their table spot.
Again, with giving students freedom, I think it’s important to give them freedom, but expectations need to be set in place first and if they are not followed, the freedom needs to be taken away and their needs to be a whole class discussion. Lastly, routines are very important, students know what to expect and they know what you expect out of them.
Routines are an important part of the classroom. They allow learners to be independent by knowing what comes next, where things are located, and what is expected. Routines can also give students a sense of comfort and safety when they do not get that in their home life. They also give teachers flexibility to meet with learners and do check ins while the rest of the group is busy working independently. Giving learners freedom is an important part of their learning. With freedom comes responsibility and it is a balance to see what works with certain groups and specific learners. I also think we need to give learners opportunities to show us what they can handle. After reading chapter 3, I'm curious to see how "starting with freedom" would look in our classrooms. Currently in our program, learners have autonomy in flexible seating options, choosing writing topics, choosing how to demonstrate their learning through different projects, choosing a group to work with, and choosing between learning games, etc. I'd like to explore planning with my students in the send-out program so we could hit on their topics of interest.
Routines are important for both students and adults. These routines become habits and can allow for greater success. My routines like cleaning out the dishwasher in the morning set my home up for success, just like students routines of grabbing their supplies, filling up water bottles and making their lunch choice help set their day in the classroom up for success. Students tend to be calmer when they know what is coming next and they are within their routines. I used a certain degree of freedom within the classroom. I offered choices when it was helpful to do so, letting students select the way they wanted to practice or learn. I tried to let them have freedom over where they sat - many of them would surprise me with who they chose to sit by and their self control when sitting next to friends. I think that that the grade levels I worked with (3rd & 4th) would have a hard time managing a whole Independent Learning Week like the author described - It would take some practice for them to be able to have the time management skills to use it productively, but I did try to build in margin to our schedule to allow space for some times similar to this, where students might have some set task or tasks to complete, but then additional time to work on what they desired, from reading a book of their choice, to playing learning games, to exploring a topic of their choosing.
I believe routines are important for students. I used the "Do Now" strategy in my classroom. As the the students walked into the classroom, their productivity and engagement was immediate. I had the "Do Now" change each day. Mondays were writing related, Tuesday and Thursdays were math or science related and Fridays were brain teasers. I felt like the students knew what was expected and also had a feeling of independence which tuned into showcasing their responsibility or leadership skills. I did find that the students showed a sense of pride and the ability to help a seat partner if needed. This also brought to light their ability to teach the knowledge they had and even helped their classmate to grasp the concept even better maybe because they were learning form a peer. Freedom is also important in the classroom as the students feel the mutual respect between teacher/student. Freedom doesn't have to be huge either. It can be as simple as giving the students the choice to work from their seats or under their desks and eventually to other areas around the room. I have also given the option in reading to choose one from 8 book to give a report on. Reports could be written, a book talk, videoed report or displayed on a tri-fold and explained to the class in a speech form. That reading assignment went over extremely well.
I believe routines are important for students. When students know what to expect I think they feel more at ease and no so nervous about what will happen next. I think students need to have some freedom when it comes to learning. Kids need to learn to be responsible for themselves. There is not always going to be someone to tell them what to do or how to do things. They need to learn that for themselves and take accountability for their actions and learning. Teachers need to let their students make mistakes and not always spoon feed them what they need to do. Little reminders are good for kids but doing everything for them will not make them responsible for themselves.
I think routines are important for students. I believe it is a good thing that students know what to expect when coming to class. There are some students that would be fine without routines, but there are a lot who would really struggle without a bit of structure. The degrees of freedom I am comfortable with varies for each student and class. I have had students lead sectionals by themselves in various rooms for my high school band, which has gone very well. Unfortunately, I do not think they would go well with my middle schoolers, so I would not be comfortable with that amount of freedom with them. I have experimented with some degrees of freedom with my 5th graders to varying degrees of success. The biggest way to utilize freedom is sectionals in band. How I would utilize it with 5th grade is allowing some time at the beginning of class to work on some exercises we will hit during class, or work on their stuff they are working on in individual lessons with me. I haven't figured out a good way to work in freedom with middle schoolers yet.
I think that routines are super important for students. Routines allow students to know what to expect and allow for greater autonomy because they are able to take responsibility without having to wait for directions. I think having routines allow students to have more time for higher ordering thinking because they don't have to think about the small, little details. If I am being honest, I do struggle with allowing my students freedom in the classroom. I understand that it is important for students to take ownership of their learning, but at the kindergarten level, it can be hard for students to do things independently. I do allow some choices/options, but I think that this is something I need to get better with. One thing that I could do to release more control would be allowing them to have more freedom in their writing.
Routines are very important, especially at the middle school level. At this time of year, I'm comfortable giving my students quite a bit of freedom because we've built trust and respect. It takes time to get to that level so I usually give them less freedom at the beginning of the year while I determine what I can trust them with. I do believe in giving my students some autonomy in what we do. Sometimes it can be as simple as them deciding if they want to do their reading before their assignment or after. I have also let them pick how they want their usernames in the review games we play. For example, when we play a Blooket, I will usually make them put their first name in so I can keep track of who did well and who did not. When we want to change it up, I let them pick what they'd rather do instead. For example, in the past, it's been their favorite candy, their favorite sports player, their favorite food at Thanksgiving, or their favorite book/movie/TV show character. I think as the year has gone on, that they realize that I do those things because I greatly value their opinions and thoughts. I even give them the opportunity to provide feedback on things we do throughout the year so that I know ways that I can be a better teacher or to make learning more engaging for them.
I think routines, or procedures, are very important in a school setting and outside of the school. Early in my career, I called my teaching style Freedom within Structure. For me, this meant that I first establish clear expectations, go over procedures, exhibit my own personal boundaries, and give tools to suceed in the lesson objectives. However, I do not teach robots, thankfully, and I appreciate and celebrate the diversity of ideas and skills in the classroom. In assessing student work, I look at how they did meet the student objective, even if they did that in a unique way. That is the beauty of the arts! In math, 2+2=4, every time. In art there are many answers to any given problem. But routines can be seen as a negative if students become complacent or not engaged. Sometimes having a surprise game or brain- break is great for creating a dynamic learning environment. The one thing I will add is that some students do especially thrive with strict routine (autism, trauma) and to be sensitive to these students. I remember hearing the author of Teach Like Pirate talk about taking his students on a surprise "trip" to a "Speak easy" in a darkened room and after having foster children thought that could be very triggering to them.
I believe that routines are very important, especially in a middle school setting and special education classroom. At the beginning of the school year, routines are clearly established so students understand expectations, which allowed me to safely offer them more independence throughout the school year. In time throughout the school year, I gave more and more freedom to students. An example would be when students had to work on writing, I allowed them to choose what they wrote about. Sometimes I would give a general topic I’d like them to write about such as “animals” and they would go from there. They really enjoyed this as it showed their passion for what they were writing about as well as they could dive deeper into that passion. Another example was allowing students to choose where they sat during their free time. If all work was completed, no missing work for other classes, and grades were good, they got to choose a spot in my room to have free time or complete an “I’m done with my work, what now?” task. I believe freedom is built on mutual respect and a clear understanding of expectations.
Routines really do matter. When students know what to expect, it creates a sense of safety and lowers anxiety—they can focus more on learning and less on guessing what’s coming next. I think that kind of consistency is especially important for kids who thrive on structure or feel overwhelmed easily.
As an art teacher, I also recognize that the art room often looks very different from other classrooms. There’s usually more movement, more noise, and a lot more creative freedom. Because of that, routines become even more important. When students understand the basic flow of class and the expectations, they can handle the organized chaos that sometimes comes with making art.
At the same time, flexibility is key. No two classes—or projects—are ever exactly the same. Once routines are established, I’m comfortable giving students a good amount of freedom. This might look like choosing where they work, whether they collaborate or work independently, or how they problem-solve during a project. The structure provides stability, while the flexibility allows creativity to thrive. For me, it’s all about balance—clear routines paired with trust and freedom.
I'm a firm believer in routines. When I was teaching junior high, I had routine bell-ringer activities that students would complete in their class notebooks. It would alternate between free-writing time and DOL assignments for the first 10 minutes or so of class. I'd also be consistent about posting the schedule of the day and the objective of the day for all the students to see. Most of the junior high staff would write on their hallway windows what items the students needed for class (laptop, textbook, etc). I wanted to give them an opportunity to know what to expect each day and to ease their worries or anxiety in any way that I could. It also helps them come to class prepared and have a positive experience. There are many other small pieces of the routine, but I found this was extremely helpful for the students and myself. At the beginning of the year, I start small with the amount of freedom students have, outside of my assignments. I think it's important to offer academic choices to the students whenever you can. I would give assignments that allowed for creativity and freedom - which is fairly easy to offer when teaching writing. However, with behavior-related things like classroom seating or free time at the end of class, I'd say that type of freedom is earned as trust and respect for one another is built. There were certain classes that had a great deal of freedom. Other classes had very little because they would abuse the freedom at the first opportunity. As the previous poster said, it's all about balance. Each class is different, and it's important to adjust to the needs of each class.
I know a lot of teachers spend the first few days of school focusing on all of the rules and procedures and routines.....I am not one of those teachers. On the first day of school, I tell my kids the only rule in my classroom is respect.....respect the teacher, their classmates, and most importantly, themselves. Each day I have a "getting started" page on my board and the students know that they need to get those materials out and that is about the only routine I have. Each day is different in my room and I love it that way. If you would ask my students, I feel they would tell you they have more freedoms than not. I treat 8th graders like adults and if an issue comes up, then we address it. I let them choose if they want to work together or with a partner. I let them choose who their partner is most of the time. If they need to go to the restroom, I say fill out a pass and go. I want kids to want to come to school. If we do certain activities that take longer, I may let them lay on the floor to where they are more comfortable. I want my room to be a safe space. I will give choice boards where they can decide on what they want to do out of a list of assignments. In my opinion, all of these way word great. I have great relationships with my students and don't really have behavior issues.
I am a firm believer in routines. Students must know what is expected and when they have permission to do things so that classrooms run smoothly. My students have some freedom of choice and I have been experimenting a little. One day I gave students the choice of three different math assignments. All accomplishing the same goal but in different formats. Students liked having the choice. I also give them a choice of seating during work times. Some students choose to stay seated while others would prefer to be on the floor around the room. Student choice in projects does not always need to be student directed.
As an early childhood special education (ECSE) teacher, routines are very important in my classroom. Routines provide safety, predictability, and structure, which many of my students need—especially those who have experienced trauma or have disabilities that require consistency. When students know what to expect, they are often more regulated and ready to learn. At the same time, I would like to allow my students more freedom within those routines. Sometimes I worry that too much flexibility could be challenging for students who rely heavily on structure. However, I believe it is possible to balance both. In my classroom, this could look like maintaining consistent daily routines while offering choices within activities. For example, students might choose which center they work in, which materials they use, or how they complete an activity. This allows them some independence and voice while still keeping the predictable structure that helps them feel safe and successful.
I am a believer that routines are important to a certain degree. Getting to school on time, having breakfast after arriving to school, sitting in the same desk, eating lunch, all set the done of consistency for the independent learner. We use a different type of system that your customary or traditional classroom uses in our high school alternative classroom. Students use their 4 year plan of study to decide which courses that want to work on for the week. (within reason, some course require a prerequisite course) Normally students select two courses, alternating back and forth as they feel the need to put one of the courses on hold, while they work on the other course. This can be for a few days, or they can complete the entire course at one time which normally takes about 3 weeks per semester course. I feel giving the student freedom to choose the course to work on and develop their own plan of study gives them more ownership in their learning and reduces the students stress level.
Yes, I believe that routines are important. I feel that kids thrive off of routine. They like knowing what they are doing every day and at what time they are doing it. I do think kids need to have some freedom, and by freedom I think they need to feel as if they have choices. I let them have choice in if they stand or sit. They can sit in a regular chair or a wiggly chair. They have choices in what they can do when they finish their work. They have choices in the books that I read them. They have choices in the things they choose to write about etc. I feel when they are given more choices, they feel they have a say in how their day goes. It tends to produce more positive behavior in the room and less negative behavior.
Yes, I believe that routines are important to some students and to other students I do not think it matters much at all. I also believe that routines are more important at the lower levels as well. I have worked with Mass Customized Learning (MCL) and Project Based Learning (PBL) as well and I quickly learned that the amount of freedom you give a student depends on the student and most students (at least at the 11th and 12th grades) do not handle freedom well at all. Most students I found need to have the freedom of choice or at least have choices, but they still need daily checks, constant feedback and hard due dates. What MCL and PBL winded up looking like in my room is that students have lots of options to earn points towards their daily work (formative assessments) and different options in terms of tests/quizzes. I found this method of giving students freedom with supports to be the most successful.
I believe routines are important in the classroom. Students thrive in knowing what they are learning and when. Students need routine as a part of helping them be organized and structured in their learning, which helps them take responsibility in their learning as well. Freedom within the classroom is when students are given choices when appropriate with their learning. I think I could do more within my own classroom to incorporate more freedom, but I do feel students need consistency, feedback, and guidance to support freedom in their learning.
Routines are important because they give students structure - they know what to expect. For some students, this is very important, and for others, it may not matter much. I think students feel more comfortable when they have routines in place. Comfort promotes better learning environments. A typical period in my math classroom is predictable, and I think students appreciate that. We generally begin class with some type of warm-up or bell ringer. These may be questions they answer individually on personal whiteboards, a review maze, or a digital activity (Kahoot, Blooket, etc.). After our warm-up, we generally add notes/examples to our interactive student notebooks. This is followed by guided practice after which students are asked to display their answers on the board, assigned by the drawing of popsicle sticks with their names on them. Any remaining time is used for independent practice which may consist of a worksheet or a digital assignment (edia, amplify, IXL, etc.). Occasionally, independent practice takes the form of a scavenger hunt, group puzzle, or task. I could give my students more freedom by implementing choices. I could offer options for independent practice and allow them to decide which type of assignment they prefer - paper, digital, project, poster or video, for example. Implementing choice boards would allow students to have a voice in how they demonstrate what they have learned. The freedom level would depend upon the maturity level of the students in each class. Too much freedom could lead to idleness, so guidance and support would be extremely important as students master how to manage their time well.
Routines in the classroom are important to give kids consistency and structure. They help kids feel safe and know what to expect, which can eliminate stress and provide a positive learning experience. We have the following routines: welcoming to school in the morning and in the classroom, checking in lunch sticks (hot/cold), reading our date, lunch menu, morning message, which has a joke, fun fact, or tongue twister to read for the day, and sharing time. As a transition to math time after recess, students work on a math fact program individually on their computer, then another game on a math site before we start our whole-group time. Other routines are where to hand work in, what they "may do" after their "must dos" Students also have time for choices (free time) such as puzzle making and marble works building, drawing, coloring, art/creating, card games, building with manipulatives when work is finished or also during a scheduled time for it, to allow more time if they haven't had much for free time. This time allows for creativity, cooperation, communication, expression, STEM, and relaxation. Routines and free time (choices) are both important aspects to our day. I also do incorporate literacy centers, which allows students to complete activities and tasks on their own or as a group, with guidance from me. These centers have a routine/structure to them but also allow for differentiation and freedom for students to work and complete them at their pace, to a certain extent. Different modes of learning keeps things fresh and allows for different learning styles.
Routines are important. It helps the students know what's expected, what is next and what is the goal for the day. It gives them safe boundaries to make various choices inside. Whether it's a choice to read or listen to a book, or choosing to do a book talk, they know it's okay because it's part of our classroom routines.
I believe routines are important in the classroom. I used the "Do Now" that the author spoke about in this chapter. We had established routines that helped the students know what was coming next and what the expectations were. I had several students each year that would have struggled with anxiety or stress over not having established routines. During Reading and Math classes, the students had centers to complete. Unless it was their established day working with the teacher, they had the option of what part of the week's center they were going to work on. I also gave them open ended book projects each month. They chose the book and the way in which they were going to present the book to the class. Too much freedom and I feel like some students, my own child included, would struggle to get anything accomplished. But freedom with some boundaries and set goals, especially in the older grades, allows for the students to take on that sense of responsibility and creativity.
Students perform better academically and have better classroom behavior if the can exist with an established routine. (One caveat, the routine must be a successful routine.) I think meeting the students near the front of the classroom and giving each student a greeting or at least a smile starts the class period off with a good vibe. Then of course roll taking/documenting. For most classes I like a quick 3-5 minute Journal Writing. I will give a prompt for the day or offer them a free write if they so choose. One day a week we will volunteer to read aloud the journals. Then to the ojectives and learning. Then to the practice and application, and then wrap up the class with a Kahoot or Quizzes. Seems to be a successful routine for me!
Routines are important in classrooms. Routines help to establish boundaries and set expectations. They can also help create more freedom and choice for students as autonomy grows from respect and trust. I typically start a class slowly, rather than jumping right in and this has been an antithesis to many a pedagogy. I enjoyed Walker's creation of "leaving margins" as it is how I manage a class. Our social studies routine begins with prayer followed by student inspired discussion over social concerns and the events/happenings of the day. This allows students an outlet for what is a variety of student views which they seem to relish sharing. I find I offer choices in assignments at times and would like to do more of it. I call the end of the year, May Term, and students choose from a selection of assignments. I often wonder what opening these choices up for more student creation would turn out like. I do offer this to my Contemporary World Issues class and seldom have I had a student go in this direction. They seemmto prefer pre-created types of assessment. When they have created their own assessment, results have been mixed. This is much like Walker's "Independent Learning Week". I also found thought-provoking his section on what motivates students more, responsibility over accountability.
I thrive off of routines and feel that they are very important. I’m always impressed with those who can function without routine because I feel in order for my classroom to run smoothly, we need consistency. The more experience that I have become teaching, the more confident I am in my ability to redirect my students when we get off of our routine. I learned very quickly that it was easier to start with a strict routine and lighten up throughout the year, than to give the students more freedom and need to tighten up as the wheels fall off. In my classroom, my students always have some type of warm up, followed by a lesson and then lastly the activity. The warm ups, lessons, and activities change throughout the year to break up the monotony, but my students know what to expect. This routine makes it easier on both my students and a substitute teacher if I have to be gone.
I love routines. Currently, I am a substitute teacher and I can 100% tell from the minute I enter a classroom if the teacher has established routines or does not. The ones that do can practically run themselves and I can see that those students are offered a little more freedom because they know exactly what is expected and what the consequences will be in they run off course.
In my opinion, routines are important, especially for younger children. When there is a lack of routine, I feel that it affects the ability of the students to learn without distractions. I also feel that doing the same things at the same times each day tend to reduce anxiety in students. I also believe students should be given choices in their learning, as it increases engagement. In my classroom, I have must-dos. When the students have completed their must-dos, they have choices in what they can do next. All of the choices are ways to re-inforce what we are learning. Some are on computer, some are games, toys, drawing etc.. Children choose the activities that appeal to them.
ReplyDeleteRoutines are very important in education, and generally in life for children. I've found kids do best when they know what to expect, when lessons, assignments, tests, activities are consistent day to day and week to week. Once routine is established, I do give a lot of freedom for students to choose to follow the routine. Obviously this is the expectation, and they do very well overall will following routine while self-starting.
ReplyDeleteI feel like routines are important. Routines make students feel safe and comfortable, especially if their home life is chaotic. Knowing what to expect when entering a classroom is comforting to both students and teachers. Now when it comes to giving students freedom, I would say that I am comfortable with doing it to some degree. I am okay allowing students to tackle tasks in the order that best suits them, but I would say I have never provided full freedom. My freedom is more about here is a list of tasks we need to complete and master. You have until Friday to complete them as needed. I do provide pretests and only require practice for students who have not mastered the content. I know that we are about to do junior research papers next semester, but we want to develop a guiding theme because giving kids full freedom has not been successful. We might have to revisit this idea. I think I am comfortable giving freedom that still has limitations. The whole time I am reading this chapter, though, I am wondering how to make a Biz Town that implements English.
ReplyDeleteRoutines are very important in my classroom. They teach the students what to expect. and provide a safe learning environment for the students. When routines are in place, my students actually have more choice and freedom in the classroom. They know what the boundaries are, and as long as they stay in those boundaries, then they can have more autonomy in how they learn or the tasks that they do. I establish routines well at the beginning of the year so that the rest of the year, any students in my class know the expectation. I would say that this year, there is probably a little less freedom than in a typical year, as we are in our first year with a new curriculum and standards, and I am working to try and figure out where I can provide more choice within each unit.
ReplyDeleteI think routine is important for students but should also be provided with variety or opportunities of choices. I think like most teachers, I spend a lot of time at the start of the year establishing routines and expectations and then as the year goes on am more flexible and provide more choices. I thought the idea discussed in this chapter of starting with freedom was a solid idea in theory but honestly made me nervous. I like to think I am flexible and provide freedoms in my classroom but a lot of that also comes with comfort in understanding my curriculum and my current set of students as students needs will vary year to year.
ReplyDeleteAre routines important? What degree of freedom are you comfortable giving your students? What does [or could] this look like in your classroom?
ReplyDeleteRoutines are very important, no matter what grade you teach. It’s important that students know the routine and the expectations of the routine. When there are set routines in place and practiced by the students, the routines will be impactful. It will take a load off the teacher when routines are set in place and students know the expectations and have shown that. When routines are set in place, the classroom is a more calm learning environment and less chaos.
Depending on the routine, there are times that I give my students a tad of freedom. I understand as a teacher we need to be flexible, not all days are going to be perfect and the same. When I think about a routine and giving freedom, I think about their morning routine. There are mornings where I let students move around and talk to their peers before we move onto morning announcements. There are other days where I let students just visit with peers at their table. When I give students freedom, I let them know that I still have the expectations such as their voice level needs to be at a level 0 and they need to have self control. If not, they will have to visit with peers at their table spot.
Again, with giving students freedom, I think it’s important to give them freedom, but expectations need to be set in place first and if they are not followed, the freedom needs to be taken away and their needs to be a whole class discussion. Lastly, routines are very important, students know what to expect and they know what you expect out of them.
Routines are an important part of the classroom. They allow learners to be independent by knowing what comes next, where things are located, and what is expected. Routines can also give students a sense of comfort and safety when they do not get that in their home life. They also give teachers flexibility to meet with learners and do check ins while the rest of the group is busy working independently.
ReplyDeleteGiving learners freedom is an important part of their learning. With freedom comes responsibility and it is a balance to see what works with certain groups and specific learners. I also think we need to give learners opportunities to show us what they can handle. After reading chapter 3, I'm curious to see how "starting with freedom" would look in our classrooms. Currently in our program, learners have autonomy in flexible seating options, choosing writing topics, choosing how to demonstrate their learning through different projects, choosing a group to work with, and choosing between learning games, etc. I'd like to explore planning with my students in the send-out program so we could hit on their topics of interest.
Routines are important for both students and adults. These routines become habits and can allow for greater success. My routines like cleaning out the dishwasher in the morning set my home up for success, just like students routines of grabbing their supplies, filling up water bottles and making their lunch choice help set their day in the classroom up for success. Students tend to be calmer when they know what is coming next and they are within their routines.
ReplyDeleteI used a certain degree of freedom within the classroom. I offered choices when it was helpful to do so, letting students select the way they wanted to practice or learn. I tried to let them have freedom over where they sat - many of them would surprise me with who they chose to sit by and their self control when sitting next to friends. I think that that the grade levels I worked with (3rd & 4th) would have a hard time managing a whole Independent Learning Week like the author described - It would take some practice for them to be able to have the time management skills to use it productively, but I did try to build in margin to our schedule to allow space for some times similar to this, where students might have some set task or tasks to complete, but then additional time to work on what they desired, from reading a book of their choice, to playing learning games, to exploring a topic of their choosing.
I believe routines are important for students. I used the "Do Now" strategy in my classroom. As the the students walked into the classroom, their productivity and engagement was immediate. I had the "Do Now" change each day. Mondays were writing related, Tuesday and Thursdays were math or science related and Fridays were brain teasers. I felt like the students knew what was expected and also had a feeling of independence which tuned into showcasing their responsibility or leadership skills. I did find that the students showed a sense of pride and the ability to help a seat partner if needed. This also brought to light their ability to teach the knowledge they had and even helped their classmate to grasp the concept even better maybe because they were learning form a peer.
ReplyDeleteFreedom is also important in the classroom as the students feel the mutual respect between teacher/student. Freedom doesn't have to be huge either. It can be as simple as giving the students the choice to work from their seats or under their desks and eventually to other areas around the room. I have also given the option in reading to choose one from 8 book to give a report on. Reports could be written, a book talk, videoed report or displayed on a tri-fold and explained to the class in a speech form. That reading assignment went over extremely well.
I believe routines are important for students. When students know what to expect I think they feel more at ease and no so nervous about what will happen next. I think students need to have some freedom when it comes to learning. Kids need to learn to be responsible for themselves. There is not always going to be someone to tell them what to do or how to do things. They need to learn that for themselves and take accountability for their actions and learning. Teachers need to let their students make mistakes and not always spoon feed them what they need to do. Little reminders are good for kids but doing everything for them will not make them responsible for themselves.
ReplyDeleteI think routines are important for students. I believe it is a good thing that students know what to expect when coming to class. There are some students that would be fine without routines, but there are a lot who would really struggle without a bit of structure. The degrees of freedom I am comfortable with varies for each student and class. I have had students lead sectionals by themselves in various rooms for my high school band, which has gone very well. Unfortunately, I do not think they would go well with my middle schoolers, so I would not be comfortable with that amount of freedom with them. I have experimented with some degrees of freedom with my 5th graders to varying degrees of success. The biggest way to utilize freedom is sectionals in band. How I would utilize it with 5th grade is allowing some time at the beginning of class to work on some exercises we will hit during class, or work on their stuff they are working on in individual lessons with me. I haven't figured out a good way to work in freedom with middle schoolers yet.
ReplyDeleteI think that routines are super important for students. Routines allow students to know what to expect and allow for greater autonomy because they are able to take responsibility without having to wait for directions. I think having routines allow students to have more time for higher ordering thinking because they don't have to think about the small, little details. If I am being honest, I do struggle with allowing my students freedom in the classroom. I understand that it is important for students to take ownership of their learning, but at the kindergarten level, it can be hard for students to do things independently. I do allow some choices/options, but I think that this is something I need to get better with. One thing that I could do to release more control would be allowing them to have more freedom in their writing.
ReplyDeleteRoutines are very important, especially at the middle school level. At this time of year, I'm comfortable giving my students quite a bit of freedom because we've built trust and respect. It takes time to get to that level so I usually give them less freedom at the beginning of the year while I determine what I can trust them with. I do believe in giving my students some autonomy in what we do. Sometimes it can be as simple as them deciding if they want to do their reading before their assignment or after. I have also let them pick how they want their usernames in the review games we play. For example, when we play a Blooket, I will usually make them put their first name in so I can keep track of who did well and who did not. When we want to change it up, I let them pick what they'd rather do instead. For example, in the past, it's been their favorite candy, their favorite sports player, their favorite food at Thanksgiving, or their favorite book/movie/TV show character. I think as the year has gone on, that they realize that I do those things because I greatly value their opinions and thoughts. I even give them the opportunity to provide feedback on things we do throughout the year so that I know ways that I can be a better teacher or to make learning more engaging for them.
ReplyDeleteI think routines, or procedures, are very important in a school setting and outside of the school. Early in my career, I called my teaching style Freedom within Structure. For me, this meant that I first establish clear expectations, go over procedures, exhibit my own personal boundaries, and give tools to suceed in the lesson objectives. However, I do not teach robots, thankfully, and I appreciate and celebrate the diversity of ideas and skills in the classroom. In assessing student work, I look at how they did meet the student objective, even if they did that in a unique way. That is the beauty of the arts! In math, 2+2=4, every time. In art there are many answers to any given problem. But routines can be seen as a negative if students become complacent or not engaged. Sometimes having a surprise game or brain- break is great for creating a dynamic learning environment. The one thing I will add is that some students do especially thrive with strict routine (autism, trauma) and to be sensitive to these students. I remember hearing the author of Teach Like Pirate talk about taking his students on a surprise "trip" to a "Speak easy" in a darkened room and after having foster children thought that could be very triggering to them.
ReplyDeleteI believe that routines are very important, especially in a middle school setting and special education classroom. At the beginning of the school year, routines are clearly established so students understand expectations, which allowed me to safely offer them more independence throughout the school year. In time throughout the school year, I gave more and more freedom to students. An example would be when students had to work on writing, I allowed them to choose what they wrote about. Sometimes I would give a general topic I’d like them to write about such as “animals” and they would go from there. They really enjoyed this as it showed their passion for what they were writing about as well as they could dive deeper into that passion. Another example was allowing students to choose where they sat during their free time. If all work was completed, no missing work for other classes, and grades were good, they got to choose a spot in my room to have free time or complete an “I’m done with my work, what now?” task. I believe freedom is built on mutual respect and a clear understanding of expectations.
ReplyDeleteRoutines really do matter. When students know what to expect, it creates a sense of safety and lowers anxiety—they can focus more on learning and less on guessing what’s coming next. I think that kind of consistency is especially important for kids who thrive on structure or feel overwhelmed easily.
ReplyDeleteAs an art teacher, I also recognize that the art room often looks very different from other classrooms. There’s usually more movement, more noise, and a lot more creative freedom. Because of that, routines become even more important. When students understand the basic flow of class and the expectations, they can handle the organized chaos that sometimes comes with making art.
At the same time, flexibility is key. No two classes—or projects—are ever exactly the same. Once routines are established, I’m comfortable giving students a good amount of freedom. This might look like choosing where they work, whether they collaborate or work independently, or how they problem-solve during a project. The structure provides stability, while the flexibility allows creativity to thrive. For me, it’s all about balance—clear routines paired with trust and freedom.
I'm a firm believer in routines. When I was teaching junior high, I had routine bell-ringer activities that students would complete in their class notebooks. It would alternate between free-writing time and DOL assignments for the first 10 minutes or so of class. I'd also be consistent about posting the schedule of the day and the objective of the day for all the students to see. Most of the junior high staff would write on their hallway windows what items the students needed for class (laptop, textbook, etc). I wanted to give them an opportunity to know what to expect each day and to ease their worries or anxiety in any way that I could. It also helps them come to class prepared and have a positive experience. There are many other small pieces of the routine, but I found this was extremely helpful for the students and myself. At the beginning of the year, I start small with the amount of freedom students have, outside of my assignments. I think it's important to offer academic choices to the students whenever you can. I would give assignments that allowed for creativity and freedom - which is fairly easy to offer when teaching writing. However, with behavior-related things like classroom seating or free time at the end of class, I'd say that type of freedom is earned as trust and respect for one another is built. There were certain classes that had a great deal of freedom. Other classes had very little because they would abuse the freedom at the first opportunity. As the previous poster said, it's all about balance. Each class is different, and it's important to adjust to the needs of each class.
ReplyDeleteI know a lot of teachers spend the first few days of school focusing on all of the rules and procedures and routines.....I am not one of those teachers. On the first day of school, I tell my kids the only rule in my classroom is respect.....respect the teacher, their classmates, and most importantly, themselves. Each day I have a "getting started" page on my board and the students know that they need to get those materials out and that is about the only routine I have. Each day is different in my room and I love it that way. If you would ask my students, I feel they would tell you they have more freedoms than not. I treat 8th graders like adults and if an issue comes up, then we address it. I let them choose if they want to work together or with a partner. I let them choose who their partner is most of the time. If they need to go to the restroom, I say fill out a pass and go. I want kids to want to come to school. If we do certain activities that take longer, I may let them lay on the floor to where they are more comfortable. I want my room to be a safe space. I will give choice boards where they can decide on what they want to do out of a list of assignments. In my opinion, all of these way word great. I have great relationships with my students and don't really have behavior issues.
ReplyDeleteI am a firm believer in routines. Students must know what is expected and when they have permission to do things so that classrooms run smoothly. My students have some freedom of choice and I have been experimenting a little. One day I gave students the choice of three different math assignments. All accomplishing the same goal but in different formats. Students liked having the choice. I also give them a choice of seating during work times. Some students choose to stay seated while others would prefer to be on the floor around the room. Student choice in projects does not always need to be student directed.
ReplyDeleteAs an early childhood special education (ECSE) teacher, routines are very important in my classroom. Routines provide safety, predictability, and structure, which many of my students need—especially those who have experienced trauma or have disabilities that require consistency. When students know what to expect, they are often more regulated and ready to learn. At the same time, I would like to allow my students more freedom within those routines. Sometimes I worry that too much flexibility could be challenging for students who rely heavily on structure. However, I believe it is possible to balance both. In my classroom, this could look like maintaining consistent daily routines while offering choices within activities. For example, students might choose which center they work in, which materials they use, or how they complete an activity. This allows them some independence and voice while still keeping the predictable structure that helps them feel safe and successful.
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ReplyDeleteI am a believer that routines are important to a certain degree. Getting to school on time, having breakfast after arriving to school, sitting in the same desk, eating lunch, all set the done of consistency for the independent learner. We use a different type of system that your customary or traditional classroom uses in our high school alternative classroom. Students use their 4 year plan of study to decide which courses that want to work on for the week. (within reason, some course require a prerequisite course) Normally students select two courses, alternating back and forth as they feel the need to put one of the courses on hold, while they work on the other course. This can be for a few days, or they can complete the entire course at one time which normally takes about 3 weeks per semester course. I feel giving the student freedom to choose the course to work on and develop their own plan of study gives them more ownership in their learning and reduces the students stress level.
Yes, I believe that routines are important. I feel that kids thrive off of routine. They like knowing what they are doing every day and at what time they are doing it. I do think kids need to have some freedom, and by freedom I think they need to feel as if they have choices. I let them have choice in if they stand or sit. They can sit in a regular chair or a wiggly chair. They have choices in what they can do when they finish their work. They have choices in the books that I read them. They have choices in the things they choose to write about etc. I feel when they are given more choices, they feel they have a say in how their day goes. It tends to produce more positive behavior in the room and less negative behavior.
ReplyDeleteYes, I believe that routines are important to some students and to other students I do not think it matters much at all. I also believe that routines are more important at the lower levels as well. I have worked with Mass Customized Learning (MCL) and Project Based Learning (PBL) as well and I quickly learned that the amount of freedom you give a student depends on the student and most students (at least at the 11th and 12th grades) do not handle freedom well at all. Most students I found need to have the freedom of choice or at least have choices, but they still need daily checks, constant feedback and hard due dates. What MCL and PBL winded up looking like in my room is that students have lots of options to earn points towards their daily work (formative assessments) and different options in terms of tests/quizzes. I found this method of giving students freedom with supports to be the most successful.
ReplyDeleteI believe routines are important in the classroom. Students thrive in knowing what they are learning and when. Students need routine as a part of helping them be organized and structured in their learning, which helps them take responsibility in their learning as well. Freedom within the classroom is when students are given choices when appropriate with their learning. I think I could do more within my own classroom to incorporate more freedom, but I do feel students need consistency, feedback, and guidance to support freedom in their learning.
ReplyDeleteRoutines are important because they give students structure - they know what to expect. For some students, this is very important, and for others, it may not matter much. I think students feel more comfortable when they have routines in place. Comfort promotes better learning environments. A typical period in my math classroom is predictable, and I think students appreciate that. We generally begin class with some type of warm-up or bell ringer. These may be questions they answer individually on personal whiteboards, a review maze, or a digital activity (Kahoot, Blooket, etc.). After our warm-up, we generally add notes/examples to our interactive student notebooks. This is followed by guided practice after which students are asked to display their answers on the board, assigned by the drawing of popsicle sticks with their names on them. Any remaining time is used for independent practice which may consist of a worksheet or a digital assignment (edia, amplify, IXL, etc.). Occasionally, independent practice takes the form of a scavenger hunt, group puzzle, or task. I could give my students more freedom by implementing choices. I could offer options for independent practice and allow them to decide which type of assignment they prefer - paper, digital, project, poster or video, for example. Implementing choice boards would allow students to have a voice in how they demonstrate what they have learned. The freedom level would depend upon the maturity level of the students in each class. Too much freedom could lead to idleness, so guidance and support would be extremely important as students master how to manage their time well.
ReplyDeleteRoutines in the classroom are important to give kids consistency and structure. They help kids feel safe and know what to expect, which can eliminate stress and provide a positive learning experience. We have the following routines: welcoming to school in the morning and in the classroom, checking in lunch sticks (hot/cold), reading our date, lunch menu, morning message, which has a joke, fun fact, or tongue twister to read for the day, and sharing time. As a transition to math time after recess, students work on a math fact program individually on their computer, then another game on a math site before we start our whole-group time. Other routines are where to hand work in, what they "may do" after their "must dos" Students also have time for choices (free time) such as puzzle making and marble works building, drawing, coloring, art/creating, card games, building with manipulatives when work is finished or also during a scheduled time for it, to allow more time if they haven't had much for free time. This time allows for creativity, cooperation, communication, expression, STEM, and relaxation. Routines and free time (choices) are both important aspects to our day. I also do incorporate literacy centers, which allows students to complete activities and tasks on their own or as a group, with guidance from me. These centers have a routine/structure to them but also allow for differentiation and freedom for students to work and complete them at their pace, to a certain extent. Different modes of learning keeps things fresh and allows for different learning styles.
ReplyDeleteRoutines are important. It helps the students know what's expected, what is next and what is the goal for the day. It gives them safe boundaries to make various choices inside. Whether it's a choice to read or listen to a book, or choosing to do a book talk, they know it's okay because it's part of our classroom routines.
ReplyDeleteI believe routines are important in the classroom. I used the "Do Now" that the author spoke about in this chapter. We had established routines that helped the students know what was coming next and what the expectations were. I had several students each year that would have struggled with anxiety or stress over not having established routines. During Reading and Math classes, the students had centers to complete. Unless it was their established day working with the teacher, they had the option of what part of the week's center they were going to work on. I also gave them open ended book projects each month. They chose the book and the way in which they were going to present the book to the class. Too much freedom and I feel like some students, my own child included, would struggle to get anything accomplished. But freedom with some boundaries and set goals, especially in the older grades, allows for the students to take on that sense of responsibility and creativity.
ReplyDeleteStudents perform better academically and have better classroom behavior if the can exist with an established routine. (One caveat, the routine must be a successful routine.) I think meeting the students near the front of the classroom and giving each student a greeting or at least a smile starts the class period off with a good vibe. Then of course roll taking/documenting. For most classes I like a quick 3-5 minute Journal Writing. I will give a prompt for the day or offer them a free write if they so choose. One day a week we will volunteer to read aloud the journals. Then to the ojectives and learning. Then to the practice and application, and then wrap up the class with a Kahoot or Quizzes. Seems to be a successful routine for me!
ReplyDeleteRoutines are important in classrooms. Routines help to establish boundaries and set expectations. They can also help create more freedom and choice for students as autonomy grows from respect and trust. I typically start a class slowly, rather than jumping right in and this has been an antithesis to many a pedagogy. I enjoyed Walker's creation of "leaving margins" as it is how I manage a class. Our social studies routine begins with prayer followed by student inspired discussion over social concerns and the events/happenings of the day. This allows students an outlet for what is a variety of student views which they seem to relish sharing.
ReplyDeleteI find I offer choices in assignments at times and would like to do more of it. I call the end of the year, May Term, and students choose from a selection of assignments. I often wonder what opening these choices up for more student creation would turn out like. I do offer this to my Contemporary World Issues class and seldom have I had a student go in this direction. They seemmto prefer pre-created types of assessment. When they have created their own assessment, results have been mixed. This is much like Walker's "Independent Learning Week". I also found thought-provoking his section on what motivates students more, responsibility over accountability.
I thrive off of routines and feel that they are very important. I’m always impressed with those who can function without routine because I feel in order for my classroom to run smoothly, we need consistency. The more experience that I have become teaching, the more confident I am in my ability to redirect my students when we get off of our routine. I learned very quickly that it was easier to start with a strict routine and lighten up throughout the year, than to give the students more freedom and need to tighten up as the wheels fall off. In my classroom, my students always have some type of warm up, followed by a lesson and then lastly the activity. The warm ups, lessons, and activities change throughout the year to break up the monotony, but my students know what to expect. This routine makes it easier on both my students and a substitute teacher if I have to be gone.
ReplyDeleteI love routines. Currently, I am a substitute teacher and I can 100% tell from the minute I enter a classroom if the teacher has established routines or does not. The ones that do can practically run themselves and I can see that those students are offered a little more freedom because they know exactly what is expected and what the consequences will be in they run off course.
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