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Posted by Tyne Brack

15 More Must Teach Middle School Routines

23 Jun

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Year five is in the books! Each year I try new things, and learn how to best set students up for success. This year I have found that there are middle school routines  that I did not explain in my first post, 20 Must Teacher Middle School Routines and Procedures, and ended up incorporating throughout the year.  Thus, I present to you 15 MORE must teach middle school routines and procedures.  Let’s get started, shall we?

This is week two of our summer middle schools series collaboration with Erin from Mrs. Beers Language Arts Class.  Be sure to check out week one: 10 Things Middle Schoolers Want You to Know.

15 more middle school routines and procedures to keep your students on the right track and your classroom running smoothly. | maneuveringthemiddle.com

 15 MORE MUST TEACH MIDDLE SCHOOL ROUTINES

1. Where do backpacks go?

Yep! I tripped over several this year due to a new desk layout. I prefer for students to have them under their desks so that the aisles are clear, but I could also see students hooking them to the backs of their chairs. Some of you might have lockers or other corrals for backpacks, which is awesome.

2. What to do when you are finished?

My school uses the phrase ‘assign yourself.’ I simply have to tell students to “assign themselves,” and they know exactly what it means. Here are some questions to think about before implementing this in your classroom: Do they get out a book or can they work on homework in another class? Can they get on technology? Are they actually finished? Have they done everything that is required of the assignment? Is there an extension or challenge activity? If so, where is it and do they need permission to go get it?

3. If you are missing a supply

I discussed pencils in my last post, but this year, many students were missing their orange folder. Their orange folder is where I passed out an entire unit’s materials, so in order for them to be successful in class, they had to have it. They would leave it at home or worse LOSE IT. I had four back up packets for each unit that were stored in an accessible place. Students had to have their orange folder out as part of their bell ringer routine, so I could visible see if anyone was missing it. Students could borrow the packet to use for a class period, and they would put it back before leaving class.

Think about what essential supplies your students need…what should they do if they don’t have it?

4. Volume/Voice Level

At the beginning of the year (and usually the middle and end), I model what each volume level means. Level 0 means absolutely silent. Level 1 means whispering only if you have a question or need something explained by a table partner. Level 2 is group level work that is more conversational but is still a whisper.

5. Using Manipulatives
 Like any supply in my classroom, manipulatives need to be treated respectfully and with care. My most used manipulative this year were my individual number lines. I took all of the necessary precautions and laminated them and gave them an accessible storage space. However, I could not have guessed what many students would do with them. Students would wrap them around their head like a bandana causing them to curl and bend. Since I didn’t cover that as part of ways we don’t treat our materials, I had to backtrack and set that expectation. It was a good reminder that it is never too late to set up an expectation.
6. Answering in complete sentences

This routine and procedure is still a work in progress for me. It can be a challenge to hold students to this expectation especially when there is so much to get done in a class period. However, your students will only get faster at it the more you hold them to doing it. Tip: give a small reward to or praise the first student to answer in a complete sentence in a class period and the remaining students will follow suit. Also, having sentence stems posted is a great resource for students. 

7. Turn and talks

Turn and talks are a great way to get all students discussing content. I like to use the Kagan method: think, pair, share. I give all students think time, followed by time for students to discuss with their elbow partner for a specific amount of time, and after an attention getter, I call on a few students. Tip: make sure to circulate during this time to correct any off topic conversations.

8. Caring for white boards and expo markers

This procedure changed for me this year due to the popularity of flipping items (ei: water bottles and Expo markers). Where does the cap go? On the end so it doesn’t get lost.  Are students allowed to doodle? Only at the appropriate times. Do we flip the marker? Never!  Tip:  Give students a minute at the beginning to get all the doodles out and then again at the end as a reward. Who doesn’t love to doodle on whiteboards? 

9. Glue sticks

Glue sticks can be quite a challenge! More often than I care to admit, I threw away glue sticks because the glue had stuck to the inside of the lid. Never forget: gluesticks have to be rolled back down before the top goes on. A great student job is a glue manager; the glue manager would either at the beginning or end of the school day check all glue sticks and replace any that are low or have gone missing.

10. Dismissing from class

Does the bell dismiss the class? Do you dismiss a table or a row at a time? Do you have the students line up before leaving? I like to dismiss a table at a time so that I can check for trash and make sure that all materials have been cleaned up properly.

11. Taking attendance

Taking attendance is not hard, but remembering to take attendance is challenging, so this is a routine that I teach my second period class to remember for me. At 10:20, hands go up. “Mrs. Brack, have you taken attendance yet?” In fact, I have one student who informs me of any absent students; I double check and then enter the information electronically.

12. Absent Work/Late Work

Where do students get their absent or late work? How long do they have to turn it into you and where do they turn it in? This is a routine that has changed year to year, and I haven’t found a perfect solution, so if you have a system that works, please share in the comments.

13. Tardy Students

Students who come in late can be a disruption if you do not have a procedure in place. Consider your school policy and what to do if they don’t have a pass.

14. Teacher Desk and Teacher Things

ONLY WITH PERMISSION 🙂

15. How to Disagree when Working in Partners

A real push this year in my classroom was student discourse. When students discuss their work, they are bound to disagree, so students need to know how they can disagree in a respectful way. My students know that if they get different answers, they shouldn’t say “you’re wrong,” but they are required to explain their thinking until the mistake is discovered. Mistakes make us better!

What middle school routines do you plan on using this next year? What did I miss? What makes your classroom work?

15 more middle school routines and procedures to keep your students on the right track and your classroom running smoothly. | maneuveringthemiddle.com

 

 

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42 Comments

  1. Ann says

    Great list! I’ll be looking at this again before school starts. For glue sticks, I also teach how to glue the paper down- all 4 edges and a big X from corner to corner. If we use tape, 4 small pieces (no longer than the length of your knuckle to the finger tip), one on each corner.

      • Gail Richards says

        The way I deal with absences won’t work for everyone, but I only have 50 students, which I teach both math and science. I hand out all papers, etc if someone is absent the student who sits next to them writes down any special directions and due dates and then puts the paperwork in their mailbox. If there is no paperwork it is online, which students are supposed to check regularly.

        • Marlene Goodrich says

          I have a student assigned in each class to collect papers for absent students, put a name on them and put them in the “what you missed” file. They are called “The Assistant”. When the student returns from being absent the Assistant is their go -to person before they ask me. They ask the Assistant about the class they missed and the assignment. Even if they need to conference a few minutes in the hallway, it get the absent student going without interrupting the class. Absent students are always encouraged to ask me after class or after school if they don’t understand. The Assistant feels important and works hard to keep up so they are ready to “teach” anyone who is absent. It works in every class.

    • Joy McCollum says

      Hello,
      I just purchased your poster pack, and I don’t see the noise level posters. I know you said you added them, but I can’t find them. any thoughts?

      • Noelle Pickering says

        Hi Joy! If you own the file, they are a PDF included labeled Voice Level Posters. Hope that helps!

    • Amber says

      Yes!! I call the glue method you explained “Perimeter X”. It’s good because then when we get to the geometry unit students remember what perimeter means!

    • Candace says

      Hello!
      Two years ago I bought your bundle with Champs in it as well as growth mindset, etc. I had a hard time using CHAMPS but would definitely use the voice level posters. Are those in there and I missed them? Or how can I get just those posters?? Thank you for all you do! Just loaded my cart in tpt with many of your items again.

      • Tyne Brack says

        Hi, Candace! The voice level posters were added after the product originally launched, so just go to TPT and download the update. Thank you for your feedback and have a great school year!

  2. Ronneisha says

    Hey Noelle! I so love your posts on classroom routines. Your bundle with all of the classroom charts, especially the CHAMPS, saved me last year. Everyone loved it! Is the voice levels chart included in the bundle now or is it separate from the bundle?

  3. Michelle says

    In regards to absent work, I keep all my extra copies in a crate organized by date. At the end of the day I place all the copies in the folder for that date. I then email all the absent students with our agenda for the day with instructions on how or where to find/make up the work (I.e. See Mrs. Adams for make up or See PowerSchool or grey crate for a copy). I tell the students during their warm up time to check their email and retrieve their copies of necessary hand outs.

    I don’t stress about when to have it turned in since my school allows make up work pretty much to the last day of the grading period.

    • Noelle Pickering says

      This sounds like a great system that you have working for you! Thanks for sharing!

    • Brianne says

      I do the same with a crate with folders marked 1-31 and I put extra copies in there. I also have a calendar above the crate that I write on with the agenda for that day.

      As for turning in I have a late/missing drawer as well as an absent drawer underneath their normal class turn in drawers. The difference in those is points off for late work no points off for absent work.

      I have found this whole system has been amazing and very student centered and makes less management by the teacher than other systems I have tried.

    • Amber says

      I am implementing the crate for make-up work. How do you guys handle late work if your school requires you to take it all the way up to the end of a grading period? I’ve struggled with this idea for years. How do we encourage the responsibility of doing work on time if we have to accept it no matter what? Thoughts?

      • Tyne Brack says

        Hi, Amber – That sounds really tough! One idea is to communicate that work should be done and practiced in order to best understand future concepts. Waiting until the end of the grading period will only get you behind – both in workload AND math understanding. Best of luck!

  6. Gail Richards says

    Hi Noelle, I think I have stock in your company. ???? we haven’t been given textbook money in years, so I have purchased all of you grade 8 files. I love them; in fact, for my challenged group there are three extra people EC teacher, Title I math teacher and a tutor, and they all loved your handouts, etc. as well.

    Anyway, I hope you know how much. I appreciate you help. The reply above this mentions something about a bundle with classroom charts and champs. I couldn’t find it. What should I look under?

  8. Katherine says

    For my classroom last year, I had a routine for absent or lost work. In the back of my classroom, there was a crate labeled by the date and then 3 folders inside because I taught 3 subjects. Students names were on their copies for missed work, if lost take one without a name. And they knew if they were taking the last copy I was to be notified to make extras in case. Our students have only the amount of days absent to make up work.
    This year, my school is going 1:1 so for my math classes at least, we do interactive notebooks, so I will still have the bin the same, but I will also have the blank notes and filled out notes released for their viewing and printing at home at 3:30 each day. This way they have access if they forgot their notes at school or were absent and want to catch up. I also am stressing notebook checks this year and explaining they must be hand written so students cannot just print the answer notes.

    • Noelle Pickering says

      Thanks so much for sharing! Did you know that research shows that you retain material better when you actually write it? Maybe you can share that little tidbit with them. 🙂

  9. Kim says

    I made a “note to self” to teach my students how to sit in their chairs next year. I got tired of telling the same students, “stop leaning in your chair”! Also, I had the next class line up outside my door (down the wall – I even put duct tape where they should stand) and wait for me to tell them to enter the classroom. This gave my exiting class time to leave and no traffic jams. All 8th grade teachers on my hall implemented this and it really helped relieve congestion in the hallway.

    • Noelle Pickering says

      My neighbor the science teacher always said “all four on the floor”. It sounds like you have solved the traffic jams! Wohoo!

  10. Michelle says

    My students all have laptops provided by the school. When using our interactive notebooks, I simply write a simple summary of what I did on my back white board. It is the students responsiliby to get their work from a classmate unless it is over three days. I than email the parents and students with the missing work and attach any sheets or notes needed. I have a 10 day 10 point late policy. You have 10 days to turn it in, and it’s 10 points off for everyday. I put this right in my syllabus so parents know as well. If it’s a paper assignment when it’s turned in, I write “late and the date” it was turned in. This way there is no question if I cannot grade it right away. For computer assignments, the students have to email me when it is completed so I have a record there as well.

  11. Kathy Ehrlich says

    I put a copy of the absentee’s daily packet (including the HW) in the graded folder for his/her class [I teach five sections of 6th grade math]. I tell kids as part of my first day comments that they need to ask for it, but I usually remember and they get it at the start of class the day they return.

  12. Kayla says

    Absent Work: I use a bulletin board entitled “While You Were Out”. Each class has its own pocket folder on bulletin board. When I pass out assignments, I ask another student to write the name of each absent student on the handouts and place it in the appropriate folder. I also complete a “While You Were Out” form, this provides the absent student information about the day. The next day, students check the bulletin board to get their work they missed. It has been a great system. 🙂

  13. Dawn says

    I have a system for make-up work that has worked well for me . . . I have a separate white board (2′ by 3′) at the back of my room that has the heading “Absentee work”. It has magnetic clips and class labels by the clip where I place a worksheet or piece of notebook paper with the assignment from the book written on it (and, of course, the student’s name). Students are responsible to show me any work they missed when I check the day’s homework. The next day, they show me the absentee work.

  14. Michelle says

    I have finally found a system that works for me for absent work. I simply made “while you were out” folders. These folders are just red pocket folders with a laminated page on the front and pockets labeled notes and assignments. If a child is out their partner gets a folder and places it on their desk while I take attendance. They write their name and date on the front with a wet erase marker. Anything I hand out they place in the folder. At the end of class they clip it on the parking lot. It is the responsibility of the absent child to get their folder and complete missing assignments. They erase their name and return folder to the bin.