Kindergarten routines and procedures may seem like a this huge hurdle to overcome and in a way, it is. However, it is probably THE most rewarding thing you can do in the classroom because NOTHING will get done without teaching kindergarten routines and transitions from the beginning.
Kindergarten Routines – Arrival
First thing is first. Students will come into your classroom on varying levels. It will be a painstaking task to get them all on the same page at the beginning. I find that having play-doh mats and play-doh will help to ensure that stay busy! This has been my go to for 5 years and it works every time. I have tried other things but this seems to be the best. Each student will get a tray with their alphabet on it and a cup of play-doh. This lasts the first week and sometimes the first two weeks. It seems to make an easier transition leaving their parents when they get to go pick their own color too! I have some here.
The Line
Do not think that these babies will know how to walk in a line. Most of them do NOT! Unless, they have been to Pre-K, you will find that you have to teach this kindergarten routine as well.
I always place their names on the floor. I find that numbers are too difficult in the beginning and that the focus on name recognition helps. Numbers work fine as a 1st-grade routine and if you have a higher kindergarten class then you can use numbers as well.
We also do “shoulder checks.” I teach them to stick out their arm with ONE finger and touch the person in front of them on the shoulder. This ensures they don’t leave big gaps. When I see gaps starting, I will say, “shoulder check,” and they will do it until I put my arm down or say, “down.” Non-verbal cues will be your best friend, especially in the hallway.
Kindergarten Transitions
Kindergarten routines and transitions can be very tedious. Our school adopted the C.H.A.M.P.S. method. If you haven’t heard of this you may want to give it a google search. Essentially, each part of the word is an expectation that must be taught after every transition. I do this in a chant-style routine which makes it very repetitive but it works. The hardest part is doing it EVER.SINGLE.TIME because it gets old but I would rather have a class that knows their expectations than one that doesn’t.
C- Conversation (voice level)
H- Help ( what do you do if you need help)
A- Activity (what is your activity)
M- Movement (what movement is allowed)
P- Participation (how do I know students are participating)
S- Success
I have found this to be very helpful. If you explain everything that you plan to do and set clear and concise expectations, your day will go smoother. If CHAMPS has not been adopted by your school, you can still use that method! You can also do something similar and make it your own. I find that adding a chant so that students repeat their expectations makes a dramatic difference. Here’s my personal chant that I use daily that sounds sing-songy and has hand motions.
Chant
T: What level are we on? S: (ze-ro)
T: If you need help? S: (raise your hand for permission to speak)
T: What’s our activity? S: (car-pet time)
T: Do we move around? S:(no, we stay in our seat)
T: How do I know you are participating? S: criss-cross applesauce hands in your lap… just like that)
T: If we do all those things what do we get? S: (suc-cess)
T: What is success for you? S: (dojo points)
Done for you
If you are looking for something to help with all of these routines and procedures. I have made an entire first week of school packet that does just that. This will make your kindergarten routines a breeze. I have been the first year teacher that wanted the guidance and even now, I still love prepped and done for me material! Here are my first week of school activities that are done for you with some editable options!
Leaving For The Day
Last, you will be surprised how long this actually takes. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that the students will be able to pack themselves up. Some can and some cannot. You will want to model, model, model! Since my students are at a table, I dismiss one table at a time to pack up but in the beginning, I start super early and all one STUDENT at a time. We watch and praise each student as the remember where the backpacks are and where to find their name spot on the floor. So essentially each student is modeling after you have modeled. As a matter of fact, you will be modeling everything, all day, for two weeks or longer so prepare yourself mentally. It will get better, I promise. 🙂
If you want some help with dismissal procedures, then snag these backpack tags here.
You can read more about how they help save hours of time in this post. First Day of Kindergarten Activities
