Only two weeks until the Christmas holiday! It seems this has been the longest term of my life. I know, I started a new job, and it’s my first year as a reception teacher. Early Years children sap up all my energy every single day. What is positive about teaching EYFS regarding life balance? Planning is mostly done during PPA, and there’s no marking. However, lots of sticking, taking photos, preparing activities, buying resources, and being imaginative. All these things can take most of my energy.
There is one thing I haven’t changed: my discipline of sticking to routines and providing structure and predictability to children. These are essential in classroom management and children’s productivity. Routines and clear expectations take time to embed. But once it’s done, you’re saving a lot of the children’s energy and most of their working memory – which they then use in meaningful learning.
Some people don’t agree with my routines. I don’t blame them; we are unique individuals and cannot like everything other people do. However, those routines work for me, and what’s more important, for the kids. There may be better ways to do all those things, and I am always open to discussing and trying new ideas. What I cannot tolerate is the lack of action. Routines and clear expectations must exist. They’re a must, not only in schools but in leading happy lives.
I got the impression that, for some adults, those routines are like tyranny for the children. They don’t understand their purpose, and they cannot see beyond the repetitive facts. Routines help children’s brains. It boosts well-being, as they regulate adrenaline and cortisol production – these are produced when our bodies/brains are in the state of alert or stress. Routines also improve classroom management. Children know what teachers expect from them, and they see that rules are acted upon in a fairer way.
Don’t get me wrong, when I talk about routines, it’s not just about behaviour, classroom movement, or transitions. Routines are also part of my teaching approach. I try to keep my routines in place because, as I said, they help children free their working memory. I don’t mean that I only teach things in one way; I actually model everything in different ways. I’m talking about the structure of lessons, assessment for learning, etc. I try to be consistent with these because, again, it helps with children’s learning and with the flow of lessons. These routines help me know what comes next.
Now imagine that this approach was implemented in schools with consistency; routines were discussed, and things were the same in all classrooms regardless of the teachers. Imagine this from a visitor’s perspective. You would quickly understand how things are done in that school, and that consistency would look amazing. Don’t you think so?
In conclusion, routines are the magic all teachers need to succeed. It’s not just a theoretical idea; they work. I have proven it, and they do. Even in a new school and a new year group. These routines help children, and progress in classroom dynamics is evident within just a few weeks. I now work in a big team, and it will be great to see what these routines can do for us teachers, and most importantly, for the children.
Mr Sanchez Tutoring 