Back to Basics: Getting them in the door
In this Back to Basics series, I'll be looking at the nuts and bolts parts of teaching.
The first five minutes is the busiest time of the lesson for a teacher and has significant challenges and onerous admin tasks to complete (namely the register). It's also the time where the tone for the lesson is set and students achieve the focus they require for the lesson ahead.
Entry Routines: Setting the Tone
The first moments of a lesson are powerful. They shape the atmosphere, the students' mindset, and, ultimately, the success of the class. An effective entry routine is predictable and efficient. Here are some ideas to get your students through the door and ready for learning:
Greet the kids: "Straddling the door" is often peddled by SLT as a way for staff to monitor the corridor, but that's just a bonus additional effect. The real reason you should be doing it is that it gives you a chance to see the kids as they arrive. Greet them warmly as they enter the room. Keep it short - you'll be saying it 20-30 times. My greeting is just a "good morning/afternoon" with a smile. I then follow this after their reply with a "books out ready, eyes on the board" - a reminder that the board has their first task on.
Do Nows: I have something on the board for them every lesson. They walk in, they take their books out, they sit (ideally in silence, but this often takes a quick whole class verbal reminder). Same every lesson. The routine is embedded within the first few weeks by doing it consistently. They know what to expect. The do now content will vary, but there are only 3 possible activities in my lessons so that over time they can stop thinking and achieve a sense of automaticity in those first 5 minutes. If they are doing it automatically, then I don't need to give them any input. More on these in a future post.
Clear Expectations: The more they know what to expect, the smoother the transition from outside chaos to focused learning. They write in their homework, they get prepared for the lesson. If they aren't meeting expectations, they leave my classroom. I outline the way in which they should have entered ("come in silently, book out, do now") before they try it again.
Entry Routine Tips
Be Consistent: The more routine the entry is, the more students will get used to it, and the less time you'll spend settling them. Make this a priority.
Be Ruthless: A colleague once told me "behaviour can be sorted in the first 5 minutes". Students don't come into the room unless they are ready. For me, that's uniform correct. If they look like they're chewing, I grab the bin from just inside the door and bring it to them so that they can remove their gum. If they haven't been walking to class sensibly and are hyped up, they wait calmly until they are ready while other more prepared students file past them and are greeted kindly by me.
Be Efficient: Within the first two weeks of school, students stop asking me about homework at the door. They know I won't answer. That conversation takes away from greeting other students. They know the specific time at which my door closes and they are late to lesson. When the door shuts they know the register will be happening 10 seconds later. You are the leader of your classroom. You dictate the activities and pace. Don't let them take you off task in these crucial first five minutes!
These first moments set the foundation for the rest of your lesson. An effective entry routine not only ensures students are ready and focused but also gives you an opportunity to set the musical tone early on.
What routines work best for you when getting students "in the door"? I'd love to hear about your approaches.
