{"id":4144,"date":"2010-06-28T22:32:21","date_gmt":"2010-06-28T22:32:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/thecornerstone.wpengine.com\/?p=4144"},"modified":"2021-11-16T11:28:46","modified_gmt":"2021-11-16T15:28:46","slug":"arrival-dismissal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/truthforteachers.com\/arrival-dismissal\/","title":{"rendered":"Tips for Setting Up Classroom Arrival and Dismissal Routines"},"content":{"rendered":"

This page (which is a chapter overview of\u00a0The Cornerstone book<\/a>) describes 3 major routines for your daily schedule: arrival at school, returning to the classroom from lunch and special classes, and dismissal. You\u2019ll discover a variety of different procedures for each so you can choose ideas that fit your teaching style and situation.<\/p>\n

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Choosing what works for your class<\/h3>\n

I change arrival and dismissal routines from time to time, based on my needs and those of students, s
\no you\u2019ll see lots of different ideas here.\u00a0 Remember that routines can and should be modified throughout the year, so nothing is ever set in stone.\u00a0 Decide on something you think will work, teach it to your students, and adapt it as needed, taking the time to explain to children why you are making changes and showingthem exactly what you\u2019d like them to do differently.\u00a0 The possibilities for classroom structure are varied, and you have a great deal of freedom to try new things when you know how to teach procedures effectively.<\/p>\n

Arrival at school<\/h3>\n

When students first enter the classroom each morning, they should expect a predictable set of tasks to be awaiting them.\u00a0 This will set the tone for the entire day and communicate to children, \u201cWelcome back.\u00a0 This is a safe, familiar place for you.\u00a0 You know exactly what to do, and you will be successful at meeting the expectations.\u201d\u00a0 The morning should be a calm, quiet time (assuming that\u2019s your preference) for you and the students to gear up for the school day.<\/p>\n

The precise tasks you require of your students will depend on your school\u2019s arrival system for students.\u00a0 One of the most influential factors is whether children will be slowly trickling in for fifteen to thirty minutes, or whether most will arrive all at once.\u00a0 If students come in slowly, you will need to have open-ended and \u2018early finisher\u2019 activities planned for students who have completed their tasks before other students even enter the room.\u00a0 This can be handled quite simply by having early arrivers read books quietly or get on the computers.\u00a0 If students come in all at once, you will need to design procedures to prevent chaos when students are unpacking, getting their chairs, and sharpening pencils.\u00a0 If your children line up outside your door in the morning, you can let five in at a time when the bell rings, and spend a moment greeting and talking with the others.<\/p>\n

Regardless of your situation, you will still have many routine tasks you want students to complete: unstacking chairs, unpacking book bags, taking out homework and papers from home, using the bathroom, sharpening pencils, and so on.\u00a0 You will need to explain these things on the first day of school.\u00a0 I usually review them at the end of every day during the first week (\u201cSo, when you arrive in the classroom tomorrow morning, what are the things you will need to do?\u201d).\u00a0 I also include them on my Morning Work list written on the board until students are able to recall and complete them routinely.<\/p>\n

Returning to the classroom from lunch and special classes<\/h3>\n

Whenever students enter the classroom, they should be able to count on a predictable routine.\u00a0 That routine will depend on whether you want students to complete a task right away, or listen for your specific directions.\u00a0 You could have different procedures for specific times of the day: for example, when returning from specials, students may need to sit and wait for you to give directions for the science lesson, but when you return from lunch, you may want the class to take out their journals and immediately begin writing.\u00a0 Decide ahead of time what you want students to do each time they return to the classroom.\u00a0 Then explain, model, practice, and reinforce your procedures.<\/p>\n

End of the school day<\/h3>\n

\"dismissal-chart\"<\/p>\n

One year, I used this chart to show which buses had been called.<\/em><\/p>\n

Dismissal can be one of the most chaotic times of day, especially if students are dismissed slowly by their means of transportation home (bus riders, then daycare students, then car riders, and so on).\u00a0 That\u2019s unfortunate, because a hectic and stressful dismissal can leave the teacher feeling exhausted and unproductive, even if the majority of the day went well.<\/p>\n

Here are a few ideas for making the last transition of the day a smooth one:<\/p>\n