Routines matter. They create a sense of purpose and consistency for our kids and us. Of the 4 R’s (Roles, Routines, Rights, and Responsibilities) this one, routines, always seems to be the one I put off creating/revising till the end. For me, it is my “best-laid plans” curse. It all seems so simple and doable now, but then school starts and realities dictate, and…well, things don’t always go as planned. So, fully conscious of this, I am still going to pretend that this year will be different, that I have finally found the right routines for the realities that wait.

Here are my proposed daily, weekly, monthly routines for this coming year.

Though I was poking fun at myself up above, revealing my inability to always stick to the plan, I do think there is some value in our giving ourselves permission to change things when they aren’t working. For if we don’t, routines can become ruts. So, I keep a finger on the pulse of our routines, and I change them when I feel it’s necessary. And when I do, I try to be as transparent with my kids as possible for why I am making the change. No one wants to be stuck in a rut.

Routines can also become rituals, sacred events in our rooms. In room 206 the last few years, Smiles and Frowns, Choose a Champ, Community Circle, and Sappy Sy Rhymes have become rituals. And I expect them to. I make them priorities. They are the non-negotiable, school-schedule-be-damned parts of our day, especially Smiles and Frowns. Every day. No matter what.

So, those are my routines for now. They will likely change a bit, but that’s the pretty routine in room 206.

Do. Reflect. Do Better.

I gave up on perfect a long time ago. Heck, I don’t even try for good anymore. I have learned to settle for better. Of course, “better” is relative, and when one chases better, he is never quite settled in the situation. This, then, has become my lot. Always changing. Always tuning and tweaking. Nothing stays the same. I call it “better” but more aptly it’s just different. But “better” makes me feel…well, better. Today, I am sharing my next better for daily reflection.

I have experienced many betters (“different’s”) with daily reflection. Some attempts have been overly ambitious and others have been woefully uninspired. But in trying and leaving them behind, I have picked up some wisdom along the way. I have learned to keep daily reflection short, simple, and to the point. And so, I have revised my Journey Journals to be just that. Short, simple, and to the point.

I want kids to feel like my class is an experience, and in my early days with them, via the documents I share and the words I speak, I refer to our time together as a journey, as an experience. So, the name Journey Journal fit. I have used this name for a few years now, but each year I tweak it a bit. Here is my latest version of the Journey Journal.

Role #6: Reflector. Last role but no less an important one. By now you also know that I will expect you to add to your learning story each day in your Journey Journal. Each day we will end our time together, reflecting on and sharing from our day’s experiences. Reflection is such an important part of learning. I really need you to become reflectors. 

As I mentioned in my “Roles” post (http://www.letschangeeducation.com/roles-first-days/), I want kids to come to discover the purpose and power reflection plays in learning. And though we will reflect in different ways over the course of the year, I want to encourage and help build the habit, so we reflect daily in our Journey Journals.

We take the last few minutes each day. The kids write an entry and share it with a peer. I believe the sharing is an important component, so I make time for it. The kids circle any experiences from their day, and as they think back on those experiences, I want them to identify something that they picked up, something that stuck. And then, I want them to communicate why it mattered. I have found that “what” and “why” help achieve not only the simple but also the “to the point.” Otherwise, the kids will only write the “what.” They have to get to the “why.” Most entries are 3-4 sentences in length.

I provide the templates. I make a bajillion two-sided copies, and kids take a new one from the pile after they complete one. I keep the completed sheets in their portfolios. Students are responsible for entries on the days they experience class. If they are absent, they didn’t experience our journey that day, so they are excused. I find this simplifies it for everyone, and it’s not as if it’s part of their grade anyway. We will begin this on day one of our journey together.

And that’s the plan for now. It will likely change next year. But that’s how I roll I guess.

Do. Reflect. Do Better.

At some point in the first few days, we have to communicate our grading policies/practices. It’s the business end of the deal.

In my room, I conduct business a little differently. As my longtime readers know, I am no fan of grades. I believe they get in the way of learning, so I have worked diligently over the past three years with Project 180 to arrive at a place where I could provide a feedback-only approach to learning. And on this fourth year, I believe I have gotten closer to this desired end. Here’s how I will approach learning this year in room 206. This is only a ready-to-share draft. There will no doubt be some changes between now and when we start. In fact, I have asked my son, who will be in my class this year, to take a look and give me some feedback later today, but here’s my “now” draft.

As I made this, I came to the decision to no longer call it “grading policies.” I will present it as “learning practices” for that’s where I want the emphasis: learning. It is not perfect, but I do believe it’s better–for me and the experiences I want for my kids, not better than others. I just keep chasing my better. And this is simply my latest better.

A note on “no F’s.” I have many reasons for why I don’t fail kids. But this is my main reason.

“Since I can’t possibly meet all kids’ needs, how do I know it is not I who failed?”

Once we–I–arrive at this place in education (meeting all needs), I will no longer fail kids. Maybe not a popular notion, but it’s an honest one.

Do. Reflect. Do Better.

Short post today. On my way to a funeral. Thought I’d share this graphic I made a few years ago.

I believe learning is a journey, a lifelong journey. Unsettled and dissatisfied with traditional transactions, I try to, maybe somewhat whimsically, offer different paths to my kids.

How we see and present the journey matters. And I think it starts on day one.

Do. Reflect. Do Better.

Names matter. Of course, this is nothing new to anyone here, and I am not presenting it as such, but I am presenting it as one of the first and most important connections we make with our kids. We have to learn names quickly and use them frequently.

One of the simplest ways for the first days is to have kids make “name tents,” a piece of paper folded in thirds with the name written on the middle third, and then formed into a “tent” to be placed on the front of their desks. Some teachers have kids include other “get-to-know-ya” information about themselves (many possibilities here), but I just have them write in large letters the name they would like me to use. I ask the kids to keep and use these for the first five days.

In my room, I don’t use a seating chart, so the name tents are vital to my getting to know kids’ names. But beyond seeing the names, I say the names. With each interaction, I say a kid’s name.

“Wow, Lexi, that must have been a blast!”

“Great question, Lance.”

I do this all year. I try to use kids’ names as frequently as possible. I think there is something to hearing our names. It makes us feel acknowledged and connected, so I use it for that purpose.

As many of you know, I do Smiles and Frowns every day. And beyond getting to know my kids better, it provides an opportunity to say each kid’s name every day as we go around the room sharing our Smiles and Frowns. A little thing perhaps, but I want to believe that it matters to the kids, that it does make them feel acknowledged, that it does make them feel connected. More, I have found that my modeling this has resulted in the kids’ not only knowing each other’s names, but also kids’ using each other’s names in their interactions.

I know many of you may find this as “teaching 101,” and I am sorry if you feel as if I have merely pointed out the obvious, but I felt it worth mentioning as we gear up for another year. Names matter.

Do. Reflect. Do Better.