How to Teach Procedures in Kindergarten
I spend a lot of time on this blog discussing the importance of procedures. I firmly believe that procedures and routines can make or break a school year! But how do you teach procedures in kindergarten? I have the answers you need!
Make a List
In order to teach procedures effectively, you must know what procedures you need to teach! The easiest way to figure this out is to make a list. Write out every procedure your students need to know. Bathroom breaks, lining up for lunch, playing on the playground, replacing a broken pencil, the list goes on and on. You must teach every routine your students do in your classroom. If you fail to teach a routine for a task, your students will do things their own way. That can lead to chaos, noise, and disruptions. Write out your complete list, and nothing will get missed.
Chunk it Up
Once you have your list, break the procedures into chunks. Group routines together by importance. Some routines will come up on the first day. Plan to teach those right away. Other routines occur less often. Those lessons can wait. The most important routines are the ones that happen every day. Bathroom breaks, coming to the carpet, and packing up to go home are all examples of important procedures. Practice them early and repeat your expectations often.
Pull out a list of routines you plan to teach on the first day of school. As you write your first-week plans, be sure to include these!
Use Visuals
Once you know which procedures you plan to teach, and when you plan to teach them, you need support! Kindergarteners rarely remember how to do something the first time. And they certainly will not remember if they only hear what to do. Each time you teach a new procedure, state what to do. Then, model it through movement. Hang up posters or other visual cues with the steps you follow. Finally, have students practice themselves. When you repeat the procedure on a different day, use your posters to review the steps before students do it themselves. Incorporating auditory learning, visual cues, and movement will help each student in your room remember what to do! Using all of these tips combined, you will teach procedures in kindergarten like a pro this year.
The First 25 Days of K
Are you looking for more Kindergarten readiness tips? My course, The First 25 Days of K is OPEN. This course is a back-to-school blueprint for kindergarten teachers. Inside, you will learn everything you need to know to set the stage for your best year of teaching, ever!
