As a teacher, I’ve often found that maintaining strong classroom routines and procedures is key to keeping students engaged and focused, especially after the first few weeks of school.
After the first few weeks of school, students start settling in, getting comfortable, and finding their place in the classroom.
But if you’re like most teachers, you’ve probably noticed that the “honeymoon phase”—those early days when students follow directions to the letter—is beginning to fade.
So, what now?
Once kids adjust, it’s common for routines to slip. They might start testing limits, and soon, you find yourself spending more time on redirection than on actual teaching.
This shift can be frustrating, especially when you constantly pause lessons to get students back on task.
Even with clear rules and routines in place, kids need reminders.
Regularly reviewing classroom routines and expectations isn’t just for the first week of school; we return to it throughout the year to keep the classroom running smoothly.
And this doesn’t have to be daunting—you can review routines in fun, engaging ways that don’t take up too much time.
I’ll share practical activities and strategies for reviewing classroom routines and procedures in this post.
These will help your class stay on track without feeling like you’re starting from scratch.
Table of Contents
Activities to Review Classroom Routines and Procedures
1. CHAMPS for Re-establishing Routines
I use the CHAMPS method to teach and review my classroom routines and procedures.
CHAMPS stands for Conversation, Help, Activity, Movement, Participation, and Success.
This framework helps students understand the expectations at different times of the day, so there’s no guessing about what behavior should look like.
To refresh these routines, I have students model them repeatedly prior to starting an activity.
If you’re new to CHAMPS, I’ve written a whole post explaining how it works—check it out here.
2. Verbal Praise and Modeling
When students are following routines correctly, I make sure to give verbal praise that’s specific to their actions.
“I love how quietly everyone transitioned just now—let’s keep that up!”
This positive reinforcement encourages them to repeat those behaviors.
If they don’t meet expectations, the routines get practiced again as a group.
The key is not to rush but to reinforce, ensuring everyone is clear on what’s expected.
3. Routine Reflection
At the end of each day, I ask students to reflect on how well they followed our routines.
This can be a quick classroom discussion or something they write on sticky notes.
It gives them a moment to think about what worked, what didn’t, and how they can improve for tomorrow.
4. Mystery Routine
One of my favorite ways to keep routines fun is having a “mystery” daily routine.
I don’t tell students what it is, but I reveal which routine I watched closely at the end of the day.
If they did a great job following it, we would celebrate with a brain break video!
This keeps them on their toes and makes routines feel like less of a chore.
5. Routine Anchor Chart Updates
Another way to get students invested in following routines is by letting them update our classroom anchor chart.
We list key routines and expectations, and students can add to them or make revisions as needed.
It helps them take ownership of our classroom norms and reinforces what’s expected.
Also, any other anchor chart or posters relating to classroom management I add to the classroom in regards to rules gets student feedback,
6. Routine Shout-Outs
During transitions or at the end of the day, I do a quick “shout-out” where students recognize a peer who followed a routine well.
This builds a sense of community and reinforces positive behavior without the need for material rewards.
The best part? The students love celebrating each other!
7. Routine of the Day
Sometimes, I highlight one routine for the entire day as our “Routine of the Day.”
I’ll refer back to it during transitions, reminding students to focus on following that particular routine.
At the end of the day, we discuss how well they did and whether we need more practice.
8. Routine Countdown
To make routines more engaging, I set a countdown timer and challenge students to complete a routine (like cleaning up or lining up) before the time runs out—but they still have to do it correctly!
This adds a bit of excitement and reinforces the expectation.
Classroom Management Ideas
Modeling and reviewing routines and procedures in the classroom after the first weeks of school is a great investment of time.
Reviewing the expectations for different parts of the day can make a huge difference in keeping your class on track.
By reinforcing expectations through CHAMPS, verbal praise, and routine reflections, you can keep your classroom running smoothly and reduce interruptions that detract from learning time.
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