Teachers must use every minute of academic time wisely because there is so much to learn every day. There is no need to waste instructional time on attendance and lunch counts. This classroom procedure will get students working the minute they walk in the door. It’s called bellwork, because students are expected to do it when the bell rings, without waiting for the teacher to tell them what to do.
Every classroom morning is filled with administrative chores. Taking attendance, getting a lunch count, saying the pledge, and listening to announcements are just a few. While the teacher takes care of attendance and lunch counts, students typically sit at their desks, bored. When students are bored, trouble can happen. Good classroom management keeps students engaged and on task from bell to bell.
Procedures Make Good Classroom Management
The effective teacher plans procedures for everything. Procedures make it clear to students what is expected, and it makes classroom management simple. Morning procedures should be posted on a chart or bulletin board, so students always know what to do when they walk into the room.
Bellwork is an assignment that is posted on the board, or printed on a worksheet. Bellwork should be something that is a review for the students. It should be completed first thing, so the teacher can take attendance and lunch count while the students are working. The assignment should be short and able to be completed in about ten minutes.
Classroom Ideas for Morning Procedures
Morning procedures should be explicit. For example:
- Come in and greet the teacher.
- Quietly sit down and unpack for the day.
- Have homework out and ready.
- Have two sharpened pencils ready.
- Begin working on bellwork.
Many teachers that don’t have morning procedures have chaos in the classroom. Students don’t know what to do, and when that happens, they play or fight. Having procedures in place gives students a sense of security and brings peace to the classroom.
Instructional Strategies for Bellwork
Bellwork can be anything the students are able to do independently without asking the teacher questions. It could be a review of math concepts or math facts. It could be spelling work or handwriting practice. It might be a grammar review, or even a short two or three question quiz. It should be something different each day, so that students do not become bored.
Bellwork should be planned in advance, along with the regular weekly planning. Any copies needed can be made at that time. Bellwork does not need to be graded by the teacher. In fact, if students grade their own bellwork, they get immediate feedback and have the opportunity to ask questions if there is something they still don’t understand.
Using classroom procedures that include bellwork will make the day start smoothly. Having an organized system and procedures in place takes advantage of every academic minute. With excellent classroom management, teachers create a positive learning environment, helping students to achieve more, and enjoy school more.
More teacher tips are Classroom Ideas for Quiet Signs That Work and How To Organize a Classroom Library
Suzanne Pitner - Suzanne Pitner is a teacher and published writer. A member of RWA and YARWA, she writes fiction as Suzanne Lilly.
Join the Conversation