Before Students Arrive
I project a morning welcome slide on the board. It includes the date, day of the week, letter day, special, and fraction day (24/180). If there is a change in the schedule or a special event, I include that as well. Within one section of my morning board I list the items the students will need to start the day. I also have a couple of clickable links. My building records the morning announcements so I have the link ready to go and need to simply tap the icon to get to get there.
Greet at the Door
I love to start my day at the classroom door. As the students are coming down the hall, I stand just outside the door and greet them as they arrive. For some a simple "Good Morning" will suffice. Others like to start their day with a high five or a hug. Whatever your students seek as a greeting, it's a great way to connect with them on a personal level as the day begins.
Attendance Sheet
While I am standing at the door, I will usually have a clipboard and attendance sheet in hand. I check off the students' names as I greet them. The checklist helps me complete my attendance correctly (and on time!). If there is an extracurricular activity going on that morning in which the students need to quickly enter and exit the classroom (such as band or chorus), I will have them sign out on a sheet in the event I missed greeting them as they came in the classroom.
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| Attendance sheets are a great way of tracking patterns in attendance. |
Check for Homework
If there was homework the night before, the routine in my classroom expects the students to turn in their homework as soon as they enter the classroom and start to organize their materials for the day. As the papers come in (have a designated spot for homework) I check off if the student turned in the assignment. On my attendance sheet the boxes have enough space for 2 check marks. The first would be for attendance, the second can be designated for homework. If you check off the homework first thing in the morning you know which students have not yet turned it in or who needs more time to complete it. It will save time later on in the day.
Side Note: in my room, the spot where all note, bus passes, excuses etc... need to go is called "The Dropbox". Give your spot a name and it will be easier to reference when students ask where to turn things in.
Sign Agendas
Do your students use an agenda? In my classroom the morning routine involves filling out an agenda. I use the words "planner" and "agenda" interchangeably throughout the year. Students quickly learn these words as synonyms.
Mondays (or the first instructional day) is when the majority of the writing takes place. Students will fill in the schedule for the week. For each day of the week the student indicates the "letter day", our special (great for reminding them to bring sneakers for PE), and if there will be chorus or band lessons.
I also write down special events taking place during the week (field trips, video conferences, spirit wear) or during the evening (PTO dinners, parent/teacher conferences). I also write down if there will be half days, no school, etc... Last year I started to write the fraction day and the families and students enjoyed watching the days we had been in session move toward 180.
Homework is also written in the agenda as well as special project due dates. I ask families to sign the agenda so I know they have seen the homework and schedule for the week.
Morning Work
Once students have been greeted, turned in homework, and written in their agenda, they can work on their "morning work". I don't always have this component in the morning routine. My teammate does and she has consistently used morning work for years. An assigned task helps get the students focused for the day and keeps them engaged while waiting for the rest of the class to arrive and get organized.