Opinion
Teaching Profession Opinion

Spice Up Your Class Routine

By Cossondra George — October 16, 2012 3 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

By this time of the school year, your students probably have a sense of the rhythms and routines of your classroom. There’s a lot to be said for predictability. At the same time, adding a jolt of the unexpected can help banish the ho-hums:

Friday “Fun Days”

I often choose to mix things up on Fridays, giving students a chance to review what they’ve been exploring during the week. Start a tradition that your students can look forward to—a fun time when you learn differently together. What this means, of course, depends on how you ordinarily teach.

In some classrooms, a curriculum-based art project might spice things up. (Here’s an example: When teaching my math students Cartesian coordinates, I lead them in developing versions of our school logo based on coordinates.) In other classrooms, old-school flash card activities could be a welcome novelty.

My students enjoy a Friday competition created online with JeopardyLabs. I use the game to review concepts we’ve highlighted during the week, challenging students to demonstrate their learning.

Whiteboards, Whiteboards, Whiteboards

I am a fan of distributing individual whiteboards among students. They are cheap—you can even create your own, by cutting a piece of white paneling from a building supply store.

What’s the secret of whiteboards? I don’t know, but my students love them, especially as compared to the traditional paper-and-pencil combination. And they’re low tech—add a paper towel and a dry-erase marker, and your students have a simple way to show what they’re learning. No password or charger necessary.

In math class, students can independently solve problems, holding them up for you to quickly scan answers and identify misconceptions.

When working on vocabulary, I sometimes ask students to sketch designs that represent new words, having other students guess which word matches their drawing (think Pictionary!).

Who’s the Teacher Now?

Now that it’s October and you have a sense of your students’ strengths, interests, and personalities, consider how each could contribute to the classroom over the course of the year. Assign students to teach mini-lessons or lead review sessions.

Students are usually eager to be the “sage on the stage” and embrace this role, coming up with creative ideas to impart knowledge to their classmates. Be sure to set aside time to work with the “teachers” in advance to ensure they understand the concepts and skills, then to help them fine-tune activities.

Having them work in pairs can reduce anxiety and offer practice with authentic collaboration.

Seating Switcheroo

Many teachers utilize a seating chart for classroom management. One day each month, offer students the chance to sit wherever they want. (Alternatively, if you have a “sit anywhere you like” policy, try assigning seats once in a while.)

The change in scenery will add some welcome variety to your students’ experiences—but will likely enrich your perspective as well. (You might even consider swapping seats yourself!)

Share Some Tunes

Many students spend the school day in music withdrawal—their iPods banished or stowed away in backpacks. Share your own favorite tunes with the class from time to time.

Use music to change the mood of the crowd—something low and slow during independent work time can help calm fidgets. A lively beat can help motivate during cleanup time. Whether you choose to share twangy country, West African call-and-response, jazz standards, or singer-songwriter ballads, you will likely be expanding students’ musical repertoire.

Offer Brain Food From Time to Time

Once you are familiar with your students’ food allergies and preferences, look for healthy treats to share. Raisins, nuts, trail mix, or snack bars can be bought in bulk fairly cheaply. And handmade treats are usually appreciated, too. Food makes most students feel cared for—and boosts their attitudes about the most daunting assignments.

Whatever you do, mix it up often to keep you and your students motivated and engaged. Remember that the element of surprise goes a long way to stimulating minds!

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Reading & Literacy Webinar
The Future of the Science of Reading
Join us for a discussion on the future of the Science of Reading and how to support every student’s path to literacy.
Content provided by HMH
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
College & Workforce Readiness Webinar
From Classrooms to Careers: How Schools and Districts Can Prepare Students for a Changing Workforce
Real careers start in school. Learn how Alton High built student-centered, job-aligned pathways.
Content provided by TNTP
Student Well-Being Live Online Discussion A Seat at the Table: The Power of Emotion Regulation to Drive K-12 Academic Performance and Wellbeing
Wish you could handle emotions better? Learn practical strategies with researcher Marc Brackett and host Peter DeWitt.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Teaching Profession Want to Teach in Oklahoma? You May Have to Prove You're Not 'Woke'
The state is partnering with PragerU to develop an assessment for incoming educators.
3 min read
Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters holds his hand over his heart during the National Anthem at inauguration ceremonies on Jan. 9, 2023, in Oklahoma City.
Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters holds his hand over his heart during the National Anthem at inauguration ceremonies on Jan. 9, 2023, in Oklahoma City. Walters announced plans for a new test to screen teachers from states considered “woke.”
Sue Ogrocki/AP
Teaching Profession ‘You Can Lead Now’: Inside the NEA’s Plan to Engage New Teachers
In an aging workforce, the nation's largest teachers' union seeks ways to engage younger educators.
3 min read
Em DePriest of Kansas speaks on behalf of a proposal to create an early career teacher working group. Members of the National Education Association's Aspiring Educators Program move to bring an initiative to a vote during the NEA Representative Assembly in Portland, Ore., on July 3, 2025.
Em DePriest, a teacher in Kansas, speaks in favor of a proposal to create an early-career teacher working group. Members of the National Education Association's Aspiring Educators program moved to bring the initiative to a vote during the NEA representative assembly in Portland, Ore., on July 3, 2025.
Kaylee Domzalski/Education Week
Teaching Profession Can the National Education Association Win Over Republican Members?
Union leaders seek common ground with conservative teachers while managing an active, mostly liberal membership.
5 min read
The National Education Association's Republic Educators Caucus tabled at the NEA Representative Assembly on July 4, 2025, in Portland, Ore
The National Education Association's Republican Educators Caucus had a table at the NEA representative assembly on July 4, 2025, in Portland, Ore. The national teachers' union has been working to engage conservative teachers and communities.
Kaylee Domzalski/Education Week
Teaching Profession Teachers Face New Burdens After Supreme Court LGBTQ+ Opt-Out Ruling
A Supreme Court ruling allowing parents to opt their children out of certain lessons could add new challenges for teachers.
6 min read
Demonstrators are seen outside the Supreme Court as oral arguments are heard in the case of Mahmoud v. Taylor on April 22, 2025. The case contends that forcing students to participate in LGBTQ+ learning material violates First Amendment rights to exercise religious beliefs.
Demonstrators are seen outside the Supreme Court as oral arguments are heard in the case of <i>Mahmoud</i> v. <i>Taylor</i> on April 22, 2025. The justices ruled that parents can exercise their religious right to have their children excused from LGBTQ-themed lessons, which has prompted new logistical and practical concerns among teachers.
Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call via AP