Seating plans by @amiateacheryet

Name: Dr Teach
Twitter name: @amiateacheryet
Sector: Secondary
Subject taught (if applicable): English
Position: Teacher
What is your advice about? Seating plans

1. Have a seating plan.
2. Line kids up at the back of the room when they first come in to your classroom, then tell them where to sit one by one. It’s the easiest way to get them in and seated.
3. Don’t allow children to dictate the seating plan. Challenge grumbles and complaints.
4. Have a paper copy on your desk when teaching and annotate with comments on homework, behaviour etc. Really helpful for keeping track.
5. Change the seating plan often. Once a half-term works well.

The importance of routine by @MissSayers1

Name: The Passionately Boring Teacher
Twitter name: @MissSayers1
Sector: Secondary
Subject taught (if applicable): Humanities
Position: Teacher
What is your advice about? The importance of routine

1. There is nothing wrong with starting every lesson in the same way; routine minimises cognitive load and allows all pupils to enter your lesson knowing that they will get something ‘correct’ within minutes of entering your classroom.
2. Introduce one routine at a time. Just like the pupils, you need to manage your cognitive load. Once you’ve introduced and embedded one routine to the point where it becomes the norm, you can introduce others.
3. Make sure that every routine you introduce has a clear and logical purpose; do pupils need to write “Classwork” at the top of their work is that just something or you think teachers should do?
4. Create routines which minimise teacher input into administrative tasks, such as finding pens or books.
5. Use the time you gain wisely; routines allow you to be the expert in the classroom rather than a secretary. The time you save can be used to gather feedback or live mark books, reducing your workload outside of the classroom.

Keeping a tidy classroom by @Rosalindphys

Name: Rosalind Walker
Twitter name: @Rosalindphys
Sector: Secondary
Subject taught (if applicable): Physics
Position: Physics Teacher
What is your advice about? Keeping a tidy classroom

1. Have a labelled place for each set of books and equipment.
2. Create routines for pupils to tidy in every lesson.
3. Have a teacher folder for keeping all your seating plans, timetable etc in. Or put these on your notice board if you refer to them often.
4. Put sheets you plan to use with a class on top of their books when you have printed them.
5. If In doubt, chuck it out. Don’t hang on to bits of paper.

Seating plans by Steve

Name: Steve
Sector: Secondary
Subject taught (if applicable): Physics, Maths
Position: Head of subject
What is your advice about? Seating plans

1. Always have one, even for new Alevel classes
2. Have a version on powerpoint you can display to the class, have an upside down one for you to use from the front
3. If you can, do boy / girl / boy girl.
4. Put the cheeky ones in front of you. Work out where you stand to talk, and put them as close as possible.
5. If after a few lessons / weeks you trust the class, let them choose seats. But move them back again straight away if behaviour slips.

The Setting of Classroom Routines by @chrismwparsons

Name: Christopher Parsons
Twitter name: @chrismwparsons
Sector: Primary
Position: Deputy Head (Academic)
What is your advice about? The Setting of Classroom Routines

1. Create habitual routine behaviours in pupils to automate regularly needed procedures.
2. Habits are hard to break, feel weird if not completed, can take place without conscious direction, and indeed free-up working memory to be thinking about something else.
3. Key habitual routines make it EASIER to do lessons which break from the mould – they give you a ‘concrete lining’ which limits uncertainty and chaos in your mind and theirs.
4. Focus particularly on the beginnings & ends of days and lessons, transition moments, and a ‘reset’ procedure for getting everyone back focused and organised.
5. Habits need constant initial reinforcement for 3 weeks or more; remind & nag in a way which might feel excessive, but which will pay huge dividends if you want to be creative.

Routines for the start of every lesson by @rufuswilliam

Name: Rufus
Twitter name: @rufuswilliam
Sector: Secondary
Subject taught (if applicable): Maths
Position: Teaching and Learning
What is your advice about? Routines for the start of every lesson

1. Start every lesson with a recap quiz. Have this already on the board for them to immediately do when they come into the classroom.
2. Greet the students at the door, I do this with a handshake. Be warm and reinforce expectations such as respect and hard work.
3. Get all your classes to practice the routine of coming into your class. Mine has three steps: walk to your chair and sit down, get your equipment and book out, start the work.
4. Students self-mark the quiz. After this, get the students to put their pens down and listen as you remind them about your expectations for their behaviour.
5. Make sure you explain the reasons for the behaviour routines and expectations. Mine are basically: I want them to be in an environment where they can do their best.

Good Habits by @DoWise

Name: Douglas Wise
Twitter name: @DoWise
Sector: Secondary
Subject taught (if applicable): English
Position: Head of Department
What is your advice about? Good Habits

1. Create seating plans: don’t allow students to choose where they sit.
2. Be in your classroom before each lesson begins and greet students at the door.
3. Have work books and resources on the desks, ready to use, at the start of the lesson.
4. Log all behavioural incidents, good and bad.
5. Keep your classroom tidy.

Classroom Organisation by @Reach2A

Name: REAch2 NQT Group (East Anglia)
Twitter name: @Reach2A
Sector: Primary
Position: NQT
What is your advice about? Classroom Organisation

1. Always think ahead.
2. Once books are marked for the first lesson on the next day, set up the books on the tables. This saves time in the morning and means your class is always tidy and prepared.
3. Children love to help the teacher out – always give them the responsibility to hand out books, collect sheets, tidy the cloakroom, etc.
4. Be fluid with seating plans. Moving children and groups sizes on a regular basis keeps the children on their toes.
5. Always leave your classroom/desk tidy at the end of the day.

Instructional Routines by @davidwees

Name: David Wees
Twitter name: @davidwees
Sector: Early Years,Primary,Secondary,Special school
Subject taught (if applicable): Math
Position: Formative Assessment Specialist
What is your advice about? Instructional Routines

1. Establish instructional routines for teaching math.
2. Use one of these instructional routines everyday until you and your become completely fluent in the steps of the routine.
3. Use routines other people have invented already and ideally ones which you have experienced directly yourself. There’s no reason to re-invent teaching everyday.
4. Make sure that the routines offer you opportunities every time you use them to see how your students understand the math that day.
5. Once you and your students become fluent in the steps, test different decisions within the routine and see what happens. Find a colleague to talk about this work with you.

Reflecting on practice by @mistermarci

Name: Mister Marci
Twitter name: @mistermarci
Sector: Primary
Subject taught (if applicable): Anything/Everything
Position: Teacher/SLT
What is your advice about? Reflecting on practice

1. Record: Find a notebook, preferably handwritten, and choose a pen you enjoy writing with. Write down initial thoughts on lessons/events/days/theory.
2. Read: Write until you have exhausted the inner monologue natter: serve the unconscious mind. Then stop. When ready, sit back and read back your unconscious ramblings.
3. Edit: Make the page bleed: take a red pen (other colours are available) and cross out; filter; add; adapt any – or all – of it. Then read it back.
4. Focus: Select an area that stands out. Did certain elements or techniques work? Have you identified one area of your practice that you can minimise and make more effective?
5. Repeat: Ideally daily. Make it part of your ritual. You don’t have to blog or share it, but thousands see value in doing so.