Entry Routine

This blog is about a past experience of mine when I was student teaching in the United States. I remember teaching in a primary setting and was amazed at the simple entry routine that my supervising teacher used. She was a passionate teacher that spent countless hours designing, developing and implementing activities that were focused on the student.

Her entry routine was nothing new or outlandish, but it worked. She would post a laminated A3 sheet on the gymnasium door that had instructions for the students to do when they entered. For instance, it might say something like
- Jog clockwise around the gym, stopping at each corner to do the activities.
- Complete one lap and meet in the middle of the gymnasium



At each corner was a cone/witches hat that had a list of activities to do (e.g. 10 jumping jacks).

I would stand in amazement as one class would leave the gym and the next one would enter. My supervising teacher would start the music and this would provide her some time to ensure all equipment was ready and wait for the students to finish their entry routine and meet in the middle of the gymnasium, sitting on the circle. Students were taught to sit in the middle of the gymnasium a certain way at the beginning of the school year, so this was not an issue.

Please feel free to try this and/or share your entry routines?