Classroom rituals are repeated activities that students learn to expect as part of their time in the classroom. These activities may be routine and occur daily at an expected time, or they could be used for specific occasions such as when students need to be quieter. Rituals can be changed at any time when students, or the teacher, loose interest or newly created when the need arises.
Rituals Can be Small but Significant
Perhaps one of the most common classroom rituals is that of attendance. In a short period of time it provides the opportunity for the teacher to interact with each student in an expected social manner. Not every teacher does it the same, but it is expected and students quickly adapt to each teacher’s attendance ritual.
According to Super Teaching, by Eric Jenson, rituals must solve a problem, be simple, be predictable, and engage all students in a positive manner. A ritual might be created and used to start class on time, invite a visitor into the room, distribute or clean up supplies, acknowledge a birthday or special event, or any other time where the entire class needs to be engaged in a predictable manner.
Routines Improve Classroom Management
Rituals help students connect with each other and, when used consistently, become routines that can help with classroom management. A key part of a ritual is that all students are involved, and this contributes to a sense of community.
The connection to classroom management is that a ritual is repetitive, so students know what to expect and how to respond. This provides a moment of cohesion where all students are, even if for a few seconds, in the same emotional state and can be redirected, especially if their prior state was not conducive to a positive learning environment.
For example, if the school day begins with a bell, students know that this bell means to be in their classroom, seated and ready for attendance. Teachers at schools without this ritual may employ another routine, such as two hand claps which students repeat while facing the teacher to show they are ready.
When students know what to expect, they have an easier time understanding what is expected of them. Rituals can provide a moment during which students are together as a community and the teacher can then work with the positive emotional state it creates.
For more information about classroom rituals, read Classroom Ritual Ideas.
Reference: Jensen, E. Super Teaching. Thousand Oaks: Corwin Press. 2009.
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