Procedures

Day 1, Safety

Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. James 5:7 (NIV)

              A few years after we moved to the country, my husband told me the farmer had planted peanuts in our field, and they would be ready soon. I walked out every evening excited about the prospect of a peanut boil, but I didn’t see any peanuts. A week went by and my husband told me that we’d get to eat peanuts that weekend because the crop was ready for harvest. Subtitles of confusion must have shown on my face.

“What’s wrong? I thought you liked peanuts.”

“I don’t appreciate being pranked. I’ve been out there every day and there aren’t any nuts on those plants.”

My husband cackled. “Peanuts grow underground. Aren’t teachers supposed to know things like that?”

I was so embarrassed. I went to college for four years, earned a teaching degree, and somehow missed the fact that peanuts grew underground.

Living in the country has opened my eyes to many things. Not only do peanuts grow underground, but there are also quite a few steps that must happen to prep the ground before the peanuts are even planted. If any of these procedures are skipped, the crop will be in jeopardy.

The same is true in our classrooms. We must establish procedures for all activity in the classroom, or the safety of the classroom will be in jeopardy. Using the electric sharpener in the middle of a lesson disrupts the flow of class. Tossing a ball of trash at the garbage disturbs those around the can. Eating in class when others are working distracts others. Not knowing where papers are turned in or books belong creates confusion.

              One of the greatest gifts we can give our students is consistent, easy to remember procedures in the classroom. They know when the appropriate time to go to the restroom is. Or where to place their backpacks. Students know how much time they have to complete a task or what items are necessary at the teacher table during center time. Questions lessen. Structure happens. And students navigate safely through the classroom.

              Our homes are the same. Creating places for items and processes for trash, dishes, and laundry help the house run smoothly. Schedules for meals, bedtimes, and wakeups help with consistency too. Procedures in the home provide security, comfort, and safety.

              I’m going to take this concept a step further: procedures also provide safety in our relationship with Christ. Scheduled, guarded daily time with God is crucial makes accessing our Savior easier. Consistent Bible reading, prayer, and fellowship with others keeps us steady and focused. A haphazard walk with God leads to chaos in our hearts just as a haphazard routine in our classroom leads to chaos in our teaching.

Do the Heart Work

1.      What routines do you have in place in your classroom that create a safer environment for you and your students? Does anything need to change?

2.      What routines do you have in your home that create a safer environment for you and your family? Does anything need to change?

3.      What routines do you have in your spiritual life that keep you centered on Christ and safe in his presence? Does anything need to change?

Digging Deeper

Read Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (NIV)

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.

King Solomon understood there was an order to things and a time for everything under the sun.  Even God, when he created everything in Genesis 1 did it methodically and we find safety in his presence as a result of tender considerations and care.

If You Get Spare Time 

              Spend time thinking about all aspects of your classroom. Identify any time in the day that seems out of order or chaotic. Are there new procedures you can put into place to create a safer flow for you and your students?  Make a list and then teach your students the new procedures. Don’t settle for disorder. Ask God to help you create any procedures that will make your classroom the safest space possible.