How to Streamline the First Five Minutes of Class

As the saying goes, “It’s not how you start; it’s how you finish.”

This may be true in life, but it doesn’t apply to your 5th-period class.

That’s because teachers with strong classroom management understand that the first five minutes of class are critical.  When your class is seated and ready, a positive and productive vibe is established that carries into the rest of the period.  On the other hand, if the period starts chaotically, it takes much more effort to get that train back on track.

When you reflect on which classroom management methods to try with your most challenging class, consider the impact of the first five minutes on you, your students, and your lesson. 

What Does “Seated and Ready” Look Like?

1. > 90% of the students are sitting in their seats when the bell rings.

A couple of students milling about – while not ideal – is relatively easy to handle.  But if you have 10 or more kids standing around chatting when the bell rings, you’re already on the defensive. 

2. The class is generally quiet when the bell rings.

Silence isn’t the goal, but lower noise levels show readiness and allow students to hear your instructions.

3. You are ready to start class when the bell rings.

Make sure you’re ready! 

That means the computer, projector/smart TV, and all materials are ready to rock.  

Think of it like your faculty meetings after school.  Not to blame busy administrators, but if meetings start on time, the teachers will arrive on time.  If meetings always begin 10 minutes late, teachers will start showing up 10 minutes late.  

The Benefits of “Seated and Ready”

1. It saves you a TON of energy. 

Seated and ready means you calmly start class in a manner of your choosing – highly preferable to begging students to find their seats and trying to get everyone’s attention.  

Reality check: You’ll probably always have one or two classes during your day that are more challenging to settle down.  That’s normal.  But if you need to expend large amounts of personal energy to get every period started, that’s not them. It’s you.  And it’s exhausting.

2. No need to raise your voice to get everyone’s attention. 

It’s generally a good idea to eliminate “yelling” as a management strategy.  Think of classroom management as a set of tools that eliminates the need to raise your voice.

 

3. Start your lesson with positive vibes. 

You will enjoy your students so much more when you can begin class calmly.  

How to Get Your Class “Seated and Ready”

Step 1: Explicitly teach the “Seated and Ready” expectation. 

(Do this during the first week of school.  If your first week is over, do this tomorrow.)

Too often, teachers assume that students already know what we want. But if you want students to walk in quietly and take a seat, you need to tell them that. 

Here’s one way to break the expectation down into smaller steps.

1. Walk in

2. Find your seat.

3. Check the board for materials needed.  Get materials out.

4. Pause any conversations as soon as the bell rings.

Post these steps somewhere in your room.  Demonstrate it and consider practicing it with each class.

Be ready to reinforce this expectation every day for a while. Lots of teachers – even high school – ask students to practice walking into class, finding their seats, and getting materials out for class.  In extreme cases, you may need to institute “extra practice” after class or at lunch for students who don’t fall in line right away.  (They won’t like this, but that’s ok.)  If something is important to you, be ready to enforce it.  

 

Step 2: Stand at the Door

Make a habit of standing at the door to greet students as they walk in.

First, this sends a subtle message to students: “Hi, welcome to my classroom.”

Second, it allows you to make a quick connection with every student.

Third, you can remind students to find their seat.

Fourth, school hallways are more orderly when a few adults are supervising.  One note: Position yourself so you can still see what’s going on inside your classroom.

Step 3: Treat the bell as the actual start of class. 

The bell can be a natural cue for students to wrap up conversations and look up at the teacher.  (Confession time: When I was a new teacher, I purchased a small bell to ring when I was ready for class to start.  To this day, I still don’t know why I didn’t just let the school bell do that.)

If you don’t use the bell, find another signal or phrase to let students know that you’re ready to start.  If you’re consistent with that signal, they’ll pick up on it.

 

Step 4: Have something ready for students to do right away.

Whether you call it a “Bell Ringer”, a “Do Now”, or a “Warm-up Question”, the task should be visible, require little or no explanation, and be something that students can complete individually.

Say: “Good morning, everyone.  Please get started on the warm-up question.”

• • If one student isn’t compliant, say: “Jeff, we’re getting started.”
  • If a small group of students isn’t compliant, say: “I’m waiting on two or three people, thank you.”
  • If many students are still talking loudly, say: “OK everyone, let’s reset.  Everyone should be seated with your materials ready.  We’re going to start again.”

Step 5: Take attendance quickly.

Unfortunately, attendance procedures often require teachers to disengage from students to access an online attendance program.  If your class is especially challenging, a mere 15 seconds for attendance is more than enough time to foment chaos.

One option (warning: old-school technique): Keep a paper copy of your attendance, which can be manually marked in a few seconds.  Printable charts or rosters are easy to download.  With a paper roster, mark it at the start of class and then enter it online later.  Please note that some schools require online attendance taken within the first few minutes of every period.

Or take attendance while students are engaged with your “Do Now”.  Whatever your system for attendance, make it quick so you don’t lose that fleeting classroom control.

 

 

Step 6: Be friendly, yet firm with this expectation.

When I was a student-teacher, a mentor advised me to be “friendly, yet firm” with students. (A popular term today is “warm demander”.)  At 24 years old, the “friendly” part came easily for me.  The “firm” part took more practice. 

If you ask students to be “seated and ready”, you may encounter resistance.  Students would rather chat with their friends than start class. 

You’ll also notice students who complied in September but are no longer meeting the “seated and ready” expectations in November.  Address it.  Speak to them individually or provide gentle reminders to the whole class.  Be friendly, yet firm.  You NEED the first five minutes of class to go well.  You can do it.

Brad has taught history at the middle and high school levels for 19 years, almost exclusively in American public schools.  He holds a master’s in educational technology and is passionate about elevating the status of professional educators.