How habits and routines help in the learning/teaching process
Last year we got our first puppy ever and because we couldn’t make heads and tails on how to raise a healthy and well-trained dog we decided to hire a trainer, Menezes. At R$ 100 a 60-minute session, we found out it was our best investment that year.
Menezes insisted on the importance of developing routines for the animal – they thrive in developing positive routines – playing, walking, feeding, etc. With a routine they sleep better and know what to expect from their owners, tutors or guardians.
Well… people are not that different – “Routines help to provide a sense of normality and bring consistency and comfort to children and young people who might otherwise be uncomfortable with change” (Collier, 2020). And I would extend that to the fact that it helps people of ALL ages.
Yes, you may have a chaotic lifestyle and also love it, but some organization will help you in your learning process – if you are a teacher – some organization will help you a lot – no matter how much your students love you and how intelligent they think you are if their first reference about you is that you’re always lost or confused could be detrimental and a negative perception to their learning. So… add some routine and organization to your life and you’ll see things in an entirely new light.
As a 1-on-1 teacher I encourage my students to follow discipline (I’m not talking about military-like discipline – but some degree of order and growth. They must set a specific time and day for their classes and follow through. I know life is demanding and full of surprises but if you’ve scheduled a lesson Mondays and Wednesdays at 8am, for example – stick to that routine. Occasionally a student may need to reschedule because of a very important business meeting, an unavoidable doctor’s appointment, or even an act of God, that ‘s why teachers establish some background rules:
All rescheduling of lessons must be communicated at least 24 hours in advance.
Easy. Simple. Clear. And still students want to push the boundaries. Teachers will try to accommodate their students, of course, but TIME IS MONEY in addition to the importance of positive behaviors and habits.
Most serious professionals and institutions establish guidelines for both teachers and students: Make-up lessons may be available, only at the discretion and availability of the teacher—and, in most cases, at a maximum of xx per year/ semester. Individual arrangements may be made in the case of a prolonged illness.
Should your teacher need to cancel a lesson, it will be rescheduled at a mutually convenient time. If that is not possible, a credit– or in some cases, a refund–will be applied for that lesson.
Discontinuing Private Lessons
Should you need to discontinue private lessons, please give your teacher a 4 weeks notice
Student Responsibilities for Private Lessons
- Be on time
- Maintain a positive attitude
- Speak directly with your teacher if you have any questions or concerns​
- Practice daily! (not rocket science, am I right?)
A Note About Practicing
For success while learning a foreign language (or a musical instrument for that matter) you will need at least a weekly lesson and regularly-scheduled practice time. Minimum practice sessions are 15 minutes every day for beginners. Your teacher will make further recommendations.
- Set aside a practice time each day
- Expect to repeat difficult sections at least 4 or 5 times
- Reading a paragraph through once does not constitute practicing 🙂
- Practice slowly and carefully, concentrating on the work at hand
- Remember that your teacher is there to help: all questions are important!​
“Both research and experience tell us that it is more effective to build positive behaviors
than control negative student behavior (Strain & Sainato, 1987). To prevent problem behaviors in the classroom, it is often necessary for teachers to change their own behaviors (Vaughn, Bos,& Schumm, 2000). The same strategies and procedures will not necessarily be equally effective with all students. Classroom routines can positively affect students’ academic performance as well as their behavior (Cheney, 1989; Vallecorsa, deBettencourt, & Zigmond, 2000); therefore, one proactive strategy is for teachers to adopt a consistent classroom routine. A routine is simply a set of procedures for handling both daily occurrences (e.g., taking attendance, starting a class period, or turning in assignments).
Establishing a consistent and predictable routine serves a number of classroom functions.
For example, a routine helps to simplify a complex environment and inform students exactly what to expect, what is expected of them, and what is acceptable behavior (Burden, 2003; Cheney, 1989; Colvin & Lazar, 1995; Kosier, 1998; Newsom, 2001; Savage, 1999; Strain & Sainato, 1987; Vaughn, Bos, & Schumm, 2000).
In addition, when students are expected to complete routine tasks, they have the opportunity to learn greater responsibility and more self-management (Series on Highly Effective Practices—Classroom Routines 2 skills (Colvin & Lazar, 1995; Savage, 1999). Routines that require interaction between teacher and student (or among students) also serve to positively reinforce interpersonal communication and social skills and are one way for teachers to judge the quantity and quality of students’ skills in these areas (Colvin & Lazar, 1995). Finally, student-performed routines free the teacher to focus on more effective instruction and on the unexpected events that come up throughout the school day (Savage, 1999).
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