Structure

Let all things be done decently and in order. (1 Corinthians 14:40)

We live in a society that is without anchor. People are swept along by their emotions, their own selfish desires, and their pride. We rebel against being told what to do, become frustrated when our autonomy seems to be taken away, and hesitate to impose limitations on those around us.

I am not here to argue about this. We should not take away someone’s free will. We should not force our own ideas on others. A healthy mind should think critically, not just go with the flow.

Order and structure is obvious in God’s design in nature. Creation all around illustrates His plan to put systems in place: the movement of the planets and stars, the predictable patterns of wildlife migration, the way season follows season, and so many more.

Some have been raised in an era of law and order and did not feel that their emotional needs were met. That may be a valid point. But what I see today troubles me equally. I see adults who are so determined not to raise children under a heavy hand that many have fallen into quite the opposite ditch. We are leaning so heavily into how we feel and the independent desire to live and let live that we are failing to give our children something solid to cling to. Failing to deny ourselves is causing both us and the children entrusted into our care to struggle much more than we would have to.

I’m not talking about being heavy-handed and giving out copious amounts of punishments. I’m talking about providing gentle, firm guidance. We need to give boundaries that are clear. It’s important to have systems and frameworks in place that provide security.

Children long to know they are safe. When we build structure into our lives, we are giving them that longed-for security and providing a good foundation from which to build connection. This doesn’t mean that we can never have spontaneous fun, but it means that when we do break from our normal routines, the child still feels safe because they know the break is only for a moment and that they will be back in the safe structure they are used to within a foreseeable amount of time.

But what does structure look like in everyday life? Are people given resources in plain language that spell out how and what they can do to build this safe, secure connection with the children in their lives? I think many of us walk into parenthood or classrooms with only vague ideas and memories from our own childhoods of how things should operate. These ideas are often biased from the childish perspective from which we experienced them. Maybe the adults in our lives weren’t the role models they should have been, but we have little else upon which to base our own actions.

I am not here to speak to parents because I don’t have experience in that department. I am sure there would be lots to be said about regular mealtimes and bedtimes, the order of events in a morning, and how children can be given a healthy wind-down routine in the evening before bed, but I’ll let someone else tackle that.

Neither am I here to speak down to my fellow teachers because I have far too many former students out there who can tell you that my own structure has not been perfect. I have had moments where it felt like things were falling apart around my ears, when students weren’t where I expected them to be or they’d gotten into mischief I didn’t predict. Too often those moments have reflected my own lack of structure. I’m supposing you, too, have had those moments when it feels like you’ve lost order.

This isn’t about control shown by a display of power. This is about putting a structure in place that gives you control of your class through respect. It’s about always having a plan in place which gives less room for disobedience. It’s about holding yourself to a way of doing things that will not only ease your own stress levels, but give your children the security they crave.

Children respond to our expectations. When we expect them follow the patterns we’ve laid out for them, they will generally do so. When we respond to discrepancies with love and small, consistent consequences, they not only learn that structure (and the teacher) needs to be respected, they also understand that they are in a secure environment.

So what are some ways to introduce structure into your classroom?

The first thing is to be very clear about your expectations. Let the bells in the morning be a firm indication to your children of what they should be doing. Maybe the 5-minute bell indicates time to be in their desks or time to quit talking. Either way, whatever action is expected of them should enable you to start your day immediately upon the ringing of the tardy bell.

Your students need to understand how many are allowed out of their seats during the day. Some teachers have a system in place in which a student raises one or two fingers to indicate a need to get out of their chair. Others allow one or two students up at a time. The method you choose isn’t so important as the fact that you have a method and stick to it. If I say I allow one student up at a time, but I often find three students up and milling about, I am not only breaking down my own structure, I’m giving my class the impression that I may not mean what I say.

In lower and middle grades (and honestly, upper grades, too, if they are struggling with respect) you will find it automatically adds a touch of order to have your students line up for everything. Line up before you leave the room for recess. Line up by the door when you come in for recess. Line up to exit for lunch. Line up to go to school devotions. Lining up is not demeaning. This is part of our everyday lives—we line up at banks, grocery stores, and gas stations.

Speaking of recess, be clear about starting games. Many classes are dismissed and the teacher has things to quickly do inside while the students mill about outside or finally start the game themselves. It provides security when the students know who is in charge. One way to do this is to do your best to go outside at the beginning of recess and indicate the start of the game. I prefer to use a whistle to do this, but there are other methods as well. Of course, it’s unrealistic to think that you will be able to be there every single time, but consider giving the responsibility to one of your students to start the game if you can’t be there. That way, it’s still clear that there is order and the rest of the children know that the chosen student is acting under your authority.

Respect the bells and time schedules at your school. Yes, definitely do finish the batter in softball and absolutely have some fun days where you stay out for an extra time allotment, but when we are consistently late going out for recess or coming in from recess or dismissing at the end of the day, we are indicating that the structure set in place for us by our school board is not necessarily worthy of respect. Another perk is that if staying out is a treat, you can use it for leverage and rewards.

Teach your boys to tuck in their shirts after recess and your girls to tidy their hair. This leads to a recognition that learning is serious business and it’s important to show up for it in a neat way.

During class time, many of us like our students to be free to respond and take part. I love the spontaneous interaction as much as anyone, but we need to be sure it is plain to them when we want them to answer freely and when we expect them to just be quiet and listen. Some teachers tap their desk with a pointer or give some other signal to differentiate. I like to extend an open palm toward the class when it is a free-for-all and hold up my hand like a policeman when I expect them to be quiet.

Lunchtime is one of my favorite times of the day because I just get to hang out with my class and listen to them talk and probe their minds to figure out how they think. It’s a special opportunity to get to know them. But even lunch must have structure. Take the time to teach your class that you expect them to sit properly. Instruct them on basic good manners. Be attuned to the level of structure your class needs. Some need to know what table to sit at. Some need to have specific seats assigned. Some may need a “no talking until you are finished with your hot lunch” guideline. None of these are harsh or overbearing. They are simply providing the secure environment your children long for, a routine that anchors their day.

Hold students accountable for following along during oral reading. Expect them to stand up with good posture when it is their turn to read. You may have students that struggle with reading to whom you give a bit more leeway, but for your average student there is no reason to constantly remind or prompt. I learned my favorite way of dealing with this at the Pensacola Christian Academy. If a student is called upon to read and doesn’t start reading at the correct spot within a few seconds of standing up beside his desk, another student is called on and the first one remains standing until the end of the page is reached. I have found this very effective. The structure and consequence are all built in together. Again, the consequence is not a big, heavy thing—just a consistent reminder to the child to do what he knows to do.

Keep job time orderly. There does not need to be communication between students unless one of your class jobs demand such. You may find it helpful to tell your children only one of them is allowed out of the room at a time during jobs, or have them request permission to leave. I like my children to return to their desks after their job is completed and make sure their desk is clean as well. When they are finished, they sit quietly and wait for me to come and check both their desk and job. If they pass, they get a high-five. This is a simple way of making sure order is maintained, not only in the busy last moments before dismissal, but before they even arrive at school the next morning, their desk will show the result of structure. It also provides a tiny moment of one-on-one connection with each child every day.

Expect students to stick to a certain structure, even on field trip days. They need to know if they are allowed to run or if they are supposed to walk. They need to know how far ahead of the group they are allowed to go. They need to know that it’s polite to listen quietly and that it’s respectful to show interest in what a guide is telling them by asking questions at appropriate times. They need to know they may be expected to walk in an orderly line, just like they do at school. I like to take my afore-mentioned whistle along, even on field trips. One blast on it tells my students to stop and wait where they are, while two blasts mean “come here.” I don’t need my class to constantly be at my side and be quiet on those fun outings, but I do need a sure way to get their attention and maintain a semblance of order.

I don’t expect you to do everything like I do. Some of you have better ideas and are probably more self-denied and structured than I am, but I do know that the more structure I have introduced into my classroom, the easier my job has become. I’m not suggesting that we turn our students into robots or dampen enthusiasm. There is plenty of room within structure for excitement and fun. But I think we do ourselves and our students a huge disservice when we allow them to drift during the school day.

Maybe you’ve read this and thought you’d like more structure in your own classroom. It’s not too late to start. And you don’t have to start with everything at once. Choose just one thing—maybe lining up—for the first week, and add others in as you become more confident and comfortable with your role as a guardian of routine and order. If you have any students in your classroom from difficult home situations, they need the structure even more than the other students. Ironically, they will often fight it the hardest. They want to know, “Does this adult actually mean what they say? Can I trust them? Is this going to be a safe place for me?”

Show up for those students. Provide the security they need. Build structure into your day with love, knowing it’s one of the most important gifts you can give.

Wishing each one of you many successful days in the classroom!