Everyone always talks about morning routines, but what about an end-of-day routine?  They are just as important!  Create an end-of-day routine in the classroom that will end the school day on a positive and productive note!  If you’re a teacher, you know the end of the day is rough – students are tired and their attention spans have had enough from activities all day, and to add to it, you’re most likely tired and ready to go home.  Here are some ideas to add to your schedule each afternoon to keep your students engaged.

Classroom Jobs

After lunch, we complete our classroom jobs, since maintaining the classroom is an important part of cleaning up after eating. Jobs are usually assigned either at the beginning of the week or each morning, depending on how you choose to organize and facilitate them. For classroom job ideas, [click here].

See Morning Routine for more details on picking class jobs.  For classroom job ideas, click here.

Click here to check out the Classroom Jobs Posters FREEBIE.

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Current Events

We usually watch CNN10 or Teen Kids News for current events. I like to schedule this activity at the end of the day, since many students are starting to tire from academic work, and a short video helps capture their attention a bit longer. After watching, we check for comprehension together using a visual Google Slides activity—answering WH questions, reviewing geography, and sharing opinions. For more options, you can explore this list of student-friendly current events alternatives [click here].

 

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National Day Celebrations

You can find out what the National Day is by visiting NationalDayCalendar.com, which also shares fun facts and history about each celebration. Most National Days focus on a recipe, a type of job, a holiday, or something just for fun. To extend the activity, you can show a short video about the day (there are plenty available on YouTube). Afterwards, students can complete a related writing activity, participate in a discussion, or work on a comprehension worksheet.

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Recipe Comprehension

If you celebrate National Day (as mentioned in the previous section), there is often a food theme tied to each day. You can extend this activity by watching a recipe video (plenty are available on YouTube) or by looking up a recipe online. Afterwards, students can answer comprehension questions related to the recipe—such as identifying utensils, appliances, measurements, and ingredients. They can also vote on whether they like the recipe. Since many students are motivated by food, this activity is both engaging and educational!

 

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End of Day Reflection

Instead of the teacher completing communication books each day, I involve the students in the process. Together, we fill out part of our end-of-day communication worksheet as a group using the Kami App. Then, students finish the remainder on their own, answering questions such as what services they received, what they ate for lunch, and how they felt that day. This worksheet is sent home, giving parents a helpful tool to spark conversations and reflect with their child about their day.

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Timesheets

Students complete timesheets to record the hours they work both on and off campus. If we are not currently participating in job experiences, students can still practice this skill by recording the time they arrive at and leave school. This routine provides meaningful practice with vocational readiness, counting, and functional math skills!

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Organize & Clean Desk Area

This is an important vocational and life skill for students, so we make it a priority to spend a few minutes cleaning up our desks, organizing supplies, filing student work, and sanitizing our work areas. For students who need additional support, provide a picture of what a “finished” desk should look like so they can use it as a visual guide.

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5 Minute Countdown

This strategy can be a real game-changer! If your students tend to get restless toward the end of the day, using a timer can help them wind down. It’s also great for students who struggle with waiting and try to leave for transportation too early. There are plenty of 5-minute timers available on YouTube. Other alternatives that are a bit more productive include doing a 5 minute meditation, breathing exercises, chair yoga or movement break video. Once the timer goes off, students know it’s time to stack their chairs and head home!

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In closing, having a consistent end-of-day routine in a special education classroom offers numerous benefits for both students and staff, such as structure, self-regulation, independence, social interaction, reinforcing daily concepts, and more.

Thanks for reading!

You might also enjoy reading:

Morning Routine in a Secondary SPED Classroom