137. 3 Mistakes to Avoid when Setting Up Routines (& How to Fix Them)

If your independent work routine is starting to feel more frustrating than functional, you’re not alone. In this episode, I’m sharing the three most common mistakes I see with independent work systems—and more importantly, how to fix them without tossing your whole setup.

If you’re looking for sustainable routines that actually support your students and your teaching, you’re in the right place. Want ready-to-use resources to go with these strategies? Check out the Complete Independent Work Club linked in the show notes.

If you're a busy special education teacher looking for tips, tricks, and resources to save you precious time, I've got you covered! I'm here to help you regain your confidence in the classroom and feel calm and collected as a special educator.

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Chapters

• 0:00 Introduction to Common Mistakes
• 1:49 Mistake 1: Assuming Student Independence
• 2:57 Mistake 2: Wrong Task Level
• 4:17 Mistake 3: No Maintenance Plan
• 6:14 Recap and Resource Announcement
• 8:09 Closing and Subscription Request

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

Welcome back to Special Educators Resource Room Podcast. I'm your host, jennifer, from Positively Learning. Today's episode is one I think we all need to hear, whether you're brand new to setting up routines in your classroom or whether you've been doing them for years. We're going to be talking about the three most common mistakes that can happen with independent work systems and how to fix them without starting over or throwing your whole system in the trash. Now, if you don't use independent work systems, why not? What are you waiting for? But just kidding, this could apply to any classroom routine. Let's get started.

Speaker 2: 0:40

Hey, special educators, I'm Jennifer from Positively Learning. Welcome to the Special Educators Resource Room. If you're like me, you're always looking for ways to save time and streamline your work. That's why this podcast was created to give you the systems and solutions you need to get your time back. Tune in for tips, tricks and tools that will help you manage your workload and make the most of your time. Whether you're brand new or experienced, all are welcome in the Special Educators Resource Room.

Speaker 1: 1:14

Before we get started, I want to say up front if you've made any of these mistakes we're going to be talking about today, welcome to the club. I've made them too, so have hundreds of other teachers. These aren't mistakes because you're doing something terribly wrong. They happen because we're juggling 20 things at once and trying to create systems that actually work for students. So if you've ever looked at your task boxes, binders, file folders and thought, why isn't this working like it's supposed to, this is your episode. We're going to start big with mistake number one.

Speaker 1: 1:49

Assuming students know what independent means. So we often assume that because a task is designed to be independent, students will automatically understand that means they're supposed to do it by themselves, quietly, without calling your name, without wandering around the room, without dumping everything on the floor. But here's the truth. Independence has to be taught, just like everything else. Just because a task is level appropriate doesn't mean your student knows when to start, what done looks like, how to manage materials or what to do next. So that's an easy fix. We're going to build a consistent visual routine, so this could be a first then chart. This could be a numbered task strip. This could be a checklist with pictures. This could be a clear finished bin, and then you're going to model it again and again finished bin, and then you're going to model it again and again. Independence grows from this repetition and clarity. You're not just going to put a box on a table and hope for the best.

Speaker 1: 2:52

Mistake number two using the wrong task for the student's current level. So this is a big one. Sometimes you have a system that looks right, it's organized, it's labeled, it's even color-coded, but your student gets stuck every time they sit down. Why? Because the task is too hard or it might be too easy. When the task isn't a good match for the student's current level, you might get refusal, avoidance, meltdowns or just rapid fire clicking just to be done, and that's not really independence. So here's how to fix it. Start with tasks that are just below the student's instructional level. This is that I can do it zone or independent level. If a student is still learning a concept in direct instruction or in your small groups, it shouldn't be in their independent work. Yet you want tasks that are going to build confidence, because confidence is what allows students to practice the skills without constant adult support. So you might want to try errorless tasks or use fine motor tasks. These are perfect for when the routine is still new or when there's a low energy day or when just a reset needs to happen because things are feeling hard.

Speaker 1: 4:13

Mistake number three not having a plan for maintenance and rotation. So you've got the setup, the visuals, the right tasks, but two weeks later students are bored and the materials are incomplete and no one knows where that missing Velcro piece went. What happened? You need a maintenance plan. Even the best systems will fall apart if they're not supported or designed for longevity. Here's how to fix it. There's actually two options to choose from. Option one set up a weekly refresh routine. This could be a regular time maybe Friday afternoons, monday mornings, whatever works to check your systems and routines, check the materials, the task boxes, the binders. You might want to swap out one or two familiar tasks, add a new one. Check for missing pieces. I recommend keeping a small bin labeled needs fixing or to refresh. That way, when something does break or goes missing, it's not lost forever. It can go in this bin until you have more time to deal with it.

Speaker 1: 5:13

Option two build your system using evergreen tasks. If regular maintenance sounds like way too much, you can focus on creating or choosing evergreen tasks, ones that students can use again and again without them feeling so repetitive. So this might be tasks that rotate the order but not the materials, which means they could use the same task but maybe they're using it in a different way or with a different manipulative. You could have more open-ended tasks, like matching and sorting a write and wipe option with your work binders, or tasks that build up fine motor strength through repetition. Evergreen tasks are also not seasonal, so you don't have to worry about swapping them out when St Patrick's Day ends or when it's Thanksgiving. This reduces the need for constant updating, while students can still stay engaged. So whether you go for a regular rotation or you stick with evergreen options, the key is to having a plan so that your system doesn't quietly fall apart when your to-do list explodes.

Speaker 1: 6:14

Let's recap those three most common mistakes that we all make when setting up routines. Number one assuming students know what to do. In our example, we were assuming students know what independent even means. How do we fix it? We can use visuals and we can model routines means. How do we fix it? We can use visuals and we can model routines. Mistake number two using tasks that don't match the student's current level. A quick fix is choose confidence-boosting tasks that are going to reinforce mastered skills. And mistake number three not having a rotation or a maintenance plan in place. Quick fix you can either do a weekly refresh or skip the seasonal and build an evergreen system that doesn't need you to be checking in on it every week.

Speaker 1: 7:01

These are small fixes but they can make such a big difference because when your routine works it's gonna give students meaningful practice.

Speaker 1: 7:09

It's also gonna give you the space to teach to collect data or just to breathe students meaningful practice. It's also going to give you the space to teach to collect data or just to breathe for five seconds. If you're thinking I love these ideas but I just don't have time to put it all together, I've got you Inside the complete independent work club. You'll get access to hundreds of task boxes, plus file folders and workbinders that are already organized by level and by skill. There's visual supports to build student routines ready to use tracking tools if you want to put in that task rotation. And, of course, you have a support system to help you set it all up without overwhelm, because it's not just about the resources, it's a plan. I'll put a link in the show notes if you want to take a peek. Thanks so much for listening. I greatly appreciate it and thank you for building systems that are going to really support your students. You are doing such important work and I'm cheering you on. I'll talk to you next time in the special educators resource room.

Speaker 2: 8:09

Thanks so much for tuning in and I'm dying to ask what'd you think? Be sure to hit the follow or subscribe buttons that you never miss an episode. You can find the show notes and links for everything mentioned in this episode at positivelylearningblogcom. See you next week for more special education solutions.