Children generally function best when they have a predictable routine, particularly when they are very young. Young Primary students are less frightened when they know exactly what to expect and everyone feels more confident. For that reason, it is important to establish a routine for your Primary class.
One of the challenges in Junior Primary is settling the children back down after leaving sharing time and walking through halls that might have had parents or siblings in it. Decide exactly what you want your students to do from the moment they enter their classroom. Since there is usually a senior Primary class being taught before you arrive, it is likely that the classroom is not prepared for your arrival. Instruct the children to always enter the room and get their own chair in place. They should stack unneeded chairs to prevent children from changing seats throughout class. Then assign them other small tasks-putting up pictures for you, gathering trash left behind or anything else you like. Alternately, you can assign them to set up their chairs, put their scriptures under the chair and then sit quietly. While they are doing this you can begin to set up. To give yourself a few more moments, ask a child to lead the rule chart review, or simply chat with the children about what happened in opening exercises until you are ready. Keep the conversation quiet and spiritual. Be sure to have your supplies organized so you can set up quickly.
Senior Primary children arrive one at a time at the end of Sacrament in most wards. Therefore, you must keep the early arrivals occupied until everyone has arrived and you are ready to begin. The first children can help you set up the room, putting out chairs, hanging pictures and so on. You might also have an attendance chart the children can mark as they arrive. Some teachers plan a small activity based on the lesson for them to do as they arrive. If they do not finish, they can be instructed to place it under their chairs and take it home.
The next step at both levels is to review the class rules. You should have a chart for the children that you can review quickly before you begin. If you leave the chart hanging, you will sometimes be able to avoid a scolding by simply pointing to the chart when a child is breaking a rule.
Take roll if you have not done so already. With younger students, I always have a classroom roll chart as well as the one I turn in. This year, I have a large sheet of poster board with a pocket for each child made of construction paper. The children put a small star on the pocket and the pocket contains notes or handouts the children need to take home at the end of the day. At the end of the year, they get to take their pocket of stars home. They enjoy checking to see how often they have come and it makes them aware of those children who have been missing for a while. As we talk about missing children, they understand that they are missed when they are gone. It also gives me a moment to give each child individual attention. I smile at them and ask them how they are or complement them on something. If there is big news in a child's life, we announce it at this time.
Now it's time to get started. Select a child to say the opening prayer. You may want to have a set rotation for this. You can also choose a child who is quiet and ready for the prayer. If you use this method, make sure every child gets a regular chance. I once had a child who did not know how to say a classroom prayer. Reverence wasn't his specialty so he was seldom chosen to say the prayer! You may have to be creative in order to be sure such a child gets his chance to pray for the class. (Keeping him too busy to get into trouble sometimes helps.)
Whatever routine you choose should be easy to carry out. Be sure to inform substitutes of the routine and provide them with the materials needed. Children become quite attached to their routines. When I once tried to skip the rules to speed things up, the children protested that Primary would be ruined if I did. Children love routine!
All I Need To Know I Learned in Primary...
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