Learning and Teaching

High Expectations and Routines

The start of 2026 looked a little different for our staff and students at St Louis. After 12 months of introducing an explicit instruction approach to teaching and learning, we revisited the role of high expectations and consistent routines in our classrooms and across the school.

These routines help maximise time for learning and ensure everyone understands what it means to be ready to learn.

Starting the Day

Clear routines begin with the way students enter the classroom. Our teachers have introduced a routine that begins at 8:35 am, helping students transition from the playground into the classroom and set the tone for the day.

You may have noticed school leaders encouraging students to move from the playground and oval to their classrooms when doors open at 8:35 am. We are very grateful for the support parents and carers have shown in helping reinforce this routine.

Within the classroom, teachers are also using learning tools such as mini whiteboards, cold calling sticks, and short activities called “Do Nows” to ensure all students actively participate in learning.

As education writer Tom Sherrington explains:

“Children do not learn simply by being in a room where other people are learning. They each need to be active participants… checking they’re focusing their attention, making sense of ideas and consolidating learning through practice.”Sherrington, T.

What is a “Do Now”?

A Do Now is a short activity that students begin as soon as they enter the classroom after playtime. It can be completed independently and usually helps students review or practise previous learning.

Educational researcher Dr Nathaniel Swain explains:

“A Do Now is a short independent task completed at the beginning of a lesson. It typically takes three to five minutes, connects to prior learning and requires no teacher assistance.”Swain, N., referencing Doug Lemov’s Teach Like a Champion.

By establishing routines like these, we create predictable, calm classrooms where students know what to expect and can focus on learning.

Around the School

This term, we have also introduced some school-wide expectations around how we move safely around the school and how we line up after playtime.

You can see examples of these in the photos below. Our students are working incredibly hard to meet these expectations and prepare themselves for a successful day of learning.

We always encourage conversations about these routines at home, as the more students hear and practise them, the more naturally they become part of their everyday habits.

Thomson Wood