The five-minute exit ticket routine
The best routines are not the most elaborate. They are the ones that make the next useful action obvious, repeatable, and light enough to keep.
More space to teach.
Begin with the decision you make repeatedly
Look for the point in your week where you tend to pause, reopen several tabs, or rebuild something you have already built before. That is usually the right place for a simple reusable routine.
Write down the smallest sequence that reliably gets you from “I need to plan” to “I know what comes next.” Keep the sequence visible and resist adding steps that only make the system look impressive.
A useful planning rhythm should protect your attention, not become another project to manage.
Keep the evidence close to the plan
Before choosing the next activity, bring one or two pieces of current student evidence into view. A quick observation, exit ticket, or work sample is often enough to keep the plan responsive.
- Choose one clear learning priority.
- Identify what students already show you.
- Select the smallest useful next step.
- Prepare only what that step requires.
Set a 25-minute planning window. Use the same three headings each time: evidence, next move, materials. Stop when each has a useful answer.