Ideas for smooth classroom transition
Teach straight through minor transition:
In my classes, I didn’t have too many problems with minor transitions because I kept giving instructions as the students were switching out books, etc. Because there was no pause, and because students needed to hear what I was saying, there was no opportunity for students to start their own side conversations.
In my classes, I didn’t have too many problems with minor transitions because I kept giving instructions as the students were switching out books, etc. Because there was no pause, and because students needed to hear what I was saying, there was no opportunity for students to start their own side conversations.
Provide an intentional break:
Other times, you may want to give your students an intentional break. Stretch together as a class, take a brain break and move around, or simply give thirty seconds of free talking time. The key, once again, is to practice the procedure – especially the part where you regain their attention.
Other times, you may want to give your students an intentional break. Stretch together as a class, take a brain break and move around, or simply give thirty seconds of free talking time. The key, once again, is to practice the procedure – especially the part where you regain their attention.
Have a way to regain students’ attention:
This could be a chime, a hand signal, or (my personal favorite) call-and-response sayings. What matters is that you practice the procedure enough that you can easily regain students’ attention if/when things do start to go off the rails.
This could be a chime, a hand signal, or (my personal favorite) call-and-response sayings. What matters is that you practice the procedure enough that you can easily regain students’ attention if/when things do start to go off the rails.
Consider student chants:
When students need to prepare certain materials or find a certain page, you can teach them to chant out loud “page 5, page 5, page 5” until they find it. This technique from Whole Brain Teaching not only keeps kids focused on what they’re doing but also prevents them from chatting with their neighbors (they’re too busy chanting “page 5”).
When students need to prepare certain materials or find a certain page, you can teach them to chant out loud “page 5, page 5, page 5” until they find it. This technique from Whole Brain Teaching not only keeps kids focused on what they’re doing but also prevents them from chatting with their neighbors (they’re too busy chanting “page 5”).
Use key words:
Key words like “in a moment” or “when I say go.” When you’re giving directions for something you’re about to do, use phrases like “when I say go” to remind students that they’re not supposed to start yet, but you will let them know when it’s time to begin.
Key words like “in a moment” or “when I say go.” When you’re giving directions for something you’re about to do, use phrases like “when I say go” to remind students that they’re not supposed to start yet, but you will let them know when it’s time to begin.
Tell students what level of talking you expect:
If you expect students to silently put away one book and get out another, be sure to say that explicitly. If they're allowed to whisper, make that too clear
If you expect students to silently put away one book and get out another, be sure to say that explicitly. If they're allowed to whisper, make that too clear
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