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Classroom management is something we teachers think about every day. Rules, consequences, building rapport, and a predictable routine all have a huge impact and keep things running smoothly.
But one of the best things you can do to create a positive classroom environment, and spend less time on discipline, is to teach your students how to make successful transitions.
what Types of CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT transitions are used in elementary school?
A transition period is that empty space between structured activities. Sometimes we call it down time. There are 3 different ways transitions happen in the classroom:
Entering the room from somewhere else
Moving from one task to the next activity or next lesson
Leaving the classroom to go somewhere else
why are Effective transitions so important?
Younger children thrive on routine. They enjoy knowing what is expected of them and, for the most part, like to please their teacher. But without structured routines, students will look to each other for cues on what to do - and this is not what you want happening in your classroom. Any semblance of order can quickly spiral out of control when you don't have clear expectations in place.
There are a few key times during the day when students have the most trouble maintaining appropriate behaviors - and any transition time is at the top of the list!
One of the best practices for your classroom management strategy is to set up very specific procedures and routines for your class to follow when transitioning from one activity to another. Without smooth transitions, you'll have a hard time getting students back on task and will lose valuable instructional time. It's much easier to be proactive.
Specific Transition Activities for Students
Now that you know WHY effective teachers spend time teaching transitions, let's look at some quick ways you can tweak your classroom procedures and get your students transitioning like pros.
Morning Arrival
Quite often, the first few minutes of the morning will set the tone for the rest of the day. The most effective strategy for managing morning arrival is to have a very specific routine for your entire class to follow every, single day.
It can be as simple as:
Hang your backpack on your numbered hook
Put your daily folder in the red basket
Sit down and start your morning work until announcements begin
The trick is to keep it simple and consistent so students always know what they should be doing without teacher direction. You have enough to tend to in the morning without having to corral your class and tell them what to do.
It's best to keep the routine the same every day, but if you want to change it up (sometimes a worksheet, sometimes morning work bins, etc.), use your whiteboard to show your students the expectation. Have a specific spot on the board where students should look every morning to find out what the task is.
Afternoon Dismissal
Dismissal time is difficult for many teachers to manage. The kids are worn out and excited to go home - just the right recipe for crazy behavior. If you don’t have effective transition strategies set up for the end of the day, you will surely pay the price.
A good idea is to use the same strategy you use during arrival - a simple 3-step routine that students can memorize. Mine looks something like this:
Clean up your personal space
Put your daily folder on your desk
Go sit on the rug for afternoon meeting
Did you notice that I didn’t have them go get their backpacks or lunch boxes? I like to keep dismissal time VERY CONTROLLED. It prevents a whole lot of problems. So, my routine simply gets them ready to pack up and in a spot where I can run the show.
Once everyone’s desks are tidy and they are all sitting in front of me on the rug, I send them a few at a time to quietly get their backpacks and then return to the rug. This is also when my classroom helpers can do their jobs. Everyone else is kept seated with every students’ attention on me for our afternoon meeting.
What about the rest of the day?
Arrival and dismissal aren’t the only times you need to plan efficient transitions. One excellent way to keep things running smoothly is to post your daily schedule for your students to see. This lets them know what is happening next in their day and will give them a sense of control.
Here are a few other times that you’ll want to have specific transition routines in place:
Lining Up
How many times during the day does your class have to line up? Going to specials, going to lunch, going to recess - at least three, right? Having a set procedure for each of these will save you a lot of time! They key is to practice, practice, practice until your students can do it quickly and independently.
One little trick for a quick line up is the use of line spots. This is incredibly helpful with young students who will do almost anything to be first in line.
Line spots are simply numbers placed on the floor that tell each student where to stand. You can used colored masking tape to keep it simple. At the beginning of the year, assign each student a number and that’s where they stand to line up. I like to mark the very first spot with a star for my line leader because that person changes every week. It gives everyone gets a chance to be in front at some point. Whenever a child is the line leader, his or her regular numbered spot is just empty that week.
Another effective way to line up is using a special saying or chant to help students remember what good behavior looks during hallway transitions. My favorite is the acronym HALL:
Hands at sides
All eyes facing forward
Legs in line
Lips quiet
This reminds students exactly how the line should look. I hang my HALL sign above the door so it’s the last thing we see as we leave.
Changing Subjects
There isn’t enough time in the school day to fit everything in no matter how hard you try. So it’s super important to to eliminate downtime between subjects. Switching from from one academic activity to another needs to be quick and efficient. This will preserve class time and also keep students focused on learning.
One easy way to transition between subjects is to use a countdown timer. If you want to be a little bit fancy (who doesn’t love fancy?), there are some great free online timers. You can project one onto your whiteboard and the visual will keep students moving.
A transition song is another great way to move students from one activity to another. This is especially good in the younger grades. But, I know some of you 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade teachers are super creative and can probably think of some clever cleanup lyrics to one of the songs kids are into these days.
A few other ideas that work well are using call backs to get students' attention and a five-minute warning (especially good for children who have trouble stopping a preferred activity).
Whatever prompt you use between subjects, make sure you also teach your students exactly what to do at that time. Maybe they need to put away their reading books, get out their social studies folders, and sit at their desks. The point is to make the transition seamless without giving directions all the time.
Coming in From Recess
This might be the most difficult transition of the day. I mean, who wants to stop doing something incredibly fun to go inside and work? You’d probably avoid it too if you could. But there are ways to make this one a whole lot easier.
First, make sure to use a consistent line up location. Students shouldn’t have to search for where you and the rest of the class are.
Next, come up with a signal that means it’s time to go in. It can be a whistle, bell, party horn, whatever - as long as it’s loud enough to be heard over recess noise. I found an amazing whistle that I've used for 3 or 4 years now. My students can't even pretend not to hear it.
Now, here’s the real trick - Teach your students that when they hear the signal, it’s time to stop what they’re doing and line up. This should take no more than 60 seconds unless your recess area is the size of a football field. If they are all in line in a minute or less, they get two extra minutes of recess the next day. I know… two minutes? Two measly minutes? Just trust me. The beauty of this strategy is that any stragglers will be prodded along by their classmates who want those extra minutes.
When to Teach Transition Routines
During the first week of school, teaching routines will certainly be part of your lesson plans. Just be sure to include your procedures for different transitions too. Don't just explain them though. Act them out and have your students practice them until they get it right.
Your class will learn quickly, but it’s still a good idea to revisit and review these procedures any time you have a holiday or break from school.
I hope these ideas for effective classroom management transitions will make your day-to-day teaching life so much easier! It may seem like a lot of repetitive blah blah blah at the beginning, but practice makes perfect. Your transition times will get faster and smoother every day and you will enjoy the positive classroom culture they create.
These Daily Schedule Cards are a great way to help students with transitions throughout the day.
They are fully editable so you can make your own headings and times. Includes analog clocks as well.
Easy to print and hang to create a visual schedule for your students!
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