The BEST transitions

EVER!!!Prepared for you by: Robert, Kristy, Oksu, Sherri,

Christian, Allison, Angela

Preparation

Students will have successful transitions through preparation

Students are prepped ahead of time Visual supportVerbal warning or cuesNatural endings (putting on coat signals going outside)

Define transition by time of day or by number of minutesExample: when the timer goes off in five minutes its time to line up for lunch

Define by quantityExample: finish two more problems and you can go to recess.

Routine

Transitions are easier if they are a part of a Childs daily routine.

Routines are predictable and cause less confusion.

Presented routine signalsVisual cue: flicking of a light may signify to lower voicesVerbal cue: “after we finish ________,we’re going to put it away and start ________________.”Musical clue: Songs that tell about a routine can be sung before and during a transition time.

Reminders

Children benefit from knowing about the changes that are about to happen.Reminders can tell students a series of events.

Example: Verbal, “its time to go to the lunchroom, and then we’ll have recess.”

Reassurance that the activity is not gone forever

Children need to know when they can return to an activity they are engaged in, especially when they don’t want to leave.

Example: You can play with the silly putty again during free time after reading.Example: we can come back to the park next week”

Works best with visual cuesExample: “putty Tuesdays or fun food Fridays” are displayed on a calendar in the classroom.

Expectation

Plan for a highly motivating activity to follow undesirable activity can increase the chance of cooperative participation.

Example: let a child know she can play BINGO after she cuts out her shapes, or allowing a student to read silently after completing five math problems are two examples.

Students may need occasional reminders of the motivating activity during the less desirable one.

Transition Times

• Morning arrival into the classroom• Gathering for circle or meeting time• Cleaning up• Coming back from lunch• Changing groups or activities• Getting student’s attention• Waiting• Ending the school day

Classroom Procedures

• Procedures for the classroom should beestablished the first week of school.• Schedule and rules should be clearly displayed.• Each part of the day should have a set procedure,the most important thing to remember isconsistency

Tips and Tricks

• Try to eliminate as much wait time as possible.• Make sure enjoyable activities follow a less motivating one.• Don’t give too many verbal directions at one time.• Give students a task to complete while they wait. ex counting, spelling, or guessing activities while waiting in line.• Be sure to have back up plans in sticky situations.

Returning to the Classroom From Lunch and Special Classes

• When you return from lunch, you may want the class to take out their journals and immediately begin writing.

• Transition back into academics after lunch and special classes: train students to go directly to their seats, look at the board for assignments, and/or wait quietly for your directions

Implement the strategies you see in the photos above: create structure for the end of the school day, track which students have been dismissed, and get kids to be SILENT during bus call announcements (it is possible!).

Morning Routines

• Hang a poster in the room with a routine for kids to follow every morning.– 1) Hang up coat and backpack. 2) Put homework in bin.

3) Sharpen pencil. 4)Work on self-start quietly at desk. – Have a poster with list of names. Kids check in for the

day and use a blue clothespin if they are having cold lunch and a red clothespin if they are having hot lunch.

– The office helper takes the hot lunch count and delivers notes or lunch money to the office.

Morning RoutinesChallenge of the DayWrite a challenge question on the board and allow students to begin workingon it while they trickle into class. Award students points for effort and morepoints for getting it right.

Homework BusinessAsk students to review homework a final time prior to turning it in.Have students write down new homework assignments that have been writtenon the chalkboard.Journal- The teacher writes an entry on the board and the kids write about it. They can draw a picture when they are done.Teacher greets everyone at the door to get a sense of how the kids are feeling at the start of the day.

Changing groups or activities• Timer• Quantity (do two more problems you can use the computer• Visual supports (daily calendar)• Musical cue• Give Me Five - eyes on teacher,ears listening, mouth quiet, armsby your side, and feet still.• Play game• Learning activity• http://www.teachingwithpurpose.com/Classroom_Transitions_

Susan_Douglas.pdf

Transition Strategies

Have a SignalBuy an inexpensive egg timer and at each

transition announce the amount of time students have to put things away and prepare for the next activity.

Place the timer in a place where students can see it.

Strategies continued

Give Specific DirectionsFollow Up to Ensure Understanding

To select students at random and ask them to repeat your directions. You might ask them what they should be doing or how much time they have left.

Clean Up Song!!!

Click Here for your chance to sing