Managing Transitions and Stop Look Listen

Mar 13, 2023

Transitions can be difficult in classrooms. The time between lessons can be an opportunity for students to lose momentum, demonstrate inappropriate behavior or get distracted.

Well-managed transitions can be calming where students feel supported, self-controlled and ready to refocus. They can be learning times. You can squeeze in extra review of key concepts, movement and creativity!

Throughout this year, I will share some ideas for managing transitions with you, but for today - let's start with a few practical considerations.

Warning

manage your transition time by preparing your students for them
pause them 5 minutes (10 minutes also, if needed) before
encourage them to stop-look-listen so you know they are attending well to the information you are about to give
tell them that soon they will be transitioning to a new part of the day

Past-Present-Future

use past-present-future as a structure at your 5 minute warning message
e.g. You've worked so well at the math puzzles this morning. You have some more time to finish, but soon I will be stopping you and I will see you picking the pieces up and putting them in the basket. When the desks are tidy we will gather on the carpet for story time. So - a little extra puzzle time, then packing into baskets and sitting on the carpet. Back to work.
if you need support getting your students to stop-look-listen, use a butterfly wand
when you hold it up, encourage students to pause (as butterflies do on flowers), look carefully at you and be as gentle and quiet as a butterfly

Make the Future a Little More Magical

if your students get too-familiar with your transition warnings try adding some excitement or extra sparkle to the future activity/expectation
e.g. When the desks are tidy we will gather on the carpet for story time. There is a special guest inside the book today who is looking for someone to help turn the pages.
idea: print and cut a butterfly, fairy, dragon or ninja and put it inside the cover to pop up like a book mark. A special student can sit on a chair next to you as you read and help turn the pages.