transitions

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Home : 2004 : November : 21

transitions
By teachfla

1. 3rd grade

2. 30-40 min. That's just an estimate. It's probably shorter.

3. Sometimes I use a timer. Like, you have 5 min to write down your assignments in your planner, pack up, clean up, and get on the rug. I either
give points for however many people are on the rug when the timer goes off, or I take off recess minutes if they goofed off and only like 3 are on the rug. I also count: "Get a clipboard, pencil, eraser, and meet me on the rug in 15, 14, 13, etc." I often begin when the timer goes off, I stop counting, whatever. Those who are late are forced to catch up on their own, and I've found that

mine hate that.

4. Sort of. I've organized my classroom so I can use the least amount of time possible for transitions. No desks, only tables. All materials belong to the classroom and are shared. Children don't have individual workbooks -- I spend my time ripping out the important pages so that no one is flipping through the book either playing or searching for the right page. We do many of the same activities every day, so the transitions are routines. As for seating assignments, I put them at tables based on who can work well together.

5. We have social interaction time with certain projects, during solo work time, and at recess and lunch. I really only have about 4 hours a day to teach, so I expect them to give me their undivided attention during most of that time. Obviously, they have to talk to each other during the day, so I just make interacting part of my lessons.