Transition

When you are asking your students to move from one activity or another. When your students line up for lunch or Recess. When your students are asked to congregate in your Reading Area. These are all situations that can be executed in a variety of ways. Sometimes they include rituals that become part of the everyday routine, such as having students put their belongings away, then choosing from a variety of tasks set up in the room. Other times, you need to initiate activities that serve the needs of a particular student, such as giving a student who finds it difficult to switch from one activity to another extra time to plan for the upcoming changes. This can be just a simple extra verbal reminder, or you can use an egg timer or the wall clock to help the student get ready for the upcoming changes. You may find that some of the transition activities you used at the beginning of the school year do not serve your students' needs at the end of the year. You may also realize that you need transition activities for the entire class as well as contingency ones that are especially helpful for students who finish their work early. In the latter case, such strategies as providing brain teasers or daily challenges often work well.
 

What should happen during a TRANSITION??

When you come to the carpet:

• Push your chair in

• Walk to the carpet

• Quickly sit down on your Pockets

• Face the T.V.

• Voice is off

When you line up:

• Push your chair in

• Walk quietly and get into line

• Face forward

• Hands to side

• Voices off

When changing from one activity to another:

• Clean up table and floor space

• Put ALL things away where they belong

• Sit quietly and wait for next directions

Finding the right type of transition activity can be a hidden treasure in your classroom. Many resources are available to help you find specific music, stories, and activities to stimulate your students bodies and minds, and I have listed some of them below. Students will welcome any attempt you make to add transition activities into your daily routines, especially if they involve a little movement or a challenge. You will be surprised at how these activities change your classroom environment. If you periodically change the activities, you will keep their interest piqued as they wonder what you will do next.

http://childrensmusic.org

www.enchantedlearning.com/Home.html

www.kinderart.com

www.readwritethink.org