Classroom transitions can be time-consuming and steal away precious teaching time. Whether it’s lining up to go somewhere outside of the classroom, or changing to a different activity, trying to get all students to “switch gears” can be a tricky task. We can’t expect students to have smooth transitions if we don’t have a structured process and clear expectations. This 4-step guide can help make your classroom transitions more efficient, so you can spend more time on what matters!
4 Helpful Steps for Classroom Transitions
Prepare Students to Wrap Up Use a countdown. Allow students time to wind down from their current activity or assignment. This step can be done with an actual timer, lasting the length of a song, or a virtual stopwatch displayed on the screen. When time is up, students should be prepared to end their current activity.
Explain And Transition Directly and explicitly, tell students what will be happening next (“put away _____, get out _______, line up to go to _________”). Initiate this process by using a word other than “go.” I like using the words “transition” and “let’s get prepared.” If needed, use another countdown.
Monitor Take note of students who are transitioning correctly and praise them. Reteach students who seem to struggle with any of the transition steps.
When Things Go Wrong Author Todd Finley offers advice for troubleshooting classroom transitions in his Edutopia.com article “Mastering Classroom Transitions.” If transitions take too long, Finley suggests making it a challenge to beat another classes’ time. When student behavior is a problem when lining up, place stickers or dots on the floor several feet apart for students to stand on. Combine a visual timer and a verbal countdown for students who don’t want to quit what they’re doing. For younger students, distraction can derail any transition, so singing a song may help keep students on track.
As for any process that is new to students, it’s always a good idea to use reminders, even if you think students have it down. Practice, rehearse, and practice again.
California Casualty Customer Care Specialist Darrah Z. recently received an unusual request from Union High School (Evergreen School District – Washington) Math Teacher and long-term customer Jeanie Langley. “Jeanie sent me an email asking about an expert who could teach insurance fundamentals to her students,” said Darrah. Darrah sent Jeanie’s request to the Partner Relations Team for a follow-up to find out what California Casualty could do to help. It turns out that Jeanie wanted to mix it up a bit in her Financial Literacy senior class. “My students were losing interest, and I needed to do something to bring them back around,” Jeanie told us. “They are about to be real-life adults, so this is serious! I wanted to invite specialists in as guest speakers.” On different days, Jeanie had representatives from a car dealership, a local credit union, an apartment landlord organization, colleges, and health and life insurance agents come in to speak to her seniors. Ultimately, Darrah connected Jeanie with Erica Reich, a California Casualty Field Marketing Manager in Washington. Erica immediately jumped on board and agreed to take the lead role in Jeanie’s “Auto Insurance” module within Union High School’s Financial Literacy class.
Erica arrived at Union HS bright and early with a flash drive, and clicker in hand prepared to talk through a 45-minute presentation she developed with her Team Manager Brian Goodman. “Jeanie told me beforehand that this group of students can be inattentive,” Erica added. “So that’s why I brought a few ‘Distracted Driving Kills’ Impact Teen Driver t-shirts with me as prizes… I was tossing them out to the kids right away if they engaged with me.” It didn’t take long before the students were learning the difference between liability insurance, collision and comprehensive coverage, transportation, uninsured motorist, PIP, and towing options. “We taught them how to read a Declarations Page! It was a lot of fun and felt like the right thing to do,” Erica said.
“It didn’t take long for the word to get out,” said TM Brian. “She did such a great job connecting with the students.” A few days after her presentation, Erica received an email from fellow Evergreen SD teacher Allison Wallace. Allison teaches Personal Finance at neighboring He La High School. She heard about the class Erica taught for her friend Jeanie. Allison asked Erica if she would be willing to bring her expertise to her classroom, as well. Allison said, “My students have to learn to budget living expenses, investments, insurance, and credit cards. So now, Erica will be teaching two separate Personal Finance auto insurance modules. Brian added, “Word spreads quickly! Erica is volunteering her time to help kids which is worth it right there. And she is showing Evergreen High School educators the spirit of what California Casualty is all about. It’s more than providing auto and home insurance coverage – it’s our dedication to supporting and building long-lasting relationships with NEA members at all levels that truly sets California Casualty apart.”
As Erica was leaving the class at the end of the first presentation, customer Jeanie Langley told her, “I’m going home to look at my California Casualty Dec Page!”
Have you lost the happy feeling that your job used to bring? Are you already annoyed by the thought of your job? Let’s find that joy and smile that you once had from being a nurse.
These 5 tips can make you feel more passionate about nursing:
1. Find a Support System. If you hate your job, most likely you will withdraw from the people that you work with. Research shows that your co-workers are the number one reason for loving your job. Find people that have similar interests and values as you. Don’t be afraid to make the first move of initiating a conversation. Smile. Offer help. Be a part of a community.
2. Let It Go. Being a nurse involves a ton of emotions. You, like a sponge, absorb some patient’s pain and that can take a toll. Learn that a patient’s struggle isn’t personal towards you and let that stress go. Focus on the best parts of the day, the good you’ve done for your patients.
3. Avoid Games. Don’t get sucked into office politics. It can be an easy trap to fall into but avoid at all costs. Take the different road and find a different joy in games on your phone or new hobbies.
4. Follow the Sunshine. Work can feel like a beat down after a while. So through the darkness, search for the sunshine. Find the joy in the office. Ask to help with a project or co-worker.
Finding joy in your job is a choice and takes practice. There will be hard days but look for the positive in each one. Remember the hobbies and happiness that is outside of work too.
5. Create a Bucket List – Nurse-Style. Focusing on the nursing goals you want to accomplish can serve as a source of inspiration. While you’re at it, why not make a list of the things you’ve already accomplished in your career – starting with making it through nursing school. Keep your lists with you and refer back to them when you feel the nursing blahs come on. You’ve done a lot and grown as a nurse, so give yourself a pat on the back. You deserve it.
What helps you get through the hard days? Share with us in the comments.
The end of the school year is hectic. Assemblies, field trips, awards ceremonies, and celebrations seem to fill up the calendar during that last month. Your “To-Do” list is a mile long filled with tasks that need to be completed before the end of the year. Why not add just a few more important items? Don’t forget to accomplish these things before the end of the school year.
Plan Ahead for Professional Development
Many teachers are so busy during the school year that professional development is not a priority. Summer is a more convenient time to squeeze in those professional development hours. Check out the graduate level continuing education courses given by your local university. Online coursework is a great option if you’re planning to work over the summer break. Enroll in coursework that will benefit you. Some school districts may even have a tuition reimbursement program.
Clean Out and Organize Your Desk and Classroom
Nothing feels better than leaving for summer vacation, except when you leave for summer vacation with a clean and organized classroom. Purge what you don’t use. I use the one year rule: if I haven’t used it in a year, it goes. If the items you are purging are in good shape, offer them to colleagues so they don’t end up in the trash. Organize what you want to keep. Take ten minutes at the end of every day, from now until the end of the year, to focus on one area of your classroom. Start with your desk and move around the room from there. By the end of the year, you’ll have a classroom you can feel good about coming back to after summer break!
Thank Your Teammates
You can’t do this job without your coworkers. Let them know how much you enjoyed and appreciated working them with a simple gift or thank you note. Potted plants, homemade goodies, or even a simple from-the-heart note are all great ways to say “Thank You For A Great Year!”
Treat Yourself!
The taste of summer vacation is lingering in the air! You’ve made it. Treat yourself for your hard work before those last weeks of school. Get a massage. Eat at your favorite restaurant. Go get that book you’ve been meaning to read. Grab some appetizers during happy hour while you toast to another successful school year in the books. Or, if you’re anything like me, get a babysitter and take a long nap. After your personal pampering, you can return to school feeling rejuvenated to finish up the last weeks of school like a boss!
May the end of your school year be productive and positive. Cheers!
As a busy educator, your journey through life offers new adventures at every turn: enriching students, finding work/life balance and giving back to your community.
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California Casualty Customer Care Specialist Darrah Z. recently received an unusual request from Union High School (Evergreen School District – Washington) Math Teacher and long-term customer Jeanie Langley. “Jeanie sent me an email asking about an expert who could teach insurance fundamentals to her students,” said Darrah. Darrah sent Jeanie’s request to the Partner Relations Team for a follow-up to find out what California Casualty could do to help. It turns out that Jeanie wanted to mix it up a bit in her Financial Literacy senior class. “My students were losing interest, and I needed to do something to bring them back around,” Jeanie told us. “They are about to be real-life adults, so this is serious! I wanted to invite specialists in as guest speakers.” On different days, Jeanie had representatives from a car dealership, a local credit union, an apartment landlord organization, colleges, and health and life insurance agents come in to speak to her seniors. Ultimately, Darrah connected Jeanie with Erica Reich, a California Casualty Field Marketing Manager in Washington. Erica immediately jumped on board and agreed to take the lead role in Jeanie’s “Auto Insurance” module within Union High School’s Financial Literacy class.
Have you lost the happy feeling that your job used to bring? Are you already annoyed by the thought of your 