So let's say I tell the students to put away their math books and move to the carpet. Here's the rundown on who (out of 20 students) actually comply. Joey, Johnny, Janis, Keith, Chrissy, DeeDee, Rodger, and Meg all go to the carpet as instructed. Grace, Patsy, and Maria get up and start toward the carpet but stop at Maria's desk to look at a necklace she brought to school. Jimi, Iggy, and Alice all try to sit on the same carpet square. Sid joins in. A game of "Dogpile ensues" Roy sits at his desk and continues to work on his math book. Jimi and Deborah start to argue over a pencil. The argument turns to a tug-of-war. Link and Buddy stop at the classroom library and pull out books and start reading. Joey and Janis see them and decide to get books as well and get up. The same thing happens during ANY kind of transition, including transitions to places the kids actually want to go to like lunch, recess, and home. I've tried consequences, yelling, waiting, counting, rewarding, pointing out "good examples" and just about everything else I could think of. I'm running out of ideas.
How about reteaching till they are so sick of it they comply? I don't hesitate to "practice" the way things are supposed to be if they aren't going well.
Don't know your grade, but if they are young have a chant, song, or rhyme they say/sing from their seats to the carpet along with a practiced routine of where to sit. Roy needs someone to wake him out of his hyper-focus so he can participate.
Similar to a2z, in subbing, I was in a classroom where they used a song during some transitions - the idea being that the students' goal is to make it from what they are doing to the carpet (or to the next particular task, perhaps a clean desk sitting quietly) before the song is over. If you practice it with the class, for a young group, they could internalize the length of the song and would have an idea of how long they have to get themselves over there, not to mention the fact it would feel like a game to them and be fun to listen to! I'm realizing that this works well for the younger grades where knowing the length of "one minute" or knowing how quickly they should be going is tougher.
I think you teach K. I would make it a game, and change it every once in awhile. "Today, only children wearing red may go to the carpet."
Some days I think I could just switch your group for my group and I wouldn't notice the difference! I tend to go for the practice, practice, practice... I also work on noticing what is working. I also do a lot of singing and chanting what I expect. I also do excusing specific groups. It all works and then they start to forget and we are back at practicing for a little bit.
Reading for ideas as well....same issue but with 32 of them, it makes it sooooo hard to keep them focused!
Wow these are all really great ideas. For the kids dogpiling on one square (I used to have this problem last year -- EVERYONE wanted to sit at the covetted "front corner, left side" on the carpet because they get to be close to the teacher and if we're doing a read-a-loud, they can see the pictures. In that case, I started assigning spaces on the carpet and as someone else suggested we went over it. AGAIN. and AGAIN. We even did it during recess a couple times(that would never fly at my new school, but my P at the old one was pretty lenient. Maybe yours is too?)
I'm having exactly the same issues with my kiddos-so I'm curious to see the responses you get on this. I will have them do it over but it just takes so long, I feel like we are wasting so much time and they still won't do it correctly.
Going through this right now, too, with my kids. Currently we are in the "consequences" phase. Once I have 1/2 the class at the carpet I start teaching. So yesterday while students were coming in from recess I'm encouraging them to the carpet and praise those that are there; even did a countdown. Then I pulled out a puppet and started reading a story. 5 students didn't make it to the carpet. They got sidetracked at the whiteboard and started drawing on the board and chasing one another. I quickly realized they were NEVER going to join us I said, "Okay, that's 5 minutes from gym. Are you going to keep playing around the room or are you going to come to the carpet?" They missed 5 minutes of gym later and were quite capable of explaining to me what they SHOULD have been doing after recess.
The problem is that kids get consequences consistently, and then continue to misbehave afterwards. Nothing registers - parent contact, lost recess, sent to another room. They are upset when they get the consequence but rarely does it provide the required "attitude adjustment." Or take lining up on the playground. I get out there, and the other classes are waiting for their teachers, mine are running around playing tag. Then they see me, and scramble to their numbers. After that, I assign consequences and they claim they were on their number the whole time. I have 7 girls and 13 boys. That I don't mind. But normally I'd have a core of 5 or 6 girls out of 7 who were consistently on task. This year I have between 1 and 3.
S'cool moves. http://www.schoolmoves.com/ I don't teach with out it. At least two teachers in every grade from K to 4th use it. We ALWAYS assign one or two students to lead a chant or move while we transition. Step 1. Explain the next step of the day Step 2. Get your helpers up front Step 3. Get moving Step 4. Explain next step...lesson of the day. Give it a try. Your sanity will be saved!
