6 Simple Steps for Smoother Classroom Transitions [Episode 286]

Heidi 0:00
This is episode 286 of Teacher Approved.

Heidi 0:06
You’re listening to Teacher Approved, the podcast helping educators elevate what matters and simplify the rest. I’m Heidi.

Emily 0:13
And I’m Emily. We’re the creators behind Second Story Window, where we give research-based and teacher-approved strategies that make teaching less stressful and more effective. You can check out the show notes and resources from each episode at secondstorywindow.net.

Heidi 0:28
We’re so glad you’re tuning in today. Let’s get to the show.

Emily 0:36
Hey there! Thanks for joining us today. In today’s episode, we are helping you troubleshoot your transitions, and we have a teacher-approved tip for adding a little spark to your transition structure.

Heidi 0:48
But first, let’s start with a try-it tomorrow, where we share a quick win that you can try in your classroom right away. Emily, what’s our suggestion for this week?

Emily 0:56
Okay, this week have your students give you a ready signal once they’ve finished a transition step, as a way to signal that they’re ready to go on. So this can be super simple, like a thumbs up, put a finger on the page, or hold a pencil in the air.

Heidi 1:12
Yeah, pencil in the air was always my go-to because it was really easy to see, and then it kept their hand busy.

Emily 1:16
Yes.

Heidi 1:18
And that helps so you can just glance around the room, and right away you can tell who’s all ready to go, and maybe who needs a little nudge to pick up the pace.

Emily 1:26
Right. If you like this idea or anything else we share here on the podcast, we would appreciate it so much if you take a second and give us a five-star rating and review on your podcast player.

Heidi 1:38
Okay, transitions. Yes, you know how it goes. You tell the class to get out their math books and turn to page 56, and then eight kids start moving before you even finish saying books.

Emily 1:51
Oh, I hate it when they do that. And then you know the distraction of that movement makes about half the class miss the page number that you said, and now, you know, four of your students are ready to go. But everyone else is asking their neighbor what page? What page did she say?

Heidi 2:09
Which means restating the direction you just gave. Page 86. No, don’t start yet. Clara, put the pencil down. Okay, next.

Emily 2:17
And the transition itself was only two steps. Not hard at all, but it still took three times as long as it should have because the teacher had to give the directions the first time, stop students from moving early, repeat directions, answer questions, correct behavior, and regain attention before anyone could even get started on page 86.

Heidi 2:37
Now, obviously, this kind of interruption won’t derail your whole day, but the sneaky problem is that moments like this multiply. If taking out a pencil, moving to the carpet, getting into groups, and lining up for recess all take way longer than necessary, you’re just churning through precious minutes all day long that should be going toward learning.

Emily 2:58
And to solve that problem, you don’t necessarily need kids to move quicker, although there are always a few who need a little more hustle in their bustle. Instead, what we need them to do is move efficiently.

Heidi 3:12
So, to save all of that time that is being lost to inefficient transitions, you first need to understand what is going on here. That means understanding the difference between a routine transition and a prompted transition.

Emily 3:25
And if this is your first time hearing that there are two different kinds of transitions, buckle up because this is a game changer. So a routine transition is anything that happens the same way every time. This is how kids come in and out for recess. Your morning routine, how papers are turned in, all of that stuff.

Heidi 3:43
Because routine transitions unfold the same way each time, it means that they’re actually procedures. So this like kind of blew my mind when I first thought of it that transitions are procedures, or procedures are transitions. However you want to think about that, but all procedures are helping students move from one activity to another, which makes them transitions. Boom, mic drop.

Emily 4:03
I know, it’s crazy. You can always count on us to not shy away from the hard hitting truths about classroom management. Because the steps of a routine procedure are standardized, teaching them to your students is pretty straightforward. You can tell, try, tally, talk those bad boys, and have everyone moving around the room like they know what they’re doing because they do know what they’re doing.

Heidi 4:27
Now, the problem most of us have with wasted time comes from the other kind of transition. These are prompted transitions. This is where the students’ actions are less scripted. So, before social studies, they may need to get a notebook one day, get into groups the next day, or pick up supplies from the back table another day.

Emily 4:46
There may be some procedural parts to your prompted transition, but it’s impossible to create a routine for every possible transition, which is where the time gets lost. Students can run on autopilot with a transition, like lining up, but there’s no habit to lean on with an expectation that looks a little different each day.

Heidi 5:12
So instead of trying to standardize your prompted transitions, standardize your approach to them instead. And we’ve got a reliable six-step sequence to help you out.

Emily 5:14
Yay! A list.

Heidi 5:17
So that’s attention, action, cue, directions, check, go, and monitor.

Emily 5:22
Now the steps don’t change no matter what the transition looks like. Think of it like a pilot running a pre-flight checklist. The destination may change with every trip, but the checklist doesn’t.

Heidi 5:32
Now we’ve gone through these transition steps in detail in episodes 48, 49, and 50. And yes, we needed three episodes to cover all there is to say about transitions. So go check those out if you want a deeper dive.

Emily 5:43
But apparently, that wasn’t all we had to say about transitions, because here we are talking about them again, and we also talk about them in our brand new book, Structure and Spark. We discuss how to set up transitions in the back to school chapter, and then we talk about how to troubleshoot them in the mid year reset. So go grab that book if you haven’t, and if you already bought a copy, thank you so much. We’re so grateful for your support.

Heidi 6:06
Yes, we really are so grateful. But let’s take these steps one at a time. So step one is getting students’ attention, and this is one that’s really easy to skip over when you’re busy. You give your quiet signal, and then you start talking without making sure that everyone is paying attention.

Emily 6:22
Oh, guilty! It might feel like you’re saving time, but you’ll be repeating yourself in about 10 seconds anyway. So spend the time to wait for everyone’s attention before you say a single word of direction.

Heidi 6:35
Now, if you happen to be giving directions at a time when your students are already paying attention, like at the end of a lesson, you don’t have to stop and give your signal again. You can just do a quick check to make sure everyone’s with you before moving on to the next step.

Emily 6:48
Step two is to give your action cue. An action cue is simply a word or a phrase that tells students you may move now.

Heidi 6:57
Maybe that sounds almost too simple to matter, but think back to our math book example. So if I say, “Get out your math book and turn to page 86, some students start moving as soon as they think they understand what I’m asking.

Emily 7:12
And from their perspective, they’ve heard enough information to get started, which is annoying. But you know, maybe it’s sweet. They’re not trying to ignore you. They ultimately want to do what you’re asking, and since they think they already know what you’re going to say, they just jump in to get started.

Heidi 7:30
It is well intentioned, but completely inefficient. Bless their little hearts. And that’s why an action cue matters. It curbs that impulse to move early and creates a really important separation. First we listen, then we move.

Emily 7:47
So instead of saying “Get out your math book and turn to page 86,” you might say, “When I say go, I want you to get your math book, turn to page 86, and circle problem nine.”

Heidi 7:58
Now we like using “go” as an action cue because it is simple and clear, but I have seen some conversation online that another word like move may be better because go could be interpreted as permission to run.

Emily 8:12
I hear the sarcasm in your voice.

Heidi 8:14
Yeah, you know maybe that’s true for some kids, but honestly, in 25 years of education, I’ve never had kids use go as an excuse to stampede, no matter the setting that I have been using it in.

Emily 8:24
No, I mean it’s not like kids here go and they’re like, “Oh, I must be in the middle of a marathon. I must take off from the starting line.” But that does bring up the point that the word itself really doesn’t matter. You could use go or move, or you can make it funny, something like shenanigan.

Heidi 8:43
Shenanigan will never not be funny. I often had transitions that were basically a scavenger hunt because they were so complex. So it might be like, you and your partner need to clean up your game, bring the game boards and pieces to the table, put the dice back in the bin on the counter, pick up the paper from the front of the room, and then take it back to your desk and get started on your assignment.

Emily 9:03
And without an action cue, the students would have started moving as soon as you said clean up, and then they would have missed 75% of your directions. So the action cue really does a lot of heavy lifting.

Heidi 9:16
We recommend picking one reliable action cue to use most of the time, so that you are training students to respond consistently.

Emily 9:25
But if you really want students’ attention, either because they’re extra squirrely or because you have a long list of steps for them to follow, go with something unexpected like flamingo or stinky socks.

Heidi 9:37
To students, it feels like you are adding a bit of fun, but this is actually the novelty effect boosting structure. If students are used to the word “go” as an action cue, having a new word to listen for automatically gets them to pay closer attention to what you’re saying.

Emily 9:55
However, like most forms of novelty, the effect is short-lived. Using stinky socks three times a day stops feeling interesting real quick. So pick one word as your go-to 90% of the time, and then use a fun action cue when you really need kids to focus.

Heidi 10:12
Yeah, but don’t overthink this. Ultimately, whatever works for you in your class is the right call. What matters is that you establish a shared meaning, so that when students hear that word, they know the listening part is over, and now I act.

Emily 10:25
But before we turn anyone loose, we have to actually give the directions. Say your action cue, and then tell students step by step what you want them to do.

Heidi 10:34
When we are trying to keep the day moving, it’s really tempting to make our directions as short as possible. But remember that in the long run, clear is better than fast.

Emily 10:44
If students need three pieces of information to complete the transition successfully, give them the three pieces of information. Tell them what to do, how you want them to do it, and where things go.

Heidi 10:55
So instead of something like “clean up and come to the carpet,” you might say, “When I say go, quickly and quietly put your cards in the blue bin. Return your pencils to your table. Tuck in your chair and come to the carpet.”

Emily 11:07
Oh yeah, and using quickly and quietly is a go-to. But you could swap that for carefully when they’re carrying something heavy, or calmly on a day when everyone’s hyper.

Heidi 11:18
Or you could even add a bit of spark here too. You can ask your students to move to the carpet robotically or put their books away boldly.

Emily 11:28
Making sure your directions are clear might mean that you’re giving longer directions, but it might actually give you a much faster transition because you’ve answered the questions before students start moving.

Heidi 11:47
So if your directions are tipping to the lengthy side, like mine, or if students will need information like a page number, just do everyone a favor and write the list of steps somewhere, post them on the board or project them on a slide. Do what you can to make things easy for students to reference.

Emily 12:05
And then make sure students actually check the list. If they’re confused, they would much rather use your brain than their own. So, if a student comes to you for an explanation, point them to the board or wherever your instructions are.

Heidi 12:17
Yeah, we don’t want to be training anyone into helplessness. If your kids are capable figuring it out, expect them to do so.

Emily 12:25
Okay, so far in our prompted transitions, we’ve got everyone’s attention, we’ve used an action cue, and we’ve given our directions. Step four is checking for understanding.

Heidi 12:34
Now, if your directions are only a couple of steps, a quick thumbs up if you know what to do, or raise your hand if you have any questions, can be enough to get everyone on the same page.

Emily 12:44
But if you have multi-step directions, like Heidi’s scavenger hunt example, you need to go deeper. It could be raise your hand if you can tell us the four things that you’re going to do, or on the count of three, everyone tell me what you’re going to do first. Now tell me what comes next.

Heidi 13:00
It is much easier to clear up confusion before the movement instead of discovering confusion while 25 kids are wandering around the room like lost sheep.

Emily 13:09
Now students know exactly what to do with the information that you’ve given them, and then you give them the cue: go.

Heidi 13:16
And that’s the whole of step five. You’re just giving the action cue that you set up in step two.

Emily 13:21
But unfortunately, your job is not done because step six is monitoring. That means keeping one eye on what’s happening in the room, even when you’re busy setting up whatever’s next.

Heidi 13:31
If you spot just a couple kids who aren’t following directions, you can get them individually back on task. But if you notice widespread confusion or distraction, use your attention signal and pause everyone.

Emily 13:44
Then walk the whole group through the sequence again, addressing whatever’s going sideways. Once you’ve cleared up the issue, use your action cue and let students start on round two.

Heidi 13:54
What’s nice about this framework for prompted transitions is that it flexes for anything. Maybe I need students to do something simple, like move to the carpet. I give my attention signal and wait until I have their attention. Then I’d give my action cue and directions. When I say go, I want you to put your pencil on your desk, push in your chair, and come quietly to the carpet.

Emily 14:14
And because it’s a simple transition, the check for understanding doesn’t have to be elaborate. You might just look around and make sure everyone knows what they’re supposed to do, or or that you have everyone’s attention.

Heidi 14:23
And then I would just say go and check to make sure everyone is you know moving the right way.

Emily 14:28
And then that’s it. Even though we’ve spent 20 minutes dissecting it, these steps in practice take less than a minute. Attention, cue, directions, check, go, monitor. You can just follow the same pattern every time.

Heidi 14:43
And that’s the whole point we’re trying to make today. The framework stays the same, but the amount of information you put into it can change depending on what you need your students to do.

Emily 14:54
Now let’s make the transition a little more complicated. Maybe students have just finished silent reading, and you need them to clean up, put materials away, grab something new, and come to the carpet.

Heidi 15:03
So, if that were me, I might start with my attention signal and then wait, of course. And then I would say something like, “When I say guacamole, I want you to do four things: quickly and quietly put your books in your cubby, take out your red folder, tuck in your chair, and come sit on your assigned spot on the carpet. The list is on the board if you need a reminder.”

Emily 15:22
Because there are four steps, this is a good place for a more intentional check for understanding. Like, turn and whisper to your neighbor what you’re going to do first.

Heidi 15:30
Because this transition is asking more of students, we gave more detailed directions and spent a little more time checking for understanding, but the overall framework didn’t change at all.

Emily 15:42
You can’t predict every transition the day might call for, but you can stop treating each one like a brand new problem. Remember that for each transition, you need to get students’ attention, give your action cue, give clear directions, check for understanding, prompt students to move, and monitor how everything unfolds.

Heidi 16:01
If this is a new system for you when it comes to transitions, just start by picking your action cue, and you can build from there. This will probably feel cumbersome at first, but once you have practiced the pattern enough, it really becomes second nature for you and the kids too.

Emily 16:18
Oh, definitely. And don’t forget, if you want some more support for transitions, go check out episodes 48, 49, and 50. And now you can see why we needed three episodes to cover everything.

Heidi 16:30
And of course, you can always learn more in our book, Structure and Spark, which is available now.

Emily 16:35
Now for our teacher-approved tip of the week, where we share an actionable tip to help you elevate what matters and simplify the rest. This week’s teacher-approved tip is make your action cue playful. So tell us more about this, Heidi.

Heidi 16:49
Well, this is something that we have talked about before, but it fits so well with today’s conversation that it’s worth revisiting. Now we’ve already talked about how you can increase students’ attention by changing your action cue occasionally to something silly, but there’s another way to add a bit of spark here. So instead of changing your action cue, you’re going to purposely say the wrong one.

Heidi 17:10
So since my action cue was go, I would give my students all my directions, and then I would say, “go…pher,” and you know really drag out the o’s. Then a chunk of the class would start moving, and you would hear the whisper start. She said gopher, she said gopher, and now everyone is hanging on every word I said. So you know, I could say go after that, but where’s the fun in that? So I like to keep it going with ghost and gold and going. I thought of a whole routine of these g-o words until finally I would just whisper go.

Emily 17:46
And this is a 20 second mood boost for the entire room, and the whole time they’re locked into exactly what you need them to do.

Heidi 17:53
And I also think like an action cue like Nacho could be fun here because you could really play this up. When I say nacho, I need everyone to grab a pencil. Ready? Not…gonna say it. Not…even close.

Emily 18:08
And like you said earlier, you don’t need this for every single transition. In fact, it would be a lot less fun if you use it a lot. So save it for when the room could use a little energy boost, or you really need everyone dialed in.

Heidi 18:21
All right. To wrap up the show, we are sharing what we’re giving extra credit to this week. Emily, what gets your extra credit?

Emily 18:26
I’ve had to stop myself from telling you about this book for like weeks now because I’ve been so excited about it. But I’m like, I’m going to save it for the podcast. So I’m giving extra credit to the book Ungodly Rich. The author’s Catherine McGee. She’s the one that wrote American Royals.

Heidi 18:44
Oh, oh, we love American Royals.

Emily 18:46
Yes, exactly. Which I’m sad to say this is the beginning of a new series, and there’s only one book out. But Ungodly Rich is a modern take on Greek mythology mixed with Crazy Rich Asians and Gossip Girl is how I saw it described, and that is the perfect description. Because it’s the like insane wealth, and then all of the like drama in this family and the outsiders, and oh my gosh, I ate it up. It was so good.

Heidi 19:19
I can’t believe I haven’t heard about this anywhere.

Emily 19:20
I know, and I think it came out. I know it came out recently. Maybe it was only in July. Let me look. It was in July, so you know it’s been like two months since it came out, but definitely worth a read. I loved it.

Heidi 19:33
Okay, something to look forward to.

Emily 19:34
What are you giving extra credit to?

Heidi 19:36
Well, I’m giving extra credit to something that you recommended to me, Emily, but not on the podcast.

Emily 19:41
I didn’t save that one for the podcast.

Heidi 19:42
No, we do have to talk sometimes, so I’m giving extra credit to The Dink on Apple TV. So this is a movie with Jake Johnson, who you might know as Nick, on New Girl. Couldn’t remember his name for a second. So Jake’s character was a tennis prodigy as a kid, he has an injury that derails all of his pro plans going forward. So now he is kind of wasting away his life teaching tennis at his dad’s tennis club. And then enters the antagonist pickleball. It’s this whole story about this tennis pickleball showdown. And what I loved is that this movie had so much heart, but it never took itself too seriously. Like it understood exactly what it was doing in a movie called The Dink. So it was really fun to watch. The side characters are hilarious. If you need a good pick me up, I watched it on a Sunday afternoon. I was like, well, that just made my whole day.

Emily 20:42
Yes, and the other lead is Mary Steenburgen, who I just get such a kick out of.

Heidi 20:46
Love her. She’s always good.

Emily 20:48
and we probably would enjoy it more if we played pickleball or knew anything about it, which we don’t. We also don’t know anything about tennis, to be clear, but it was still enjoyable. I still got a kick out of it.

Heidi 21:01
I learned a lot about pickleball from watching it. Like, oh, I had no idea. I had no idea. I just, the whole time I’ve been like, how are they different? They look exactly the same, but the rackets are different. Apparently, they’re really different. Nobody come for me.

Heidi 21:17
Okay, that is it for today’s episode. Pick your go-to action cue, and remember to standardize your format for your prompted transitions.

Heidi 21:27
We hope you enjoyed this episode of Teacher Approved. I’m Heidi.

Emily 21:31
And I’m Emily. Thank you for listening. Be sure to follow or subscribe in your podcast app so that you never miss an episode.

Heidi 21:38
You can connect with us and other teachers in the Teacher Approved Facebook group. We’ll see you here next week. Bye for now.

Emily 21:44
Bye.