techniques to promote smooth transi-

tions: teaching routines, precorrections,

positive reinforcement procedures, and

active supervision.

This process includes five steps (Colvin

& Lazar, 1997) useful in teaching any

behavior:

1. Provide a rationale.

2. Explain the expected behavior.

3. Model the expected behavior.

4. Practice the expected behavior.

5. Monitor and provide feedback

Established transition signal: Timer is on the white board starting from when the start of class bell rings. These First 5 Minutes are to cover the following: arriving from another class, greeting students, giving students time to find their place, set their bags down, look at the plan for the lesson and equipment required, get their equipment out and ready, go to the bathroom, drink, chat to a friend, ask the teacher a question.

When the timer goes off, all students are sitting at their desk, ready to engage in the lesson.

Students who are physically disabled will be allowed to transition first and helped over to the demonstration area by a peer.  The transition will be modeled so ELL students understand expectations and given written instructions with visuals ahead of time if necessary. 

Rewards/Consequences: Non-compliant students will be reminded of the norms and asked again to comply. Students who have complied will be thanked and given positive reinforcement. 

Rewards/Consequences: Non-compliant students will be reminded of the norms and expectations surrounding Clean Up and asked again to comply. Students who have complied will be thanked and given positive reinforcement. 

When you break a pattern of thought you have space to step in with a compliant class. This compliance is what makes the technique so effective. Clapping in a pattern that they can repeat holds the attention of the students until they have settled down. After this, one can continue the class with fixed and focused attention.

Transitions are pattern interrupt moments. In Upper Secondary classes, clapping your hands may not be your first choice; you could use music, timers, a prop, etc.

Established signal: 

Once during each double lesson, when the music starts the students can stop what they are doing and take a full brain break. They can stand, walk around, stretch, close their eyes and rest, ..etc. No phones, no laptop, no electronic devices during this time. The windows are opened and students are expected to be quiet in order to fully give their brain some time off.

Music 5 (Minutes):

Established signal: When the music starts, the students have 5 minutes (duration of the song) to tidy their desk and organised themselves into the groups pre-set on the board for the set activity. By the end, they must be in their group in a place of the class of their choice ready to receive the instructions.

This is a simple, but often overlooked brain break. We forget that students have lost “passing time” in their days, so if this isn’t built into your school’s virtual learning schedule, make sure you take time out of your remote learning plan to allow students to get up and do what they need to do in their home. Whether that is grab a snack, a sweater, use the bathroom, or run to another room for something. Let them know that they have however many minutes to do whatever they’d like, but that you will be starting the lesson once that time is up so they should be back at their computers by then. This will ideally keep students from getting up at random throughout your remote lesson.

Rewards/Consequences: For non-compliant students, I will keep my eyes open and non-verbally let them know to close their eyes again if they open them. Positive reinforcement will be thanked and given to students who are compliant. 

Modification: For students with physical handicaps, they will have additional time to set up their workspace. Their materials, workspace and access to their projects would have already been differentiated at the beginning of the school year. They will all be comfortably accessible to them so they can independently reach them,  or the tools will be modified to fit their needs. 

When students don’t adhere: Students that are disruptive, unprepared or not yet settled before the 5 minutes are up, will be asked nicely to take a seat and quiet down. They will be able to finish setting up after instructions have been given and reminded of the entry expectations. Students who have adhered will be given positive reinforcement and thanked for their preparedness and readiness to learn.

Explain the procedures: "In one minute I am going to give a short demonstration on ______." 

Prepare kids for the signal to start: When I say "begin", I will start a timer on the screen for one minute, please come to a natural stopping point in your project and get prepared for the demonstration in front of your computer. 

Initiate the Transition: "Begin" and start timer on screen

Instructions will be written and sent via the chat feature to help students who don’t understand the lesson. Students who need extra time will be notified privately, and in advance so they have an extra minute to transition. 

Since all classes will be recorded, they are not required to take notes during the demonstration.