Any 4th grade teachers?

WildSwans24

I'm working at an afterschool program (just started last week). I am in charge of the 4th graders (19 of them). There is another staff, but he seems really checked out. Anyway, the kids are mostly good. But when it comes time to line up/transition from one activity to the next they do not listen. The k-3 groups all do a better job of lining up etc. The 4th graders talk/yell/walk away etc.

 

I've tried explaining that the quicker they line up, the quicker they can move to the next activity....but that doesn't seem to be working. I've never done this kind of work before, so I'm looking for some suggestions from teachers/aids etc. 

 

I'm thinking we need to have some time today where we sit down and go over rules/guidelines. Maybe encourage them to talk about what rules they think would be fair. But, I'd love to hear other suggestions. 

 

For the record, I don't expect them to be perfect. They are kids. But they def. can improve. 

 

Thanks.

pammieface

i teach high school, but i'll give you my best suggestion...

when i want the kids to move to something else, especially when i need them to move their desks into a new formation, i time them.  i tell them not to start until i say "go," then i watch the second hand of the clock.  i used to (and i still should) write down how long it took for them to move all the desks and sit back down in their seats.  i am always amazed at how quickly they move to "beat" their last time.  honestly, it's ridiculous.  somehow, when i make a competition out of something that mundane, they work so hard.  and i'm talking about 15- and 16-year-old kids here.  maybe something like that would work with little ones, too?

Joenali

Ask them how they think they should line up. Once they come up with some ideas. Practice it. if they don't get it right, do it again. If they are late to the next activity, maybe they'll think about doing a better job. Hell, you can practice until the cows come home and if that takes the entire after school activity time, they'll do a better job if you set the standards high.

AGsWife

At the beginning of the school year, I am always the teacher marching her class(es) around the school over and over and over and over again. Eventually, they get the hang of it (mostly because they don't want to be known as "that class that's always walking in the hall because they don't know how to walk in a quiet, straight line.")

WildSwans24

Thanks for the suggestions

klynn13

I used to work an after school program and that age is sooo tough for transitions!! I struggled all the time. My best advice to continually prepare them for what is going to happen and make sure they know the schedule. Here is kinda what my transitions looked like:

 - When the kids came into the room they were supposed to hang up their backpacks then go sit on the carpet and wait to be called to centers.

- Once everyone was there I would start calling on kids sitting quietly and nicely to go pick a center, the loud ones don't figure it out until after several kids are called but then they shape up so they can get to a center before it's full.

- I continually gave countdowns for how much time they have left to play before going outside. Then I gave a countdown for how much time they had to clean up and get in line. The best thing for me here was to say you have to be in line by 3:30 (don't remember the actual time) and every second we have to wait after that is how many seconds we are coming in early from outside.

- After that the kids were pretty eager to go inside for snack/drinks and they actually did really well staying quiet during homework time. Every now and then I just had to remind them to keep it down. 

rubyiu

I agree with the above poster to have them make their own norms. I also make my students practice. They don't come in quietly, they go back out and try again. They don't get their books out quietly, they try again. And again.