Does your classroom have smooth transition times?
Transitions can be challenging for young students, especially for those who are high-energy, easily distracted, or have a cognitive or behavioral disorder. During the day, children will experience multiple transitions, some of which include the time between activities, between multiple settings, and from one routine to the other. As an early childhood educator, if you do not plan for these transitional times, your students will begin to feel out of control and that they are not sure of what should happen next. To avoid having your classroom succumb to this uncertainty, make sure to ask yourself these questions:
- Do I have too many transitional times between activities, events, or routines?
- Are my students frustrated with moving around too much or too little between activities?
- Do I have a fun song or rhyme that indicates it is time to go to the restroom, lunch, or another daily activity?
- Are the transitions organized, or do they tend to be chaotic?
- Do the children know what behavior is expected of them when walking through hallways or outside the classroom?
- Are the children adequately prepared for transitions? For example, am I giving them plenty of indicators as to how much time they have left?
- Do I positively encourage students to pick up after themselves and not leave the classroom a mess during transitions?
- Are my students adapting to normal transitional times, or are they still struggling to follow daily routines?
ProSolutions Training offers online child care courses, such as "The Art of Transitions," for interested early childhood education professionals looking to learn more about their field. Contact us today to learn more about our online courses and training.
