Duration: 15:34
About the teachers
Niall Heron has taught Foundation to Year 6 in metropolitan contexts for 18 years.
Rachel Morrison has been teaching for a year and has taught Years 2 and 3 in a rural context. She previously worked in school administration.
Dave Chettle has been teaching for 17 years. He became a teacher following a career in sales. He has taught both primary and secondary students in a metropolitan context.
Transcript
Niall Heron, classroom teacher, Briar Road Public School: It's important to set expectations when students move through the school so they're doing it in a safe and organised manner at all times.
Rachel Morrison, classroom teacher, Renmark Primary School: We want students moving through the school in a safe and calm manner. It's less disruptive for other classes that are involved in learning.
Dave Chettle, classroom teacher, Woodcrest State College: By having that set routine and expectations of students when they move through the school, it means it's much easier when you get to the destination, you can do the next activity. The students don't need extra time to calm them down, to reinforce. They can go straight into the activity and have more time of it, and then you have more time as a teacher to do that activity.
Niall Heron: The school environment is calmer. It's safer. It's positive.
Rachel Morrison: Before moving to somewhere else in the school, I gain all students' attention.
Niall Heron: I then remind all students about the expectations of leaving the classroom, moving through the school and then arriving at the destination.
Dave Chettle: When moving through the school, I'm monitoring and reinforcing the behaviour expectations.
Rachel Morrison: And when arriving at the destination, I'm reminding them of the expectations when moving into the room.
We move through the school, going to the computer room, going to the library, going to the playground. They go to science and Greek and PE in other areas of the school.
Okay, waterfalls. [Makes waterfall sound with students.] Thank you, good job. Okay, we're about to move off to the computer room. So, when we're going down the corridor, we need to be remembering to stay quiet, hands down next to your side, making sure there's no gaps in between and just walking in a straight line, okay? So, what do we need to remember when we're walking down the corridor? Sitta?
Sitta: Be quiet.
Rachel Morrison: Yep. Patricia?
Patricia: Don't touch the pictures.
Rachel Morrison: Don't touch the pictures. Lena?
Lena: Don't knock the pictures.
Rachel Morrison: Don't knock the pictures over. Sienna?
Sienna: Don't touch the people in front of you.
Rachel Morrison: Yep. So keep your hands to yourself and …?
Student: Walk in a straight line.
Rachel Morrison: Walking in a straight line, perfect. Are you ready to go?
Class: Yes.
Rachel Morrison: Great. Okay, so I'm going to ask you to move in a minute. So I'm just going to come over here. All right. Can I have the back row? Walking nicely. Middle row. And front row. Okay, show me that you're ready by facing forward, the person behind you. Thank you, good job. Okay. Line leader, can you lead the class down to the stairs? Deanna, are you ready for moving through the school? Show me that you're ready then. Good job, Room 3. Fill the gaps. All right. Fantastic job. Okay. Yep. So you can head up. Make sure you're walking just one step at a time. Let's go, Patricia, no gaps. Good job, Room 3. Okay. Can I have eyes on me, please? Who am I waiting for? Okay. All right. We're going to head into the computer room, okay? So, what do we need to remember when we walk into the computer room? We're going to stay nice and quiet, going to sit at your own computer. You're going to log in, and then you're going to wait for my instructions, okay? Got it? Excellent. Okay. Following Hannah into the computer room. Stay nice and quiet. Let's go. Good job. Well done. Straight on to your computer, logging in, getting ready for our lesson.
By using the attention-grabber, I'm able to ensure that they are all focused, listening, and then they're not going to miss any of the instructions that I give them. I monitor students when moving through the school in a way where I can see all students at once. Usually, I stay behind them so that I can see them in front of me. When I get to a spot where I can't see them going around a corner, for example, I get the students to stop their line, and I'll go to the start of the line and watch them continue around the corner of the school. So I'm just in a position where I can see all students at all times.
Okay, so you can head up. Make sure you're walking just one step at a time.
I'm considering things like, are they moving through the school safely and quietly? Not disrupting any other classes? Moving through the school in the way that we practise their procedure? And just making sure I'm acknowledging and praising their efforts.
Good job, Room 3. Okay.
Once we arrive at the destination, I would usually pause and gain their attention, give them the next set of expectations. I would acknowledge the way that they've moved through the school. Moving through the school at the start of the year compared to now after the 2 terms of reteaching and being consistent with the procedure, they've improved a lot. It used to be really chatty. Their lines would be all over the place. Now I don't really have to give them many verbal corrections. They're just moving through the school quietly, nice straight line, not touching anything on the way, and getting to their destination quicker.
Dave Chettle: Moving students through the school is quite a common occurrence in high school. You go to assemblies, you transition to the sports fields, you go to the library or you move to the science lab. Especially as a teacher of science, we're often moving to the science lab to do experiments.
Okay, 5 ... 4 … 3 … 2 … Just about everyone's watching. Thanks, Nick. Thanks, Alex. Okay, we're going to get ready for assembly. So, what I want you to do is close your books up. Walk outside quietly, get your bags, bring them back to your desk. And then when you've done that, stand behind your chairs. Let's go. You guys are doing a good job. Good. Stand behind your desks. Okay, so when we go to assembly, we're going to walk in 2 lines. Okay, so let's head outside, out there and line up in 2 lines. Let's go. I will lock the door. No jumping, Jackson.
Thank you very much. Hey, I was really happy with the 5 guys at the back. They walked out silently, lovely. Come on, Hayden, get in line. That's what I want to see. Okay, we're going to walk down the path quietly, around the path up to the stairs, and we're going to wait for me at the top of those stairs outside MSCO2 – outside the science lab. Two lines, thanks, Hayden, not one line. Thank you. Group at the top, fantastic leaders, awesome. You guys at the back are really good. Lucas, Jax, good stuff. Okay. Excellent. Make sure we're in 2 lines. That's it, good. Now, Makarita, keep in line. Yes, you can. Really good, young Year 7. That was excellent. Good job. So, we're going to walk inside, and we're down at the far end. We're going to sit in our same lines and not move. Makarita, can you please get in 2 lines? Thank you. Okay, so let's go. Sit quietly. Thank you. Good job.
One of the key parts, when you set any expectation, they're realistic, so you make it easy for the students to understand and to follow. So, if you make it simple like 2 lines, keep to the left, they can understand that and can do it pretty easy.
Okay, we're going to walk down the path quietly around the path up to the stairs, and we're going to wait ...
What's really important as they're moving is to make sure that you are reiterating what you've said at the start. So, you want to make sure the lines, 2 lines, make sure they're keeping to the left if they're your expectations. So, all along the walk, you are making sure they're following that. It's really important to monitor the students when they're moving through the school. I like to see the back of the line so I can see all the students as they're walking, and then I can communicate verbally to each student as I need to make a correction.
Make sure we're in 2 lines.
It's really important when they arrive at the destination that the students are calm and relaxed so that they can enter the new building and in a good frame of mind so they're ready to do the next activity that's planned.
Sit quietly. Thank you. Good job.
Niall Heron: When students move through the school, they would come from lines in the morning, walk to the classroom, to other places like the library, gym hall, out to lunch, out to recess. It's important they arrive there in a safe and calm manner. First of all, just to make sure they're safe from any physical harm, to make sure they're ready to start another lesson, to make sure they're ready to listen to any other adults that are there.
All right. In just a second, we are going to be heading off to the library. You don't need to bring anything with you today, so I'm going to get rows to come and line up in just one second. Very hard to pick the best row there. You all did a really good job. Thanks, Max, is that your board? You're just taking care of Chance's stuff. What a gentlemen. Thank you. Beautiful. Okay, row one, can you tuck your – almost – can you tuck your chair in? Come and line up outside, please. Great work, Lachlan, good job. You can smile. Well done, guys, beautiful. Let's go row 4, just when Chance gets comfy. Well done, boys, good job. Oh, thanks, Max.
Sam: Can I have my ball?
Niall Heron: Not for the library, Sam. For recess you can. Row 2. Tuck those chairs in. Well done. Row 3's done beautifully there ...
Okay guys, when I get to the front of the line, voices will all be off. We'll all be looking this way. Thanks, Cleo. Don't worry about it. It's not coming near you. Okay, we're going to be walking over to the library. We're going to go in 2 neat, quiet lines. Voices will be off. We're going to stop at the line just before you turn – just before we turn the corner, and then I'll let you go to the door of the library. Okay, guys, off we go. Good job. Well done. Well done, Chance. Well done, girls at the back. Great job. That's really good, 5/6. We don't need to stop here for long at all. You did that perfectly. Just continue around the corner. Now we're going to stop outside the door. Well done. Beautiful job. Well done, guys. Great job, lovely, quiet and settled. Lines are excellent. Beautiful work. Okay, guys, when we go into the library, you're going to sit on the seats where you normally sit. You can go on the stools at the back or you can sit on the couch at the front. We're going to go in quietly, no noise, and going to sit and wait for the next instruction. Okay, walking in quietly and sensibly. Well done. Superb. Straight on in there, miss. Good job.
When I'm gaining their attention to remind them of expectations, my consideration is that they know exactly where they're going, what they're doing and how they're expected to do it. When students are moving through the school, I monitor them by standing at the back of the line rather than the front. At the back of the line, I can see everything that's going on. The students know I'm still there, and that encourages the expectations to be met.
All right. In just a second, we're going to be heading off to the library. You don't need to bring anything with you today. Okay, we're going to be walking over to the library. We're going to go in 2 neat, quiet lines. Voices will be off.
I reinforce expectations and monitor when we're moving to ensure the children are being safe, and they're not being a danger to themselves or to others.
Beautiful work, lovely and sensible. That's really good, 5/6. We don't need to stop you for long at all. You did that perfectly.
When we arrive at our destination, I'm considering that the children have arrived there safely, that any little behaviours are minimised, and disruption is minimised as well. Okay, guys, when we go into the library, you're going to sit on the seats where you normally sit. You can go in there …
[On-screen text] Students moving through the school: Recap of steps
Steps for students moving through the school:
- Gain all students’ attention.
- Remind students of the expectations for leaving the classroom, moving through the school and arriving at the destination.
- Monitor and reinforce behaviour expectations as students move through the school.
- At the destination, remind students of the behaviour expectations.
Acknowledgements
- Briar Road Public School, New South Wales
- Renmark Primary School, South Australia
- Woodcrest State College, Queensland
- Xavier Catholic College, Northern Territory
Keywords: student engagement, disruption, disruptive behaviour