Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Hallway Behavior

Lining up elementary school children and walking them through the halls is always an adventure. I've seen teachers do it many different ways. Yesterday I observed a teacher telling her students that when they stop there should be a "pair on the square" (meaning one pair of shoes per floor tile). I jumped into the line between some kids when I saw it to see how tight a fit it was...since I teach older kids. I thought it was a bit tight (granted I am not a small teacher) but I liked the "pair in the square" concept.

Another one I've seen at a second grade and below level is "hips and lips". Students who start getting gabby and grabby in line have to put their outside hand on their hip and their inside (to the wall) hand on their lips. I often threaten my fourth graders with that one :)
Would love to hear any other fun ways that teachers control hallway behavior.


Amie T. said...

At the school where I taught last year, the rule was "second tile, single file." This meant that they has to walk in the second row of tiles out from the wall. It was meant to keep the kids from touching the walls, but it only worked with some of them.

Ms. L said...

One I stole from a teacher at my previous school was saying to the kids, "Single file," and they respond with, "Not a pile." We have a green row of tiles that runs around our school one away from the wall (if that makes sense) so the follow up is, "Standing on the - second tile." I had a silly class that one year added, "With a smile." This seems to work well as a reminder. I've never heard the "hips and lips," one but my "threat" is to have them stand in "peace and quiet." This means one hand with a finger over their lips and the other up in the air in a peace sign. They are NOT a fan of that - especially in 5th. Our K teachers do "duck tails and bubbles" (hands behind their backs -- not exactly sure how it's ducklike...) and they are supposed to try to keep an air bubble in their mouth. It looks a bit strange but is relatively effective.

Anonymous said...

When I was student teaching, the whole school enforced the idea of "Line Basics" and "Body Basics" and has the same standards for both through out all grades so 1st grade or 5th grade, when you said body basics, they knew that meant adjust the line, fix your square, hands to yourself, etc

Heidi said...

Our school directs that the children walk with a bubble in their mouth- they are pretending to hold a bubble in- and their hands making a duck tail - both hands behind their backs. So the directive is single line with bubbles and ducktails. Silence without touching each other.