Have gone over expectations of lining up many times. Hard to have a straight quiet line. Then I wonder is it really necessary? Feel like I am wasting too much time on this and my energy could be for something else. Any suggestions?

Hey empower!

Don't give up. Here are a few ideas:

1. Use a timer to count down - have kids try to beat a record.
2. Use the star system - everyvtime your students line up quickly and quietly give a star - 20 stars at the end of the week equal 1 minute Mind Soccer, etc.
3. Challenge the back of the line to be quieter than the front of the line.
4. Challenge the boys to be quieter than the girls or vice versa.
5. Challenge different groups or rows depending on how you have your desks arranged to compete against one another.

Let us know how it goes!

Liann

Great ideas Inutini, I will be using those this year. I am planning on having my kids line up in number order and then for one of scoreboard rewards be they can line up where ever they want. I'll keep u posted on how it goes.

I personally feel like it's worth it, especially since my school does small group instruction in pods located in the hallways. Liann had great ideas. If you are able to be flexible or different with lining up, our school has two lines next to each other in the hallway to eliminate the mile long line and the management of kids so far in the back.
Do you use WBT's procedure for lining up? I have altered it slightly.
A bit miltary but the kids respond well. It takes a little bit of teaching, modeling, and reteaching but once they get it it is SO easy.

Teacher:"ONE"
Kids: "ONE" (they stand up)
Teacher:"TWO"
Kids: "TWO" (they all push their chairs in)
Teacher: - for example- " BOYS - THREE"
Boys: "THREE, Lines, Lines, Lines, Lines" as they line up
Repeat for girls

Lining up used to be an issue for my kids. Do you have the standard tiled floor in your school/hallway? If so, we line up on the squares. Kids are used to the verbal cue "check your squares." All students make the line following the first...automatically straight like an arrow. Any stragler, I just use physical proximity and they realize and move into position. We talk a lot in the beginning about respecting personal space. Kids get a reward back in the class if any teacher or admin stops us to compliment the line. I often get goofy and overexagerate my delight as well. The kids love it. Later in the year, a student acts as the line encourager. I walk way behind them in the hall and they love the independence. Not sure what I would do in a carpeted building, however. Hope this helps. Have a great WBT year!

I had squares at my old school and they were great for reminding the kids to "check their feet"; however at my new school there is carpet and I am at a loss of how to remind them. I thought about having them stand arm's length away from the wall but all of their arms are different lengths, any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Hello! Our mascot is a tiger, so we have tiger paws laid out in the hallway for where students need to walk or at stop points. This seems to be a visual reminder that works well for all ages of students. I also have found if you time the kids, place the time on the board, that this gives the students a record to break and kids love to break their records. In no time, you will have students lining up in 5 seconds or less:)

Laura Caisse
WBT Intern, 2011-2012

Great responses everyone! Thanks a million! I forgot to mention that it's outside, coming in from recess, lunch, PE, where I struggle to get their attention. I have a very organized system for lining up inside the classroom that works very well.

I tried the 2 line approach last year and the line was worse. Looks like a mob coming to the classroom.

I've taught them lining up lining up and they say it but I don't see the desired behavior. Students say the words and then keep on talking or walking side by side. Chris Recksted says he walks in the back of the line so I've been doing that this week. So now the front is worse and the back is better...

So, any suggestions for the outside lines?

Thanks!

I

oh goodness!

How do your kids respond to the scoreboard? Can you go for double points during these transition times?
Does your school have a positive reward system - like tickets or something to give kids when they're doing something good. Our school does and sometimes I carry two or three with me and don't tell them who gets them until we get back into the classroom.
Also - back to the scoreboard. Some people do the air scoreboard and if it's really a struggle you could even bring a small whiteboard with you (if your school doesn't have any you can get one from the dollar store) and bring it with you and give points. Have the boys compete with the girls, the front with the back, etc.
If you end up using the super improvers wall, kids can get stickers for improving their behavior during this time.
I also "go back and do it better" and if they use instruction time then I use their free time. I've gone back 3 times within one trip and I get the moaning and groaning but they finally get it. The next time you remind them what happened last time and it should get a little better.
Good luck!

Once the students are lined up (lines, lines, lines), I say line check (which means they must look at the persons head in front of them) and they repeat line check and we are ready to go. Looking at the persons head in front of them really gets a straight line! Hope this helps.

Karen

I totally love the line check idea! I appreciate you sharing...terrific stuff!!

Thank-you!
Heather Hansen
Wbt intern
2011/12

Heather,

I would love to take credit for "line check" but it was a post on the forum!

Karen

I teach them four line expectations:

1. Laser-straight: the tiles on the floor help a lot, but we also have lines painted on our sidewalks. They know, because I remind them often, to make sure their left foot is on the line.

2. Dead quiet: I never allow any talking in my line. Not even to me.

3. Arms crossed: I used to allow kids to choose whether they crossed their arms or put their hands in their pockets, but I found that if you give an inch, they take a light-year. So, arms crossed only.

4. Faces forward: It's really irritating to me when people standing in line at theme parks aren't paying attention when the line moves forward, leaving a huge gap. I don't want my line to have gaps in it either.

I teach these four expectations, and slowly wean them off me reminding them of each one when we line up, and settle for the aforementioned "LINE CHECK!" They repeat "LINE CHECK!" and instantly snap to attention in a perfect, orderly, OCD-tickling line (tears of joy!). The key is consistency and unbending, unwavering expectation of perfection. As long as it's not perfect, we don't move. If we're already moving and it stops being perfect (arms swing out, someone talks, someone veers way out of line), I call "FREEZE!" and everyone stops. I say "LINE CHECK!", they respond appropriately, then we're on our way.

All of that sounds terribly militaristic, but the whole time I've got this "Gosh, isn't this fun?" maniacal grin on my face, and I'm constantly praising the ones who've got it right and encouraging the ones who don't. We've only been in school for a week, and my kids are trained. They know exactly what I want, and I get it...and they're as proud of themselves as I am of them, because they know they've got it together, and they're the best-behaved class in 5th grade.

In the heat of the moment with so many other classes around and being rushed to move on, it can be very challenging to have your students follow directions. I would find another time of day to go out to the playground when other classes are not around and have your class practice proper behavior lining up. Also, bring a portable scoreboard. I add points in line using a handheld white board. The students know that when they are in line they get silent oh-yeahs or mighty groans.

I have to crack up a bit at the "militaristic" comments! If you were only a fly on my wall! There isn't a procedure in my class that doesn't have three peat! The entire day is nothing but three peats! LOL! Now for lines...I have trained...yes trained...my class that between boys and girls I am watching for the best gestures when we do a "RULE REVIEW" before going outside! Then I chose and say:

T: Ladies
Girls: YES
T: Lines
Girls: Lines Lines Lines (when they get to the line they have to pop their hands in the air)
T: Gentelmen
Boys: Yes
T: Lines
Boys: Lines Lines Lines (again popping their hands in the air when they are in line)
T: Eyes Front
S: Eyes Front
T: Hands
S: Hands Hands Hands (putting their hands behind their back)
T: Bubbles
S: Bubbles Bubbles Bubbles (muffled because they have a bubble in their mouth)

If they waste my time by not responding, we start all over. After the first two or three times of having to start over and seeing that they lost part of their recess because they were not following RULE #1 they got the hint! I don't really have any problems now. I think 1 time last week (week 2 of school) I had to start over because one of the girls POPPED her bubble and started talking. Just like someone said...give them an inch they take a mile. Remember, they will rise to the level of your expectation!

Oh Farrah can I please be a fly on the wall in your room I know I could learn so much from you. I am going to follow this routine. I did try last year but now see the error I made I did not hold them to it, it is going to be a new me all WBT. We will practice until there is a rut in the side walk.
Annette

Farrah,

Do you think this is appropriate for pre-k students. I taught kindergarten last year and used a similar line up process and it was amazing. However, this year I am having trouble getting my babies to understand that until EVERYONE is doing it correctly we will continue to practice?????

Thanks for all of your posts, Georgia

Personally for me...I don't see why not. I used pretty much the same thing in PreK when I taught PreK and really didn't have a problem...they are even more prone to wanting to PLEASE us so they really liked it when I was happy!

Farrah, I have ued bubble in your mouth with the gesture (fist closed over lips) and most of my kids walked that way. I'd like to do your hands idea so should one do bubble first then hands and off we go, seemed to make sense. I do love when they did bubbles because they knew they were talking because they had to move their hand
Annette

Great idea. I will use this. Thank you for sharing this