Observation Task 5: Managing Transitions

Before conducting this task, Make a list of transitions you are likely to observe
during the school day and the type of strategies that the teacher may apply to
facilitate them. Create a table such as the table below to:
o List the type and function of the transitions that you observe during
the school day.
o Identify the strategies that are used by your MST to facilitate these
transitions.
o Comment on the success of these strategies in terms of both
promoting positive behavior and minimizing the incidence of
challenging behavior.
o Make practical suggestions about how these transitions could be
modified in order to further promote positive behavior and minimize
the incidence of challenging behavior.
Discuss the possibility of managing these transitions yourselves with your MST. With
reference to your notes decide how best to do this and implement it next week.
Evaluate your own performance and redesign your strategies based on your
experience. Build on your learning in this area over the course of the placement.

Table 9: Example Managing Transitions.

Type and function Strategies used to Efficacy of the Suggestions for further
of transitions facilitate strategy in terms development.
transitions of promoting
positive behavior
and minimizing
challenging
behavior.
1 Greeting and The teacher greets The cards are kept in This transition was
directing children to some of the children the same place every managed well but with no
complete the and directs all of day so the children apparent affection
registration process them to take their are following a strict demonstrated towards the
and to go and play name cards and put routine. children. Some of the
in the corners. them on the children received a smile
registration board as The corners employ and physical contact but
they come into the the same activities the majority did not.
classroom. and resources for a The children generally
long period of time; obeyed the direction of the
She tells the children therefore the teacher teacher. The children went
to go and play in the does not have to to the corners and began to
corners and shouts explain what the play in them using the
at children who are children should do in necklaces to regulate the
not listening. each of them. number of participants in
Finding name each area.
cards. Shouting orders at Potential difficulties were
the children keeps quickly dealt with by the
them quiet and teacher by shouting at the
reduces the children.
possibility of Whilst this initial transition
challenging behavior. was managed effectively in
terms of minimizing
challenging behavior, there
 was little modelling of
social or emotional skills.
There was also no
demonstrated affection for
the children.
This could lead to children
employing similar strategies
with each other rather than
talking nicely or trying to
resolve issues through
discussion without resorting
to shouting.
The teacher should try to
talk and treat the children
with respect as if they were
her own, modelling
kindness, tolerance and
compassion.

2 Stopping the The teacher starts to This is clearly an The transition appeared to
corners activities, sing a song for tidy established routine be managed effectively in
tidying up and up time but keeps and most children terms of minimizing
moving the children stopping to shout at immediately start to challenging behavior but it
to the circle time some of the children tidy up very quickly. seems to be established
carpet area. who are not tidying However, some of the through fear of the teacher.
up. children did not
immediately stop The song seemed like a nice
She asks children to playing or start to idea which would act as a
line up behind her as tidy up. The teacher gentle reminder for the
she walks to the got very angry at this children to begin to tidy up.
carpet area. and shouted at those However, it wasnt really
children. The children sung in a nice way as the
quickly began to tidy teacher kept shouting at
Tidying up. up. Some children the children whilst singing.
joined the line
immediately without Some children did not tidy
tidying up and this up or join the line and the
was not commented teacher did nothing about
on by the teacher. this. This might suggest
that not tidying up is
Some children did not allowed.
put the books away
exactly as the The children who were
teacher wanted and actually trying to tidy up
again she shouted at were shouted at which was
them. She did not not fair as at least they
wait for them to were trying!
correct this but left
the children in a line I think that the transition
and put the books would have been managed
back on the shelves more effectively if the
herself. teacher had let the children
know 5 minutes before that
 Some children had they would have to tidy up
sat straight down on soon and reminded them
the carpet without about how to do this
joining the teachers properly. Then, while she
line or tidying up and was singing the song the
the teacher did children could begin to do
nothing about this. this and gradually join the
line. She should also praise
Again, a combination those children who were
of a song to signal trying to tidy up and
the transition to tidy definitely not allow other
up time combined children to escape tidying
with shouting at up! She should encourage
children was effective children to help each other
in minimizing with this task and praise
challenging behavior. everyone for doing such a
good job of tidying up.
3 The teacher did
Balloons knee This activity was this activity with This transition was
activity. in outside the them because managed well because
class. they studied the students were very
about how we can excited and active
Their teacher stay healthy. when they did this
gives the whole activity.
class balloons This lesson was
and took them to talking about we However, I noticed
the playground. should sleep some students were
between 10 and cheated when they
She asked from 12 hours, we play, because some of
them to put the should eat a them dont hold the
balloons between healthy food such balloons between their
their knees, and as fish, drinks knees, and some of
walk or jump but milk, eat fruits them dont want to
dont drop the and vegetables, jump. So, the teacher
balloons! also we must do should be very
some exercises attention to them.
every day.

So, the teacher

did this exercise
activity for
students, and
another exercise
like walk and
jump.
4
Human body This activity is The students This transition was
blocks. about the inside learned about the effectively well for
parts of human inside parts of students, because it
body. It is for human body and improved their mind to
whole class the outside parts. save the information
(each group). correct.

The inside parts

It is about the are skull, ribs, I think it was very good
blocks has some muscles, way for students, but
parts of human backbones, etc. also the teacher should
body, and the but the outside do another activity like
function of these parts are head, worksheets or watch
parts. arms, neck, knee, them some videos
foot, etc. talks about this lesson
to develop their prior
The students knowledge more.
should find the The teacher did
right blocks this activity to
which has a word show the students
of part of human if they understand
body, and match the lesson or not.
it with the
correct block
which has a These blocks can
sentence of the develop their
function of this abilities to find
part. the correct the
information
quickly.