Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Terrific Transitions!

Today let's switch gears and talk about transitions... You know, how you get from one activity to the next and make it look effortlessly and like you had it planned that way all along. I don't know about you but transitions can often times be tricky. When you are in the middle of cleaning up after a lesson and realize that it is time for lunch, it just does not feel like the time to whip out magic wands and recite some lovely rhyme. Many years ago I found the answer through music. I purchased a DR Jean CD and that really transformed my transitions. So here is the golden nugget of musical transitions... All of the songs that I used for morning transitions I loaded onto my computer, picked the songs I needed and put them in chronological order. So each time it was that fun transition time, I just walked over to the CD player and pushed the next song. I never ever had to say a word because the kids knew what each song signaled. For my teaching life, it was BRILLIANT!

My Morning Transition Playlist
1. Have a Seat
2. Give Me a Clap
3. Wiggle Them
4. (Theme related song)
5. Tidy Up
6. Lunchtime Round Up

This year I am going to try making a Math Playlist!
If you do not have all of the DR Jean CD's you can go to her website and download single songs and build your own playlist! So, what are your Terrific Transitions? Join the Linky Party and share in the fun!





7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Love it! Great Link up idea-- I'd love to see what others suggest as well. I just found a site that uses 1 minute sound bites of music for transition purposes. I am so excited to be introducing one for center rotations and one for end of day dismissal clean up.

Primary Connections

Sarah said...

I LOVE Dr. Jean. I have almost all of her CDs. I don't have a transition playlist, but I think I will create one this year. A couple of years ago I purchased an Ipod and Ipod player just for the classroom. I have a math playlist, alphabet playlist, fun playlist, and so on. I am actually redoing them this year, so it is a perfect time to do a transition playlist!

Giggles and Squeals said...

Great idea! I do some songs but I have that natural talent of turning anything I want to say into a Farmer and Dell tune! But it doesn't go as flawless as I'd like, especially since I don't remember my tunes from day to day!

Another great song person is Laurie Berkner. She has the best clean up song that I play at the end of center time and it works perfect. I also use the DR. Jean Backpack Boogie to pack up to go!

One question, this works well but toward the end of the year they stop listening! What is your trick to that?

Jodi said...

Opps! I just signed up for the Linky Party- but under name I'd like to have "Kinder Kats." Help!
:) Great blog- I love it!

Jessica Williamson said...

Great idea!! I do this but only after math and literacy stations and to signal them to clean up after morning work. Works like a charm. I will go check out the songs you use.

mrswilliamsonskinders.blogspot.com

ccoffey said...

Thanks for hosting the link-up! I love sharing ideas as well as seeing what others do!

Hope you have a wonderful holiday weekend!

Cara

http://miscellaneousme.wordpress.com
miscellaneouscara (at) gmail (dot) com

Jennifer @ Simply Kinder said...

There is this author and songwriter named Jim Gill who I saw at the Kindergarten and First grade conference here in AZ. He was amazing! He has hundreds little songs and chants that he uses in transitions, to calms the kids, to move the kids, etc. If you ever get change to see him you should! You can also you tube him to see some of his songs. But if you really research him and his theories, it is all based around getting little brains to focus and control (themselves I mean.) I implemented several of these in my room and they worked amazing at getting the kids to get their brains in the right spot, even if it's just to get up quick and get out the door! Amazing!

Empowering Kinders and Other Kids Too

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