Classroom Time & Transitions Hannah Weber

Types of Classroom Time Mandated time: The time the state requires school to be in session. Available time: The mandated time minus the time lost to absences, special events, half-days. Instructional time: The time that is actually used for instruction. Engaged time: The time a student spends working attentively on academic tasks. Productive learning time: The proportion of engaged time in which students are doing work that is meaningful and appropriate. (Weinstein & Novodvorsky, 196)

Available Classroom Time… is used effectively when… is not used effectively when… the lesson begins on time. boundaries of lesson activities are clearly defined. students are held accountable. students are constantly engaged in meaningful activities. the teacher flip-flops between activities. students are caught off guard by transitions. routines are not established or enforced. distractions interrupt the teacher or students. (Weinstein & Novodvorsky, 184, 189-90)

Importance of Time Students have a limited amount of time in the classroom. This time must be used effectively to aid the learning process. Wasted time directly takes away from the ability to learn. Teachers must maximize the productive learning time they provide to students.

Effective Transitions… follow well thought out, set routines. must be explicitly taught and practiced to develop good habits. include pre-corrections to avoid potential issues. use positive reinforcement when the procedure is followed correctly. (Weinstein & Novodvorsky, 188-9)

being prepared and having a plan can minimize wasted time Transition plans

Beginning the class each day: Students will come into the classroom, get their music and instrument, sit in their seats, organize music as shown on the board, and warm-up quietly on their own.

Taking attendance: I will take attendance while the students are warming up their instruments.

Checking homework: Any written assignments I assign I will also check and return in a timely manner. However, most of the “homework” is practicing music outside of rehearsal.

Collecting papers: To collect music, I will have the section leaders collect the songs from their section, put it in score order, and put it on a designated stack.

Returning papers: To hand out music, I will divide the piece by section, place the piles on music stands, and have the students pick them up at the beginning of the class period. The first student from each section to arrive will be in charge of distributing the music to their section, so each student will need to check to see if they are the first in the room.

Moving from the whole group into small groups: In ideal facilities, I will have the space to send one instrument group into a practice room for work as a section. We will practice how to take stands and music into and out of that space without disrupting the flow of the rehearsal.

Ending class each day: I will finish the rehearsal and let the students know it is time to pack-up. They will then be in charge of putting away their own instrument, music, and music stand. There will be a labeled cabinet for all the music folders, and a specialized rack for the music stands.

Leaving class at the end of the period: After packing everything up, the students will line up near the door until the bell rings or I dismiss them.