Quick Tips for Squirmy Students
This past semester I have had the joy of teaching 32 wriggly first grade students during their literacy block. Energetic, curious, and talkative, it was difficult at first to get through read alouds and mini lessons without frequent behavior reminders. With so many kids crammed into such a small rug space, squirmy students can cause mayhem!
The last thing I ever want as a teacher is to spend time scolding students or focusing on behavior when we could be having fun learning instead. Over the semester I tried out dozens of different strategies and routines to keep them engaged on the rug, and to keep the classroom atmosphere positive an upbeat!
Tip #1: MOVEMENT BREAKS
Get your students moving frequently during the day in planned breaks, and the squirming during lessons tapers off. Try out chants, stretches, breathing exercises, songs, and videos to allow kids to let loose for a few minutes. Videos on sites like GoNoodle can be a lifesaver when your students are bouncing off the walls with energy!
I try to schedule a short movement break in between EVERY rug time or lesson. We always do a GoNoodle or stretch break before interactive read alouds, and use calming breaths (shark breaths, roller coaster breaths, etc.) to calm back down before we begin.
Tip #2: LET STUDENTS TALK!
The most wriggly students on my rug are those bursting with questions and responses to the text/lesson. Scheduling LOTS of turn and talks and shares allows them to let out those energetic thoughts and ideas at an appropriate time. Students don't need to individually share out responses after every T&T, keep these short and sweet! Have a routine saying or sound to bring students back- this might be a chime, shaker, bell or a call and repeat. If your students have difficulty coming back quickly from a tun and talk, practice this skill during morning meeting by having them talk about their favorite things.
Tip #3: USE SILENT SIGNALS
Silent signals can be AMAZING if your students know how to use them. Many classes use ASL signs to signal when a student agrees or disagrees with someone, and the peace symbol to call for quiet. These signals allow students a small movement and an immediate response, while keeping the call outs to a minimum. If your class has difficulty following silent signals, adopt a gradual release method. For example, initially with the peace silent signal for quiet, my students received a marble every time they held up matching silent symbols within 10 seconds. Eventually, as students were able to master this symbol and initiated it on their own, I stopped giving them marbles for it.
Tip #4: ENCOURAGE MOVEMENT DURING LESSONS
The general theme of this post is if you plan for and include movement, then it doesn't disrupt the lesson! Find ways to allow students to respond with small movements during interactive read alouds or lessons. Prompt students to "Make a face that shows how the character is feeling" or "Act out this line from the story with your partner" or "Show me how you would do _____". Sprinkling short moments like these allows kids to physically interact with the content, and take a break from sitting still.
Tip #5: MAKE SURE YOUR EXPECTATIONS ARE CLEAR & APPROPRIATE
This is the MOST IMPORTANT piece of behavior management. If students do not understand WHAT you expect from them, they will not be able to act how you want. As adults, it sometimes seems pretty clear what behavior is required for different situations. This is not true for kids! Behavior needs to be scaffolded in the same way that we scaffold learning content. If students are consistently failing to meet your expectations, maybe it's time for a class conversation about what you are looking for. Make sure students understand when they are allowed to freely talk and move, when they need to raise their hands, and when they're expected to sit still.
OR maybe you need to adjust your expectations. If your students have spent the entire morning sitting through morning meeting, read aloud, reading workshop, and writing workshop without a movement break(s), they are going to be squirmy and talkative! Reflect on your own teaching and routines- have you allowed time for student voice and movement?
These are just a few of the things that I have tried out in my own practice this past semester with my wriggly students. I am constantly switching things up and trying out new ideas so that I can provide the most positive learning space for my class. Let me know if any of these tips help in your classroom!
