Sunday 17 March 2019

Flip the Switch on Classroom Interruptions!

We've all been there - you finally get your kidlets settled and started working on a whole class test when there's a knock at the door and a group of Year 6 kids arrive to talk about student council.  Or maybe you're a few pages into the text with your guided reading group and another student taps you on the shoulder to ask if they can get a drink.  Perhaps the worst of all - the precious ten minutes you have to do some one-on-one intervention work with a struggling student is lost when Susie from next door arrives to borrow some blue paint.  Today I'm sharing a super simple (and cheap!) trick to stop those annoying interruptions during important activities.

First of all you need to visit your local hardware store and grab a battery powered light.  Any will do  - the one I have is called a flip light and was $3.99 from Bunnings. 


The light acts as a signal to others that your students are working on a task that can't be disturbed - put it on the wall near your classroom door or your small group table.


Flip the light on whenever you need to - anyone tempted to knock and interrupt your teaching will see it and come back later!


I've popped together a few posters to display beside your light - click on any of the images below to download them for free.

Testing in Progress - perfect to put beside the door:


 We are working hard - put this one beside your small group table to let the rest of your class know that important work is happening:


Do not disturb - use this for parent teacher interviews etc. when you're having a meeting:


I hope you try this easy trick to stop those annoying interruptions while you're teaching!



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