8.4: Effective Transitions

Course Competency 8. Develop STEM learning experience plans that promote child development and learning

CRITERIA: 8.4 Plan includes effective transitions

Effective Transitions

Transitions that are effective will:

1. Make your day flow smoothly.

2. Gain the children's attention or interest.

3. Help you to give directions about what is coming next or how the children should do something.

4. Help you move the children from one activity to another in an orderly fashion.

5. Transitions can also help you to assess what they children have learned.

Types of Transitions for Your Learning Experience Plans

1. Gaining Attention and/or Interest: You will want to plan a transition for your introduction to your activities that will gain the children's attention and entice them to want to do the upcoming activity. Some ideas for this include songs or fingerplays related to the activity, surprise boxes or bags, puppets, drawing their attention to previous learning and helping them make a connection to the new learning that will occur in the activity.

An effective transition gains their attention and focus. It is interesting and helps the children to be excited about the upcoming activity. This is an example of what an effective transition is NOT. Telling the children "Ok, we are going to read a story", or "We are going to do this activity.", or "Who wants to...."

Please review Module 2 in the Canvas Course and review Chapter 2.2 Transitions in this text to review information on transitions.

2. Dismissal Transition: You will be planning a dismissal transition from your activity to the next activity in the day or from the directions part of your activity to the area they will go next to complete the next part of the activity.

You can use this as a time to assess what the children have learned by asking them a question. You will ask the children a question, one at a time. Once the child answers, they are dismissed to the next activity.

Please be thoughtful and intentional in your transition activities. It is best when you can connect them to the learning or theme of the activities they are doing.