Active Class Management Strategies Using Class Starts to Reinforce Desired Behavior Robert Pangrazi Gopher Sport & Arizona State University Management Techniques Following are brief descriptions of some of the techniques that were taught during this session. Freeze Signal: Clearly, students participating in physical activity, be it indoors or out, will be noisier than students sitting at desks in a classroom. Further, students participating in activity are moving and getting attention consistently without a concrete signal for attention is difficult. For these reasons and others that are unique to managing children in activity, a consistent signal should be used for stopping students and getting attention. Teachers should choose a freeze signal with which they feel comfortable. Some signals for freeze include a whistle, tambourine and verbal command. The key to a successful freeze signal however is consistency. The same signal should be used every time students are expected to freeze. Further, the teacher should wait until students successfully complete the freeze (about 5-seconds) before proceeding with instructions. If students are not freezing within the expected time, then teachers should practice the skill until they are satisfied with the results. Go Signal: Not unlike a consistent signal for freeze, teachers should establish a consistent signal for when students should begin activity. If a signal is not established for telling students when it is acceptable to begin activity, then students will make this choice on there own. In this case, usually students choose to be active before the teacher expects them to be active. To eliminate this problem, teachers can establish a simple signal for when to begin activity. My signal for students is Go. Students know (because I constantly remind them) that they do not begin activity until the signal Go is given. When before What: Related to the Go signal is a technique that allows teachers to make sure that students wait until all instructions are given before beginning activity. This technique is called When before What. Teachers tell students when they will be allowed to begin activity before they are told what to do. Here is an example: When I say Go I would like you to skip. This simple statement cues students to wait for the Go signal before they begin skipping. This technique too must be practiced until all students wait for the signal to begin activity. Toe-to-toe: Toe-to-toe is a technique for quickly and effectively pairing students. Students are moved around and quickly assume the freeze position when prompted. When all students successfully freeze, the teacher gives the verbal command toe-to-toe. Students then quickly move to the person who is closest to them and they stand to-to-toe. Children are not allowed to run across the room to search for a friend with whom to partner. Instead, they must choose the person closest to them. Any student without a partner will quickly move to the center of the teaching area with his/her hand in the air. Other students without partners will meet there and will partner up. If there is an odd number of students, then the teacher will meet the student without a partner in the center
of the teaching area and will quickly place that student in a group. Again, this technique must be practiced until students successfully get to-to-toe with the person closest to them. Dividing the class into equal halves: Once students are paired (toe-to-toe), then one partner is asked to place a hand on his/her own shoulder (any cue can be used here, placing a hand on the shoulder is just one example). Once this is done, the teacher can divide the class into two equal groups (assuming an even number of students). The teacher instructs students with their hand on their shoulder to line up on one line and instructs the remaining students to line up on another. Viola, the class has been divided into two equal groups quickly and efficiently. Handling Equipment: Equipment is often used in physical education class. When equipment is not handled properly, a lot of time can be lost. Too often teachers place equipment in a single area and students must waste time fighting to get equipment. Further, it is often the students who are least cooperative with equipment who set the pace for physical education classes. In order to remedy these problems, equipment should be dispersed around the teaching area and students should always be given something to do with equipment before they are asked to get or replace equipment. Freezing with Equipment: When students are asked to freeze with equipment, a home base should be determined for the equipment. This technique is used so that students will not be placed in a situation where they can make a choice to listen to instructions or play with equipment. Most often students will make a choice to play with equipment when it is in their hands. Who can blame them? Therefore, students should have a home base for equipment (e.g., between the feet) so that on every freeze they will place equipment in home base and will not be tempted to fiddle with it. Forming Circles: Circle formations are often used in physical education classes. A simple technique for getting students into circle formations is Fall in. This technique to forming circles uses movement to form the circle. Students are asked to move around the teaching area and on the command fall in they move to the center of the teaching area and form a circle while continuing to move. Students make sure that they have one student in front of them and another behind them and work on keeping equal spacing as they move. Model desired behavior: Perhaps one of the most effective ways to give instruction and to motivate students is to model behaviors in which you wish your students to participate. This means that when you ask students to jog or walk or skip, that you should model these activities for them. Of course it is not critical that the teacher be proficient at all activities to be modeled. In fact, many students are motivated to attempt activities when they see the teacher model an activity at which he/she is not proficient. Reinforcement: As with any behavior, management behavior that is reinforced is more likely to continue. For this reason, teachers should reinforce management behaviors that they wish their students to continue. Many times physical education teachers reinforce skill, but they do not reinforce behavior. Teachers should give positive specific feedback when students freeze consistently or when they wait for the Go signal before they begin activity. Positively reinforcing students who exhibit desired behavior will also help to motivate students who are not exhibiting desired behavior.
Class Start Activities Jumping Rock, Paper, Scissors Starting Position: Players find a partner and face each other. They must have an area where they can turn and run for a short distance. Students must understand how to play, Rock, Paper, Scissors. The following hierarchy exists: Rock breaks scissors; Scissors cut paper; and Paper beats rock. Partners face each other. They jump up and down six times. On the sixth jump, they move into position for rock, paper or scissors. The positions follow: Scissors: Legs spread forward and backward with one arm forward and one arm pointing backwards. Paper: Legs spread apart and to the sides. Arms also held to the side. Rock: Legs together and arms to the side. The winner turns and runs to a goal behind them. The non-winning partner pursues the winner and tries to touch them to score a point. If no touch is made, the other player scores a point. Encourage youngsters to find new partners and start a new game. Spelling on the Move Starting Position: Students find a partner, get toe to toe, and take 3 giant steps away from each other. The goal of the activity is to stay close enough to a partner to be able to score a point by touching them after a word has been spelled. Players can only move with controlled jogging steps. To start the activity, one of the players picks a word that will be spelled with their partner. For example, if the word is HORSE, one person will start with the letter H and will try to elude their partner. Their partner will say the next letter while chasing the other. The chase continues until the last letter of the word, E is called. At that time, both players have to freeze in place. If the chaser can touch their partner (without moving his/her feet), a point is scored. The roles are reversed and the other partner starts spelling the same word so that they have an equal chance to catch or evade the other. Depending on how long they want to move, they can spell the word quickly or slowly. Variation: If an incorrect letter is called, the direction of movement changes, i.e., the chaser becomes the evader. Finger Fencing Starting Position: Students find a friend and stand facing each other, balanced on one foot. Partners face each other and stand on one foot. On signal, they hook index fingers (right hands) and try to push their partner off balance. If one of the partners loses their balance and touches the floor with their non-weight supporting foot, the other partner wins. If both partners touch the floor (they both lost their balance), there is no score.
Variation: Teach students to start and stop after 5 counts. They can alternate counting responsibility after each bout. This activity should not continue for more than 5 seconds. The bout is a draw if no one has lost their balance after 5 counts. Repeat using the left hand. Some players may want to start with both feet on the ground with the goal of trying to make their partner move the location of their feet. Same or Different? Starting Position: Youngsters find a partner and face each other about 3 feet apart. One person chooses to be the same, the other is different. They run in place 20 steps. On the 20 th step, each player puts a foot forward. If the feet are the same (right, right or left, left), the student designated the same wins. If the feet are different, the other child wins. The game continues to a set number of points. Variations: Another way to play is to have students perform their 20 steps, jump in the air and land with their feet in forward straddle or side straddle position. If both students choose the same position, the same partner wins. If they choose different positions, different wins Have students do other activities (e.g., jumping jacks, jump in place, arm circles) before they put a foot forward or jump into a straddle position. Vary the number of steps, jumps, jumping jacks students perform before they put a foot forward. Flowers and Wind Equipment: A good imagination Starting Position: Partners face each other about five feet apart with a goal line about 5 yards behind each player. Partners face each other. One is the flower and the other the wind. One partner secretly selects the name of a common flower and begins to pantomime out a flower. For example, if they are a snapdragon, they might snap their fingers and breathe fire. The wind player gets three guesses to name the flower chosen. If the flower is not guessed, both players run 20 steps in place and change roles. If the flower is guessed, both players run toward the flower s goal line. If they flower gets there first, he scores a point. The roles are reversed and the game is repeated. If one side has trouble guessing, a clue can be given to the color or size of the flower or the first letter of its name. Stop Ball Equipment: One or two beanbags or a playground ball. Starting Position: Three to five players in a circle with a ball or beanbag. The ball or beanbags are passed around the circle. One student is designated to call, Stop! The point of the game is to avoid being the person who passes the object to the person who caught it when the signal occurs. When this happens, the player who passed the object now gets to be the person who calls, Stop.
The person who is the caller may also say, Reverse to signal a change in the direction the object is passed. One Step Catch and Throw Equipment: Any object that can safely be tossed and caught. Starting Position: Two players stand facing each other about 3 feet apart. One has a ball or a beanbag. The object of the game is to throw or toss the item in the stipulated manner so that the partner can catch it without moving their feet. When the throw is completed successfully, the thrower takes one step backward and waits for the throw from her partner. The goal is to try and increase their distance to an established line. When either child misses or moves their feet, both partners move forward and start over. Variations to provide interest and challenge are type of throw, type of catch, and kind of step. Throwing can be underhand, overhand, two-handed, under one leg, around the back, and so on. Catching can be two-handed, left-handed, right-handed, to the side, and so on. The step can be a giant step, a tiny step, a hop, a jump, or a similar movement. Trades Equipment: None Starting Position: With a partner standing about 1-2 feet apart. One partner acts out a trade (profession) while the other tries to guess what the pantomime represents. When a correct guess is made, the person acting out the trade turns and runs back to a predetermined goal line while the chaser tries to catch her before the goal line. Whoever gets to the goal line first earns a point. The game is repeated with roles reversed. Beanbag Grab Equipment: Beanbag or similar object. Starting Position: Partners facing each other 3 to 4 feet apart with a goal line behind each player about 10 feet away. The beanbag is placed in the center between the players. The goal of the game is for one player to reach down, grab the beanbag, and run toward either goal line without being tagged by the other player. If the player who picked up the beanbag makes the goal line without being tagged, they earn a point. If not, they start over. Variation: This is an opportune time to teach the concept of handicapping to make game more equal. If a player wins three times in a row, they must take a giant step farther away from the beanbag. They continue to handicap themselves until each player has a chance to win the point. Partner Duck, Duck, Goose Starting Position: Players find a partner and face each other. They must have an area where they can turn and run for a short distance. The goal of the game is to turn and run to a goal line about 15 feet behind each of the players.
The game begins with one partner saying Duck, followed by the other partner saying, Duck. They must say at least a total of three Ducks before each are eligible to say Goose. When Goose is called, that person turns and tries to run directly to their goal line without being tagged. Players return to the center point and start playing again. For the sake of catching someone off guard, players can say as many Ducks as they like. For example, Goose may not be called until seven Ducks have been called. If there is plenty of room, they do not have to run in a straight line to the goal line but can run anywhere they choose. Steal the Treasure Equipment: Any object such as a beanbag to serve as the treasure. Starting Position: Youngsters form a group of 3 to 5 friends. A bowling pin placed in the small circle (hula hoop) is the treasure. One or more guards are selected to protect the treasure. The guard can move as far from the treasure as she likes to tag a player. Anyone tagged must retire and wait for the next game. To successfully steal the treasure, a player must pick it up cleanly without getting tagged. The guard tags them when they come too near. If the treasure is touched, but not picked up by a player trying to steal it, that player must also wait out a turn. The guard must balance between being too far from the treasure and staying too near the treasure and never tagging anyone. If the guard tags all players, they are declared billionaires. Equipment: None Starting Position: Partners facing each other Knee Tag The object of the game is to see how many times you can touch your partner s knee. No slapping allowed only soft touches. Players slide and step towards their partner while bending over in a wrestling position and attempt to tag their partner s knees. They must also guard their own knees. When multiple players are involved, the first partner to reach 5 tags wins and partners rotate to different partners. Circle Tag Equipment: None Starting Position: Three students standing in a circle holding hands and one student standing outside the circle. One player in the circle is chosen as the leader. The player on the outside is attempting to tag the leader. The circle slides around in an attempt to guard the leader from getting tagged. The tagger may reach and move around the circle trying to tag. The tagger may not hold, jump on the arms or go under the arms of the circle players. Every 10 seconds a new leader and tagger are selected.