Hallway Walking (also known as Herding Cats)

It's just like herding cats, trying to get those kindergarteners through the hallways to PE, Art, Music, Library, Recess, Lunch, etc!  They are distracted by each other, locker decorations, open classroom doors, what's going on inside their heads.  Someone stops to tie a shoelace and the one behind her doesn't know how to go around her to keep the line moving.  Kids are constantly running their hands along locker doors, stopping to get drinks at water fountains, or just "holding up the walls," as my dad used to say there was no need to do.

Of course, different schools have different cultures. In some elementary schools, a little hallway chatter is acceptable.  In others, absolute silence is the rule.  In our school, we have always aimed for quiet transitions and teachers work really hard to teach the children hallway behaviors.

Here are some of the tricks of the trade that I've learned from others or created on my own over the years.  It would be great if YOU would add your own methods for hallway walking in the comments section below.

• When lining up in the classroom, some teachers use adhesive dots or footprints to indicate where children should stand.  Often, these are numbered and children are assigned a numbered place in the line.

• While still in the classroom, teachers use various props to help prepare the children for the trek through the hallways.  In my classroom, I have wide green ribbon necklaces that I drape around the necks of several students at various points in the line to help them remember to walk on the green tiles that line either side of our corridors.  

• I also have a bottle of invisible Quiet Spray that sometimes does the trick before we enter  the hall.  Asking the children to put a bubble in their mouths is currently quite effective,too.

• Magical Glue sometimes helps kindergarteners keep their hands at their sides. Suggesting that they put their hands in their pockets helps others.

     

•  Sometimes reciting a poem, song, chant, or series of gestures helps the children.

      

•  A former music teacher at our school wrote a song based on this poster.  I don't            have the music but the lyrics are as follows:

My hands are hanging at my sides,

I'm standing straight and tall.

My eyes are looking straight ahead,

I'm ready for the hall.

Zip on my lips, Zip on my lips,

Put the key in my pocket,

And quietly move my feet.

• Once we bravely venture forth into the halls, we are always on the lookout for students who are doing a good job of walking quietly in line without touching anyone or anything.  We reward these students with the honor of attaching an "eagle pride ticket" to our classroom collection which we display on tens frames.  These tickets are part of our school wide positive behavior plan.

• Another kindergarten classic is the Mystery Walker game.  There are several versions. Basically, the teacher announces that she is keeping her eye on a certain person but she won't tell who he or she is until the class arrives at its destination.  If that person is showing respectful behavior in the hallway, he/she will get the "eagle pride ticket," or some other more personal reward, if needed.  If the Mystery Walker doesn't show the desired behavior, no one gets the ticket or reward.  It's silly how well this works...for awhile.  

Kindergarten teachers really do need a full bag of tricks! Nothing works forever.  So, if you have an idea to share, please add to the list in the comments selection below.