Making transitions from one activity to another in the classroom often takes some trial and error. Transitions are an important part of our day in pre-k, even though they seem like minor moments that don’t even make it onto our written schedule.
Recently I got emails from teachers asking me how we transition to small group. I thought it might be helpful to post it here, but I know so many of you teachers out there have great ideas for transitioning to small group. So please share your ideas in the comments section below to describe how you transition to small group. Your comments can be a huge help to other preschool teachers!
Just to clarify first: In my classroom, I do our Small Group time separate from Center Time. They are two separate things on our schedule. We have free choice centers, so this is not the way we transition to Center Time. I know in some pre-k classrooms, these times are done differently. Check these links to how I do Center Time, as well as Small Group.
The way I transition the children to small group is nothing fancy because I just want to quickly move us from large group to small group so we can get busy learning.
I have four groups of children and we rotate through the groups over four days. I have magnetic boards with children’s photos that show the kids what table they need to go to that day.
How I Prepared the Classroom for Transitions
At the beginning of the year, I took a “headshot” photo of each child. {Quick tip: I used my iPhone and set it to take square photos. Squares are easier to work with than rectangles, because if you need to crop it a little, you don’t have to worry about getting the proportions just right.}
I printed each child’s photo on card stock paper with their name underneath, laminated them, and attached a magnet to the back.
I bought four of these very inexpensive ($1) cookie sheets at the Dollar Tree. If you want to get fancy, you could spray paint them, but I just left them silver.
I made table signs for each of my tables, using a number with a picture symbol. The symbol helps children in the beginning of the year when/if they don’t recognize numbers yet. The table signs hang above each table with fishing cord and a ceiling hook. I made a mini version of the table signs to use as magnets on the small group boards (cookie sheets).
The magnets are perfect so I can easily swap the children’s pictures if I want to change the groups. I change groups every 1-3 weeks, depending on what we’re doing.
The magnets on the mini table signs allow me to switch the groups to the next activity each day. All I have to do at the beginning of each day is move the table number circles to the next board (cookie sheet).
How the Children Transition to Small Group
As we move from large group to small group, I call out the table numbers one by one. The kids look at the boards to see where they are supposed to go. That’s it! It all works very smoothly. Of course, at the beginning of the year, it was not smooth, so I had to train them to get to this point.
Occasionally, if a child wanders around and asks, “Where do I go?”, I tell them to “Go look at the board.” It puts the responsibility back on them, and they don’t get used to me telling them where to go every day. At the beginning of the year, children need more direction, so I placed each magnet board on each table for awhile.
So, how do you transition your students to small groups? Share in the comments below!
Don't worry - we never sell or share email addresses!
I hand out “tickets” at circle time. The kids go to the table with the matching picture or concept. I change the tickets monthly or every other week, because we also work on vocabulary with the tickets. This month the tables have letters (the M table and the A table). Sometimes colors, vehicles, food, small/big, etc. At the table we work on 1:1 correspondence. 6 tickets means there should be 6 kids sitting at the table!
I have 5 color groups, and these correspond to which center/small group each child will be attending. It also corresponds to the spot on the floor where they need to sit for that day. For example, my red group is my math center. Those 5 students sit in my red row on the floor, and they visit the red center that day. I then rotate each group so that by the end of the week, all students have visited all learning centers. It works for me, and they can solve the mystery of where to sit by simply looking for their name to determine their color for the day.
Thanks for sharing! I actually do my Centers totally different. Our small group time is separate from Center Time — I always forget that not all teachers do these separate. 🙂
I do something similar. I have a poster board with symbols. my symbol is a cat, my Teacher assistant’s symbol is a red elephant and the indendepent group is an owl. Under the symbols, I have the children’s names either on a frog, book or star. They have to find their name and go to the symbols (teacher) table.
I have been trying to figure out a way to make small group transition a lot less crazy. They never seem to be doing what they are supposed to when the principal comes in. I will try this idea in hopes that it will move more smoothly. How would this work if you have to do 2 fifteen minutes groups a day? Also how do you transition them from small group back to large group. I can’t seem to get them to clean up and move back to the carpet smoothly. This causes a lot of wasted time when I have to constantly speak to them. They know what to do because if you ask them they will tell you. How can I get better at this? One of my problem areas is transition time and getting students settled back down.
Hi! I also run 2 small groups daily and a center time. I have my small groups always go to the same table, this way there is never any confusion! I transition from carpet by colors their wearing, color of hair, letters in names, etc. and they know to go to their table. The teachers rotate between the tables. After the first small group they are allowed to pick a center to play in. At the end of centers they clean up and go to carpet where we do a celebration song that is highly liked by all! Once here we share what we did at centers and then transition back to small groups. This way they have a break in between teacher directed activities. This usually seams to work for my students. Depending on groups and how well they do with cleaning up independently or not, I may ask everyone to return to carpet before cleaning and then they are told where to clean, that way they know exactly what to do. For example, I might tell a busy boy to push all the chairs in, while asking another student to pick up just cylinder blocks. It breaks the process of cleaning up into a much easier task, with one objective!
I like that… I have mixed age half day classes, so am group and pm group… i have mine named with shapes on dry erase sheets (laminated cardstock)(am on the left of the paper with black marker, pm on the right with blue marker), I just dismiss each group to their table by reading the names (at the red table with mrs. _____ are the circles… name, name, name, name)… sometimes my lower/younger kids need me to repeat the names 2-3 times and emphasize theirs, but they usually have it by this point in the year. My older kids know how to read the groups by the 3rd week or so. Usually the last group stays in the rug, so when I call them in the same order each time, it helps. I may try your way next year, it’s got the added picture and might help some of my special ed kiddos… it’s hard figuring out space when am and pm share!
Thanks for sharing, you’re right about “Transitions” there are many teachers that have difficulty with this time of the day. I’m sharing this with my staff. When I visit the classrooms some teachers have mastered this skill and others still need support.
I used photo cards also, but my students take their photo to their chosen center, and velcro it to the center. For example Dylan requests to go to block area, he takes his photo-card and places it on the center’s that was block area. The help my special needs student to understand this is the center they chose and where they need to stay until the request to move. It also helps with overcrowding in centers. We generally have 4 students in a center, 2 students on computers, and 3 on iPads. Thanks you Karen for the tip on using photo squares that will be really helpful next year.
I use pictures to rotate through our centers. I have 12 centers a week, two rotations a day, and 2 students at each center. I found they stay on task much better in the smaller groups.
I have a poster with each of the students pictures on it, in their groups of 2. Then next to their picture is a picture of the center where they will be going…the corresponding pictures are also at the centers. Then I rotate the center pictures, not the student pictures. It works really well in my room, and the kids have gotten really good at figuring out where they will go in the next few rotations, even before I change it. I tried to put a picture of my chart in my comment, but couldn’t figure that out.
I use zoo animal cutouts. I place them on the wall with the childrens names under them (names are for my use). Children wear matching necklaces. I hang those on a hook under matching cutout. I place a necklace in each child’s crayon basket in the morning, (animal cutouts and stickers to make necklaces found at oriental trading). When moving from center to center I place foam green squares outside each center on the floor. When the children hear the timer, they stand on the foam square until I say, “Tigers move to the block center”, (we move clockwise around the room). Children love to get their baskets in the morning to see what animal they will be! I change groups once a month.
Thank you Karen, your tips are of great help. If you can also help in how take assessment of the child and how you keep a track record and fwd to the next level or to parents.
I will be thankful.
Malika
Yes, I would like an example of assessments as well.
Thanks so much!
I assess in different ways (portfolios, notes, checklists), but at small group, I assess using a matrix. A matrix is like a mini checklist. It has the names of the students in the group in a row on the left and boxes on the right beside the names. I can mark it with a check to show they did well, or an H if they needed help, or SH if some help was needed. Here’s my assessment page: https://www.prekinders.com/category/assessment/
I am a teacher’s assistant for VPK. Before two new teacher’s came in. We had a good schedule. We had 4 groups, red, blue, yellow and green. We had 2 tables for instructional time with the teacher and para. The other two groups either went to dramatic, or blocks. We had a 15 minute rotation for all the groups. The new teacher’s have it where only 2 group may complete a project, ex. if we were making a lion;s face on a paper plate, not everyone got to complete this project. This routine takes so much longer to complete projects. They after calendar time which is done a little later, then in the morning when student’s come in. After we complete our rotation, that is when they do calendar and sing songs. After that everyday if free choice time. If the teacher has a project, she will ask who wants to do this, of course the children want to play in their free choice center. This method leaves some children who do not even do this project and some who do. How do make some children take a project home and some children don’t have a project to take home. VPK has changed alot, I feel that we have to get these students prepared for Kindergarten. When the students go to Kindergarten their is no play time like they use to have in VPK. I have been doing this for 15 years and I feel a little frustrated how these teacher’s set up this program this year. I never know what I am doing. I don’t get a copy of lesson plans so I could set up our tables for the students. Teacher comes in the time students have to be picked up. I think you should a least have lesson plans for at least two weeks or more. If I were the teacher, i would have at least my month planned out. Structure and organization is important to me. One teacher is like a dizzy dean. It drives me crazy. I was just told our VPK Program will be cut at our school, so I will be on a displaced list. Things work out for a reason. I love the students and want whats best for them educational wise.
Hi Janet, I’m sorry for your frustration, but in education there is always change. Free choice centers is actually very important for pre-k children. I have my center time and small group separate, so my kids have an hour of free choice centers and 20-25 minutes of small group. We rotate throughout the week, so whatever activity I’m doing at my table, only one group will do it each day. Its true that most Kindergarten classes don’t have play time — however, that’s not a good reason to take play time away from 4 year olds. They learn through play. It’s not just a catchphrase. They really do learn so much through play. Every teacher I know (myself included) writes lesson plans one week at a time.
I enjoyed reading your comments about learn through play. I know it is hard for some teachers to let the children play. It’s louder and messier but at the end of the day my room is quiet and clean. I might have only worked with five or six kiddos one-on-one quality time. But they all got the love of learning and working together in a large group.
Love this idea soooooo much ,i am always battling with grade R.class . Awesome stuff
Ivana,
What is grade R?
Hopefully, Ivana will answer as well, but in the UK, “Grade R” refers to “Reception” which is the UK equivalent to what we in the US call Pre-K (kids age 4-5). I’m not sure if Grade R is used in other countries as well.
Thank you so much for sharing. Yes transitions time its very challenging at times.
I will implement these ideas. I love the idea of setting the phone on square rather rectangle that is what I was doing.
I love this idea! Where do you display the boards (cookie sheets). I have such limited space:(
Most of the time, they are just stacked and placed on a shelf by my large group area. When we do small groups, I set them up on the dry erase board tray where they can be seen.
Thanks. That sounds doable. I will definitely try this.
Karen I appreciate you sharing. “transitioning” can be challenging.. these photo squares are great the children know exactly where to go next..
Thank You,
Lusann
Thank you so much I have had trouble with transitioning now I have a better understanding mentally and it makes sense
KAREN ME GUSTAN TODAS TUS IDEAS.
Karen,
how do you determine which group of children to place together in a group?
I group them in different ways. Sometimes I group them according to which children can work peacefully together. 🙂 I often group them according to ability because we have to differentiate our lesson plans. For example, if I’m doing a counting activity, I would put children together who can count to 10 in a group, and I would put children together who are only counting up to 5.
Personally, I would mix it up so that they can learn from each other. Children often imitate peers more readily than they do adults. Thats the point of inclusion for me.
I do mix it up many times, but we are required to group them sometimes so that they are learning at their level.
Transitions are a particularly difficult time for children with special needs. It is always helpful to give a warning that you will be changing places/activities. We use a visual schedule reminder as sing a two more minutes song at play time. I prefer the transition cue to be gentle like shutting off the lights and/or sounding a chime. These settle children and tune them into one purpose.
We use childrens pictures as well as symbols.
I’m trying to understand this concept better. For the past 3 years I have been doing small groups as PART of my center time. If the small group activity is math related, it will be placed in my manipulative/math center. As the children rotate around the room to different centers, they eventually complete the small group activity. However, the biggest downfall is not every child will get to the center with the small group activity (for various reasons: timing, too many children in the class, etc.)
My director has made it clear that she wants a different small group activity EVERY DAY. From what I’m gathering, you only have one small group activity per week? What are the other children doing while you’re working with your small group? I do have an assistant teacher but she is often times pulled out to cover restroom breaks, lunch breaks, and other things. I am often left alone with 17 4/5 year olds. When I place a small group activity in a center, I usually try to make it an activity that the children can accomplish independently or with their partner. Of course, if they need help they can ask me. But most times I cannot sit down and work one on one when I have all those other children that need guidance.
Maybe you can help me with some ideas? Or help me understand better how your small group time works?
To clarify: I work at a private early childhood center in South Carolina. We create our own lesson plans. I have been working there as a lead teacher for 3 years (was an assistant for 2 years prior). I do not have a degree in education (my bachelors is in psychology) but with my experience and shadowing of other teachers I have picked up techniques. I’m always looking for new ideas of how to better teach these children and prepare them for Kindergarten!
Small group is lead by a teacher — its when you are working with a group of about 4-6 children, teaching them a concept. If you place an activity in a center, and they do it independently, it is a center activity, not a small group activity. I have 4 small groups each day, and all 22 kids are divided up into the 4 groups: one group is with me, one group with my assistant, and two groups are independent groups. The independent groups are given a specific task to do — it might be something as simple as making pattern block designs or it might be bookmaking or write-the-room or something like that.
My students have a different small group activity every day. I have 4 small group activities and the kids rotate through them for 4 days. I worked in a school previously where my assistant was pulled from the room a lot of the day. I just made sure I planned my small group time during the part of the day that she was in the room so that she could work with a group. I have a lot more info on small group time here: https://www.prekinders.com/small-group/. Let me know if you have any more questions. 🙂 Good luck!
Thanks for more information on your small groups. I do know that small groups is working with a small group of children. My dilemma is how my center schedules our days and trying to make it work.
Many times my activities are file folder games or other similar activities I have found online. I will place them at the center and then show the children how to do the activity/play the game (which also teaches a skill….my director LOVES FF games). This may not be the most effective or correct way of doing small groups. My biggest dilemma is lack of help (my assistant gets pulled out at random times and I never know if I will have her for the day or not). My other dilemma is our schedule. We open at 7:15am, but all children (ages 2-5) go to the cafeteria until 8:00-8:15 when the lead teachers arrive. At that point I allow the children free center time until circle time/announcements at 9:15. Then I send the children back to centers after circle time and this is when I will attempt to do small group.
My last problem is that children can arrive any time during the morning until nap time (12:30-2:30) and they can leave at any time. We are open until 6:15 and I am there until we close. There is only a few short moments during the day when everyone is in the room. I know this is something I cannot control, but making up missed art projects and activities is something I dread.
I would like to try your method of small groups when I get my next class. I am just trying to figure out how I can make it work! I did check out that link and the link to your current schedule. Every little bit of information helps me understand better. Thank you so much!
you said you have 22 students and 4 groups of 4, but what about the other 5 students?
Hi, I have 4 groups with 22 kids divided between them. So, 2 of my groups have 5 kids and 2 of my groups have 6 kids.
That is exactly how I do my small groups. My problem is that my kids have to go to centers after small group because of my schedule. How do I get them to centers in an orderly way after small groups? They each have a picture they take to their centers, but I am having a hard time figuring out how each student can get their picture after small group and go to centers. Any ideas appreciated. Thanks
Hey Ms.Brown From Selma,Al. I have worked with children ages 3-5 for over ten years and the same concept that you use for small group and center time is the same approach that I have been using for years and it works really well. Thanks for sharing your ideas.
Hi, I’m in my first year of being a prek teacher and I’m having some trouble with transitions my classroom is very over crowded which leaves very little room to walk before being able to do any activities on the floor. I need to pack up all the tables and chairs and unpack them again when we’re done which causes a lot of noise and frustration amongs all of us any ideas on how to deal with his?
Hi Karen, you have very bright ideas and positive approach as well,I taught prek for 6 years and have free center time for around 45-50 min while small groups used to be for 20-25 minutes,I had given them groups with different colors and we used to rotate them regularly.Now I am working in a new place and really missed my pre k class in GA.
Best of luck and keep on doing nice work 🙂
Thanks!
I transition very similarly to you except I use large dollar tree pom poms hanging above the tables and matching colored circles on the bulletin board with the students’ laminated pictures attached using velcro. At the beginning of the year, we may only have 2 groups at first and use small group time to introduce centers and how to play there, practice procedures, etc. As the weeks pass, I increase by one table until all tables are used. By the end of the year, I will have 6 groups (2 groups will not be at a table or have a hanging pom pom, but will be assigned group work such as completing a floor puzzle, a write the room activity, or Reading Center work. Anyway, I tried transitioning by having the students look at where they will be working and go to that table, but I always end up caving and just verbally calling out each group by name.