Transition Scaffold Checklist app for iPhone and iPad

Peer observation is a proven strategy for increasing your effectiveness as a teacher. Research has shown that focused, specific, data-rich feedback and collegial conversations lead to real improvement in practice.

Each App in this suite is designed to give teachers feedback on one element of their practice. By inviting a colleague to observe your transitions you’ll be best able to make decisions to maximise learning time.

Classroom Transitions: Coded matrix

What this App measures
The App measures how often the teacher directs the transition between activities according to an agreed sequence.

Why that matters
Classroom transitions between activities can be time consuming, disrupt the flow of a lesson and generate off-task behaviour. Bennett and Smilanich identified a transition sequence that minimises the disruption and loss of learning time (and reduces teacher stress). See more on the video.

What you need to know to use this App effectively
Understanding the seven step transition sequence is essential to effective use of this App. It may take a few attempts to familiarise yourself with the verbal and non-verbal cues used by your colleague to meet each step in the transition, to allow you to record it accurately.
You need to recognise if a step does not occur or if it occurs out of sequence.

What does the data show
The matrix is colour coded to show, for each transition, if all steps in the process were included and if they occurred in the agreed sequence. See more on the video.

How the data can be used in teacher coaching
This App is most helpful when teaching subjects where many transitions are required and with students who require very specific instructions to transition between activities. A teacher who asks to be observed on this strategy may have already recognised the classroom disruption and loss of learning time. Scaffolding the instructions in this sequence will need to be rehearsed and practiced with students to achieve improvement. Monitoring on a few occasions with interval between (e.g a week or more) should allow your colleague to demonstrate improvement.