Quick Tip: Managing Kid Flow

Often times the sheer number of bodies in your room will make you realize your power is all an illusion. An illusion you must keep up at all costs. Thus, sending these bodies to do things like return to their desks or work areas, line up, or retrieve materials can become a running of the bulls type situation. This is especially true with kindergarteners and fifth graders. I posit these solutions (I'm using getting in line just for the example's sake, but you can substitute any other similar situations):

• Call students by what they are wearing. If you're wearing green, you may line up. 
• Side note: Kids who camp out by the door in an effort to be first bother me. I will intentionally avoid calling something which includes them because of it. This is part of maintaining that illusion of power and control.
• Also, this is a good opportunity to discuss things like what a collar is and give some inverse examples like, "If you're NOT wearing your hair in a ponytail, line up.
• My favorite is when only a couple kids are remaining and I say, "If you're wearing clothes, line up." Inevitably, at least one kid just looks at you with a blank stare.
• Call them by the first letter of their name.
• Call them by their job title. I posted here about classroom economy and classroom jobs. Even if you're not using the economy portion, the jobs would still apply.
• In the same vein, use their numbers. If you have your class assigned to numbers make it a mini math lesson. Call all people whose numbers are prime or divisible by three. It makes lining up a little more challenging.
• Avoid using things that are not factual. For example, do NOT say, "Line up if you like Justin Bieber." There's no way to prove this and even though you're positive not every boy in your fifth grade class is a Belieber, you will find yourself on the losing end of a stupid argument if you try to say any of them can't line up.
• Call them by who is following directions. I always say, "Criss cross, applesauce, hands are in your lap, voices are off." It's to the point where the kids will finish it I say it so often.
• Use a ticket out the door. Use this as an opportunity to reinforce your objectives or I Can statements for the day. Have them solve a math problem or tell you a way to say eight. For example, one plus seven or two to the power of three. They can tell you a fact from the reading or answer a question about the material. This could even be written down on a literal ticket and they can line up when you approve it.

What are your favorite ways to manage the flow of your kids to prevent them from becoming an educational mosh pit?