Move To A New Location In The Classroom

Why should I do it:

Can help students with focus and attention
Increases attending behaviors
Limits distractions
Saves time taken away to address students
Provides a way to break up monotony and large chunks of time and work
Helps improve learning environment
Small changes in position, view, and location can freshen a student’s resolve, energy level, interest, and motivation
Increases focus, attention, and effort
Helps “reset” some students
Provides breaks and changes in routine
Reduces student’s level of boredom

When should I do it:

When a student is unfocused, inattentive, distracted
When a student is not getting along with a student near them
When a student is talking too much with those around them
When a student has been working for a longer period
When a student is fidgety and moving around in their seat
When a student seems bored or unengaged
When a student needs increased attention
When a student needs a break or change in routine
When a student seems tired or sleepy
When a student needs a “restart”
When a student is losing motivation, effort, or interest in the task at hand
When students get fidgety, antsy, or need a momentary break
When students have been working or sustaining focus for longer periods
When students begin to complain, whine, etc
When students are toward the end of the task and need a boost
When students are stuck
When students are having a mental block
When you need to refocus students

How do I do it:

Simply have one or as many students as you feel appropriate get up and change seats either with another student, with an empty desk in the room, or to another spot, like a table, the teacher’s desk, on the floor, etc
To get students moving and increasing activity levels, try having students physically move their desks to a new spot
Keep several empty seats at tables or desks around the room, allowing students who need to, the option to relocate themselves as needed
Sometimes having a seat or desk in the hall by the door where there are fewer distractions can be a good option for distractible kids