The PBIS World Book

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