For the past few weeks, we have been highlighting examples of RESPECT at school. This week we are focusing on the topic of waiting, an underdeveloped skill in many elementary students. Waiting is part of life, and a BIG part of life at school.
Waiting is a skill that develops over time, but it’s not enough for educators to just expect it to happen naturally. In a world where wait time is often filled by digital entertainment, students may show up at school without the knowledge or stamina needed to wait patiently for any length of time. They need to be taught how to wait with patience, practice, and a plan. Keep reading to learn how we teach students about respectful waiting and demonstrate strategies to use during periods of wait time.
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Waiting is Part of Life
It seems like we spend a lot of time waiting. Wait time happens whenever we have to pause between actions or activities. We wait to talk, we wait for a turn, wait for directions, we wait for help, we wait for people, we wait for stuff to start, we wait for stuff to stop, and the list goes on . . . and like everything else, learning to wait respectfully, or patiently, takes time and practice.
Nobody really enjoys waiting, especially if you want or need something. Your body and your brain might start to get fidgety when you have to wait patiently for a while . . . I know mine does! But waiting is easier when you know how to keep your mind and body busy without distracting other people. The next time you have to have to wait during the school day, try some of these respectful ways to fill your wait time:
Listen
While you are waiting to ask a question, try LISTENING to what the other kids are asking. There’s a good chance someone else may have the same question that you have. By paying attention, you may hear the teacher answer your questions before you even ask it!
Watch
Getting fidgety while waiting for your turn? Take a few minutes of wait time to WATCH what someone else is doing. You might learn a new strategy or a new way of doing something.
Play
While waiting in line, challenge yourself by PLAYING a brain game. There are lots of brain games to choose from. For example:
The Alphabet Game: Look around and see if you can find items that begin with each letter of the alphabet, starting with “A”. The
Category Game: choose a category, like “animals”, then think of as many things in that category as possible while you are waiting.
Skip It
Waiting for help while your teacher is working with someone else? Try SKIPPING the problem that you’re stuck on (just for now). See if you can solve a different problem on the page. Sometimes while you are working on a different part of your assignment, you’ll see something that jogs your memory and gets your brain unstuck.
Know Better . . . Do Better!
Sometimes you may only have to wait for a minute. Other times you may have to wait for a while, which means that you might start feeling bored. Even if you are feeling bored while you are waiting, that doesn’t mean it is okay to be rude or silly, or disrespectful.
Waiting isn’t easy or fun, but sometimes it is necessary. Having patience and a plan for wait time will help you get better at waiting respectfully, which is the right thing to do. Try out some of these wait time strategies and see what they can do for you. I’ll see you next time!
This Lesson in a Schoolwide Video Broadcast (SVB)
We paired this video lesson with following segments:
Principal’s Greeting & Wrap Up: The school leader opens and closes each SVB with a friendly welcome and some positive words of encouragement. It shows administrative support for the weekly message.
Skit/Bake-off Parody: Cooking and baking provide lots of opportunities to practice waiting. In this scripted parody, three contestants compete to create a dessert that is “Worth the Wait”. Along the way, their waiting skills are put to the test.
Mascot on the Playground: This segment features a large, stuffed version of our school mascot interviewing students about this week’s topic: Waiting. We took a microphone to the playground at recess and asked students for information related to waiting throughout the school day. With the aid of the Chatterpix app and an iMovie split screen option, the final edit showed the students being interviewed by a furry 4-legged reporter.
Closing Tagline: Just like news anchors who sign-off with a closing catchphrase, each SVB is closed with the tagline that summarizes our core values. A tagline that is seen and heard often establishes a memorable, common language for the entire learning community.
Favorite Resources
Sometimes waiting is hard! The ability to wait is an essential skill for success at school, safety and building relationships. Like other skills, it needs to be taught and practiced regularly. These picture books are great for introducing the concept of waiting, and explaining the importance of being respectful and exercising patience.
SELect, Mix, & Serve
Combine a lesson on Waiting with a skit, student interviews, or some of your favorite resources to teach the importance of waiting respectfully, with patience and a plan. SELect, Mix, and Serve up a video broadcast to meet the needs of your learning community.
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