I Love Hand Signals!

Hand signals... simple, quick, and a great management tool.  My previous experience used hand signals and it saved so much time and kept the classroom running smoothly with minimal disruptions.  How many times is there an engaging discussion only to be forced off track with a fervent hand waving through the air, not to add information or answer a question, but rather to request permission to use the bathroom.  Or you're working with a small group, keeping students focused to manage the precious seconds you have on the given task, you look up and see a student (who should be working) staring at you intently with their hand in the air.

"Yes (insert student name here," Ms. Q.
"May, I go the bathroom?"
"Yes, hurry back though," Ms. Q.

Stop.  Refocus.  Now the student at your small group table has to re-read the selection because you've been distracted.  Half-way through the re-read your eyes wander up and you see another hand in the air...

"Yes (insert another student's name)," Ms. Q.
"My pencil broke."
"Well, you can trade it in for a sharp one if you need," Ms. Q.

Breath... glance at the guided reading book you're currently working with and ask a relevant question regarding the reading selection, even though you never actually heard the student read.  As a student attempts to answer... another hand goes in the air.  Another bathroom break needed and you are dangerously close to losing all your small group time answering students' requests about sharpened pencils, bathroom breaks, drinks, etc. 

Not with hand signals.  You assign a different signal for every request and instead of disrupting the class you simply give a nod or shake of the head, never once losing track or time.  Simple, effective, and a must in classrooms. 

Over at Clutter Free Classroom, a hand signal was created for various classroom necessities:

Bathroom, Tissue, Water, Pencil, and Questions.  By implementing hand signals,  so much time is saved throughout the day.  Instead of answering questions, you could focus on your small group or 1-on-1. 


They also implemented a hand-signal system during discussions, which I thought was genius.  How many times are you thrown off track because a student decides to add a random story nowhere related to the current topic.  Now a sea of hands shoot in the air adding to the off-topic or to deliver their own funny anecdote.  The lesson on proper nouns has veered into Timmy's pet poodle and his recent adventure with a raccoon.  That is definitely not part of the Common Core, but most likely what the students will remember.  Well, Clutter Free Classroom also implemented hand signals used to manage small and hole-group discussions.  The students can either Answer, Comment, or Question.  Again, genius.