This week, the kindergarteners went on their first field trip ever! I’m glad that I was able to experience this new adventure with the students because it was actually my first time going on a field trip as a chaperone/teacher. So it was a first for all of us. During the field trip, there was a tour guide that we had to listen to. As my role as a chaperone/teacher, I had to keep the kids under control as the tour guide was talking. In order to not disturb her while she was talking I had to use a lot of nonverbal cues. Since there wasn’t a lot of structure, the students especially needed a lot of guidance.

In the beginning of the field trip we went to the field where they kept their compost. The students had never heard of that before, but even with this unfamiliarity to the topic, the students got antsy. I think that their excitement was getting the best of them during the beginning. In order to keep them under control, I would walk closer to a group of students that were talking. This proximity change was an effort to show students that I am there and they should be quiet. Another nonverbal cue that I had to use a lot was putting my index finger on my mouth. This symbolized to the students that they needed to stop talking and be quiet. Both my CT and I used this cue the most. Normally, she would capitalize on using the management system of clips she has, however, since we weren’t at the school she wasn’t able to use it. This nonverbal cue is a quick and quite way to tell a student to stop talking without adding to the noise. The third nonverbal cue that I used a lot on the field trip was a simple tap. The simple shoulder tap got the students attention if they weren’t looking in my direction. I think that out of the three I used this was the most influential one. Looking at a student or walking near a student only does so much, but the tap snaps a student back to reality real quick because it reactivates their attention. It also gives a more personalized approach towards behavior management. After tapping their shoulder, I would give a quick head shake symbolizing no.

Although I did use a lot of nonverbal cues, that wasn’t the only thing I used to manage. I also told students what they should be doing, when it was an appropriate time. I think that having these times to give appropriate expectations was a important addition in this case because this was their first field trip. Therefore, they might not know what should or should not be done. Additionally, because I have an ELL student giving nonverbal cues may not be enough due to a difference in cultures. However, implementing nonverbal cues in the classroom can be a huge benefit when wanting to quickly and quietly get a message across. Especially during times when you aren’t trying to disturb the students, these types of cues are essential. As we discussed in my management class this semester, using nonverbal cues can have positives but there are two sides to every argument. There are times when nonverbal shouldn’t be used or it just might not be enough.