On the very first day of class, I sit down with our students and show them a very short clip of penguins walking in a line, down a flight of stairs, and out of a building. In the video the penguins slowly and carefully waddle their way navigating each step and following the leader in a neat, well contained straight line. From that moment on my students become penguins.
I can abandon the tired call to “Line up!” Which often goes unheard! Instead we do a penguin roll call, calling penguins 1- 4. They come instantly, beaming! Instead of repeating, “Come on, let’s go,” and having it land on deaf ears, I say, “Let’s hop on our penguin train, Choo Choo,” while pretending to pull on a train whistle. Instead of the exasperated, “Don’t run,” they understand from the video that penguins can’t run. So, when they are enticed to race full steam ahead of their teacher, I just call out a gentle reminder to use their “Penguin feet.” Their bodies slow instantly, eyes gleaming and grins beaming, as if excited for the possibility of actually becoming a penguin.
