Teaching with a block schedule means that each period must have several instructional activities with transitions between them. To ensure that the transitional times in my 7th grade science classroom are quick and efficient, I use this management technique...

In our building students are considered "tardy" if they do not arrive to their next class by the end of the 4-minute passing period between classes. I call this 4-minute period the students' "Pass Time." To help manage student behavior during class, I write the words "Pass Time" on my chalk board. I explain to the class that each time I erase a letter from the words, they owe me 15 seconds of extra class time after the bell rings to switch classes. The first letter is a warning letter, but after that each letter counts 15 seconds. If they have to stay to much extra in my classroom, they will be tardy to their next class. Accumulating too many tardies will mean that they loose privileges in the school.

I don't have to ever raise my voice to quiet a class using this method. Simply picking up my eraser from the chalk tray causes the students who notice to try to quiet the other students in the room. Very seldom do I keep a class more that 30 seconds, and this is just enough time to make it inconvenient for them to get to class on time!