Run 30 Minutes of Skills Training with 10 Kids (One Device)

You don’t need one device per child. With a tight rotation and clear rules, one screen can run a focused, high-energy skills session for a whole group.

This works especially well in tutoring centres and after-school clubs because it keeps everyone engaged — even when it’s not “their turn”.

Related guides: Tutors & Classrooms · Study Skills & Focus · All blog posts

Why this works (and why it stays calm)

Group device sessions go wrong when students are waiting with nothing to do.

This structure fixes that by ensuring:

• everyone is always working (device OR paper),
• turns are short (so no one checks out),
• rules are visible (so you don’t negotiate).

The 30-minute rotation (simple and repeatable)

The key is pace. Short turns keep the room calm and prevent children from checking out.

• 5 minutes: whole-group warm-up

  One shared question type. Everyone answers on mini whiteboards, paper, or verbally. Keep it easy to “warm the brain”.

  Goal: fast wins + attention on.

• 20 minutes: rotation (2 minutes per child)

  Each child gets a focused turn on the device. The rest work on the same skill on paper or a small set of questions.

  Rule: the paper task must match the device skill — otherwise waiting kids drift.

• 5 minutes: recap + praise + one goal

  Highlight one thing the group did well, then set one clear goal for the next session.

  Example goal: “Underline the question” or “Check your units”.

What everyone does while waiting (no dead time)

Give waiting students a clear job. Pick one:

• Mirror task: same question type on paper (best default).
• Coach task: the next student must say the first step out loud before their turn.
• Explain task: after a device turn, the student gives a 10-second explanation: “I did ___ because ___.”

Keep it calm (the teacher moves)

Group sessions feel smooth when the rules are visible and consistent.

• Clear turn-taking rules: everyone knows who is next, and what to do while waiting.
• Visible timer: removes negotiation and keeps transitions fast.
• Celebrate effort + improvement: “You checked your work” beats “You’re smart”.
• One correction at a time: fix one misconception, not five mini errors.

Copy/paste rules (put these on the board)

• When it’s not your turn: paper task only.
• When it is your turn: eyes on, hands ready, start fast.
• When the timer ends: switch immediately (no “one more”).

Try this next

For week one, track one metric only:

• Accuracy or speed (not both).

Coach tip: Start with accuracy. Speed rises naturally once answers are consistently correct.

Week-one setup (super simple)

• Session 1: accuracy only + calm rotations
• Session 2: same rotation + one “checking rule”
• Session 3: same rotation + celebrate improvement

If you want a plug-and-play device experience designed for this exact “one device, many kids” use case, start with the free Classroom Trial and run the 2-minute turns with a visible timer.