The line, without the raised hands
Students ask for help from their seat and tag what it is about. You get an ordered list, you know the topic before you walk over, and nobody waits with their arm in the air.
Try it. This is a real queue, running right here on this page.
My linked list insert segfaults on the second node.
Make says the target is up to date but my changes never compile.
I cannot work out the base case for the tree traversal.
Tags tell you what is going on
Create parent tags like "Unit 5" and nest children underneath like "Loops" and "Arrays". Pick a color for each one. When students submit a request, they tag it so you know the topic before you walk over.
Filter the queue by any tag to focus on one topic at a time. If 8 students are stuck on recursion, you might want to stop and reteach instead of helping them one by one.
It works for anything with a line
Office hours, project check-ins, lab equipment sign-outs, peer review rotations. If students need to wait their turn for something, the queue keeps it organized.