I am referring to both.
i may be mistaken, but I thoguht that the headmistress commends you with hand signal. Each hand singal correlated a unique position.
I think it would be nice if the game loop might look like this: the headmistress give you the hand signal, then after a very short period she returns to regular pose, (meaning that if you didn't look you will miss it). Then you would have some time to assume position, if you didn't she would ask you and you would tell her you didn't pay attention. After (for example) three stirkes you would fail and get a punishment stone.
I think that headmistress tranining you to constantly look at her hand awaiting for her next commended to follow immediately. Training you, so even when she reveals you to the crowd, you wouldn't be distracted by the crowd or her body is very hot.