How To Get Your Class' Attention

Thing I learned #5: Use creative ways to get the kid's attention.

(I will be putting up videos soon to demonstrate the different 'attention getters')

With 25 Kindergartners and 1st graders in my class, often times it can be challenging to get everyone's attention when something needs to be addressed. Thankfully, my program trained my on ways I can get and keep the student's attention. These attention getters require the students to stop what they are doing and join in on the sayings.

These are a few of the 'attention getters' I have learned and the ones I use.

Avalanche!!! Response: Shhh!!!

Silent Llamas! Response: Children put their middle and index finger together with their thumb to make the shape of a llama and reply Shh! Shh! as they make their llamas 'spit' the shhs.

Spongebob! Response: Squarepants!

Eyes Front! Response: Back Straight!

Are You Ready Kids?! Response: Children salute with their hand on their forehead and reply Aye Aye Captain!

Reeeeed Robin! Response: Yuuuuum!

Match In The Gas Tank: Response: Boom! Boom!

Ice Cubes! Response: Freeze!! The kids actually freeze with this one and are only allowed to move when you say 'Meltdown!'. This works best outside when the kids are running around and/or you need them to stop what they are doing immediately.

Finding! Response: Nemo!

Miss! Response: Piggy! 

If you can hear me clap once! Response: Children clap once.
If you can hear me touch your nose (touch your head, snap your fingers, touch your ear, etc.) Response: Children do what you ask. This can also be used by saying 'Simon says face forward, voices off, eyes up here, etc.'

Kermit! Response: The Frog!

Voices! Response: Off!

Eyeballs! Response: Click! (Their eyeballs are clicked on you, the speaker)

Basically with all of these, the kids know that the teacher only needs to do an attention getter once. The kids respond and all eyes and ears should be fully paying attention to the speaker.

These are effective because the kids enjoy saying all these funny saying and you won't have to be yelling 'Alright! I need everyone's attention!" Or things like that which can take a while to capture their attention. Another thing that I like about using these is that you can pretty much make up your own, whatever works for your classroom as long as it has a response.

All you have to do before you try them out on your kids is give out expectations on what you want them to do when you say them.

-Ely <3

Creative Kids

Thing I Learned #4: Kids are really creative!

My kindergarteners are just starting to learn how to write so for their journals I ask them to draw instead of write about the journal topic.

Here's one of my favorites! The topic was 'Positive Mistakes' where Te kids were given a paper with a random scribbled line on it and the kids had to draw something which included the line.

This student made the coolest pirate with a bow and arrow! I loved his art so much I ended up using it as my Facebook cover photo!Hahaha

Take one day at a time,

Ely <3 

Sharing is Caring

Thing I Learned #3: If you're going to share something with one student, be prepared to share with ALL students.

This little lesson I learned was because of one little hand sanitizer. I was sick one day and decided to start using a portable hand sanitizer with a clip on so that I could clip it onto my jeans. One of my students noticed my hand sanitizer hanging from my jeans and asked what it was. I told her, "It's a hand sanitizer. It cleans your hands when they are dirty so there won't be germs on them." She then asked if she could have some because her hands were dirty. I didn't think much of it so I said sure and squirted a drop on her hands. BIG MISTAKE. Next thing I know I have another student look at his hands and say, "Miss Elizabeth, can I have some?My hands are dirty." So I give him some. What follows after that is a stampede of 10 kids rushing over to me asking for some because their hands were dirty.

This is what it felt like.

Hahaha lesson learned!!! Never give a child something unless you are prepared to give the same to ALL of them. It's pretty obvious common sense but as a learning teacher, I didn't expect it. Now I know this. 

There are exceptions of course for example when it comes to incentives. Then only the children that earn the incentive receive the item. But you have to explain why only that child or those children received the object and not the others.

I always thought it was funny how I learned this!

Take one day at a time, 

ely <3

Telling a Child What To Do

These things are things I am learning as a student teacher working with children ages 3-13. They are in no particular order.

Thing I Learned #1: Always be prepared to explain 'why' a child cannot do something.

When I first began working with children, I was taught what was/is expected of children at school and what they can and cannot do. I don't know why I assumed that once you asked a child to stop their behavior, whatever it was, that they would stop and listen to you without questioning. Boy was I wrong! Almost all kids, especially the little ones, expect an explanation as to why they cannot do the thing you told them not to do.

Examples:

"Alex, don't stand on that bar." "Why?"
"Monique, honey, please tie your shoes." "Why?"
"Layla, don't hit Jacob." "Why?"

You get the point. Therefore I learned that you have to change the wording in your request to include an explanation:

"Alex, please don't stand on that bar because it is not safe and you can fall."
"Monique, please tie your shoes, because someone can step on your shoelaces and you can trip and fall."
"Layla, don't hit Jacob, that hurts him."

This then leads to

Thing #2 I Learned: Use positive language when requesting something from a child.

When you use positive language when speaking to a child, they are more willing to comply to what you are asking.

For example, Layla is hitting Jacob and Jacob is complaining:
"Layla, it is not ok to hit our friends. Jacob really doesn't like that and it would make him very happy if you would keep your hands on your body." OR "Layla, please be safe and keep your hands on your own body."
Something along those lines. Of course if the victim child is in danger of being seriously hurt, it might be best to physically remove the child who is hitting and then explain why she was removed.

Examples of Better Ways of Talking To Children:

SAY:                                                                                             RATHER THAN:
Sit down when you slide.                                                                Don't stand up when you slide.
Remember that the sand has to stay on the ground.                         Don't throw the sand.
Be safe and sit on the swing.                                                          No standing on the swing!
Talk in a quiet voice or use an inside voice.                                     Don't shout.
Be sure the ladder is safe.                                                              Be careful, you might fall.
What are you supposed to do when you need help?                       Go sit down and raise your hand.
Class, please keep the noise level down.                                        It is too loud in here!
Sit on your bottom.                                                                       Stop rocking the chair.
Use your walking feet.                                                                   No running!
Drink your milk.                                                                            Do you want your milk?

DO:

• Speak in a calm, kind voice.
• Speak directly to the child; do not call to him across the playground or class
• Speak in short, meaningful sentences which the child can understand. 
• Be sure the child understands what you want him/her to do.
• Try to express your request in a positive way.
• Tell a child what you want him/her to do instead of what not to do.
• Get down to the child's physical level if possible. This means, stoop or sit on a low chair so that he can see your face.
• Encourage children to solve their own problems.
• Praise the behavior you want continued. "I like the way you are sharing your crayons!You're such a great friend."
• Allow the child enough time to complete your request. 
• Give the child a choice only when you intend to leave the choice up to him.
• Avoid using methods that cause the child to feel ashamed. 
• Do not label any behavior as 'bad', 'naughty' etc.
• Avoid making comparisons between children.

Take one day at a time! 
ely <3