Classroom Management: Attention Getting Signals

Teachers are ALWAYS searching for new "material" for their classrooms!  By nature, we {teachers} "borrow"!  I'm so excited to be a part of the "Bright Ideas" Blog Hop!  We can ALL gain some helpful "bright ideas" for the classroom!  

I would like to share a couple of attention getting signals.  We have to be creative nowadays to get the attention of our students.  I would like to share three with you!  Of course, they were "borrowed" along my journey of teaching.  Hey....don't judge!  We're educators...that's what we DO!

Shhhhh.... is not the way to gain your students attention TODAY!  Try these three attention getters!

Number One...Incorporate Math

I LOVE using this signal with students!  It's a great way to capture their attention and practice math skills as well!  As with any signal, you must train the students.  Call out a number and the students must "freeze" where they are and make the number with their hands.  All students may represent the number in the same way in the beginning, but they will soon get creative.  For example, if I stop and say "Make 10".  One student may hold up all ten fingers.  Another may hold up two on one hand and five on the other.  It may look like "7" BUT if you multiply 2 X 5, you get 10.  When you first teach the students this signal, you can have them turn to a partner, and explain why they chose the fingers that they did.  Or have the person guess how they made the number.

Number Two...Call and Response  

Everyone loves call and response.  The teacher says part of the phrase, and the class responds with the other part.  
Here are some examples of Call and Response phrases...

• [Teacher] Hocus Pocus...[Student] Let's focus!
• Class, Class...Yes, Yes
• One Fish, Two Fish...Red Fish, Blue Fish
• Alligator, Alligator...Chomp, Chomp
• Ready to rock?...Ready to roll
• All set...You bet
• Hands on top...That means stop

Number Three...Spot On

Choose a spot in the class.  This is a special spot that you stand when you want your student's attention.   Do not teach in that spot.  Only give directions or demand their attention from that spot.  You can even mark it with a special rug or circle mat!  Tell students that they need to be "spot on" when you are standing in that spot.   Eyes on the speaker.  Ears listening.  No talking.  Be consistent and it will work wonders!

What are your favorite attention getting signals?  

Please share them in the comments.

If you are looking for more "bright ideas", get moving and hop on over to the fabulous Latoya from Flying Into First Grade.  She has some great ideas for making words FUN!  

Alternatively, you may visit the link up below, and choose a topic that interests you!

You can also find ideas on the "Bright Ideas" Blog Hop Pinterest board!  

Hope that you find some "Bright Ideas" that you can use in your classroom!