Grab their attention with Movement!

Our kids aren't little brains that come rolling in the door each morning, they have bodies attached to those brains!  And those bodies need to MOVE, some more than others!  In fact, movement "turns on" the brain!  Sitting for too long hinders a kid's ability to learn, retain information, and control behavior. There are lots of ways to give kids the movement they need, without stopping the class for a 15 minute movement activity. Movement can be integrated into every part of your lesson to make learning and remembering easier for all kids! How to do it is the key! Below are just a few examples of how to bring movement (plus better focus, faster cognitive processing, and better memory retention) into your lesson plans.

1.  Are you teaching grammar?  Use body movements to represent punctuation marks. For example, when you read along and a period is needed, ask kids to stand up to show it's time for the period, clap hands for a comma and so on.  The movement you choose isn't as important as the fact kids are moving. 

2.  Are you teaching multiplication?  Ask groups of students to show a quick skit to demonstrate how to remember/do the problem.

3.  Use rhymic call backs.  As you may remember in the first installment of this series rhymic call backs are perfect for grabbing your kids' attention. Add clapping, a stand-up, sit-down, and you've got a terrific movement activity.  To see the "Grab Their Attention with Small Celebrations" click here

4.   Any work done in pairs or small groups automatically includes movement.  (get up, find your group, etc.) In fact, working with other kids builds not only on their need for movement, but on their inborn need for social communication.

5.  Bring recess back to your school!  Tying kids to their seats is destructive to learning, and creates behavior problems. A 15 minute break helps kids tackle the rest of the day, plus it builds social skills all kids need.

6.  Try Gallory Walks.  Put paper to write on at different places in the room. Ask students to write what they know or want to learn about an upcoming lesson.  Students can get into groups to answer questions you post around the room about a current topic, etc.

7. Include a midmorning snack.  It's a great way to hold their hunger in check. Hunger is one of the biggest distractions to learning, plus eating is a physical activity.

8. Take a short stretch break.  This can resharpen not only a kid's focus, but our own.

9.  Take a brain break.  There are lots of great websites for quick energizing brain breaks. Here are just a couple:

Energy and Cal: Brain Breaks and Focused-Attention Practices

From Rachel Lynette

20 three-minute Brain Breaks

To see the other two installments of this series check out:

Grab Their Attention With Small Celebrations

Grab Their Attention With Music

Visit my store to get LOTS of resources for 2nd-5th grade that grab and hold your students' attention!

Happy Moving! (and better learning) to you and your students!

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Dragon's Den Curriculum 

Grab Their Attention With MUSIC!

Every teacher I know struggles with getting a rowdy class to quiet down, keeping kids calm when you despirately need them to be calm, and getting through those pesky transitions.  Oh! and remembering all those fantastic lessons we have spend hours preparing!  Me too, until I found my answer in music! In fact, muscic is just the ticket to make any teacher's day go more smoothly, and to help students be happier.  It's a win-win!

Do you:

Want to help your students remember content?
Calm a noisy classroom?
Make transitions smoother?
Keep them quiet in the hallway?
Keep seatwork time quiet and clam?
Enter quietly in the morning and get right to the task at hand?

Music is the answer!

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1. Using Music as Pattern Inturupters           

Scenario:  You just turned your back (for a second) and all of a sudden all of that classroom control you worked so hard to achieve goes down the drain, as Katie yells at Jerod to stop touching her foot.  Everyone laughs and the wild ruckus begins.  Sigh. 

SO: If you haven't heard of pattern interrupt, (from Hypnoterapist Milton Erikson) it just means breaking a pattern of behavior with an unexpected stimulus.When kids experience even a small surprise, it breaks their pattern of behavior. It may be for only a few seconds, but those few seconds are a teacher's golden ticket. Think about a rhymic clap in which students respond.  The clap is a small surprise (totally different from the sound of talking) and requires a response from the class.  It doesn't matter that the clap has been done many times before, it is an interruption of the talking sound they were hearing. A sing-song call and response is a sure fire way to bring the class back.  It's important to sing the call, as that breaks through the kid talk. You don't have to be a singer either.  The best ones are short! Below are three that really work well:

(Teacher) Peanut, peanut butter (students) and jelly
Dum Dum Dah Dah   see it at: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/294141419391874808/
(teacher) Who you Gonna Call  (Students"  Ghostbuster

You can take any song that is popular with your kids and use just a line for the call, and the next line for the response.

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2.  Using Music for Preparation (hallway, etc)  

Scenario: You had the whole group quiet before going into the hall to P.E., but half-way there (while you lead in the front) the back of the line is going absolutely nuts. The principal just gave you a dirty look.  (Lordy!)

So: The trick is preparation, and having a trick or two up your sleeve if you start to loose them. Music can solve the issue.   Check out this song from Teacher Tipster.com.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tn-wGrhb5d4&feature=relmfu

Teachers of younger kids may find these songs very helpful:
 https://teachingmama.org/hallway-songs-for-kids/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7YRUNTA_2c

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3.  Transitions                                                

 

Scenario:  You've just finished math.  The kids did a project that involved scissors, paste and lots of paper.  Moving to science means cleaning up the mess first.  The headache starts to build.  You know what's really next.  Kids are all over the place throwing away paper, books thumping, and voices rising to a fever pitch.  Getting out science material?  No, that isn't happening until somehow your voice connects with the distracted brains doing any one of a hundred activities.

So:  A little preparation helps with transitions.  Tell students you are playing a short song for one, two or three minutes, depending on what you feel is needed.  When you stop the song, students must be in their seats with materials out, quiet and ready to go.  Give a one minutes warning,  I have a point system in which students earn points for good behavior.  Students are in groups by tables, rows or however you organize your seats.  I give points for being the quietest during a specific period of time, having homework done, anything you like.  I also give a point for any table (row) in which all students are ready when the music goes off.  At the end of the week there is a special activity for the group with the most points.  Every class likes something a little different. Some years my kids want to come back during Friday lunch and watch a short movie (Reading Rainbow, whatever). Some years they want one homework assignment to just "go away".  At any rate, there needs to be some "carrot" for being ready when the music stops.  I like points because when everyone has done a good job, everyone gets a point.  That puts a smile on their faces.  The following link not only gives you a number of great transition songs to choose from, but includes music to play during writing, for subjects and more.  It's a treasure!! More ideas for using this link below.

https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/blog-posts/brent-vasicek/mr-vasiceks-classroom-music-playlist/

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4. Calm in the Classroom                             

Scenario:  The morning bell rings and kids come running in the classroom with voices on LOUD.  It takes at least five minutes to calm things down and get them busy.

So:  Change one thing in the morning.  Play restful or classical music in a low tone with the lights dimmed a bit.  Write on the board what you expect students to do once they unpack and get to their desk. It's also is the perfect time to greet students, and make that early connection for the day.  I found it not only amazing, but astounding what a difference having soft music and lighting made the first time I used it in the morning.  I could almost hear the kids let out a sigh as they walked in the door, and calm right down.  I used it every morning from that day on, and it made mornings SOOO much better for all of us!

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5. Quiet Seatwork                                      

Scenario:  It's time for kids to work on an assignment (writing, reading silently) but the talking just keeps popping up.  Just when you think you've got it under control, Sam and Eli are at it again.

S0: Add very soft music.  It works the same way as adding music in the morning.  As long as the music is restful and low, it does some kind of weird magic with kids.  It keeps them quiet.  I don't know why, but there won't be any complaining from me.

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6. Retaining Information                        

Have you ever noticed that the kid who can't remember anything you teach them, knows the lyrics to more rap songs than you even knew existed?  There's a reason for that.

A study at UC Irvine showed that listening to music helps the memory of Alzeimer's patients. If it can do that, just imagine what it can do for our students! Chris Brewer, writer of Soundtracks for Learning, says music holds our attention, stimulate emotions and help create visual images.  He finds that music helps students focus better on the task at hand, and puts them in a better mood to learn.  Brewer calls the use of music throughout the school day, "Positive modd management". One of the reasons this happens is that stress can stand in the way of learning.  Listening to restful music is very calming, even to kids (and adults) who have chronic stress.  Calm them down, then they can learn.

Gaetan Pappalardo, a consultant at www.onkidwriting.com, stresses that pulling out the same ol'  music just won't do with today's kids.  Use lots of genres like movie soundtracks, video game songs as well as what they are hearing on their phone (radio...whatever).

These two researches have a few suggestions for using music to enhanse memory:

1.  Play calm music while you lead your students on an imaginative journay in an academic topic.  For example discuss the solar system while playing music from "2001, a Space Odyssey"

2.  Tie songs to tasks. Kids memorize easily through rhythm and rhyme. Change the words from a favorite song to teach an academic subject. There are a number of these types of songs available for free or to purchase with a quick Google search.  This is one of my favorite ways to use music. Kids just don't forget information learned in a song! Also the link given in the transitions section above has a number of good songs to use with this idea.

Here are a few links to great songs...all are free!

http://www.educationandbehavior.com/educational-songs-for-elementary-school-kids/

https://www.songsforteaching.com

https://www.science4us.com/science-songs/

http://www.educationandbehavior.com/5-great-music-videos-about-science-for-kids-k-to-3rd-grade/

https://www.songsforteaching.com/socialstudiessongs.htm

This is just a sampling of what is out there.  A short Google search can give you just what you need!

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I hope you find that music makes as much difference in your classroom as it did it mine!
Happy singing!

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To read the article #6 is taken from, see: http://www.pbs.org/parents/education/music-arts/boost-memory-and-learning-with-music/

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To read about How to Grab your Students' attention with Small Celebrations check out:

Grab Their Attention With Small Celebrations!

To get tons of great ideas and free resources and lessons, check out my Pinterest page at:

https://www.pinterest.com/janbernard10/boards/

If you are interesting in resources that grab your students' attention, be sure to check out my store below!

Grab Their Attention with Small Celebrations!

If you don't have their attention, it's like teaching to the air.  The thing is, getting kid's attention isn't really hard if you know the tricks!  Once you have their attention, it's time for that great lesson you spent all night preparing! How do you do that? My favorite technique is using small celebrations, which means chants and cheers. Chants get everyone on the same page, and eager to learn.  Cheers are used  to celebrate a great answer, or following the rules.  Everyone gets in on the fun, and it's a real ego-booster for the child who receives the celebration.  Both cheers and chants are super quick to do, but dynamite in what they can achieve!  

How do they work?

Chants:

 Chants are perfect to get kids (all of them) to do something you want done.  It doesn't matter if it's cleaning up, taking out a book or whatever.  Use a chant and everyone gets in on the fun.  A few chant videos are included below. 

Cheers:

Cheers are perfect for celebrating any small achievement. If the class is extra quick following a direction,  have a cheer. If a student answers a difficult question, time for everyone to give him a cheer. It's extra fun if the student gets to choose the cheer the class will do for them.  Trust me, it makes EVERYONE smile.  It's important to have a class list somewhere, and mark off each child as they are chosen for a cheer. You don't want to skip anyone.  It's a very powerful motovator, especially for that problem child who doesn't often get possitive reinforcement.  An added bonus is that kids go home and tell their parents when they get a cheer.  I can't even tell you how many of my parents have mentioned the cheers, and what a great idea they are.  Some cheers can be a little loud ( We will, we will ROCK YOU!)  Nothing like a little Queen added to the curriculum.  But I don't really worry about a loud cheer.  With a little modeling and practice the kids know that once a cheer is done, they quiet down. Now for a list of great cheer/chant sites.  It helps to see them done.

Celebration Cheer and chant Links:

Terrific chants demonstrated by a classroom:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tiM2EUCn2A

Great site with 10 cheer directions and videos: 

https://sweetsugarblossoms.blogspot.com/2013/04/classroom-cheers.html

This is enough to get you started!  If you want more, just look on Google.  There are LOTS of videos to choose from.  These are just my favorites.  Good luck bringing real joy into your classrooms!

To see how to use Music to grab your students' attention, check out this post!

Grab Their Attention With Music!

Want lots of free ideas?  Check out my Pinterest page at:

https://www.pinterest.com/janbernard10/

If you are interested in resources that are sure to grab your students' attention, check out my TPT store!

I've Lost Control! Now What?

It started out like any regular day, then BAM! Classroom control is lost somewhere in the netherlands. All it took was one loud yell, that crazy surprise, or that group of kids in the corner throwing paper airplanes. The result is the same. Everyone is talking, kids get up to go see what's going on....got a headache yet?  I do!

What I discovered in those periods of wishing I could be at the ocean somewhere, was that there are ways to get them back. In fact, some of these strategies helped keep those incidents from happening in the first place! Below are some of the strategies I have used and that worked great for me and my third graders. They are golden in my book! Most are ways to keep problems from happening in the first place.

What to do?

1.  Establish a clap, or signal that means face me, feet on the floor, mouths closed. This has to be done before the problem happens of course, but it is really effective. I clapped out the tune of "shave and a haircut" and the kids responded with the clapped " two bits". It's one of those things that's almost impossible not to respond to.  I've also done counting down from ten, and at zero all students must be sitting face forward, mouths closed etc. It's  one that must be practiced before you use it. Practice is the key here. Practice any and all signals you plan to use a number of times, then do it occasionally just to make sure they do it perfectly. When they don't do it perfectly, I redo it again until it is done right.

2. Time activities. Students tend to work a little harder when they are under a time crunch.

3. Use soothing music while students work individually. I was amazed at the difference this one little strategy made. I used it in the morning as they came in and started morning work, and during the day.

4. When you notice you are loosing the group during a lesson, choose one student who is doing a great job or gives a good answer, and do a cheer for them. Cheers are WONDERFUL classroom management. Kids get to be active for a brief amount of time, cheers give a boost to all involved and they are fun. Once the cheer is over, you have them back!  Here are ten good ones with a video to show you how each is done  Classroom Cheers

5.  Videotape your lesson. Kids are on their best behavior when they are being recorded. Just tell them that you are videotaping the lesson, so that you can look closely at it and make improvements for next year. I have to admit that sometimes I'd just have the camera out, and not tape anything at all. After you've videod them a couple of times, just having the camera out is enough to elicit good behavior.

6. Take pictures of your kids during work time. Occasionally you could use some for your website, or print for a special bulletin board, but mostly just take a picture here and there. It's amazing that it works so well, but it does.

7. Turn the lights low during a work period. For some reason it relaxes kids and they work more quietly.

8. Never raise your voice or yell at students. It only makes them talk/yell louder. Plus it gives them a "story" to tell their friends about how they made their teacher "lose it".  The best strategy is to lower your voice even more. Stay cool, calm and collected...even if you aren't. Remember the old saying, "Never let them see you sweat."

9. Proximity control. If you see a potential problem (kids talking behind books, silliness going on) just take a walk in that direction while you continue teaching. Once you get there ask one of the kids who are misbehaving a question about the lesson. I've done this LOTS of times, and usually by the time I get to the problem, they have noticed me coming and settled down. Asking the question tells them you expect them to follow along and know the answer. I don't make a big deal if they don't know the answer, I just ask "does anyone else think they know the answer?"  You get control without losing a beat.

10. Always treat even the worst offenders with the upmost of respect. You never know what they are facing at home. When it was needed I took a student into the hall, asked him/her to sit on the floor as I sat in front of them. I started the conversation with, "So, what's going on?" I always end with a handshake and a "I know you will do great!" and sent them back into the room. Respect gets problem students on your side. They know you aren't "out to get them", and only want the best for them.

11. This goes with proximity control....move around the room as a matter of your teaching style. If students know you could end up by their desk in the next minute or two, they won't start that conversation with their friend next door in the first place.

12. Make sure you have shared your expectations with the class. They need to know what you expect. Remember that kids need time to talk together in groups, we're all social after all. If given the opportunity to work in groups, have a time to talk to friends etc. they will be quieter when you need them to be.

13. Don't transition to a new activity until every student understands what they need to do. After giving directions I ask students to retell what they will do in the correct order. Knowing they will have the chance to respond, they listen more closely.

14. At the end of the day/lesson ask students to write one thing they learned on a sticky note and put it in a particular place on the board. Don't do it all the time, but now and again. It's like Pavlov's dogs (remember the experiment?) reinforcement is stronger if it is not done consistently. If kids think they may have to write about the lesson, they will listen better.

15. If you have a student who has really set your hair on fire, I have found that asking them to call their parent and explain what they have done and how they can improve is pretty powerful. I have never done it more than two or three times a year, so it has to be something serious. I ask the student to think about how they will explain the problem they are having, and one way they plan to improve. I listen (of course) so he/she knows the tale must be truthful. After the student has talked I get on the phone and say how proud I am of their child for owning up to the problem and finding a way to make things better. I thank them for their time and hang up. Believe me it works, and parents are pretty darned impressed. That's so much better than sending a nasty note home about behavior, or holding a conference in which the parent may get defensive. With the phone call he/she hears the problem from their child (no denying it happened) and the solution. Over and out.

I hope you find these tips useful, if you have one that is surefire for you, please add it below!

   Are you interested in teaching resources that put fun into the Common Core?  If so check out the resources in my TPT store.  Kids who are engaged and having fun, are much likely to be discipline problems.  Click the picture below: