Grades K-5
Visual Cues:
Use visual reminders of your expectations during online class meets or in-person learning. Examples might include an ear to remind students to listen quietly, eyes to remind them to watch closely, or a picture of a pencil to remind them to take notes during a presentation.
Attention Getters:
Utilize attention getters to get young learners on track and ready to focus on your directions. Try some of these:
Teacher: "All set?"
Students: "You bet!"
Teacher: "Zip it, lock it."
Students: "Put it in your pocket."
Teacher: "Tootsie roll, lollipop"
Students: "We were talking, so now we'll stop."
Teacher: "1, 2, 3, eyes on me!"
Students: "1, 2, eyes on you!"
Teacher: "Hocus, Pocus."
Students: "Everybody focus!"
Class Mantra:
Repeating a mantra can help students to feel empowered and confident. Brainstorm together to create a class mantra. Here is an example: "I am a kind, open-minded, hard-working learner and I am going to have an amazing day."
Classroom Jobs:
Assign classroom jobs to promote responsibility, respect, and kindness. Examples might include an errand runner, pencil patrol, and materials manager. Create jobs that will work well for your learning space and needs. Rotate them consistently, on a daily or weekly basis.
Early Finishers:
Students work at varying paces. Some will finish certain goals well before others. Have a plan in place for students so they know what to do next as their classmates are still working. Early finisher folders, designated technology learning tools, and other educational opportunities can be perfect and productive early finisher activities.
Rewards:
Students love to be rewarded for their hard work and
attentiveness. Verbal praise and smiles can go a long
way.
Consider using a whole class reward system to motivate
and
help keep all learners on task in order to promote
teamwork
and goal setting principles. Reward ideas might include
a
dance party, eating lunch in the classroom or outside,
dress
up day, an art party, a book swap, extra playground
time, or
a class movie. These are all simple ideas that can be
extremely effective. Individual rewards are important
too.
Stickers, eating lunch with a favorite friend, a no
shoes/slippers pass, extra screen time on a favorite
school
app, time in the reading corner, or a prize from a
treasure
box are some motivating ideas that students love also.
