QUESTION:
I have just finished reading the section of Dr. Marshall’s book, Discipline without Stress, Punishments or Rewards, dealing with the importance of creating, teaching and practicing procedures for attention management (p. 206-7.) I’d like some more ideas for how to effectively get the attention of students in the classroom.

RESPONSE:
Yes, it is a good idea to be prepared with more than one attention management signal. Dr. Marshall suggests that a wise teacher will train students to respond to three or four different signals so as to keep their interest through variety.

With young children, teaching them to respond physically to an attention management signal will help draw their attention to the teacher and away from whatever activity they were doing. For example, they can be taught to turn, face the teacher, put finger to mouth to signal “Shhh”, or clasp hands etc.

It’s worth noting that teachers at the intermediate and high school levels also need effective ways to quickly quiet or gain the attention of their students. Some of the “quiet signals” typically employed by preschool and primary teachers, are equally effective with groups of older students as well.

Here is a list of attention management signals collected from classroom teachers:

• Gently tap a set of chimes

• Ring a dinner bell.

• Use a pleasant-sounding shaker of some type.

• Tilt a rainstick.

• Shake a tambourine or use another type of musical instrument.

• Flick the room lights.

• Hold up your hand, say “Give me five,” and then count down from 5.

• Clap a pattern. This rhythm is a favorite: Clap. Clap. Clap, clap, clap. In response, the students repeat the pattern. Occasionally, present several different and more complicated clapping rhythms, one after another. By the end of two or three rhythms, the students will be caught up in the “game” and so will be very focused on the teacher. At that point–having gained their complete attention with a challenge–it will be very easy to transition into directions for the next lesson etc.

• A variation on the clapping idea:

Clap once and say in a regular speaking voice:
“Clap once if you can hear me.”
(Those nearest you will hear and so will quiet down and clap in response to your request.)

Next, say:
Clap twice if you can hear me.”
(You will now have the attention of the next “ring” of students and they too will join the clapping.)

Finally, say:
“Clap three times if you can hear me.”
Typically, by three claps, EVERYONE in the classroom is clapping in unison and ready to listen.

• A variation on the above:

Stand next to a group of students and say: If you can hear me, raise your hand. Walk to another spot in the room and say the same thing. Keep walking and talking until all attention is focused. If taught well, the whole process takes only seconds.

• Look in the dollar store for something comical that can be used as a shaker. For instance, a pair of plastic hands attached to a handle that “clap” when moved back and forth!

• Purchase an inexpensive home doorbell system. Plug one part of the doorbell into an outlet and carry the “button” part with you. Ring the door bell—Ding-Dong!—to get the students’ attention.

• Blow a souvenir train whistle. The students respond by first sticking their hands straight out in front of them with their palms facing down and then lowering them slowly while saying “Shhhhhhhhh.” Teach students that by the time all hands are down, the sound should be finished and everyone should be focused on the teacher.

• Call out, “Freeze!” The students freeze in place (perhaps in a dramatic pose) while you give a quick direction or comment. Then say, “Thaw!” and students return to what they were doing. This particular signal is only appropriate for times when the teacher has a very short message to impart, such as “Time to clean up.”

• Use an “Attention Word/Phrase of the Day” (or Week.) For instance, in a Math class, the teacher might call out a math-related word such as “triangle!” to which intermediate students would respond with an agreed-upon definition—perhaps, “A three-sided figure with three angles!”

• Invent other fun “call backs:”

The teacher calls out “Peanut butter, peanut butter” and students respond with “Jelly!”
The teacher calls out “Ring! Ring!” and the students respond with “Hello!”
The teacher calls out “Hocus Pocus!” and the students respond with “Let’s all focus!”

“1, 2, 3, Eyes on me,” says the teacher. The students respond by making some “glasses” with their fingers, putting them to their eyes and calling back, “1, 2, Eyes on you!

• Teach the kids to join in whenever you begin to say:

Tootsie Roll, Lollipop.
We’ve been talking,
Now let’s stop!

Some related postings:

The Importance of an Attention Management Signal

Non-verbal Cues for Procedures

A completely silent management signal

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Posted In: Procedures in the Classroom
posted On: April 21, 2007: 8:27 pm: By Kerry Weisner
Comments: 3 Comments