Classroom management plays a large role in the success of your class meeting their learning goals as well as the vibe amongst the students in the classroom. I find that students are more settled, engaged, motivated and on task if they know what is expected of them and their peers.

Please tell me you are not a screamer. I have never ever been. I use the soft voice tactic to get my students attention and wait. I cringe when I hear teachers scream in order to get their students attention. Yes, there are times when I have had to raise my voice and speak sternly but it is not an everyday thing and not the way I manage my class. In order for our students to respect us, we must show that we respect them.

What tactics do you use to get your students attention? What are your go-to’s for classroom management?

Some ideas for you to try out;

Use An Action

• Teacher raises a hand in the air and waits - children raise their hand and sit quietly

• Teacher claps their hands in a pattern and children repeat it back

• Teacher places their hands on their head - children place their hands on their head and wait

• Teach will stand out the front, without saying anything and wait - saying less can be more

• Teacher lowers their voice to talk. Students lean in to hear what is being said

• Set a timer on the board as a countdown to when you want their attention back

• Count down from ten on your hands

Use an instrument

• Shake a tambourine

• Play the xylophone

• Ring a bell - go for group rotations

• Use something different like a rain stick or wind chime

• Blow a whistle - get it outside at sport or fitness

Use a call and response tactic

• Teacher calls ‘1,2,3 eyes on me’, children respond with ‘1,2 eyes on you’

• Teacher calls ‘waterfall’, children say ‘whoosh’

• Teacher calls ‘Macaroni and cheese’, children say ‘everybody freeze’

• Teacher calls ‘Holy Moley', children respond with ‘guacamole’

• Teacher calls ‘Hands-on top’, children put hands on head and say ‘everybody stop’

• Teacher calls out ‘Stop, look and listen’, children repeat it back to the teacher

When you are getting your students attention, you want to make sure your students put everything down, take everything out of their hands and have their eyes on you. This may take some practice in the beginning but the benefits will pay off.

Always make sure your students are quiet and settled before giving instructions or beginning your teaching. You want to set your students up for success. Ask students to repeat expectations back to you. Have them on a poster in the room you can direct them to. Move students if they have not made the best choice as to who they are sitting next to first. Ask them to take everything out of their hands. Watch out for those distracting others and put a quick end to it. Do not let it dominate your time.

In what ways do you get your students attention? What works best for you? We would love it if you joined the conversation and left a comment below.