Attention Signals - Call and Response

I just learned a new attention signal this weekend, called "Class-Yes." When you say "class", the kids say "yes." However you say "class," that's how they say "yes." So if you say "classity-class!" they say "yessity-yes!"

Anyway, I used it today in a class where I had already tried several signals that failed (hand raised, clapping, bell, shouting "freeze"). And it worked quite well, and was fun for me and the kids! I am excited about having a new trick up my sleeve.

I like to do call and responses that go with books:

Chicka Chicka.... Boom boom!

And the bear.... snores on

King Bidgood's in the bathtub .... and he won't get out

I typically just pick ones that were well recieved read alouds. I change it up about monthly or every other month, or else it wears off.

Teacher says first thing...kiddos say the second thing

Meanwhile...Back at the Ranch

Chitty Chitty...Bang Bang

To Infinity...And Beyond

Who you gonna call?...Ghostbusters

Are you ready kids?...Aye Aye Captain

Who lives in a pineapple under the sea?...SpongeBob Squarepants

Zip Zip Zap...We're all that

Hey Hey...Ho Ho

Thanks everyone!

You're right, liketeaching- they could probably come up with some good ones. I would love to have them come from other books we love, but they usually come more from rhyming books. One year we did T: The magic hat, the magic hat S: It moved like this and it moved like that! and T: And the bear S: Snored on! Maybe we can get out some favorite books from last year and look for good lines.

I'll definately also use a couple from these suggestions!!

T-Home
S-Sweet
All-Home

T-Everyone in the house
S-is quiet as a mouse

T-In our own little corner
S-in our own little home
All-we are doing
our best work????

In my class when I needed the students attention, I would say, "One, Two" The students reply, "Eyes on you" Then I say, "three, four" and students reply, "talk no more" This worked well and the students enjoyed it. Sometimes I would have a student reply "shut the door" they would quickly fix their mistake. However I noticed that you wanted a quiet signal, in which case the give me five is a great idea. Sometimes the kids would get loud with out chant. Good luck!

When the group is too loud, you get their attention by saying, loudly "EYES!!"

They respond: "OPEN MA'AM"

I said : "EARS"

They said "LISTENING MA'AM" (We practice this many times during the first day of school, and before you know it, the first couple of times, you don't even have to go to the EARS part. They're already quiet and listening)
It works great!!
Of course, if a Male Teacher/Principal/Counselor wants to use it, they respond
with OPEN SIR, and LISTENING SIR

:) KELLY

Cute ideas everyone! I am going to try some of them.

In the past I have done, "If you can hear me clap once..."

This year we have a chant that I learned at a teaching conference:
I say (THEY SAY)

Good, better, (BEST)
Never let it (REST)
Untill the good is (BETTER)
And the better is (BEST)

By the time we get to the end, everyone knows to stop what they are doing and listen.

A friend of mine used to do this one


Teacher: Hear Ye Hear ye

Students reply: All eyes on the Queen

:s) TEACHERLVNV,

I absolutely love the Queen thing your friend uses. It just fits my personality. AND by the way, Tia, I am the queen!!!! :rolleyes:

I don't go so much for that "If you hear my voice, clap . . ." even though I've seen it work very effectively for others.

I once heard a teacher use a xylophone - just one stroke down the bars. It worked magically, just like the windchime thing. I loved the sound of it, but sometimes that wonderful, little tinkle sound would be lost on my students (ex. playing a math game, etc.)

Sometimes, I use switching the lights on and off when students are working together because it is one thing that gets immediate attention. However, I once heard that it wasn't a very good strategy, but I can't remember who said it or why.


I also like "A hush fell over the crowd . . ." I guess I just like the ones where the teacher speaks and the students respond. It's such a control freak thing!!!!

I've done different ones over the years. This year I do a sing song one Hey (me) Ho (them). My teacher friend does the shave and a haircut song without the words: Bum budda bum bum (her) Bum bum (kids). At a conference I heard a spelling one that goes like this: L - I - S (teacher) T - E - N (kids).

At my son's soccer camp they used a phrase to get attention. The leader says:

www dot

and the kids say

zip it dot com

Then kids loved it and were perfectly quiet after they chanted it once.

Believe it or not, I use these with my grade 8s! They think it's hilarious, and it really works. I've found it especially helpful during noisier activities (drama especially!) because I'll just say the cue word quietly while standing near a group, and they may be the only group to respond. Then I'll do the cue word again, and since the rest of the class has heard the first group, they respond.

Since I have older kids, they would suggest the call and reponse phrases, and we'd switch them up every few weeks. So we ended up with

Peanut Butter/Jelly
Spongebob/Squarepants
TomAto/ToMAHto

Oodles of others, but I can't remember what we used!

In 3rd Grade, I will say SALAMI...."Stop and look at me immediately." Kinda silly, but I learned it 12 years ago when I was student teaching. It is fun to watch the kids "snap" their heads in my directions.

crystal and they say clear. It's funny because if the older kids hear me say crystal to my class many of them yell clear.

I say, "Ready to rock?" and the kids reply, "Ready to roll." They love it.

I do Spongebob/Squarepants with my grade 8 kids, and they think it's hilarious! But it does work. :)

When I want the class to be quiet, I will say, "Hey!" (drag it out a little) and the children respond, "Ho!" (Drag it out a little bit) and then they say "SHHHHH!" and put their fingers on their lips. It works every time. Our PE teacher uses this method for PE class so you know it must be good to get over the gym noise.

I also use a clapping rhythm for them to repeat..such as ....clap..clap..clap,clap,clap. We use this for entire school assemblies. It is also a good one! I sometimes have to do it through twice. The bell is good as well. I ring it once and they have to stop what they are doing and put their eyes on me! Good luck!

You could try a fun saying...kinda like the "Hey...Ho" idea.
You could say "Zip Zip" and they say, "We are Zipped"
You could say "Peanut Butter" and they say "Jelly"
You could say "Zippidy do da" and they say "Zippidy A"

Here are a couple of quick ideas I use with my students and they really respond to them.

1. You say in a sing-song tone "Everybody Listen" and the kids respond
by singing back "Right Now".

2. You say "Popsicle" and the kids freeze where ever they and look to
you. After giving them the direction, say "Melt" and they continue
working.

* this may take a week or two for them to do it all together, just be
patient.

You say, "Hakuna" and they say "Matata!" from The Lion King?

You say... "In the Jungle"
They say... "The lion sleeps tonight"

Well, it would help if I read everything, seeing that none of mine had anything to do with the jungle!! LOL

How about:

Teacher: Monkey See
Students: Monkey Do

Teacher: No Lion (like lying)
Students: We're Grrrr-eeaat!

Teacher: "Macaroni and Cheese"
Students: "Everybody freeze!"

my kindergarteners absolutely LOVE it!

I got these from another board, but they're great so thought I'd get them on this board.
If we all don't row: then we don't go
If you don’t climb the mountain...
==>You can’t see the view

Doing your best...
==>Means you never stop trying

When you believe in yourself...
==>Anything is possible!

Let your efforts...
==>Rise above your excuses

A mistake is a chance...
==>To try harder

Every choice you make counts...
==>Make choices you can count on!

Be satisfied...
==>With nothing but your best!

If you can’t make a mistake ...
==>You can’t make anything.

Hi ho! Hi ho! ...
==>It’s off to work we go!

Are you ready kids? ...
==>Aye, aye, Captain!

We’re all that ...
==>And a bag of chips!