Not one, not two, but three teachers were watching me, kind of stunned by how I was just standing there with my hand in the air. There was no way, in their minds, that standing quietly with my armed raised was one of the effective classroom attention getters.
Until it was.
And, to be fair, they were all surprised and even encouraging, once they could see it had worked.
When I read the research on classroom attention getters I was surprised to discover that there are teachers that do not use them. Let’s dig into why there are important first, and then you will be primed for choosing the one that suits you best.
What Are Attention Getters?
Classroom attention getters are a classroom management technique that allow teachers to obtain and maintain the attention of the students.
Attention getters for the classroom:
- Are deliberate actions
- Can be verbal or nonverbal
- Seek to gain the attention of the class
The primary purpose is to bring the focus back to you, the teacher, and facilitate a transition to the next activity or to instruction.
Why Use Attention Getters in the Classroom?
1) They Can Enhance Focus and Engagement
Classroom attention getters can help the teacher gain or maintain the concentration of students and prevent them from becoming distracted. In my own class I had one that I used consistently to get their attention, and one that initiated clean up or the transition to the next activity.
Teachers also use techniques such as call-and-response to re-engage students.
2) Improve Classroom Dynamics with Attention Getters
The consistent use of classroom attention getters can improve overall behaviour. If they are used properly they can contribute to a sense of order and predictability.
Consistency is key though, for this to be a successful classroom management technique. As I mentioned above I had two that I used consistently, and they each communicated something slightly different.
Standing with my hand raised always meant, it is time to stop talking or working and look at me. However, when the sound of “Chewbacca” roared from my phone they knew to start cleaning up. “Chewbacca” was legendary.
Because the “Chewbacca” classroom attention getter had come out of a classroom conversation it was particularly well responded to.
“Chewbacca” became one of us, and when he didn’t roar on schedule (ie. I forgot to turn the timer on), the students excused him for taking a nap. As I kept half my students each year due to teaching a mixed grade class, each group taught the next group about him.
This is just one very unique example of how a classroom attention getter can improve dynamics.
3) Classroom Attention Getters and Social Emotional Learning (SEL)
Depending upon which attention getters you use they can assist students in developing their SEL skills.
An effective verbal call-and-response attention getters for SEL may be something like:
- Call: Knock, knock Respond: Breathe and Stop
And, of course, my very quiet hand up classroom attention getter can also help to support SEL skill development as by leading with a quiet attention getter I am teaching self-regulation through co-regulation.
4) Build a Positive Classroom Climate
Effective attention getters can build a more positive classroom climate. As I mentioned earlier, sameness in your attention getters can create a sense of safety and belonging among your students.
Attention getters that emphasize cooperation and respect nurtures empathy and social skills in students. In addition to building a positive classroom culture, this supports the development of SEL.
What are some examples?
As I mentioned earlier, I have my favourities:
- Silently raising my hand, and then individually tanking students as they raise their hands as well.
- The “Chewbacca” ringtone to transition into a new activity.
However, there are so many more. And it is important that you find what works best for you. Much as I almost fell into “Chewbacca”, silently raising my hand is effective for me because it came intuitively from me. I didn’t read it anywhere, I just did it the first time, and I have never looked back.
List of Classroom Attention Getters
Verbal
Verbal cues are typically call-and-response cues that instantly grab the attention of your students.
For example:
- One, two, three, Eyes on Me.
Non-verbal
These may consist of simple, quiet or not so quiet movements:
- Hand signals
- Clapping patterns
- Simply standing and waiting – this may not be the one you choose for the first day. 😉
Interactive Activities
Activities such as brain breaks and active breaks or mindful breathing exercises can be very effective for getting your students’ attention back.
The following will, obviously, take more time than a simple raising of the hand. And they may even need you to use something like raising your hand to get your student’ attention in order to implement them.
- Clapping patterns – this is great for incorporating physical patterns into your attention getters
- Strike a Super Hero pose, and have them do one too!
- Do a silly walk until everyone has joined in. However, this may escalate some of your students.
Implementing Them
Establishing classroom expectations is essential for making classroom attention getters into and effective classroom management technique.
Students need to understand the purpose and method of the attention getters to be able to understand appropriately.
Every single time we played a math game, which was almost every single day, as soon as “Chewbacca” roared my students started to clean up. They knew the purpose of that particular attention getter. They also knew that if they delayed they would be late for recess if they delayed or ignored it.
Of course, having reinforced the expectation and consequences in math transferred over to every time they heard “Chewbacca”. The response became automatic.
With consistency and practice these routines were cemented in my students’ minds.
Supporting Classroom Management with Classroom Attention Getters
Classroom attention getters are an evidence based powerful classroom management tool.
With intentional implementation, consistency and practice they do so much more than just drawing attention to the teacher:
- They enhance focus and engagement.
- Classroom dynamics are improved.
- Social-emotional learning is supported and developed.
- A positive classroom climate is developed.
There are different types of classroom attention getters, and it is essential that you find something that is authentic to you and appealing to your students.
With classroom expectations and classroom attention getters in hand, practice them consistently, and they will nurture independence and support classroom management. If you haven’t already, try one out. You’ve got this. One step at a time.
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