CHECK MATE

Here are some "tips and tricks" to use this week to help your children focus on line or in person.

Check Mate
Before starting a lesson, post a checklist of what students will need. As you read down the list, students respond, “Check!” if they are all set.

Pencils? – Check!
Paper? – Check!
Crayons? – Check!
Eyes Watching? – Check!
Ears Listening? – Check!
Hands and Feet Quiet? – Check! 

                                                    

Self Control Cue (Becky Gilsdorf)
Use this visual cue to help children who are out of control.
     Cross hands over your chest. (Self)
     Slide both hands down the sides of your body. (Control)
     As the child repeats the movements silently it will calm them down.

Class Callbacks (Sara Quinn)

Try these callbacks to help children focus:
Teacher says: Hands on top. (Students put their hands on their heads.)
Students say: That means stop!
Teacher says: Holy Moly!
Students say: Guacamole!
Teacher says: All set?
Students say: You bet!

*You can go on all day with callbacks. Marco - Polo; Peanut Butter - jelly; Criss cross – sit like a boss, etc.

Finger Friends  (Focus those fidgety hands with this rhyme.)
Two little houses closed up so tight. (Make fists)
Open the windows and let in some light. (Open hands)
Ten little finger friends so tall and straight  (Fingers up and wiggle)
Hurry to school so they won’t be late. (Bounce hands)

Self Control Lotion

I recall a teacher who kept a bottle of lotion on her desk and called it “self control lotion.” When her students were having trouble paying attention she would give them a squirt of lotion and tell t                                           

Hint!  This would be a great idea for sanitizer lotion.

Secret Hands (Melinda Ainslie)
Several years ago at a workshop Melinda shared this idea.  She said that when her daughter started kindergarten she came home from school and asked, “Mama, can you keep a secret? When you put your hands together like this (cross your fingers), it’s MAGIC because you can see better and hear better!”

Brain Toys
Fill a shoebox or basket with stress balls or knotted socks. Suggest children get a "brain toy" when they can’t keep their hands to themselves.  You'll be surprised how a knotted sock can keep little hands still and help them focus.

Hint!  Suggest parents provide their children who are learning at home with similar props.

                                                       
Fiddlesticks
Wrap a 20” piece of string around a jumbo craft sticks. Children keep these in their desk and get them out when their hands need to fiddle.