#8 RULES OF ENGAGEMENT - CALL BACKS

Call backs are similar to the game “Marco Polo.” The teacher says one thing and the children respond. Call backs work like a charm to focus children’s attention.

Teacher says: Hands on top.
Children respond: Everybody stop! (Put hands on head and freeze.)
                                 

Teacher says: Macaroni and cheese.
Children respond: Freeze please! (Freeze and look at the teacher.)
                                                                              

Teacher says: Ready?
Children respond: Spaghetti! (Stand up straight.)

Teacher: Marco
Children: Polo
                 

Teacher: Okeedookee
Children: Artichokee

Teacher: Peanut butter
Children: Jelly
                                                           
Teacher says: All set? (Snap fingers twice.)
Children respond: You bet! (Snap fingers twice.)

*If they are not ready they respond “not yet.” Keep saying “All set?” until the entire class is responding “You bet!”

Teacher: Da da da da da...
Children: I'm loving it! (MacDonald's advertisement)

Teacher says: How do you feel?
Children respond: We feel good! Yeah! (Stick up thumbs.)

*Let the children make up their own call backs.

#7 RULES OF ENGAGEMENT - SIGNS

Try simple hand movements and sign language to engage learners.

Secret Signals
Explain that your class will have some secret signals that no one else knows.
1. When you say “one”, they should sit criss-cross applesauce.
2. When you say “two,” they need to put their hands in their lap.
3. On “three,” they put a smile on their face.
       
*Make up additional secret numbers, such as “four” stand up straight and “five” hands by sides

Magic Clap
Explain to the children that you have a magic clap to teach them. Every time you clap your hands, you want them to repeat the clap and look at you. Practice clapping various patterns until all the children have joined in.
                                                 

Peace and Quiet
Make the “peace” sign with one hand as you put the index finger from the other hand on your mouth.
                  

Five Minute Warning
Children need time to bring closure to their work and prepare for the next activity.  Choose one child each day to have a job called the "five minute person."  When there are about 5 minutes left at lunch, on the playground, or doing independent work ask the five minute person to walk around, hold up five fingers, and warn, "Five more minutes!  Five more minutes!"

Sign Language
Sign language is multi-sensory and challenging for children. (They love to learn things that their parents and siblings don’t know!) Introduce one of these signs each day for various classroom directions.

     Pay Attention - palms pointing towards face
     Stand Up - 2 fingers standing on palm and then point up
     Line Up - 4 fingers extended on each hand
     Sit Down - 2 fingers sitting and then point down
     Wait - hands to side and wiggle fingers
     Stop - chop hand on palm
     Please - palm open on chest and circle around
     Thank you - fingers on chin and then down to palm
     Look, Listen, Learn - make “L” and place by eyes, ears, and brain
                                                                                  
*Note! Look at asl.com, lifeprint.com, or another website with sign language videos.

#5 RULES OF ENGAGEMENT - HOCUS POCUS

Choose one of these attention grabbers and use it consistently to focus children’s attention. Keep doing the motions and chanting the words until the entire class is following along.

Hint! The best attention grabbers engage the children’s hands as well as their eyes and ears!

Hocus Pocus
Teacher says:
“Hocus Pocus!” (Stick out index finger and circle around like a wand.)
Children respond:
“Everybody focus!” (Make circles around eyes like spectacles.)
                              


If You’re Ready to Get Started (Tune: “If You’re Happy and You Know It”)
If you’re ready to get started say, I AM! (Children say, “I am!”)
If you’re ready to get started say, I AM! (Children say, “I am!”)
If you say that you’re not,
You’re going to miss out on a lot.
If you’re ready to get started say, I AM! (Children say, “I am!)

Tootsie Roll
Tootsie roll, (Roll hands around each other.)
Lollipop. (Pretend to lick a lollipop.)
We’ve been talking, (Open and shut fingers.)
Now let’s stop! (Make sign language sign for “stop.”)
                                                                   
Student Heroes
5-4-3-2-1-zero (Hold up hand and put down one finger at a time.)
I’m looking for my student heroes.
(Make circles with index fingers and thumbs and place around eyes like glasses.)

Note! It’s interesting that when children put their “focus goggles on” (fingers around eyes) it will actually help them attend to the information and store it in their brains.

P.S. This is similar to my kindergarten teacher telling us to “put on our thinking caps” 65 years ago. Good teaching is good teaching!!!

Drum Roll, Beethoven, Toot-a-Roo
Teacher says: Give me a drum roll. (Children pat legs like a drum.)
Teacher says: Give me a Beethoven. (Children pretend to hold a cello and hum Beethoven’s 5thSymphony.)
Teacher says: Give me a toot-a-roo. (Children cup hands around mouth like a trumpet and salute.)

*Let children make toot-a-roos by decorating paper towel rolls.

              

Here's a video where I demonstrate some of these attention grabbers.

                                          

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xRVtrnnw-w&t=1s 

#4 RULES OF ENGAGEMENT - MORNING STRETCH

This song will help children “center” themselves and get ready to learn. As they practice breathing and stretching different body parts they will naturally calm down and focus.

                                   

Morning Stretch

It feels so good to start the day by stretching. (Stretch up high on toes.)

Breath in deeply and then let the air out. (Slowly breath in and out.)

Breath in fresh air – push the stale air out.

Stand up tall. (Stand with crown of head reaching up.)

Look left then right. (Slowly look left and then right.)

Roll your neck around (Gently roll your head around in one direction.)

So it’s not too tight. (Roll head in opposite direction.)

Shoulders up and circle around (Shoulders up as if shrugging and around.)

Other direction without a sound. (Opposite direction.)

Slowly breath in and lift your arms up high. (Lift arms up and then down.)

Let the air out and bring your arms by your sides. 

Now stretch your arms out (Stretch arms out in a T.)

Big circles make. (Make big circles with arms.)

Other direction, (Make circles in the opposite direction.)

Then swish and shake. (Swing arms like a dishrag left and right.)

Bend to the left with right arm over head (Straighten right arm and bend.)

Next on the right with left arm instead. (Straighten left arm and bend.)

Slowly… (Lift arms and breath in. Lower arms and exhale.)

Touch your toes, then stretch high in the air. (Touch toes then up.)

Once more touch toes, lift up your cares.

Heel up and bend down first on the right. (Right heel up and stretch.)

Then left heel up and bend with toes in sight. (Left heel stretch.)

Slowly… (Lift arms and breath in. Lower arms and exhale.)

Stretch the right calf, and then the other side. (Bend right knee, then left.)

Stand tall as can be and hug yourself with pride. (Wrap arms around self.)

Bring the corners of your mouth up toward your eyes.

Think of something happy and give big smile! (Squeeze body and smile.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIq9TbaCokc&feature=youtu.be

Balancing is a simple, yet powerful way to help children calm their bodies and engage their brains. Balancing is quiet and requires no special equipment.

Balancing Act

Feet together, close your eyes, (Close eyes breath in and out.)

And breath slowly in and out. 

Open your eyes, (Balance on left foot.)

Lift your right foot and balance on the left.

Put your arms out straight. (Arms out wide as you balance.)

Now reach for the stars. (Arms up in the air as you balance.)

Place your right foot on the floor 

And raise your left foot. (Balance on right foot.)

Put your arms out straight. (Arms out wide as you balance.)

Now reach for the stars. (Arms up in the air as you balance.)

Place your left foot on the floor 

And raise your right knee. (Lift right knee and balance on left foot.)

Can you bend your arms like a tree in the wind? (Move arms around.)

Place your right foot down 

And raise your left knee. (Lift left knee and balance on right foot.)

Can you bend your arms like a tree in the wind? (Move arms around.)

Place your left foot on the floor.

Raise your right knee (Straighten right leg in the air and balance.)

And then stretch your right leg out straight. 

Bend your right knee and place it on the floor.

Raise your left knee (Straighten left leg in the air and balance.)

And then stretch your left leg out straight.

Bend your left knee and place it on the floor.

Raise your right leg to the side. (Straighten right leg by side.)

Place your right leg on the floor.

Raise your left leg to the side. (Straighten left leg by side.)

Place your left leg on the floor.

Stand on your left leg. (Balance on left leg.)

Stretch out your arms. (Stretch arms out wide.)

Bend forward like an airplane. (Slowly bend forwards as you balance.)

Stand on your right leg. (Balance on right leg.)

Stretch out your arms. (Stretch arms out wide.)

Bend forward like an airplane. (Slowly bend forwards as you balance.)

Stand up on tippy toes. (Stretch up on toes and balance.)

Stand still for as long as you can.

Raise your right hand and place (Raise right hand and pat on back.) 

It on your back and give yourself a pat.

Raise your left hand and place (Raise left hand and pat on back.)

It on your back and give yourself a pat.

Now close your eyes and slowly breath in and out.

Let your mind take you to a happy place.

http://bit.ly/drjeanBalancing

Happy Birthday, America!!

God bless America,
Land that I love.
Stand beside her, and guide her
Through the night with a light from above.
From the mountains, to the prairies,
To the oceans, white with foam
God bless America, My home sweet home
God bless America, My home sweet home.

I hope your day is filled with fun, special memories, and a happy heart 

because you are proud to be an American!

#3 RULES OF ENGAGEMENT - SHAKE A HAND

The only way to the head is through the heart, and you can connect to children’s hearts with one of these handshakes.

Hint! Choose one each week and do it every day. At the end of the week write it on a sentence strip and add a picture clue. After you have introduced several you can let the “helper” each day choose the handshake she’d like to do.
                                             


Butterfly– Hook right thumbs together. Extend the other four fingers to make the butterfly’s wings. Pretend to flutter the butterfly’s wings as you move your hands in a circular motion.
                                                                                 

Cool Dude– Partners knuckle bump and then open their fist and slide it back as they say, “Pssshhh!”

Lumberjack– Partners hold up right thumbs and grab them with the left hand. Partners then clasp right fingers and pretend to saw back and forth.

Squirrel– One friend extends her arm. The other friend quickly runs fingers from the wrist up to the shoulder. Switch places.
         
Farmer– The teacher crosses her fingers and points thumbs down to represent the cow’s utter. The child grabs the thumbs and pretends to milk the cow.

Builder– Shake hands and move them up and down vertically as you say, “Here’s a hammer.” Move hands horizontally back and forth as you say, “Here’s a saw.” Gently twist wrists as you say, “And here’s a screwdriver.”

Potato– Bump fists as you say, “Baked potato.” Bend index fingers and touch as you say, “Tader tot.” Open fingers and wiggle with your partner as you say, “And fries.”

Burger– Children bump fists and say, “Burger.” Open fists and wiggle fingers together as they say, “Fries.” Hands in the air and shake fists and hips as they say, “Shake.”
                                     
Ghost– Extend arms and swish back in forth as you say, “Woooo!”

Buzz! Extend index finger and touch to your partner’s index finger as you make a buzzing sound.

Fisherman– Place right hand on each other’s right forearm and tap gently like a fish tail. Bend right arm back as if reeling in a fish as you say, “Good morning!”

Thumb Kiss– Hold up thumbs and touch as you make a smacking sound.
                                                                      
Hand Hug– Hold up right palms and touch in the air. Bend thumbs around and gently squeeze.

Biker – Children hold out fists and stick up thumbs. The teacher grabs the thumbs and pretends to turn them while making a “Brrrrmmmm” sound. “Now your brain is revved up and you’re ready to learn!”

Body Parts– Call out different body parts and challenge children to greet partners by gently touching elbows, knees, heads, ankles, toes, chins, etc.

Jellyfish– Bump fists and then open and close fingers as you pull them back like a jellyfish.

Spiderman– Partners hold up four fingers and intertwine. Spiders have 8 legs and you have 8 wiggly fingers.
                   
Bow Wow– Partners bow and then make “w’s” by sticking up three middle fingers. Open mouth and place “w’s” on either side to create the word “WOW!”

Here's a video where you can watch me demonstrate some of these handshakes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oaONx6N7-kM

#2 RULES OF ENGAGEMENT - START WITH A SMILE AND A SONG

Put on a happy face and start each day with a song. Use the same song every day for a month so it will be like an “indicator activity” to let children know it’s time to get their day started.  Music emits endorphins in the brain which make you happy.  You and your students will naturally smile with one of these songs!

                                                    

Rise and Shine
Rise and shine, (Bend down, then rise and put arms in air.)
And welcome to school today. (Clap to the beat.)
Rise and shine, (Bend down, then rise and put arms in air.)
And welcome to school today. (Clap.)
Rise and shine, (Bend down, then rise and put arms in air.)
And welcome to school today. (Clap.)
We’re so glad you’re here! (Shake hands.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyAD2OoFuoY
   

Feeling Fine I'm in right, (Hold up both index fingers and point to chest.)
Out right, (Point out with index fingers.)
Up right, (Reach up high.)
Down right, (Stoop down low.)
And I'm feeling fine. (Turn around in a circle.)
I eat the food that’s good (Pretend to feed self.)
And exercise like I should. (Run in place.)
That’s why I’m in right,
Out right,
Up right,
Down right,
And I’m feeling fine.
A little faster…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bm8lk7lvUg

                                 

Hello, Friends! (Tune: "Good Night, Ladies")
Hello, friends! (Wave to partner.)
How are you?  (Give high five.)
I'm very happy   (Slap, clap, tap hands.)
to see you.
Greet your neighbor. (Shake hands.)
Boogie on down. (Wiggle hips.)
Give a bump, (Bump hips.)
And turn around. (Turn around.)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ywIu30lqKA
                                                            


Turn on Your Brain
Start the day by having your students “turn on their brains.”
Turn on the left side (twist by left forehead).
Turn on the right side (twist by right forehead).
Turn on the left ear…
Turn on the right ear...
Turn on the left eye…
And the right eye.
You don’t have to turn on your mouth because it stays “on” all the time.
Now you are ready to learn!!!

# 1 THE RULES OF ENGAGEMENT

  

Switch off technology and switch on human interaction!!!

Some of you just finished the school year and some of you will be heading back in a few weeks. Whenever you start you will probably be challenged getting some of your students to listen and pay attention. As children spend more time in front of a screen they are disconnecting from the real world.

We all know that YOU HAVE TO REACH THEM BEFORE YOU CAN TEACH THEM! Over the next 25 days on my blog I will be sharing tips and tricks for engaging children. If you download the ideas each day I think you'll have a pretty useful tool you can use when school starts. Oh, yeah! It will be FREE!

I've titled this series THE RULES OF ENGAGEMENT.  In addition to capturing children's attention, these activities will reinforce SEL (Social Emotional Learning) by encouraging self awareness, self regulation, and social relationships. They are playful, challenging, active, and a natural way to develop oral language and multiple standards.

HARVEST THESE IDEAS!  Pick the ones that will work best for you and the age level you teach. Change them, adapt them, and have FUN with them!

#1 – TIPS FOR ENGAGEMENT

                                           

1. Look your children in their eyes and smile. Get down on their eye level and hold their hand.

2. Give you students 100% of your attention. Be in the moment!!! Send the message that YOU are the most important thing in the world right now. I’m giving you my best and I need to you to do the same.

3. Brain Research 101 says the brain likes anything that is novel, challenging, and new. Put something in a bag or box to create interest. Wear a pair of silly glasses or use a strange voice.
         
4. Be enthusiastic! Teachers can add the magic to anything with their facial expressions, voice, and body language.

5. Physical proximity! Get close to your students. Create an intimate space by having the children sit on the floor in a circle. A gentle touch can send a positive message to the brain.

6. Do a movement activity to focus those busy hands. Lead children in a cheer or a clapping pattern. Use callbacks and attention grabbers.
                                                                 
7. Turn “paying attention” into a game. When you say “game,” that gets translated into children’s language as “play.”

8. Activate children’s senses. Keep them focused by stimulating their eyes, ears, and bodies.

9. Give students the opportunity to talk and move. They can only sit still so long, so integrate brain breaks, songs, and movement activities into your day.

10. Use their name frequently. You might have a child daydreaming and simply saying their name will bring them back to reality.

My mother never went to college, but she could have told you these things.  It's really just commonsense, isn't it?