Elem. teachers- what are your magic phrases?

that work wonders on getting kids to behave?

I watch certain teachers and I just wish I had their knack for saying the right thing to get kids to do what you need them to do. i.e. SHUT UP! AND STAY THAT WAY I'm tired of flippin' quiet signals already.

So I'm not really looking for quiet signals...I guess I'm looking for positive ways of getting kids to listen to you. I feel like the really great teachers know exactly how to talk to their students. How to encourage the right behavior rather than let it get to the point to do your quiet signals, know what I mean?

Thanks!

Message edited 1/16/2008 7:38:33 PM.

Re: Elem. teachers- what are your magic phrases?

MY co-op teacher taught me this, it is silly, but it works

You say very loudly/suddenly:

Look at the ceiling, look at the floor, look out the window, look toward the door, look at me

when they look at you say

We are back and we are focused now lets start again.

Re: Elem. teachers- what are your magic phrases?

cute. I like that!

hmmm....I'm having trouble explaining...I guess I just notice how certain teachers speak to their kids...from the get-go the kids do what they want because they seem to phrase things the right way. When I'm frustrated it's soooo hard to watch what I say!! And lordy I had that kind of day today!

Re: Elem. teachers- what are your magic phrases?

To quiet them down (these are first graders) I say "One, two, three all eyes on me" and they immediately say back "One, two eyes on you". It works!

ETA that I also use another one: I say "All Set?" They say back "You bet!"

Message edited 1/16/2008 7:12:51 PM.

Re: Elem. teachers- what are your magic phrases?

Put your hands on head (they HAVE to stop what they are doing)

Re: Elem. teachers- what are your magic phrases?

Don't you feel like you do these signals one too many times? Is there just a way to get them to pay attention without doing it so damn often? Or is it just me?

Re: Elem. teachers- what are your magic phrases?

Re: Elem. teachers- what are your magic phrases?

Message edited 1/16/2008 7:32:48 PM.

Re: Elem. teachers- what are your magic phrases?

With my 3rd graders this year I just cough very loudly ( A-HEM!)

And that makes them silence quickly... I also do the backwards counddown (5,4,3,2,1) and they usually quiet down on 4.

If they are that bad...maybe you should have a class meeting and explain what they need to do and why they need to do it.

Re: Elem. teachers- what are your magic phrases?

Message edited 1/16/2008 7:40:49 PM.

Re: Elem. teachers- what are your magic phrases?

lately we have been playing a game, and I try to find the quietest table when they are working while I am doing reading groups. I will look at them every so often, and say "Wow, red table is sooo quiet!!" Then they are all quiet because they want their table to win. (although there is no "prize" besides my praise, they still seem to love it!)

In the hallway we play a game called quiet mouse, I pick one kid to be the mouse and they get to walk up and down the line looking for someone else quiet, and they tap them on the shoulder and then that person is the next quiet mouse. It keeps going on until we get to our destination. They absolutely LOVE this game!!

ETA: I teach 1st

Re: Elem. teachers- what are your magic phrases?

I always compliment someone elses good behavior. Then all eyes go on that child, and everyone seems to adjust themself to do what that person is doing. I really feel like it works wonders. Also, shutting off the lights is the code for, enough is enough!

Re: Elem. teachers- what are your magic phrases?

i usually do a countdown and say 3 2 1 and the children clap there hands and fold them together, and i say all eyes on me!

hope thats helps all the other responses are good as well as ive used them all

Re: Elem. teachers- what are your magic phrases?

I teach 5th grade, so I don't use anything too fancy. If I'm waiting for them to be quiet, and I start to look at the clock, they know that I'm timing how long it takes them to be quiet. They know that, in my classroom, all the time that we lose needs to be paid back. So, that time comes off of their recess.

One thing I use every so often is rehearsal. When things get out of hand, we stop and review the procedure for getting quiet. Even by saying to the class, "I notice that we're having some trouble remembering the signal for quiet, so we're going to rehearse it. Ready?"

They'll usually get that, and it kind of refocuses them back--since the signals are so often overused.

Re: Elem. teachers- what are your magic phrases?

we have frogs ( teach 1st grade CTT) all start on green and as they misbehave all we have to say is "move your frog" they get up and move their from from green to yellow or yellow to red. they have charts in their folders where they have color in the frog they were on at the end of the day - so parents know and we try to write a quick note about what the did and to talk to them at home. students always have the change to move back to green for good behavior. but the kdis get very upset about it so it def works!

i also do a tally chart tables start with table tickets and if they start getting noisy or misbehaving i tell them table 2 lost a ticket for talking at the end of the period i hand out the amount of tickets they earned. they trade them in at the end of the week - table with the most gets to go on computers

Re: Elem. teachers- what are your magic phrases?

Not an ELED teacher butI teach on an ELED level.

My favorite:

"Your behavior is your responsibility"

Re: Elem. teachers- what are your magic phrases?

"stop look and listen" ..the kids say "ok"

Re: Elem. teachers- what are your magic phrases?

I teach K and I start thanking the kids that are doing the right thing. I also use all those other signals, but I notice that this really gets the kids that are talking. It goes back to that old show romperoom where the lady says names while looking in her magic mirror (if I'm remembering correctly) The kids want to be recognized and have their names said. Sometimes I make a REALLY big deal over a kid that is doing the right thing. I start this very early on in the year, and I rarely have any management/behavior issue (a few kids here and there but on the whole.)

Re: Elem. teachers- what are your magic phrases?

class meeting...that's my other issue- I have too many classes- I'm the music teacher! I'm just desperate to learn to be better at this!

one of my fellow specialists has admitted its a year with a large number of tough classes...

and this isn't tough like city tough...this is bratty spoiled tough!


I'm the librarian and I teach religion at a private school. I go through the same thing.

Re: Elem. teachers- what are your magic phrases?

i am passive aggressive- i find it works best...

Re: Elem. teachers- what are your magic phrases?

when i taught K & 1st grade art i also tried to compliment the good behavior...

"I LOVE the way Mikey looks."
I LOVE the way Sarah looks." and I go through the names until more of the class gets the hint...

I also use the 123 eyes on me... and if they were touching supplies before they were supposed to, i told them to all put their hands on their head...

also I would use "stop what you are doing, look at me and listen" iw ould do that slowly and repeat each step until the entire class was on the same page...

sometimes these things really just woudl not work though- as a special area teacher the tone that the regular classroom teacher would set up really did carry over into how the children behaved in my class...

Re: Elem. teachers- what are your magic phrases?

First of all, my rule of thumb is that I never raise my voice. Yes, that's right, I said I never raise my voice, and other than projecting it while speaking over music or to a large crowd, I sincerely never raise my voice to get the children to pay attention. In fact, when they are not paying attention, I completely stop what I'm doing and wait for them to pay attention. After a little bit of practice, it takes less than 5 seconds for them to stop and pay attention.
Another what I use, but hardly ever, is to whisper very lightly, "If you can hear me, put your hands on your head," and I keep repeating it until everyone has their hands on their head. I will then proceed to whisper directions to them. I always feel completely in control of my classes, and I see every grade from 1st to 8th.
I've also said to them from the very beginning that I respect them enough to not talk over them while they're speaking, and I expect nothing less from them. I am very sincere with them, and so we have all formed a common respect for one another. After my first year of teaching and yelling over everyone all the time, I realized that it was completely inaffective to teach that way and I swore I wouldn't yell over anyone again, and I haven't. Not even on lunch duty with a diningroom full of wild children.

Re: Elem. teachers- what are your magic phrases?

Re: Elem. teachers- what are your magic phrases?

Message edited 6/3/2012 12:08:09 AM.

Re: Elem. teachers- what are your magic phrases?

I have 6th grade. The hand signals and cute phrases don't work.

Looking very bored and relaxed I say, "Dont worry, take your time....we'll just do this at 3 o'clock."

The kids who hear it and see my face quiet the other ones down. It usually takes about 30 seconds.