| Do you ever get to a point in the school year where | | | | 6. Play calming music (without words), 60 beats per |
| students stop hearing your voice? Do you wonder if | | | | minute or less as students enter the classroom from |
| they have completely forgotten how to pay | | | | recess, specials, the hall or cafeteria to create an |
| attention? How can we refocus that extra energy | | | | environment that enhances learning. Turn off the |
| from tapping pencils, falling out of seats, constant | | | | music when you begin to teach. |
| chatting, or doodling into positive learning | | | | 7. Use natural lighting whenever possible (Windows, |
| experiences? Here are some tried and true | | | | "natural light" bulbs in table or floor lamps) because |
| suggestions for channeling student energy and | | | | natural lighting calms and increases productivity. |
| regaining focus: | | | | 8. Have students who doodle, create doodles that |
| | | | illustrate their notes. Ask them to paraphrase what |
| 1. Use a noisemaker such as a chime, maracas, or bell | | | | their doodles mean. |
| to get students' attention instead of using a teacher | | | | 9. Keep Mandalas and markers or color pencils handy |
| voice. The brain tunes out the teacher's voice | | | | in the classroom for calming students. Coloring from |
| because it becomes "normal" over time. Consistently | | | | outside in focuses attention, coloring from the inside |
| using a distinct sound to get students attention | | | | out opens up creativity. |
| works to create a positive habitual response: their | | | | 10. Attach a Mandala to the back of a test. Students |
| attention on the teacher. | | | | color the Mandala when finished rather than bother |
| 2. Silence the pen tapper with the sponge from a | | | | other students. |
| curler. | | | | 11. If students are getting chatty, rather than tell |
| 3. Give an angry or over excited student some Silly | | | | them to be quiet, assign a Think/Pair/Share as a |
| Putty or TackyTac to knead as a calming strategy. | | | | reinforcement of the lesson just taught. |
| 4. Provide inexpensive craft rings threaded with | | | | 12. If students are getting wiggly, have them stand |
| beads to fidgeting students for calming. | | | | and stretch. |
| 5. Stick a soft, fuzzy side of a strip of sticky backed | | | | - A variation on this is to have them answer a |
| Velcro to the underside of a desk for students who | | | | review question or paraphrase something they just |
| "pick" at things. Agree on a non-verbal cue to | | | | learned as a "ticket" to sit down. |
| encourage the student to "pick" at the Velcro strip | | | | - Another variation is to have them stand up to |
| instead of other less desirable places. | | | | answer questions in a "whole class chant". |