What Do I Say? Simple Teacher Language That Gets Kids to Listen

You know exactly what you want a student to do. You want him to stop interrupting. You want her to listen to the directions. You want them to quit talking while you're talking.

And then you open your mouth and say WAY too much.

I know I did.

The longer I taught, the more I realized that some of my most effective classroom management wasn't really about a system. It was about the words I used. Or, more accurately, the words I didn't use.

Here's a simple example. You've just given directions. Alec wasn't listening. You could repeat everything, remind him that he should have been listening, and tell him to get started.

Or you could say:

"Who can tell Alec what the next step is?"

Done. Alec gets the information he needs. Another student does the talking. You keep teaching.

Here's another. Lexi is talking to the kids at her table while you're giving directions. Instead of stopping everything to correct her:

"Lexi, ask your table group to tune into me."

Now Lexi isn't simply being corrected. She's responsible for helping solve the problem.

Say Less. Let Kids Do More.

The best teacher language tends to be short, calm, and hard to argue with. Whenever possible, it also puts the responsibility back where it belongs, with the student.

And how you say it matters. Say it kindly, confidently, and with a genuine smile. Calm doesn't mean cold.

The tricky part is having those words ready in the moment. A kid argues. Someone interrupts. A student refuses to get started. You've repeated the same direction three times. Suddenly you're standing there thinking:

What do I say NOW?

Experienced teachers build a mental library of language they can pull from in those moments. That's exactly what I wanted to capture.

Want to Try It?

I created a FREE two-page resource, Before You Say Another Word: 5 Simple Ways to Say Less and Lead More. It gives you five common classroom situations, what to do, and the exact words to try.

Download the FREE resource here.

And if you find yourself wishing you had language ready for more of those moments, that's why I created What Do I Say? Teacher Language for Everyday Classroom Challenges.

It takes the same idea further with 10 common classroom situations, words that work, why they work, common traps to avoid, and coaching notes to help you build your own mental library of language.

Take a look at What Do I Say? Volume 1.

Sometimes better classroom management starts with saying less.

And knowing exactly what to say.

How I Use Reader’s Theater for Fluency (Step-by-Step Classroom Routine)

Fluency practice was dragging. Kids were bored. I was bored. 

And pulling small groups all day? Yeah, not happening. 

Something needed to change. 

I needed something that:

• didn’t feel like extra work

• kept kids engaged

• actually improved how they read

Using Reader's Theater to improve fluency isn't complicated. That’s the whole point.

You can try this tomorrow without changing your schedule.

I put students in groups of 4. Everyone has a role and no one is allowed to disappear. I hand out the script, assign parts and move along.

Here's the gig. We read it three times.

First read:
Choppy. Fast. Some mumbling. Some guessing. Perfect.

Second read:
Better pacing. A little confidence. You’ll hear it starting to click.

Third read:
Now they’re performing. Voices change. Timing improves. This is the part where even your reluctant readers start to care

Looks too simple? Nope. It's fluency practice without a fight.

My kiddos are:

• tracking text because they have a job
• listening so they don’t miss their turn
• rereading without complaining
• adjusting how they sound (without a lecture from me)

What Happened? 

• Engagement went up
• Repeated reading started happening automatically
• My lower readers stayed in it instead of checking out

But here’s the one that matters: Kids ask to read it again. And they ask that I make a Reader's Theater Booklet for student use 'cuz they love it.

Print, hand out and go!

How to Do this Tomorrow: Don’t overthink it.

• Groups of 4
• Pass out a script
• Assign roles quickly
• Read it 2–3 times
• Let them share if you have time

That’s it. The structure does the heavy lifting.

This is exactly what I hand my students—nothing extra, no prep.

The scripts are set up so:

• every student has a role
• parts are balanced
• fluency support is built in

If fluency feels like one more thing on your plate, this is the one that actually sticks.

Same goal.
Different approach.
Way better results.

And once your kids know the routine, it pretty much runs itself.

DIY Privacy Headphones

I found a treasure pile in the hallway! There was a box labeled DONATE filled with old headphones.  You know the ones that plug into a junction box for a listening center - from, like, 15 years ago. You know the ones with the enormous jacks and the thick curly cords that are constantly tangled? You know the ones with sturdy plastic and comfy, padded ear covers?
I plucked them from the box, clipped the cords and voila, privacy headphones! No explanation needed. Kids love them and use them regularly. My only wish? I had one for each kid...
During Read to Self.
During a test.
During writing.
To get away from a classmate.
Saved from the landfill, and totally free,  privacy headphones are now a fixture in my room!

5 Ways to Organize Your Teaching on Pinterest

I have a Pinterest account and eagerly pin new, cool things I come across….. but seriously my boards are a mess. Sure, I can find that Colosseum Tour for Kids video link, my favorite tri-corner hat tutorial or the yummy ice cream in a bag recipe when needed. But – hold on - it’s going to take several minutes.

My colleague Bristlecone Backpack is young. She grew up using technology and therefore approaches her account in a totally different way. Check out her Pinterest boards. So pretty…so organized… so easy to find stuff. I’m an old dog. She’s teaching me some new tricks.  I’d like to pass along “Do this, Not That” advice to designing functional teaching-related Pinterest boards.

Do this: Create a board targeted for a specific unit – Not that: create a board for a broad skill

Place pins on the board where you know you’ll use them. It keeps you focused and reduces the total number of boards you work with. We teach the Core Knowledge curriculum so she organizes her boards by domain. Look at her Astronomy board. Point of use. It works.

Do this: Be picky – Not that: Pin indiscriminately because you think “ that looks good”

Check out the links you are considering. This means actually click the link! Does the link work?  Is the idea appropriate for your grade level? Are there photos of the end product? Is the website easy to navigate? Is using the idea or resource something you’d actually do? If you say no to any of the above, pass it over. It creates clutter. Boo on clutter.

Do this: Use the secret boards – Not that: Uh… Don’t use the secret boards…

Bristlecone Backpack told me she collects hairstyle inspiration, memes and recipe ideas like the rest of us. But YOU can’t see it. (She has equally impressive secret boards keeping her private life private.) Her public Pinterest profile is professional and makes it easy for others to use (like me!).

Do this: Unpin stuff you don’t like or use – Not that: Leave it all there, just in case….

Take a few moments to unpin the stuff that you would not use again. It’s slightly clunky, but hover on the pin and click on the pencil symbol. On that page press delete. Don’t keep the junk.

Do this: Bookmark the Pinterest board you are currently using on your school computer – Not that: email yourself links you think you’ll use to your school email (from home).

I would never would pull up my current Pinterest boards on my school computer because of the above referenced jumbled mess. However, if your Pinterest board is school-worthy, bookmark it!  If Pinterest is blocked at your school, talk to your network administrator. Show the Pinterest boards you want to have at your fingertips.

I’d love to hear best Pinterest practices for YOUR boards! Share the love below!

Reward Coupons for Big Kids - Adapted for Younger Kids

Although I currently work with younger kids, I can't give up all of the fun, free incentives Reward Coupons for Big Kids offer. With a couple of tweaks I've been able to make many of the Reward Coupons for Big Kids work with my current younger group. 
One coupon is in really big demand right now. It is Read to a Kindie. Students select a book and at a mutually agreed upon time with the kindergarten teacher, my students go and read to them. Can a teacher get any happier than watching a young student clamor  to read to someone? Frankly, I smile just a little bit wider when my student is a struggling reader! "Retro fitting" this free reward for younger kids isn't hard. Here are some tips.
1. We have a mini economy going in my room and I open my 'store' every two weeks. I post the Read to a Kindie coupon on the whiteboard, write a price next to it, interested kids sign up and then pay.
2. I can say to a fifth grader, "Go to the library choose a book you think a kindergartener will like and will take you n less than 8 minutes." That doesn't work with the younger crowd. I help out by selecting several books for them to choose from, keeping in mind my students' reading level.
3. I make the kids practice in class. A lot. Younger kids need coaching on voice volume, how to hold the book and fluency. We talk about what to expect when reading with kindies and how to handle it when they aren't perfect angels. An older child can roll with it when a kindie calls out or gets up to get a drink in the middle of a book. A younger kid does best when actively told what to expect.
4. Most Big Kids can take on reading to a whole class right away, but for younger kids audience size matters. At the beginning of the year I make sure my students are reading one on one with a kindie. If they make a mistake, a kindie won't notice and my students feel safe. By the end of the year they can handle small groups.
5. I require my students to share their experience with the class when they return. Without exception, they are enthusiastic and tell some funny stories about what a kindie did or said. This in turn inspires others to choose this Reward Coupon in the future.

Why does this Reward Coupon works so well with a younger crowd?  There is built in success. A kindie is excited for an older student to come read to them. My younger students are instant celebrities in the hallway! They are confident going in. They know the book. They've been prepped on what kindie might do. Rather than be thrown off by a kids behavior or comment they enjoy the process a lot.

Many of the other Reward Coupons for Big Kids are easily adaptable for younger kids too! Give them a try!

Calendar Questions: 5 Ways to Keep the Daily Math Review Fresh!

Do you have a daily calendar review? Knowing how to read a calendar and how that information is applied to life is critical, even for the youngest kids. As your students get older, however, many get "calendar fatigue" (OMG do we have to do this again???). You may be feeling the same way - but I urge you to keep the routine in place. Change things up by digging deeper with questioning. Bring a new level of fluidity to understanding. Internalize concepts about time.  If your calendar review could use a facelift, here are five ways to keep it fresh and meaningful:

1. Put students in charge. This is not an overnight change in process. You'll need to clearly model how you want questions to be asked and how you want them to be answered. You may need to work on voice volume and putting part of the question in the answer. A struggling reader may need to check in prior to being in charge to build confidence. But, once you've established expectations, kids love taking over the role. In my classroom, daily calendar review takes place on a smartboard. I have a student in charge of the computer too. Practicing public speaking skills in context  is a life tool.

2. Keep calendar time short and sweet. A three questions limit keeps the process flowing. Even though students are in charge, I monitor the process to keep a fast pace. If the leader is taking too long to choose someone to answer I do it for them. "Kayla, you need to choose quickly. Stephen, what's your answer?" If someone is taking too long to answer, I give them an out - if they want it. "Kara, do you have your answer or do you want Kayla to call on someone else?" When a child gives a wrong answer I step in, and whenever possible, I give nonverbal clues. "Jared, November is not the 10th month. Look here.Do you want to try again or call on someone else?" I could be pointing at a posted resource. Sometimes the pace slows down because of confusion and a quick reteaching is needed. In those instances we just answer two questions. The number of questions covered isn't as important as the amount of time spent on the review.
3. Sprinkle in cross curriculum nuggets. Drip concepts and anticipatory info. It's not a time to actively preteach, but a great way to get those kids thinking.... and wondering. Oh, it's so easy to be sneaky. "Thursday is when we'll learn about one of the great conquerors, Alexander the Great." Move on.  "Do you think we'll get to the conclusion of Wonder before this date? I can't wait to find out what happens." Move on.
4. Keep a handy resource of Calendar Questions. Behold my resource. Why the tattered corners? Why the slightly ripped holes? Because students are using them! Each day my leader chooses from the ten or so cards. In addition to basic questions like, "What will the date be on Thursday?" there are higher level questions too. "How does a calendar help know when to go

to your grandmother's house for Thanksgiving?" Some questions lead to a right or wrong response, while others are open ended and could lead to a discussion. "What is something you do NOT like about a summer month?" The variety makes it ideal for different ages and ability levels.


5. Rotate questions to keep them fresh. My Calendar Questions has 84 cards (plus a blank template to make your own), but I don't put them all out there. Once a week I rotate out half the cards on the ring.

This collection of Calendar Questions  has a clean design and an easy to read font. I laminate for durability, punch a hole in the corner and hang them on a ring for easy reference. Looking for more daily organization support outside of your math lesson? Check out this Morning Meeting Bundle.

Looking to get more insight on crafting a daily Morning Message? Check out this post.
Best of luck with a daily calendar review in your room. It's a fun, fast and a meaningful part of any math lesson.

Drawing the Taj Mahal when Learning about India

Integrating elements of world cultures across the curriculum is fun, natural and fairly easy. Teaching an appreciation for different cultures early on will, I believe, have a positive impact in the future. We just finished a unit on India. You can find a list of books I use HERE and a great FREE mini poster to promote cultural appreciation HERE.
A favorite lesson is learning about, then drawing the Taj Mahal. The Taj Mahal Reading Passage and How to Drawing is engaging for middle elementary students. It has two pieces. First is a reading passage sharing the history of this world treasure presented in two formats. One is ideal for small group instruction and the other is for fluency practice. Some kids read into a whisper phone and others will do it with a partner. Either way this fluency piece promotes smooth, natural reading of a text.
Second, kids get to draw the Taj Mahal with step-by-step instructions. They love the process. I project a photo of the Taj Mahal and post the steps on the whiteboard near by. I model the process using our document camera then let them get started.
The end results show a lot of variety. Some kids add in lots of details, others.... not so much. A couple of kids insisted on using a ruler, which was fine.
I like to do this lesson after we're comfortable with text features. Using vocabulary lifted from the reading passage, kids labeled some of the architectural features - minaret, dome, arch - and eventually added a caption at the bottom. These looked great in the hall.

Drawing the Taj Mahal allows for a different sort of learning experience. It helps us notice and interpret details. It helps us remember stories. Everyone can produce a different end result - and everyone is correct.
If you like the idea of incorporating a literature piece with an art project check out these units as well.
Native American Buffalo "Hide" Craft Project and How To Reading
Famous Immigrant Biographies
Greek God/Goddess Bundle: Mini Biographies, How to Drawings and Crown