Preplanned Questioning
This tool is where teachers plan with having questions that the teacher can propose to students that can allow them to self-reflect on their actions without causing too much distraction in the classroom.
Nollmeyer, Gustave
Therapy Ball Chair
Therapy ball chairs are a beneficial tool that is used for students who need to move a lot. These chairs are exercise balls that are formed into a chair. When a child sits on the ball chair, they can use their energy and their need for movement in a positive way.
Silent Hand
This is simple, non-verbal, “call and response” tool for the classroom. It is a quick way to get student’s attention.
Name Dropping Interference
Name dropping interference is a corrective tool used to let students know when they are off task. Teachers aren’t directly pointing out their behavior but rather saying the students name to get their attention and have them answer a question or show the class an example. It is helpful to keep students on task and a good reminder for them to stay on task.
Community Circle
The community circle is a tool where teachers have students sit alongside them in a circle and talk about a prompt that the teacher gives. Students then pass around a certain object and share their thoughts and feelings about that prompt. This tool is helpful in a classroom because it gives the class the opportunity to express their thoughts, feelings, and ideas about the topic at hand.
Brain Breaks
Brain Breaks are short mental pauses lasting no longer than 2 minutes that are designed to facilitate focus and attentiveness. For a variety of reasons including long lessons, impending holidays, or upcoming tests, students can collectively begin to lose that focus. Brain Breaks are intended to be fun and stimulating by offering a sporadic change from the norm (and sometimes mundane).
Student Choice Greeting Board
This greeting tool is a great way for kids to start off their morning and for the teacher to be able to read how the child is feeling that day. In short, it’s a board that is posted outside the classroom where the individual student gets to pick how the teacher greets them that day before entering the classroom. Some of the options can include fist bump, hug, mini dance party, high five, handshake, or any other options the teacher sees fit.
Random Acts of Kindness
Random Acts of Kindness is a tool used in the beginning of the year where students first pick one envelope each where it has an act of kindness written in it. Their next step is to do that act of kindness and take a picture or write about what they did. It is helpful as it shows students different ways they can show kindness to each other.
Proximity Interference
Proximity interference is when the teacher moves closer to a student who is beginning to get off-task. This tool can be helpful because they are not disruptive to the rest of the class.
Community Supplies
Community supplies are table organizers where you have a place to put pencils, scissors, calculators etc. Community supplies is a small way to make school days run smoothly.
