Creating Joyful Learning Environments with Call-and-Response
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Hey Reader! In a recent conversation with Prerna Richards, she said “Joy is the emotion of learning.” I had to think about that for a moment, but she’s right! When our brain is signaling JOY, we are able to learn because we are not stuck in our survival brains. Our episode is filled with lots of great ideas for increasing joy and decreasing stress in the classroom. If you haven’t had a chance, you can listen HERE! I’m going to focus on just one of those things today and give you a few ideas that you might want to prepare for your classroom this fall. Call and Response “In the classroom, call and response is typically used by a teacher as a cue for students to stop what they’re doing and pay attention. The teaching strategy is typically verbal, but you can add in hand or body movements too.” (Article) So, basically, you (the teacher) use a fun sound, word, phrase or signal for your students – the Call. Then they Respond to you with a coordinating fun sound, word, phrase, or signal. It’s a really fun way to get their attention with less of a need to get frustrated because “they’re not listening.” Need some ideas? Here are a few to start with: 1. Teacher: “Hands on top!” Students: “That means stop!” (while placing hands on their heads) 2. Teacher: “Ready to listen?” Students: “Yes, we are!” (cupping hands behind ears) 3. Teacher: “1, 2, 3, eyes on me!” Students: “1, 2, eyes on you!” (pointing to the teacher) 4. Teacher: “Bap, bada ba-da!” Students: “Bap,bap” (clap twice along with the words) 5. Teacher: “Chicka Chicka…” Students: “…Boom Boom!” (clapping hands together) When you use a call-and-response sequence to get children’s attention, their brain is triggered with positive neural transmitters. You’re wiring their brain to smile while they give you their attention! A chant (rather than a command) is rhythmic and fun so the “joyful” chemicals are released in the brain. When you just bark a command, the “stress” chemicals are released in the brain. Which do you think will bring about the best results? Of course, it will be the playful chants that trigger a joyful response! Try it and see how it works for you. To make this as easy as possible for you to begin a new routine in your classroom, we’ve created a fun little resource for you with a dozen call-and-response chants on individual cards that you can cut apart and put on a binder ring for easy reference all year! Click HERE to download them now.
Cheering you on this week! -Your ECCN team
Colossians 3:16 “Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.” |
