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"Tableau" is a drama term that you may have heard before, even if you aren't an experienced drama teacher. But what is it really, and how can you use it effectively in your drama lessons? What is tableau? Tableau is essentially a freeze-frame of a scene. Instead of...

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Beginner's Guide To Teaching Elementary Drama - Stageworthy By Widy

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"Tableau" is a drama term that you may have heard before, even if you aren't an experienced drama teacher. But what is it really, and how can you use it effectively in your drama lessons? What is tableau? Tableau is essentially a freeze-frame of a scene. Instead of...

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The fourth post ever on Mis Clases Locas was about my favorite weekly classroom tradition baile viernes, where we start class on Friday with dance. It was also the most popular post of 2014. It seems that many people still want more ideas of how to Get your Spanish Class Moving. Since I get a lot of questions about dancing in class, I decided it was time for an update. Here are five ways to utilize dance in any classroom, as well as some frequently asked questions.

In the original post for baile viernes, explains how our tradition started with having a dance video projected during passing time on Fridays. Some students RUN to class to get the chance to dance. I typically try to pick one video that is used in all classes for the day. I have Youtube playlist with enough videos for years. After the bell rings we may reply the video if there is interest. The reasoning for Friday is as well all know there is a LOT of extra energy and this dancing helps to get out the Friday wiggles.

By request I also have a brand new dance resource for FRENCH teachers! La danse de vendredi gets your French classes in on the fun. (A big thank you to awesome French teachers Megan Sulewski & Wendy Farabaugh for your feedback and editing skills).

I have been really into using brain breaks to split up my class for overall better engagement. This post has a ton of ideas on what to use for quick breaks that get the brain reactivated and ready for the second set of input. A go to activity for classes who love baile viernes is they request to do a dance video. In similar fashion I project a video (my students this year love all of the Just Dance videos in Spanish), students dance, and we move on with the next activity. You could also do the video cantaninja style, where a student gets to pick when to watch or dance to a video. This can be a rotating student job.

Besides just playing a video, I know a lot of teachers have had great success actually teaching their students an authentic dance. This site from the Kennedy Center has unit resources, videos and standards about using Latin dance in the Spanish classroom. Are you starting a unit on Argentina? Use basic Youtube videos (or even a real person if you have access) to learn the basic steps of the tango. Using the book Felipe Alou set in the Dominican Republic? Teach about Merengue using this unit and actually learn to do it. Do you teach little guys? Try the basic Mexican Hat Dance. I taught this to the Kindergarten class in our school. When students actually experience the language in context, they are more likely to remember it.

Some classes love to dance so much they will beg for more after one dance to start class or a brain break. My typical response it that if there is extra time at the end of class, they can dance. Often students work hard, get their work done and then get to use the last three minutes to dance. It is a win win. Students work hard, are rewarded with a positive activity, and we have something happening until the final bell. It could also be used for schools that have PAT or Preferred Activity Time. Students earn time during the week for positive behavior that is rewarded in the last 15 or so minutes of class Friday.

Have you ever had a day when there is an unexpected assembly, testing or some other interruption which means classes will be 15 minutes, or you will only see one section of two? Dance is a positive use of this time when requested by the students. I once had ever single seventh grader in my room dancing for a full thirty minutes for a filler after an event on a day before break. Have you had to supervise inside recess? Put on some dance videos and get that energy out. Here is my Dance Play list in English, Dance Play list in French & Dance Play list in Spanish.

No. The thing is even those who chose not to dance enjoy being a part of the class culture. Are there students who pay to go to a school dance and never actually dance? Absolutely. Just because someone is not up front dancing, does not mean they do not enjoy being a part of the class community.

I work hard to create a positive classroom environment, and this means being ok with being vulnerable in front of peers speaking in Spanish, making mistakes, being goofy, and even dancing. I think that this supportive and positive community is essential to making dancing successful in any class. I dance with my students, never taking myself to seriously and having fun with them. I know a lot of teachers like to dim the lights and shut the curtains to make it more fun and less embarrassing to those not in on the class secret.

Just like everything in the classroom, those of us that take big risks, have both great success and huge flops. Like anything in the classroom, learn from our mistakes, tweak it, and try again, hopefully with better success. The time of day is huge and afternoon classes are ALWAYS more into dancing. I had a group of Spanish 2 students last year after lunch that were notorious for getting every single person in class to dance every Friday. I have those exact students (plus more) in Spanish 3 this year 1st hour. I play the video and they just sit there, not able to function well at 8am. I don't take it personal, we just go about business and sometimes at the end of class they are awake enough to want to dance.

Do your students dance? Please share how & use #baileviernes & tag me on social media!

More dance resources
**If you want the best deal possible on all of Mis Clases Locas music resources, including all baile viernes, all together, check out the Mega Music Bundle.
More Dance Resources & Blog Post

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The fourth post ever on Mis Clases Locas was about my favorite weekly classroom tradition baile viernes, where we start class on Friday with dance. It was also the most popular post of 2014. It seems that many people still want more ideas of how to Get your Spanish Class Moving.

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Physical Education (PE) isn't the only class that should emphasize movement! Whatever the grade or subject area, every teacher can effectively incorporate movement into the school day. Most students take fewer than 5,000 steps during a non-PE school day. (That's including one recess!) Health experts recommend at least 10,000 steps or 60 minutes of physical activity a day.

Adding physical activity to classrooms will result in more focused, better-behaved students who can accomplish even more throughout the school day.

Physical Activity Improves Academics and Social-Emotional Well-Being

It should go without saying that movement is good for us. Emerging research suggests that more physical education, recess, and physical activity can improve academic achievement (CDC, 2015). Physical activity in the classroom has been shown to increase cognition, memory, and recall.

Increases in daily physical activity are also positively associated with socialemotional aspects of learning such as mood, behavior, and stress level.

A Classroom Culture

Most teachers already implement sensory or movement breaks, which are a great start.

Examples of effective movement breaks can be found at www.GoNoodle.com and www.brain-breaks.com. Once physical activity is woven into the daily routine, it can become part of the classroom culture. Students and teachers will feel the positive effects of being active.

Lead by example! Let students see you enjoy moving in the classroom throughout the day.

Simple Strategies for More Movement in the Classroom

Don't just sit around: When students need to be seated, consider seating such as physio-balls, balance discs, or ergonomic stools. Standard desks can also be modified for movement by using resistance bands or rubber bands around the legs of the desk to use as a wiggle bar.

Stand up: When convenient, students can use standing desks or stations).The act of standing burns more calories and expends more energy.

It also increases blood flow, oxygen uptake, and muscular fitness.

Walk and talk: When students work in pairs, why not walk and talk? Teachers can encourage movement through walking in the classroom and the school building as space allows.

Keep count: When students arrive at school, keep count of their steps using inexpensive pedometers or phones (for older students). Tracking steps is motivating and can be incorporated into the classroom and reinforced at home. Help students set goals, track steps, crunch numbers, chart progress, and more.

Take it outside: Students enjoy the change of scenery and benefit from fresh air.

Outdoor space allows for plenty of gross motor movement. Physical activity should become an expectation during the school day.

If teachers appreciate the connection between exercise and learning, students will too.
Lynn Pantuosco-Hensch is a professor in the Movement Science, Sport, and Leisure Studies Department at Westfield State University.

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Making Movement a Part of Your Classroom Culture | NEA

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Physical Education (PE) isn't the only class that should emphasize movement! Whatever the grade or subject area, every teacher can effectively incorporate movement into the school day. Most students take fewer than 5,000 steps during a non-PE school day. (That's including one recess!)

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An art education blog full of lessons, classroom management ideas, and classroom decor resources.

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Digital Flipbook Maker - Create Online Flipbook with FlippingBook

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With FlippingBook, you can easily сonvert your PDF to a digital flipbook with a realistic page flip effect, custom branding, powerful videos, and more. No credit card required Take your plain PDF to a new level-make an interactive digital flipbook that's so easy to publish and share online.

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Browse Reading & Writing Educational Resources | Education.com

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Browse Reading & Writing Educational Resources. Award winning educational materials designed to help kids succeed. Start for free now!

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Our library provides effective, research-based classroom strategies to help strengthen your students' skills in phonological awareness, decoding, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and writing.

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The SAG-AFTRA Foundation's Daytime Emmy-nominated, Storyline Online, features celebrated actors reading children's books to inspire a love of reading in millions of children worldwide.

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Storybird - Read, write, discover, and share the books you'll always remember.

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Become a better writer with Storybird's creativity tools. Online courses, challenges, and reader feedback will help you improve your writing.

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Number talks were developed for classroom teachers to engage students in "mental math" through grappling with interesting mathematics problems. Educators can use number talks regularly as introductions to the day's mathematical practice, as "warm ups" for other lessons, or as stand-alone extended engagements with mathematical concepts. The teachers in these videos are from schools participating in the Silicon Valley Mathematics Initiative.

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Number talks were developed for classroom teachers to engage students in "mental math" through grappling with interesting mathematics problems. Educators can use number talks regularly as introductions to the day's mathematical practice, as "warm ups" for other lessons, or as stand-alone extended engagements with mathematical concepts.

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Launch, Explore, Discuss

At the elementary, middle, and high school levels we use a "Launch, Explore, Discuss" lesson structure which allows us to build class routines for exploring a rich problem in a student centered way. The launch, explore, discuss framework forefronts student thinking and supports understanding and discussion of student problem solving strategies (as opposed to procedures, answer getting, or speed). Discussion of mathematical ideas is student generated and situates students as the mathematical authority in the classroom.

A launch, explore, discuss lesson structure is also used in Cognitively Guided Instruction (CGI) . CGI is a student-centered approach to teaching math at the elementary level that starts with what students already know and builds on their natural number sense and intuitive approaches to problem solving. When we use a CGI launch, explore, discuss lesson structure we focus on understanding student thinking, asking smart questions, and supporting students in listening to and thinking about each other's ideas.

​

Launch-Explore-Discuss in Action

Why Use a Launch, Explore, Discuss Lesson Structure?

Karen Underwood, one of our elementary MAIC teachers reflects on why she uses a launch explore discuss lesson structure with her 3rd grade students. Karen is in her 3rd year of teaching at the time of this video.

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Launch, Explore, Discuss At the elementary, middle, and high school levels we use a "Launch, Explore, Discuss" lesson structure which allows us to build class routines for exploring a rich problem in a student centered way. The launch, explore, discuss framework forefronts student thinking and supports understanding and discussion of student problem solving strategies (as opposed to procedures, answer getting, or speed).

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"Better yet, what if I said you could meet the needs of all your students at the same time?"
Well, you're in for a special treat.

I'm writing a 5-part blog series about this very topic.

One major way to review math skills that you've already taught is, drumroll please:
M-A-T-H C-E-N-T-E-R-S!
Before we go any further, I want to let you in on a secret...when center time is done right you'll see high levels of student engagement and meaningful practice...HOWEVER, when done wrong center time can be a time of major frustration for you and your kids.

And this is the reason why many teachers avoid center time like the plague. (Been there)

I'm here to tell you that you can have effective math centers in your classroom. Don't worry! I've got you covered.

This series will cover ALL major aspects of math centers.

Part 1 - Planning for Math Centers

Part 2 - Organizing Math Centers

Part 3 - Managing Math Centers

Part 4 - How to Make Center Time Meaningful

Part 5 - Troubleshooting Your Centers

Let's kick this thing off and talk about why you should be doing centers in the first place.

3 Reasons Why You Should Be Doing Math Centers

Reason #1: Math Centers Differentiate Experiences for Kids

Every time I ask teachers what's their biggest math struggle, the number one response is "how to meet the needs of all my students".

Does this sound familiar? I know it's something I constantly had on my mind.

In my early teaching career, I was told "Differentiate. Differentiate. Differentiate". Here's the thing. Nobody told me exactly how to do it.

Differentiation is a very broad term and can be overwhelming. Let me break it down a little bit.

There are three major buckets of differentiation: product, process and content.

1. Product - how kids choose to learn

2. Process - how kids make sense of what they learn

3. Content - what kids learn

Meaning there are sooo many ways to differentiate instruction.

...BUT this is where centers really shine.

Math centers can be used to differentiate:

through product - allow for student choice (i.e. choice boards, multiple activities, select a task)

through process - provide ways for students to make sense of the content (i.e. partner talk, journaling, prompts)

through content - provide a variety of ways to learn/review/explore (i.e. manipulatives, games, open-ended tasks)

Effective centers support different learning styles (visual, auditory, kinesthetic, etc.) and provide a variety of ways for children to explore content.

Reason #2: Math Centers Allow for Ongoing Practice

The best thing about centers is that they give students extra time to practice previously taught skills.

As we all know, all the kids in your classroom do not master skills simultaneously. Some may get it the same day you teach it, while others may get it a few weeks later.

The right centers will give your kids sufficient practice in the areas they need versus random activities.

Reason #3: Math Centers Gives You Time to Work with a Teacher Led Small Group

This is where I saw the most gains with my students. No joke!

If you are constantly trying to find the time to work with your struggling students or you want to push some of your kids to the next level, THIS IS THAT TIME.

When you get your math centers to the point where everything is running smoothly, you'll be able to pull small groups of students to work with on the things that they need. And you'll see your students grow!

Hopefully you are now amped up and want to get started with math centers ASAP.

You may be thinking right now,

"How do I get started with all of this?" or "I use math centers but I want to get even better,"

...then you will love my next post because it's all about planning for your centers.

Next topic: Planning for Math Centers

Don't have time to wait? Take a deeper dive into Math Centers NOW....

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The Ultimate Guide to Math Centers Blog Series

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"Better yet, what if I said you could meet the needs of all your students at the same time?" Well, you're in for a special treat. I'm writing a 5-part blog series about this very topic. One major way to review math skills that you've already taught is, drumroll please: M-A-T-H C-E-N-T-E-R-S!

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Resources for Gifted Children & Their Families | Davidson Institute

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Free resources and guides for gifted students, families, and educators on some of the most popular topics surrounding giftedness.

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Overview

Utah educators are committed to the belief that education is a means by which each individual has the opportunity to reach their fullest potential. We believe that all students have a right to educational experiences that challenge their individual development .

In Utah Local Education Agencies (LEAs), including districts and charter schools, establish local methods to identify and serve gifted and talented students. The purpose of identification and services are for students to receive extended or accelerated opportunities to achieve growth annually at the highest level possible.

Utah defines gifted and talented students as students in grades K-8 that the LEA identifies as having an ability that is significantly above the typical ability of a student within the same age group in: general intellectual ability; specific academic fields including: language arts, mathematics, or science; or creative thinking.

Gifted and talented services are opportunities with increased depth, complexity, or rigor provided to gifted and talented students. LEAs choose the services provided locally which may include: accommodations in the regular classroom; pull-out programs; advanced classes; varied grouping strategies; enrichment; acceleration; differentiation of curriculum and instruction dual enrollment; magnet schools; academic competitions; or other services.

Gifted and Talented Coordinator Contact List
Google Docs

For questions regarding local identification and services in a district or charter school, please contact the local coordinator.

If you are a Gifted and Talented Coordinator in a district or charter school, please e-mail Trish Stephens-French to be added to the coordinator mailing list.

Educator Endorsements

The Gifted and Talented Endorsement may be added to an Educator License with an Early Childhood, Elementary, Secondary, or Special Education area of concentration. This endorsement will allow the candidate to assume teaching and leadership positions in the education of gifted, talented, and creative youth. There are many quality programs in the state that offer the required courses.

Please follow the directions on the application to apply to have a completed endorsement added to an active educator license.

Utah Gifted and Talented Endorsement Overview
Google Docs

The purpose of this document is to explain the purpose and components of the Utah Gifted and Talented Endorsement. This information is intended to support Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs), Local Education Agencies (LEAs), course instructors, and students in understanding the endorsement as an overview.

Gifted and Talented Endorsement Course Offerings
Google Docs

This contact list is not comprehensive. Districts and universities may be contacted to inquire about the availability of classes, schedules, etc. Please contact Shannon Olson if your information is missing in the course offerings.

Policies and Guidance

Handbook
Utah's Gifted and Talented: Grades K-12 Handbook
This handbook is organized to respond to questions that district/charter personnel may have or need to answer regarding gifted and talented education, and may be used to help design and implement best practices for gifted students in Utah's classrooms. This publication is intended to be used as a technical support document only, and does not have the weight of law. This version of the handbook was released in 2017. There have been changes to board rule since 2020 and the handbook does not yet reflect those changes.

Guidance Documents

Coming soon.

Frequently Asked Questions

Gifted and Talented Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Google Docs

Legislation

Senate Bill (S.B.) 122: Parental Rights in Public Education
Utah State Legislature

Refer to lines 73-76:

(6)(a) An LEA shall reasonably accommodate a parent's or guardian's written request to place a student in a specialized class or an advanced course.

(b) An LEA shall consider multiple academic data points when determining an accommodation under Subsection (6)(a).

S.B. 151: Accelerated Student Program Amendments
Utah State Legislature

This bill passed in the 2020 General Session removes early college programs from the Enhancement for Accelerated Students Program.

Title 53F-2-408: Enhancement for Accelerated Students Program
Utah State Legislature

This Utah Code requires the Utah State Board of Education to make rules for the allocation of money for gifted and talented programs.

Reports

Enhancement for Accelerated Students Program
Utah State Legislature

The Compendium of Budget Information (COBI) detail's Utah's budget and related financial transactions. It contains summaries of issues faced by legislators, performance measures, background information, financial history, and references to statutory authority.

Rules

R277-707: Enhancement for Accelerated Students Program
Utah State Board of Education Administrative Rules

This board rule defines gifted and talented programs and outlines procedures for programs offered by Local Education Agencies (LEAs) that apply for state funding.

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Utah educators are committed to the belief that education is a means by which each individual has the opportunity to reach their fullest potential. We believe that all students have a right to educational experiences that challenge their individual development .

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"It's time to do homework." 😱

This simple phrase is often dreaded by kids and parents. And it's understandable.

With so many changes this year, including much more learning from home, parents want to stay involved in their children's education more than ever. But spending too much time on homework only seems to lead to distraction, frustration or exhaustion (or all of the above).

It might feel like a constant battle, and homework stress can lead to burnout and anxiety for kids if you're not careful.

That's why brain breaks for kids are so important for reducing stress and keeping kids motivated to learn!

But first, what is a brain break?

What are brain breaks for kids?

Brain breaks are mental breaks kids can take in between learning tasks.

They're often used at school during class time, or at home during homework time. These activities can be active or relaxing, depending what's needed for each child.

Photo by Ketut Subiyanto

The purpose of brain breaks is to switch neural activity to different networks.

When kids are working, most of their energy goes to specific parts of the brain that are used for attention and critical thinking. Brain breaks reset these areas to reduce stress and improve learning when kids return to task.

Brain breaks often focus on physical movement, mindfulness or sensory activities. These activities stimulate other areas of the brain that are equally important, but aren't used as much when kids are working and learning.

Most importantly, brain breaks are:

1. Short - Around 3-5 minutes is optimal.

2. Pre-planned - Kids know they're coming and can look forward to them.

Want to help your child learn in a fun and engaging way?

Prodigy - the game-based math platform used by millions of students - can help get your child excited to practice math.

As your child embarks on their learning journey, use your parent account (which you can create for free) to support their learning progress and promote a growth mindset - all while they enjoy new virtual adventures and explore exciting worlds. They'll have so much fun playing the game, they won't even realize how much they're actually learning.

Plus, you can engage your child even more with a Premium Membership that unlocks extra features to make the game even more fun (and includes amazing benefits for parents, too).

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37 Brain break activities for kids to try

Use these brain break ideas to build up a list of activities you can pull from. Whether your child is in elementary, middle or high school, you can find an activity that works for them to break up the school day or homework sessions.

Physical brain breaks for kids

These brain breaks get kids up and moving. Help your child burn off some energy so they can stay focused when working by taking movement breaks between lessons.

1. Dancing

Encourage your child to get up and groove and do a brain break dance party. Take a quick dance break together, or even have a dance-off (singing along is also highly recommended).

A fun variation on the dance idea is trying out freeze dance, where kids have to freeze when the music stops.

2. Action songs

Action songs are unique dance breaks that provide exact instructions for what to do. Kids have tons of fun following along with the moves and learning each of the songs.

3. Cardio

Do some fun physical activities that get the heart pumping. Try alternating between exercises like jumping jacks, skipping and jogging in place.

Or throw on a kid-friendly video and learn a new workout together!

4. Balloon volleyball

All you need for this brain break is a balloon! Choose one in your child's favorite color, then take turns passing it back and forth without letting it touch the ground.

For a challenge, add an extra balloon and see if you can pass them both at the same time.

5. Exercise ball

If you have an exercise ball handy, give your child a few minutes to sit and bounce. This is a super easy and fun way to quickly get some excess energy out.

6. Brain tricks

Try some action-based brain tricks with your child. For example, have them try to pat their head while rubbing their stomach, blink one eye while snapping with the opposite hand, or anything else you can think of!

This brain break is a fun way to challenge your child and help them develop important coordination skills.

7. Act like...

A fun way to engage kids is to give them different scenarios to act out. See how many they can do in 3 minutes. Then get them to give you scenarios so you can show off your acting skills, too!
Try asking them to act like:

They're driving a car

They're blowing bubbles

A bee is flying around them

They just met their favorite singer

8. Simon says

This classic action game is a fun brain break that also requires good listening skills. Create your own game or play a video version for your child.

9. Animal actions

Use dice or a spinner to choose random animals, then ask your child to act like that animal. You can also take turns being a different animal, then vote on your favorite at the end!

Relaxing brain breaks for kids

These brain breaks help kids calm down and reset their energy. They're especially helpful if your child is starting to feel stressed about what they're working on.

1. Yoga poses

Get the body moving, while also helping kids relax and practice mindfulness. Yoga can be a huge stress reliever for all ages, so join in when you can!

2. Calming music

Listen to a relaxing song to help your child unwind. Have them sit somewhere comfortable, relax and enjoy the music in between learning tasks.

3. Calming videos

Find short clips on YouTube Kids to play for your child. Choose a few new ones based on their interests, or find videos you already know they enjoy watching.

4. Coloring

Let your child color a picture (or a piece of a picture). This is a relaxing way to get creative juices flowing. Plus, they can display the final product when they're done!

Use a coloring page or give your child a blank piece of paper to draw their own picture.

5. Deep breathing

Help your child decompress with some deep breathing exercises. This will instantly help them relax and relieve stress so they can feel ready to take on their next task.

Encourage your child to try this: breathe in through the nose while placing your hand on your stomach to feel it expand. Hold it here, then slowly breathe out through the mouth while feeling your stomach contract. Repeat.

Or, try a technique like 4-7-8 breathing or five finger breathing.

Sensory brain breaks for kids

Fresh air is always encouraged! Stepping outside for a few minutes can make a bigger difference than you'd think.

It gives kids a change of scenery and helps revitalize the senses, providing a welcome break from their homework.

2. Scavenger hunt

Give your child different things to find and explore throughout the house. During each brain break, they can try to find one new item on their list.

3. Playdough

You can do tons of different things with playdough. That's why it's always a favorite among kids!

Let your child build something new or just squish some playdough around - whatever they prefer.

Try this recipe for homemade playdough.

4. Sensory bin

Sensory bins are a popular option, especially for kids with sensory needs. You can change the items in the bin as often as you'd like to keep your child from getting bored or understimulated.

Skill-building brain breaks for kids

With these brain breaks, kids can still learn and develop new skills. Their brains still get a break when you switch the focus to a new activity.
Tip: Try to go back and forth between different subjects. For instance, if your child is working on math homework, choose a language brain break.
1. Puzzles

Get out a jigsaw puzzle and have your child work on a little bit each break, or challenge them to try different math puzzles to flex their mathematical minds.

2. Secret handshake

This brain break definitely requires your participation! Create a secret handshake with your child, then try to remember it (and maybe even add onto it) next time.

3. Segment sounds

This is an easy and fun way to build language skills.

Give your child a word or phrase, and have them segment it into sounds or syllables. They can do whatever action they want to while they segment, like clapping or stomping.
For example, the sounds in "cat" would be k-a-t. The syllables in dinosaur would be di-no-saur.
4. Story starters

Make a quick story during each brain break with story starters. Your child can either write their stories down or just say them out loud.

5. Write a book

Instead of individual stories, create a longer story together and keep building upon it as you go.

Each break, come up with a different page of the story. Once it's written, you can go back and illustrate each page!

6. Activity pages

Give your child a fun activity sheet to work on during their brain breaks. This will keep kids on a roll with worksheets, while still switching up tasks and reducing overload.

Get fun printable activities here!

7. Brain teasers

Brain teasers give kids a bit of a challenge, but are also tons of fun to solve! Choose a brain teaser for whatever subject you want them to focus on during their brain break.
Try these 45 fun brain teasers for kids (with answers).
8. Riddles

Kids love a good riddle. Give them easy ones to see how many they can solve in one brain break, or try to stump them with a tougher riddle.
Try these 43 awesome riddles for kids (with answers).
9. Learn a language

Why not learn a useful skill? Language learning is great for kids' development, and they might even find a new language they love!
Try one of these 10 best language learning apps for kids.
10. Learn to juggle

Try another interesting skill that your child can show off to their friends later! Juggling can also boost coordination and concentration abilities.

11. Talent show

Each brain break, have your child perform a different skill, like singing, dancing or even juggling (once they learn how). You can also take turns and have your whole family take part!

12. Icebreakers

Ask your child a different question every brain break. You can make the questions up, or choose them from a list of icebreakers. Your child will have fun thinking of their answers, and you'll learn more about their interests!

13. Alphabet game

Choose a category (ex. movies, food, jobs etc.), then take turns naming something from that category while going down the alphabet.

For example, if your category is food, one person might say "apples," the next person "bananas" and so on. Categorization is an important skill to practice, but the alphabet game is entertaining, too!

14. Math dice

Take two dice (the bigger the better) and have your child roll them to solve math problems, with whatever operation you choose.

For example, if your child rolls a 4 and a 6, they have to add them together to get the correct answer of 10.

Brain break games for kids

A quick game gives kids a bit of fun in between work tasks, allowing their minds to reset. And you can have fun playing games with them too!

1. Board games

In between homework tasks, give your child a turn or two at a board game. Once the work is done, you can finish the game together!

Try Blokus: a fun board game that's just like Tetris.
Or try more board games for kids.
2. Heads Up!

This game involves guessing what image or word is on your forehead from the other player giving you clues.

It's also conveniently timed for you, so after a round, your child will be ready to begin the next homework task.
Try the Heads Up! Kids app.
3. Indoor bowling

Find a level space in your home to set up a makeshift bowling lane. Then collect items to use as "pins" (try empty water bottles or toys) and use a small ball to knock them down!

4. Charades

Another classic game that everyone can enjoy! Write a few objects or phrases down, then take turns choosing one from a hat to act out. See how many each of you can guess. You can use a specific category or just make it completely random!

5. Minute to Win It

You might be familiar with the popular game show, but did you know you can play it at home?

Each minute to win it challenge is just that - a minute. That means it's perfect for brain breaks. Each break, you can give your child a different challenge to complete using any household items you have lying around.
Try these Minute to Win It games for kids and family.
Benefits of brain breaks for kids

Ever been stuck for ages on a work task, only to complete it with ease after taking a quick break?

The same is true for your child. Without breaks, children's minds can become too focused on the task at hand, which can actually prevent them from processing what they're learning.

But regular brain breaks help your child's mind reset, so they have more mental energy to learn!

Brain breaks can also:

Brain breaks are especially important for children with behavioral or sensory needs, but all children can benefit from taking some time to unwind.

5 Tips to use brain breaks effectively

1. Find the timing that works best for your child

Build a brain break schedule to help you remember to use them! This will also help your child stay motivated during work time, knowing they have a break coming up.
What should your schedule look like?
Research shows that after 10 to 30 minutes, time on task starts to decline. This means scheduling a 3-5 minute brain break every 20 minutes or so will be best for most kids. But depending on your child's age and specific needs, this timing may need to be adjusted.

You can also plan breaks around tasks instead of timing. For example, you might decide to give your child a brain break once they answer 5 math questions.

Figure out what your child responds best to, and create a brain break schedule that works for both of you.

But be flexible when the time comes. If your child's attention seems to be fading, start a brain break early. If they're on a roll, hold off on taking a break.

2. Find the right brain break for your child

Think about what your child responds best to, then use this to figure out what kind of brain break they need.

Are breaks more effective when they relax or when they get up and move? Is it best to keep them learning or give their minds a rest? This could vary from day-to-day, so try to gauge energy levels to determine what will work best.

Make sure you have options from each category so you can use the most effective brain break each day!

3. Make a list of activities

Create a list to ensure you always have options. This way, you'll have no problem thinking of a fun brain break to give your child when the time comes.

Write or print them on a piece of paper, or use a more creative option:

Put them on large dice or beach balls

Write them on paper or popsicle sticks to pull from a box or jar

Print a brain breaks bingo card to complete (you can use an existing one or make your own)

Once you have your list, you can choose the brain breaks yourself, let your child choose or make it a surprise!

4. Use a timer

Keep time with a stopwatch or phone timer to ensure your break lasts the right amount of time.

Too short, and kids might not get enough of a break. Too long, and they might become distracted and reluctant to return to the task at hand.

Make sure the timer is somewhere your child can see, so they can be fully prepared to get back to work when it's time.

5. Talk about it afterward

When work is finished, talk to kids about their experiences.

This gives them a chance to provide feedback that will help you understand how you can optimize your brain breaks.

Ask your child the following questions:

What was your favorite brain break?

How did you find today's work/homework?

How do you think the brain break helped you?

Brain breaks work for younger and older kids

At first glance, brain breaks might just seem like a fun distraction for kids to have a quick indoor recess. And while that's true, there are so many more benefits for kids and educators.

Brain breaks provide relief from constant hands-on learning. They can relieve stress, alleviate pressure and even help boost self-esteem if done right.

Next time your child or students are working, watch how much they get energized from these short breaks. You might even start adding them to your day.

We hope you found a new favorite in this list of brain break ideas and activities.

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And with a Premium Membership, you can engage kids even more! While they enjoy all their extra in-game benefits and rewards, you'll get parent features and benefits that will help you help them love learning.
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37 Brain Breaks for Kids: Quick, Easy and Educational

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"It's time to do homework." 😱 This simple phrase is often dreaded by kids and parents. And it's understandable. With so many changes this year, including much more learning from home, parents want to stay involved in their children's education more than ever.

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Everyone can use a little break sometimes. Maybe it's because your students have been studying diligently or working on challenging concepts, or perhaps a holiday is approaching or one has just wrapped up. Of course, it's also possible that your students simply need a quick break from the norm to refocus and be productive.

Whatever the reason, having a stock of cool brain break activity ideas on hand can be a lifesaver. Let's review some break ideas that you can use in your class so your students can feel re-energized and ready to go.

And hey - these brain breaks can be great for you as a teacher, too! It's wonderful to free yourself from the regular routines once in a while and have some fun with your students.

1. The atom game

There are many variations of this game. One way to carry it out is to call out different ways for students to move around the room (or outdoor space, gymnasium, etc.). Tell them to move around like cats, dinosaurs, space aliens, very fancy people, very old people ... You get the idea! Then, call out a number with the word 'atom' (e.g., "Atom three!"). Students must then quickly join up into groups of three. Think of it like musical chairs - any stray 'atoms' are out of the game until there are two players left. I've used this game with kids from kindergarten up to eighth grade, and every grade level of students was able to have fun with it and get some energy!

2. Silent ball

This game is great because you can incorporate a little physical activity and coordination while maintaining an enviably silent room. Get a soft, medium-sized ball and let students grab a spot for themselves around the classroom. The goal is to not let the ball drop to the floor. Students must constantly pass the ball to each other without using any words or noises.

This sounds a little easier than it actually is, as students have to be really focused and responsive to body language. Add in a rule that they can't pass the ball back to the same person immediately, or that a girl must pass to a boy and vice versa - anything to keep the ball from staying with the same few students! Set a timer and have a five-minute round of silent ball; if students successfully keep the ball from dropping, give them a reward like ten minutes of free time next Friday.

3. Would you rather ...

Have the class convene in a central area of the room and pose a few thought-provoking 'would you rather'-style questions. Would you rather never have chocolate again or never have ice cream again? Would you rather have the superpower of flight or invisibility? The options are endless and super fun!

Students who pick option A would move to one side of the room and those who choose option B to the other. Then, everyone would meet back in the middle for the next round. If you want to carry over this brain break activity to your next lesson, keep track of the numbers you get from the results and have students chart the outcomes!

4. Dance up a storm

Freeze dance is a popular form of classroom dance incorporation. Play a catchy tune and let students freely dance (or call out instructions to dance in particular ways, such as "Dance as if you have a sore foot" or, "Dance as if you just woke up"). Every so often, pause the music and have students freeze on the spot, likely in comical poses!

Another variation of this idea is to use your SMART Board to have students dance along with movement songs: The Chicken Dance, the YMCA, the Macarena - you get the idea! Pull up those wedding reception classics and have a ball with your students.

5. Tried-and-true activity pages

This idea is for individual students who've finished their work and are looking for nice little break activity. These are common in classrooms for a good reason - students are engaged and quiet while taking a mental break. Crosswords, word searches, Sudoku, coloring pages for younger students ... There are tons of options! Have a small container or cardboard tray with a stack of fun pages for students to access when needed.

Speaking of coloring pages, they are not limited to your youngest students! There are fabulous, extremely detailed coloring books and pages for older students that can serve as a zen relaxation experience for kids of any age.

6. Card tricks

Now, use this one can only once per class because students will know the trick after that. First, you'll need to have one 'magician' in the class who's in on the trick. You'll draw nine 'cards' on your whiteboard in three rows of three cards each (simple rectangles are fine).

The student who knows the trick will step out of the room for a moment while the rest of the class quietly chooses a secret card. When the student returns, you'll begin pointing to cards and asking if each is the chosen one. The magician will need to respond accordingly. But how will they know which card it was if they weren't present in the room?

Ah, but therein lies the trick! You're going to show your special volunteer magician the chosen card in a sneaky way so that the other students don't figure it out. When you select the first card to ask them about, you'll actually touch a specific point on its surface to communicate the position of the true secret card within the three-by-three grid. Your helper can make a mental note of which card the class selected and respond correctly to all inquiries.

Notice that it doesn't actually matter when you point to the secret card, as long as the magician understands that the first card you point to will identify the position of the secret card in the grid. From that point onward, for all other cards, you can point to any position (in fact, you should mix it up so the class doesn't get suspicious!).

This has fascinated and stumped students from kindergarten to high school, and they have a great time trying to guess the trick!

Photo credit: Google

7. Other quiet options

Along the lines of silent ball, there are a bunch of quiet options for brain breaks. Sleepy Lions is a popular favorite, in which students remain perfectly still and quiet while one student (or you, the teacher!) peruse the room, trying to catch any movement as the guard or zookeeper.

Another super-quiet game is the birthday line-up (variations are endless here, too). Students must silently line up in the order of their birthdays. They can use gestures and hold up their fingers to denote numbers but cannot say a word. It's awesome to see the ingenuity students use to achieve this! At the end, walk down the line and have each student say their birthday aloud to see if they were successful.

Photo credit: Pixabay

8. Teach a new skill

Do you have a random skill up your sleeve that never seems to fit with your prescribed lessons or subject area? Are you a math teacher with a cool art technique you've been wanting to share with your students? Carving out a space for a brain break in the form of a mini-lesson is a great way to shake things up.

For example, I learned to fingerspell in ASL as a child and have had a blast teaching students this 'secret code language' as a departure-from-the-norm activity over the years. The bonus is that students are learning something interesting and important and are able to see you, their teacher, in a different light. Also, odds are that this skill will be something you're excited to share with the class - and excitement and enthusiasm are infectious!

Photo credit: Google

9. Cool down

Sometimes, just stepping away from it all for a bit can be totally refreshing. If the weather allows, head outside for a class. Let students read in the playground or schoolyard, have them carry out group discussions under a tree, or just let them run around and burn off steam while getting some fresh air.

If you want to do something similar indoors, we have some creative classroom management ideas you could try. For example, you could have a 'cool-off corner' in the class: a designated space where you can unwind for a quick break as needed.

For setting some still-fun parameters on break time, either use a timer up on the SMART Board. You can also use Classcraft's White Mountain Countdown if you want to really add some pizzazz to your countdown endeavors.

Inject some fun into your classroom!

So, if you can tell that your students are experiencing a learning overload or simply itching to get up and move, test out some of these little tricks, tips, and activities to inject some lighthearted fun back into your room! Trust me, you'll feel better, too.

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9 brain break ideas to help your students focus - Classcraft Blog

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Whatever the reason, having a stock of cool brain break activity ideas on hand can be a lifesaver. Here are some breaks you can use in your classroom!

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Physical Education (PE) isn't the only class that should emphasize movement! Whatever the grade or subject area, every teacher can effectively incorporate movement into the school day. Most students take fewer than 5,000 steps during a non-PE school day. (That's including one recess!) Health experts recommend at least 10,000 steps or 60 minutes of physical activity a day.

Adding physical activity to classrooms will result in more focused, better-behaved students who can accomplish even more throughout the school day.

Physical Activity Improves Academics and Social-Emotional Well-Being

It should go without saying that movement is good for us. Emerging research suggests that more physical education, recess, and physical activity can improve academic achievement (CDC, 2015). Physical activity in the classroom has been shown to increase cognition, memory, and recall.

Increases in daily physical activity are also positively associated with socialemotional aspects of learning such as mood, behavior, and stress level.

A Classroom Culture

Most teachers already implement sensory or movement breaks, which are a great start.

Examples of effective movement breaks can be found at www.GoNoodle.com and www.brain-breaks.com. Once physical activity is woven into the daily routine, it can become part of the classroom culture. Students and teachers will feel the positive effects of being active.

Lead by example! Let students see you enjoy moving in the classroom throughout the day.

Simple Strategies for More Movement in the Classroom

Don't just sit around: When students need to be seated, consider seating such as physio-balls, balance discs, or ergonomic stools. Standard desks can also be modified for movement by using resistance bands or rubber bands around the legs of the desk to use as a wiggle bar.

Stand up: When convenient, students can use standing desks or stations).The act of standing burns more calories and expends more energy.

It also increases blood flow, oxygen uptake, and muscular fitness.

Walk and talk: When students work in pairs, why not walk and talk? Teachers can encourage movement through walking in the classroom and the school building as space allows.

Keep count: When students arrive at school, keep count of their steps using inexpensive pedometers or phones (for older students). Tracking steps is motivating and can be incorporated into the classroom and reinforced at home. Help students set goals, track steps, crunch numbers, chart progress, and more.

Take it outside: Students enjoy the change of scenery and benefit from fresh air.

Outdoor space allows for plenty of gross motor movement. Physical activity should become an expectation during the school day.

If teachers appreciate the connection between exercise and learning, students will too.
Lynn Pantuosco-Hensch is a professor in the Movement Science, Sport, and Leisure Studies Department at Westfield State University.

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Making Movement a Part of Your Classroom Culture | NEA

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Physical Education (PE) isn't the only class that should emphasize movement! Whatever the grade or subject area, every teacher can effectively incorporate movement into the school day. Most students take fewer than 5,000 steps during a non-PE school day. (That's including one recess!)

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The Kinesthetic Classroom: Teaching and Learning through Movement | Michael Kuczala | TEDxAshburn

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Having a positive classroom culture is one of the most important elements of a successful learning environment and thus teachers should actively work towards creating a classroom culture that encourages participation and student success.

The Wingspread Declaration on school connections states that students have more likelihood of success when they feel connected to school. When students feel that adults in the school care about them as people as well as their learning they are more likely to feel connected.

The Declaration, based on a review of research and extensive discussion, found that for this to occur, a school must provide high expectations combined with high levels of support, a focus on positive teacher-student relationships and physical and emotional safety.

When students are connected, academic performance improves, violent and destructive incidents reduce, school attendance improves and more students complete their schooling.

There is strong scientific evidence to show that feeling connected to school is a protective factor for students against disruptive and violent behaviour, mental health issues, disengagement from school, drug use and early sexual experiences.
Prefer to watch a video? Click below
Here Are 6 Ways To Build A Positive Classroom Climate So Your Students Feel Connected To School

1. Have High Expectations For Your Students

Have high expectations for your students, for their work and their behaviour. Expect that your students will do well and encourage them by letting them know that you believe in them. Provide appropriate learning support for all students.

Take a closer look at high expectations with What Does It Mean To Have High Expectations

2. Set Up Behaviour Management Processes

Behaviour management processes in your classroom should be fair and consistent, which means they are agreed upon and understood by the students. Teach students the behaviour you expect, give them opportunities to practice and use positive reinforcement.

For practical ways to do this take a look at our post, Set Up To Win The Game.

3. Focus On Building Positive Relationships

Relationships with students is a major key to positive learning outcomes for students and school culture.

Allocate time and energy to listening to your students, getting to know them and letting them get to know you. The magic ratio for positive relationships according to John Gottman the relationship expert is 5 positive interactions: 1 negative. Not sure how to do this?

Check out one of our teaching resources on Building Positive Relationships

4. Use Effective, Evidence-Based Teaching And Learning Practices

Be prepared for your classes by considering your students and how they best learn. Provide relevant and engaging curriculum, presented in interesting and student-centred ways.

The literature review Building Resilience in Children and Young People from Helen Cahill et al, states that school connectedness contributes to positive mental health outcomes for students. The pedagogical characteristics of schools that demonstrate effective connectedness are the use of cooperative learning strategies, hands-on activities and variety of instruction.

Another popular resource of interest is How To Promote Resilience In Your Students

5. Foster Positive Relationships With Parents

Postive relationships with parents is important for many reasons. However, here I refer specifically to encourage them to share your high expectations for their children, so you can work as a team to educate. Remember, parents are their children's first teachers.

Learn more here about How To Build Relationships Wit h Parents.

6. Encourage Positive Relationships Between Students

Model the behaviour you want to see in the way students treat each other. Use respectful language and demand a high standard of relating to one another in the classroom. Explicitly teach students social skills and give them plenty of opportunities to practice.

Read how to do this effectively; How To Run Successful Group Work

And read here for 3 steps to create a positive class culture.
Ask us about how we can help you build a positive culture in your school.

What are your favourite ways to foster a positive classroom culture?

This post is featured by Twinkl in their ' Behaviour Management in the Classroom ' blog

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6 ways to build a positive classroom culture

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6 Ways To Build A Positive Classroom Culture

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Having a positive classroom culture is one of the most important elements of a successful learning environment and thus teachers should actively work towards creating a classroom culture that encourages participation and student success.

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EP124: Keeping it Positive How to maintain a positive classroom culture in difficult times

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Classroom Management - Attention signals

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What To Do When Students Won't STOP Talking

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Listen to this post as a podcast:
Sponsored by Kiddom and mysimpleshow
I have a multiple-choice question for you.
Suppose you're standing at your classroom door, greeting students as they arrive. One of them-let's call him Gabe-comes through and sees that on the daily agenda, you've written "Choose topics for speeches." Right away, his shoulders slump.

"Oh man," he says to no one in particular, "I hate speeches!"

What do you say?

A. What? Speeches are awesome.

B. You talk all the time! You're gonna love it.

C. Shocker! Gabe has another complaint.

D. Gabe, we enter the room silently, please.

E. What do you hate about speeches, Gabe?

With options A through D, you're arguing with Gabe, dismissing his feelings, attacking him personally, or ignoring what he said altogether.

But with option E, you're reacting with curiosity. You're trying to learn more. With option E, you're already on your way to validating Gabe's point of view.

Validation is the act of recognizing and affirming the feelings or perspective of another person. It's acknowledging that these thoughts and feelings are true for that person. It's a very simple, astoundingly fast way to make progress in a conversation: It eases tension, builds trust, and gets you and the other person to a solution more quickly.

The only problem with validation is that at first, it's really hard to do. We're so used to defending our own position, to staying sort of clenched in our own stance, that shifting to a place where we try to see things from another point of view can feel unnatural, almost painful at first. But once you've given it a real try, you're going to see some of your most difficult conversations get a whole lot better.

Why Validation Works

People want to be understood. They want to feel heard.

When a person doesn't feel heard, she just clings more tightly to her own position. It really is that simple, and it's one of the reasons so many conflicts last so long and often escalate to ridiculous proportions. People on both sides of any conflict try and try to explain and defend themselves, to make the other person see something the way they see it.

And unfortunately, our typical responses usually make the situation worse:

Arguing with the other person's viewpoint, like saying that speeches are awesome in response to Gabe's statement, is a natural reaction, but it probably won't impact his opinion. He'll most likely want to come back with an argument about why speeches do suck, and you'll just go back and forth. Until he feels heard, Gabe will have a hard time considering your point of view.

Dismissing the other person's feelings, like pointing out to Gabe that he talks all the time and therefore couldn't possibly dislike speeches, will not only not change his mind, it will also make him feel misunderstood. His original negative emotion tied to speeches has now been joined by a feeling of frustration that you just don't get him. And depending on how serious the underlying problem is, your flippant dismissal could really hurt.

Ignoring the person's concern by focusing on something else, like we did when we merely addressed a rule about being quiet, can make a person feel like they just don't matter. Reminding Gabe to enter the room quietly doesn't actually change his mind about the speeches. It hasn't taken any of the negative feelings away. And by completely ignoring his concern, we are telling him that his feelings just aren't important.

Ad hominem attacks, like the snide comment about Gabe complaining all the time, are another way of dismissing and delegitimizing the other person's viewpoint. When our students voice a concern and we accuse them of being insubordinate, asking "silly questions," or trying to stall or waste time, we are attacking them personally while avoiding the content of what they're saying. This response can be the most destructive: Not only does the person still feel the way they felt before, but now they have added a layer of resentment toward you.

In all of these cases, the other person has not learned anything new, you have not come to any new understandings or solved any problems, and you have very likely created new negative feelings. Keep repeating this cycle and you have the makings of a problem relationship.

In schools, where our business requires constant interaction with other people, conflicts and misunderstandings are always available to us. And they cause all kinds of problems: They disrupt instructional time, interfere with student understanding, escalate into major power struggles that lead to serious disciplinary action, and that's just the students. Among the adults in the building, unresolved disagreements create all kinds of inter-staff drama, lead to poor job satisfaction, and can ultimately end in teachers leaving their jobs.

Things go differently with validation. When people practice validating each other's feelings and opinions at the first sign of trouble, conflicts rarely escalate. Instead, they become conversations. They become opportunities to learn from each other.

How to Validate in Three Steps

Step 1: Reflect the Content

The most important thing to do is simply paraphrase the main thing the person is saying to you to make sure you understand. Doing this lets them know you're listening, and if you remove all sarcasm and "attitude" from your voice, you'll sound interested and curious, not judgmental.

In some cases, like with Gabe, you might have to start with a question like "What do you hate about speeches?"

Assuming he gives you some kind of an answer, like "I don't like being in front of all those people," then you'd just restate that. You might say, "So it's all the people watching that you don't like."

If the person's explanation is longer or more complicated, you might use phrases like these:

What I hear you saying is ________. Is that right?

Let me see if I'm understanding you right...

In other words, _____

Step 2: Acknowledge the Emotion

The other person will really feel heard if you can label the emotion they are describing, or ask a question to clarify the emotion. Here are some examples:

That sounds frustrating.

It sounds like you're feeling worried.

So you felt confused?

How did you feel about that?

With Gabe, you could simply say, "Speaking in front of people makes you uncomfortable." This reflects both the content and the emotion in one fell swoop.

Step 3: Communicate Acceptance

An important part of validation is letting the person know that you accept their feelings as they are. You may not feel the same way, and their feelings might create problems for you, but they are what they are. Try some of these phrases:

I can see why you'd feel that way.

A lot of people feel that way.

That's understandable.

It can be (upsetting, frustrating, nerve-racking, scary) when that happens.

Now if you strongly disagree with something a person is saying and you just can't bring yourself to accept it, try looking for the part you DO agree with, the part you can relate to. When arguing about a proposed new academic policy in school, for example, you might really dislike the idea itself, but you can start by saying that you also care very much about student success and you agree that the current system needs fixing.

In some cases, you might even need to think back to a time when you felt or believed the same thing as the person you're talking to. Even if you feel differently now, you can affirm that this feeling or belief is understandable from a certain perspective.

And Then?

Once you've done these three things-reflected the content, acknowledged the emotion, and communicated acceptance-what comes next? Sometimes, nothing at all. You might just end the conversation there, with the other person returning to their thoughts, finally released from defending their point of view and ready to move on to a place of deeper contemplation.

Or the person might keep talking about this thing that's bothering them-probably in a much calmer, more productive way-and all you have to do is listen quietly. They may arrive at their own solution without much need for your help.

At other times, you might need to continue to ask open-ended questions like, "Can you tell me more about that?" so the person can keep talking, and you might get to a new place of understanding on the issue.

Another thing that's likely to happen is that the person will start to acknowledge your position without you even having to ask for it. This isn't something you should expect, and you might have to introduce it on your own by saying something like, "Can I tell you how I see it?" But in a lot of cases, you're going to be surprised by how quickly the validated person wants to return the favor.

The Pushback: Why We Resist Validating

Despite the incredible effectiveness of reflective listening and validation, you might still not want to do it. Here are some likely objections:

I don't agree with the person, so I can't validate their opinion.

This is tough, because you're probably still trying to get your own point across. How on earth can you shift over to acknowledging their feelings? Validating another person's point of view is not the same as agreeing with them. You're just letting the person know you hear them.

Of course, it's important to make sure your words reflect that: If a student says, "I suck at math," you don't say, "Yeah you do." Instead, you could just restate their words as a question: "You don't think you're good at math?" This will prompt them to tell you more.

But their position ISN'T VALID. Why would I want to encourage it?

Remember that you're not agreeing, just restating and clarifying their position. And keep in mind that by acknowledging the part of it that is true and by letting the person know you clearly understand their position, you will actually help them cling less tightly to it. In other words, they may be more likely to see your point of view because they feel like they're dealing with a rational person who has taken the time to understand theirs.

This is all touchy-feely B.S. It's not me.

Okay, validation doesn't have to look and sound like you're in a therapist's office. You can develop your own style. It can sound tough, it can be quick, and it doesn't have to come with hugs and cupcakes if that's not who you are.

One of my CrossFit coaches, Donna, validates us all the time, and believe me, no one wants to mess with her. One time I was doing this really difficult stretch called a facing wall stretch, and she came over to basically tell me I was doing it wrong, that I needed to go lower, and so naturally I was whining about it. And she let me whine for a few seconds, then nodded at me and shouted, "CrossFit's hard, Jennifer!"

That was basically validation. It cracked me up and it renewed my resolve to try harder.

I have more important things to do. Why do I have to waste time with this stuff?

Here's the thing: If you make reflective listening and validation a regular part of your way of dealing with people, you will ultimately save yourself a TON of time.

Picture each conversation as a fork in a road. One path is the one where you argue, dismiss, or mock the other person's position. It's a loooonng road, full of continued back-and-forths, anger, and problems that build up over time, turning into much bigger and thornier issues. The other path is surprisingly short: It starts with a few minutes of reflective listening and validation, the other person feels heard, emotions stay at a reasonable pitch, and life goes on.

The problem is, people think the first path is shorter: You can quickly shut a person down with a withering comeback or silence them completely by just being loud and aggressive. But that person's opinion hasn't changed one bit. You haven't had nearly the influence you think you've had; they just feel what they're feeling even more strongly, and on top of it, now they think you're a jerk, too. You've just made the problem worse.

The thing to remember is that validation is not necessary in all interactions, but if you find yourself in frequent conflict with other people, it's definitely worth a try.

Sample Scenarios

A Student Behavior Problem

It's Thursday morning and my students are supposed to be reading silently for 10 minutes. I notice that Kendra has her book face down and is doodling on the cover of her notebook instead.

Now what I could do is give her some kind of behavior mark, or scold her, or just tell her to get back to reading. Or I could go over, squat down by her desk, and just say, in a completely neutral voice, "You're not reading. What's going on?"

Kendra might say, "It's confusing."

From there, I can reflect the content back to her, acknowledge her feelings, and communicate acceptance. I might say, "You're confused, and that makes it hard to read. I've definitely had that experience."

Then I can start helping Kendra solve the problem by saying, "Can you show me a place that confuses you?" From there, we can figure out how to get her unstuck, or maybe choose a different book.

If Kendra's problem was not actually the book at all, but a more significant problem like something going on at home, me taking a few minutes to talk to her could be incredibly valuable in helping her deal with that. Either way, we have avoided a negative interaction that could have spiraled into a much larger behavior issue if Kendra or I were in the wrong kind of mood.

A Colleague Issue

Tracy, who teaches in the classroom next door to mine, makes this comment to a group at lunch one day: "Well I just couldn't get my students to settle down this morning with all the noise coming from other rooms."

I'm pretty sure the "other room" she's referring to is mine, because my students were doing a really active group project that morning.

Now this is one of those situations that could easily turn into a bigger issue: I could pretend not to hear Tracy, since she wasn't directly addressing me, and just resent her for being passive aggressive. Quite possibly, I would shut myself into another teacher's room later and talk about Tracy behind her back.

Or I could get defensive and confront Tracy right there at the table, saying I didn't think my class was that noisy and maybe if she quit forcing her kids to sit still for 45 minutes, she'd have an easier time settling them down.

Okay I definitely wouldn't say that. I'm too much of a wimp. But I would think it.

A healthier, more productive approach would be to validate Tracy's concern.

Like I said, this isn't easy, but man, it could really make some significant changes in my relationship with Tracy. And the thing is, the main reason it isn't easy is because I'm preoccupied with defending myself, with being right. But if I can step back for just a moment and put myself in Tracy's shoes, to acknowledge that she really was frustrated, that I would probably have been frustrated, too, and that even though I didn't do it intentionally, I was partly to blame for this frustration, I can accept that and do something to repair it.

I could start by clarifying the situation, "Was the noise coming from my room?"

Assuming she says yes, I could say, "I'm so sorry. It's frustrating to try to get your kids focused when there are distractions."

That's all I'd really need to do. Tracy might not respond, or she might back off a little and add more information, maybe letting me know that the work she had students doing that day was admittedly kind of boring, or something along those lines. Regardless of what happens next, I've taken a step toward a better relationship with her, and a better understanding of how my actions impact others.

The Strength in Softening

Conflict with the people in our lives is inevitable. We want different things, we've had different life experiences. We just aren't going to see things the same way. Unfortunately, our natural instinct is to respond to these differences with rigidity, by pushing harder, protecting our own egos, digging in our heels. Some part of our brain tells us that this is the strong response.

But there can be a real strength in softening, in loosening our grip for a few minutes to take in some new information, to look at someone else's truth squarely in the eye and just let it into the room. It takes a lot more courage and self-control and self-confidence to do that. And almost every time, it softens the other person, too, opening them up to understanding you better.

That's when the real progress can begin. ♦

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Listen to this post as a podcast: Sponsored by Kiddom and mysimpleshow I have a multiple-choice question for you. Suppose you're standing at your classroom door, greeting students as they arrive. One of them-let's call him Gabe-comes through and sees that on the daily agenda, you've written "Choose topics for speeches."

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Listen to this post as a podcast:
I'll start right away by admitting I have done my fair share of yelling. As a middle school teacher, I wasn't too bad-I probably had one good yell per week. As a parent, though? Ugh. Much more. So I know the struggle.

And I know a lot of you struggle, too: Even if you're a great teacher, even if you're a swell person most days, sometimes it all gets to be too much and you just snap.

I remember the teacher in the room next to me one year, a person I completely adored. This teacher had a perfectly fine relationship with our students, but once or twice a week...Hooo-WEE! I could hear it through the walls, often accompanied by the slam of the classroom door, and it turned my blood to ice. If my students and I happened to be doing something quiet, we would all kind of freeze up listening to it. It never lasted long, but I always felt bad for my colleague during those moments. I knew a switch had been tripped and it wasn't this person's normal way of dealing with students.

And if this person was anything like me, they probably felt pretty awful when it was all over. Once the moment has passed and I have had my little tantrum, I'm ashamed of the spectacle I have made. Losing control is not a proud moment for anyone. But I have gotten a lot better in recent years, and I want to share what has worked for me, along with some research and ideas from other people who have cut way back on their yelling.

Understand Why You Need to Stop Yelling

Kicking the yelling habit will be more likely if you have a good basic understanding of why it's an ineffective way to solve classroom discipline problems.

It's Crappy Role-Modeling

Even if we accomplish nothing else in a school day, the least we can do is demonstrate a respectable level of self-control. Part of our job is to show students how to handle anger, stress, and conflict in a healthy and productive way. We can't just tell them to do that. We have to show them. And yelling is definitely not showing them healthy, productive stress management.

It Trains Students to Ignore Your Regular Voice

When your go-to strategy for handling negative situations is yelling, students ultimately tune out all of your other voice levels. A little bit of yelling becomes more yelling, which can then become louder and more frequent yelling. A regular diet of this can make students immune to even the garden-variety yelling, so you have to keep upping the volume and intensity to get their attention. It's a horrible, slippery slope.

Students Are Less Likely to Respect You

When adolescents are raised by authoritarian parents-whose methods are punitive, coercive, and often include yelling-they are less likely to view their parents as legitimate authority figures than kids whose parents have different styles, according to a 2012 study in the Journal of Adolescence (Trinkner, Cohn, Rebellon, & Van Gundy). Because parenting and teaching involve similar skill sets, it's reasonable to assume students who have authoritarian teachers feel the same way about them. The obedience you might get from yelling might look like respect, but that behavior probably doesn't match their true feelings for you.

It May Contribute to Bullying

The way students treat one another has become a major concern for educators in recent years. We tend to look at programs that aim to change student behavior and attitudes, but our own conduct may be a contributing factor: A 2010 study found that classrooms where the teacher used an authoritarian style-using punishment and coercion to influence student behavior-created an environment where bullying behavior between students was more likely to develop (Allen). "Bullying doesn't occur in a vacuum," write the authors. "A host of factors contribute to its existence, and one of them is how teachers manage their classrooms and respond to inappropriate student behavior."

It Creates Anxiety for Everyone

I don't think any research is needed to back this one up. When you yell in anger, it changes the feeling in the room; not just for the kid you're yelling at, but for everyone within earshot. That includes the teachers and students in nearby classrooms. Just a quick glance at your handy Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs will tell you that the need for safety comes way, way before the desire to satisfy any kind of cognitive or creative interests. Therefore, if your students are preoccupied by an awful, tense feeling in the room, they're much less able to do quality academic work.

Prevent the Yells Before They Start

The most effective way to combat yelling is to catch it early. These techniques will help you avoid the conditions that will make yelling more likely.

Know Your Triggers

Not everyone yells for the same reasons, so it's important to learn what triggers you, then notice the early warning signs. Like I mentioned above, yelling has been one of my biggest parenting struggles, and eleven years in, I have grown acutely aware of the things that set me off: sticky surfaces, excessive noise, and kids getting all up in my grill when they want my attention. I flail around just to make it all go away. It's not pretty. On good days, though, I am able to notice the first glimmers of irritation caused by these things, kind of face them as soon as they turn up, and make a mental note not to let them build to a big yelling outburst. So just start paying attention to the things that set you off, and see if you can catch these feelings in their early stages.

Do Regular Check-Ins with Yourself

One reason I yell is because I've gotten out of touch with how I'm feeling. I let some kind of resentment, a frustration from earlier in the day or maybe even hunger build up past the point where I could control it in a rational manner. If this sounds familiar to you, start building regular self-checks into your daily schedule. On a regular basis-maybe once an hour on the hour-take a moment to just notice how you're feeling, both physically and emotionally. Rate yourself on a scale of 1 to 10 in both mood and physical comfort, and if you find you're heading below a 5 on either scale, do something to remedy that before you sink down closer to 1, where your lizard brain is far more likely to take over and turn you into a big jerk.

In her Psychology Today article 10 Steps to Stop Yelling, Dr. Laura Markham uses the term "kindling" to describe the "resentments you start to pile up when you're having a bad day. Once you have enough kindling, a firestorm is inevitable." The only way to prevent that firestorm is to recognize when a pile of kindling is growing in a certain situation or against a particular person, and do something about it before lighting the match: Have a calm conversation with someone about the problem while you have your head on straight. You'll thank yourself later.

Examine Your Thoughts, Then Revise Them

Chances are good that the root of your yelling is coming from a set of beliefs you keep repeating to yourself. You just may not be aware of them. Here's an example. One thing that sets me off with my own kids is when I tell them to clean up a room and they're all:

If I were to look carefully at my thoughts in those moments, I think I would see something like this: They don't respect me. Look at how they just keep doing exactly what they're doing, as if they didn't even hear me. Kids who actually respect their parents would get up immediately. They would follow instructions immediately. But they don't even take me seriously. I'LL SHOW THEM!! GRRAAAAAH!!

The same happened with my students. In my first few years of teaching, I had a colleague (let's call him George) who would regularly stop by my classroom to reprimand my students if they were misbehaving. The kids would straighten up, he'd head out, and everything would be taken care of. Except I was basically humiliated. I felt weak and ineffective and embarrassed. And within the next 60 seconds I would be yelling at my kids over some small infraction. My ego had been bruised and I felt like all the other teachers thought I was a pushover. I'd show them. I'D SHOW EVERYONE! GRAAAAHH!!

The American Psychological Association recommends we control our anger with something called cognitive restructuring: "Simply put, this means changing the way you think. When you're angry, your thinking can get very exaggerated and overly dramatic. Try replacing these thoughts with more rational ones. For instance, instead of telling yourself, 'oh, it's awful, it's terrible, everything's ruined,' tell yourself, 'it's frustrating, and it's understandable that I'm upset about it, but it's not the end of the world and getting angry is not going to fix it anyhow.'" I have personally found this to be an incredibly powerful way to diffuse my own anger.

So think about the things you tell yourself that lead you to yell. Are you regularly ruminating over how disrespectful students are these days? Are you furious about the impossible pressures placed on you by standardized testing? Do you believe certain students make it their mission to sneak, lie, and cheat their way through life? Do you resent the fact that you're having to teach students whose learning or language needs go beyond your training? Sit with those thoughts and feelings a while. Listen to them long enough to be very clear on the scripts they're playing in your head. Then see what you can do about rewriting them. For more examples of how cognitive restructuring can work for teachers, read my review of Angela Watson's book Unshakeable: 20 Ways to Enjoy Teaching Every Day...No Matter What.

Watch the Multitasking

This one is from my own personal experience: When I am attempting to do something that requires concentration and one of my kids needs my attention, I am way more likely to snap at them. It's tempting to try to squeeze two tasks into one space-say, entering grades into your gradebook while your students read silently. But suppose your gradebook software freezes, you realize that the last ten grades you entered just disappeared, and right then, you notice that one of your students is kicking the desk of the girl in front of him, and it's bothering her. You're already stressed by the gradebook situation, and now Bart Simpson over there is causing problems. Are you going to handle this well? Are you going to quietly go over and tell him to stop, then deliver a consequence calmly if he does it again? I seriously doubt it.

So choose your secondary tasks wisely. Sure, if your students are working quietly and you want to file a few papers, fine. Just make sure it's an interruption-friendly task, something that doesn't require a lot of concentration, because if you choose something complex, or something that could give you problems, you're far more likely to see students as an annoying distraction.

When You Get that Yelling Feeling

If you've done everything you can to prevent the desire to yell from even coming up, and it starts coming up anyway, here are some approaches you can take to fight it face to face.

Get Closer

About six years into my life as a new parent, it suddenly dawned on me that one of the main reasons I yelled at my kids was because I didn't have the energy to physically go to where they were. I was worn out and didn't feel like getting up. Or I had my hands in the sink and a problem erupted somewhere, so instead of drying off and going to deal with it, I yelled. On her blog Lemon Lime Adventures, Dayna Abraham captured this epiphany perfectly in One Simple Tip to Help You Stop Yelling: "When the kids start to get ramped up, instead of yelling from across the room to settle down... I get closer. When the kids are starting to argue, instead of yelling above their voices to get along... I get closer. When the kids are ignoring my requests, instead of yelling my request louder... I get closer." So one way to head off your yelling is to just physically move yourself to where they are. Not only will that proximity get their attention, it will make yelling basically unnecessary.

Instead of Loud and Ranty, Go for Quiet and Concise

When you get the urge to yell, make a conscious effort to go in the opposite direction: Speak much more softly, almost in a whisper. This can actually get students' attention even more effectively than a yell. More importantly, it projects self-control. In a recent Periscope broadcast, special education teacher Amy Harris shared some important principles for dealing with explosive student behavior and staying calm in high-pressure classroom situations. "We are the adults in the situation. These are kids that we're talking about, so we can't try to get into a shouting match with them." Harris also recommends using as few words as possible, rather than delivering a long lecture: "The more you limit your words, the less you're going to get into a power struggle."

Find a Replacement

If you're mostly yelling to get the room quiet, look for an alternative. In her post 15 Creative & Respectful Ways to Quiet a Class, Angela Watson suggests countdowns, hand signals, and asking content-related questions to refocus students' attention. Or check out Todd Finley's 30 Techniques to Quiet a Noisy Class, which includes having the teacher just turn and write a message to the class on the board. My own go-to strategy when I really wanted to blow up was to grab a notebook and just start writing (a strategy I describe in this video). Repeating a mantra in your head, stepping outside your room, counting to ten...if you've made a commitment to not yell, you will find the trick that works for you.

Pretend You're on Camera

I'm embarrassed to admit this, but it might help someone else, so here goes: If nothing else works, and I feel that yell coming on, sometimes I'll pretend I'm being filmed for a reality show. I ask myself if I'm behaving in a way I would be proud of later, and that can occasionally stop me in my tracks, despite the actual lack of a camera.

Track Your Progress

Success with dropping any kind of bad habit can be reinforced if you track your progress. My yelling with my own kids got so bad at one point, I actually had to set myself a concrete goal with a reward at the end of it: If I could be yell-free for two solid weeks, I would buy myself a nice new pair of boots. I made a "No Yelling" chart to check off each yell-free day, taped it to a kitchen cabinet, and showed it to my kids so they could keep me honest. Each time I blew it-which I did, twice-I had to start over with a new chart. After I finally got through two full weeks and I stopped tracking, I would occasionally slip back into my old yelling habit, but my awareness of it had grown significantly, and that's what stuck.

Now I know that if I ever start getting really bad again, I can always work toward another new pair of boots. ♥
References
Allen, K. P. (2010). Classroom management, bullying, and teacher practices. The Professional Educator, 34(1), 1.

American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Controlling anger-before it controls you. Retrieved March 25, 2016, from http://www.apa.org/topics/anger/control.aspx

Trinkner, R., Cohn, E. S., Rebellon, C. J., & Van Gundy, K. (2012). Don't trust anyone over 30: Parental legitimacy as a mediator between parenting style and changes in delinquent behavior over time. Journal of adolescence, 35(1), 119-132.

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Join our mailing list and get weekly tips, tools, and inspiration that will make your teaching more effective and fun. You'll get access to our members-only library of free downloads, including 20 Ways to Cut Your Grading Time in Half, the e-booklet that has helped thousands of teachers save time on grading. Over 50,000 teachers have already joined-come on in.

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Listen to this post as a podcast: I'll start right away by admitting I have done my fair share of yelling. As a middle school teacher, I wasn't too bad-I probably had one good yell per week. As a parent, though? Ugh. Much more. So I know the struggle.

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Two Ways of Getting Student Attention - Classroom Strategy

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50 fun call-and-response ideas to get students' attention

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Call-and-response is a time-tested technique for getting attention. Instead of repeating yourself, train students to respond to a fun statement!

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Sponsored by Kialo Edu and Kiddom

This might be the perfect time for this topic. At first I just thought it was a neat idea, something teachers could implement pretty easily, something that would be a nice change of pace from what we usually talk about here.

But now I'm thinking this might actually be the thing that helps wake up a lot of our remote and hybrid classrooms from the white-knuckle, just-get-through-it mentality many of us have settled into as the '20-21 school year grinds through its second half. Just maybe.

I'm talking about classroom jobs, the tasks we assign to students to help keep our classrooms running. This is typically something we associate with face-to-face classrooms during normal times, but I was absolutely delighted -and I don't use the word 'delighted' every day-to learn that not only is it totally possible to assign jobs to students in remote classes, the jobs can make those remote classes really, really enjoyable. On top of that, they'll help students discover and develop passions and talents they can take with them well beyond your class.

When I was a middle school teacher, I didn't do much with classroom jobs. I was too much of a control freak, for one. The other reason was because it wasn't really a part of middle school culture. Elementary teachers are fantastic about assigning jobs to students, but as kids get older, teachers use these kinds of systems less and less. As a result, secondary teachers often work themselves to the bone, doing everything themselves as their students, ironically, grow more capable of taking on responsibilities every year.

Now that I have talked with Thom Gibson about this topic, I wish I could go back to the classroom so I could put some serious effort into establishing a robust system of classroom jobs. Gibson is a middle school STEM teacher from Austin, Texas. He has basically mastered the art of managing a whole program of classroom jobs, and he's made that process work for remote learning, too.

Thom Gibson

In our conversation on the podcast, we talked about why setting up students jobs is such a good thing to do, how to troubleshoot common problems with a jobs system, and what some of Gibson's favorite classroom jobs are-once you hear some of these ideas, I know you're going to want to try them.

Why Setting Up Classroom Jobs is Worth the Effort

It builds positive classroom community and culture. "Students feel like they are actually contributing in a meaningful way that is helping you as the teacher or helping their fellow classmates with something," Gibson says.

It gives students opportunities to explore interests and develop talents. Gibson started to see more value in classroom jobs when he had students create things that could be shared with a wider audience, like podcasts, newsletters, and art. "I started seeing an opportunity to tap into the students' interests with these class jobs as opposed to just getting something done for me."

It lets students learn job application skills. In Gibson's class, students aren't just given the jobs; they have to apply for them. So they gain experience with the job application process.

A Few Cool Job Ideas

Classroom jobs have really evolved past board cleaner and line leader. Gibson has compiled a list of over 25 unique student job titles. Here are ten to get you started:

1. Podcaster: Produces a regular brief podcast on a topic of interest to students, using tools like Soundtrap or GarageBand to make it happen. To keep it manageable, Gibson recommends only having students do one podcast per month, and keeping each episode under 3 minutes.

2. Athletic Trainer: Sets a timer for the middle of a class meeting to lead students in a movement activity, whether students are in the room or in a video meeting.

3. DJ: Plays music for 5 minutes before class. This can be done through the videoconferencing platform if you are remote.

4. Motivational Speaker: Records a one-minute Loom video each week reflecting on a motivational idea or quote to share with the class.

5. Visual Display Artist: Creates posters for in-person class or graphics to be used online for remote learning.

6. Zoologist: Cares for the class pet (or their own pet in remote learning) and lets the rest of the class check in once a week to see how the pet is doing.

7. Tech Guru: Sets up the teacher's classroom tech and helps other students with tech in-person, or troubleshoots and provides help to other students through screen sharing during virtual learning.

8. KonMari Organizing Specialist: Keeps classroom supplies organized. This one works best in an in-person setting, but many teachers probably also have online spaces that could use help with decluttering.

9. Assistant Grader: Helps the teacher with grading. In person, this student would highlight mistakes on assessments for the teacher to look at later. Virtually, this student could assist with some online grading and notify other students when assignments are missing from online platforms like Khan Academy.

10. Tutorial Creator: Makes YouTube tutorials for all kinds of tasks that other students need in the classroom.

Making it Work: The Logistics

A system like this doesn't just spring up out of nowhere; it requires organization and maintenance. Gibson shared a few key components of how his jobs program works:

Job descriptions are provided ahead of time. Students first get a chance to look at all job listings, which include a description of each job along with notes on what personality types would be a good fit.

Students apply for jobs. Gibson has found that this maximizes student buy-in. In the application, students choose their top three jobs and explain why they'd be a good fit.

Job holders get checklists. After students are "hired," (and multiple students may be hired for the same job), they are given job-specific checklists of responsibilities, including when their job is performed, how often, and how to do it.

A teacher's assistant keeps it all together. Although it was not mentioned in the above list, it is essential to have a teacher's assistant whose job it is to remind everyone else to do their job. Gibson recommends looking for "super type-A" students to fill this role.

Teach the jobs like any other curriculum. Students will need practice and feedback to do the jobs right. If a student isn't doing their job correctly, "Make them do it again," Gibson says, "not as a punishment but just as a way of, okay, so now let's try it again."

At a time when we are all hungry for human connection, when classrooms feel more fragmented than ever before, when we sometimes go days or weeks without talking to each other, adding classroom jobs to the mix could be the breath of fresh air we need for our schools. They will give students a new reason to show up, to participate, and to stick around, because in a meaningful way, the classroom will become theirs again.

Learn More from Thom Gibson

Gibson's free course, Essential Student Jobs for the Middle School Classroom of Tomorrow, can be accessed here. His paid course, How to Teach Kids About Money Plus, is here.

Follow him on Twitter, on Instagram, or on YouTube.

Come back for more.
Join our mailing list and get weekly tips, tools, and inspiration that will make your teaching more effective and fun. You'll get access to our members-only library of free downloads, including 20 Ways to Cut Your Grading Time in Half, the e-booklet that has helped thousands of teachers save time on grading. Over 50,000 teachers have already joined-come on in.

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It's Time to Give Classroom Jobs Another Try

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These fresh ideas for student jobs will invigorate your classroom and get you and your students excited about school again-even if you teach remotely.

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Classroom jobs are a great way to help get 3rd grade, 4th grade, and 5th grade students excited about helping out in the classroom. And as a HUGE added bonus, having an organized classroom job system can really help save you time.

The classroom jobs list below contains 32 possible jobs you could have in your upper elementary classroom. Not every classroom job will work in every classroom, so pick and choose the jobs that work for you.

Rotating jobs daily or weekly can add stress to your life instead of being helpful. If you need help implementing a classroom job system that actually helps save you time and stress, check out this system!

Making these jobs meaningful for students will help them take ownership and complete their jobs with care. Make sure students understand how their job is helping you and helping the classroom. If you don't see the job as actually helpful, don't assign it to your students.

Some of the links below are affiliate links, so if you choose to click the link and buy I might get a small compensation at no cost to you.

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Students to the Rescue! 32 Classroom Jobs That Save You Time

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Are you a teacher-in-(di)stress? Have no fear - your students are here! Empower them to save the day with these 32 classroom jobs! They will LOVE it!