[lvtotch]

Hi! I am a new teacher and will begin teaching 1st grade in August. Does anyone have any cute phrases that they use to get the attention of the students or to praise good work or behavior? Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

[GoTeachers]

When a kiddo responds to a question that I ask... I say: "kiss your brain!" Great answer! They kiss their hand(palm) and put it on their head (brain).

After about November time frame I say: "Find a Friend or Tuck 'em in!" This is for shoe tying. I don't do it after November. I send it home in newsletters prior to and let parents know they need to be working on this skill. We really don't have time to tie shoes all day!

"one, two, three... eyes on me!" to get attention

[lov2teach2]

A Positive Attitude is Contagious!
If you can dream it you can achieve it!
Anything worth doing, is worth doing well!
Live everyday as though you were seeing it for the first time.
Believe in yourself!
At day's end ask yourself, What have I learned today?
Keep your attitude bright and your life will shine!
Look around you, Every Invention begins with imagination!
Today is a great day to learn something new!
Only positive attitudes allowed beyond this point!
Ready, Set, Think!
Give someone a hand and you both climb higher!
Life is about making mistakes and learning from them.
If you think someone could use a friend, Be One!
Start your thinking engines!
If your not sure ask questions.
Be a friend to make a friend
Knowledge is POWER!
The best preparation for tomorrow is doing your best today!

Hopefully that helps, they have lots of posters in order books, like SmileMakers, Really Good Stuff, etc. Good Luck!

[luv2teachkids]

When I taught 1st, I used a slight variation on GoTeachers' attention-getter. I would say, "One, two," and students responded with, "Eyes on you."

I also taught the students to do a finger clap with just their index fingers if someone "took" their idea. Then I could say, "Oh, Jenny, I see you had the same idea. Great thinking!" without a disruptive blurt.

[luvin1st]

I love the finger clap for "Great Minds Thinking Alike"! I will use that one next year. Thanks!

[elephant]

These are NOT mine...I "borrowed" and collected them from PT and different places on the internet.

I'm on one, counting has begun.
I'm on two, where are you?
I'm on three, where should you be?
I'm on four, just one more.
Five!

Teacher: Scooby, Dooby, Dooby, Do
Teacher/Student: Where are you?
Students: We’ve got some work to do now!

To the tune of "The Addams Family."
Give me a clap. (Clap twice.)
Give me a clap. (Clap twice.)
Give me a clap, give me a clap, Give me a clap. (Clap twice.)
Give me a snap. (Snap twice.)
Give me a snap. (Snap twice.)
Put your hands (In your lap)
In your lap, In your lap, In your lap… (Sing softly and model placing hands in lap.)


Tootsie roll, (Roll arms around.)
Lollipop, (Pretend to lick lollipop.)
We've been talking, (Hold up hands and open and close.)
Now, let's stop! (Pretend to zip lips.)

Teacher says: All set? (Snap twice.)
Children respond: You bet! (Snap twice.)
If children aren't ready, then they say: Not Yet!
Teacher continues to ask: All set? until the children respond, You bet!


1, 2, 3, 4,
Come and meet me at the door.
5, 6, 7, 8,
Hurry now or we'll be late.


Children repeat this chant before leaving the room:
I'm looking straight ahead of me.
My arms are at my side.
My feet are quiet as can be.
I'm ready for outside.

Teacher: Facing?
Students: Forward!
T: Arms?
S: Crossed!
T: Bodies?
S: Still!
T: Voices?
S: Off!

[Scbydee794]

Elephant: those are great ones!


Ivtotch: I usually start clapping out a pattern and train the kids that when they hear it they should start clapping it out too. That means you need their attention and they have to be quiet by the time you finish clapping.

I always tell the kids to "Get your brain on" kind of like when people say "get your groove on".
They kids know i always say: "If you have nothing nice to say dont say it at all". That stops kids being mean to each other.

[At Wits End]

First grade. AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW! How cute!. At this age, the LOVE TO PLAY GAMES. So, whisper:

"If you can hear me clap once." Some students will hear and clap. Most will continue with what they are doing and look around to see why their classmates clapped. Let about 15 seconds pass and repeat "If you can hear me clap twice." The theory is , that more than half of the students will hear you at this time and you now have at leat 75% of their attention. You wait another 15 seconds and repeat, "If you can hear me clap three times." Once the class responds, you can begin a quick game of simon says.
"Simon says, fold your hands at your desk and sit up nice and tall." You can play this game until you begin your lesson. I've even played simon says through an ENTIRE LESSON. My students were so engrossed with the game that they never realized that I was teaching! good luck

[starrdance]

Simon Says worked great with my class of 28 first graders last year too! I even used it when we were waiting in the hall for a bathroom break or a special class. They loved it!

Another song I used when preparing for the hall was:
If you're ready for the hall, clap your hands (or stomp your feet),
If you're ready for the hall, clap your hands,
If you're ready for the hall, then you're standing straight and tall,
If you're ready for the hall, clap your hands.

I also had a quiet way of saying good job that the kids liked. Make a W with both hands and put them on each side of your mouth. Then mouth the word "WOW," stressing the O with your mouth. My students even started doing this for each other when they saw someone doing something great!

[Ana_Eu]

All of this is amazing!!!! i love it, this is my first year as a teacher, i`m from guatemala, so we have English as a second lenguage. This is going to be realy usefull. thanks

i found the motivational phrases very useful. thank you.