FEAPS

AP2: The Learning Environment

a. Organizes, allocates, and manages the resources of time, space, and
attention.
b. Manages individual and class behaviors through a well-planned
management system.

Introduction
Attention-getters play a very important role in the management of a
classroom. They provide a way for teachers to grab their students attention
and keep it. This was one of the very first management tasks I performed for
multiple reasons. Attention-getters fall into my comfort zone. I have been a
summer camp counselor for three years with the YMCA. Attention- getters
were a necessity in keeping control over large groups of children. Through
this experience, I learned many different attention-getters, and built
confidence in commanding attention in a group setting. Some of the
attention-getters I have learned in camp cannot be directly transitioned into
the classroom, because of volume control issues. But they can all be
modified in some way to be used in a traditional classroom setting.
Data
My CT has recently introduced a new attention-getter to the class. This
particular attention-getter is non-verbal for the students. It is called See me.
Match me.
1. The instructor stands where she can be seen by every student.
2. The instructor calls out See me., when she says that, it expected
that each student looks in her direction.
3. The instructor calls out Match me., during this time she makes
some kind of physical gesture or movement (i.e. patting her head,
clapping, disco dancing, etc.)
4. Instructor repeats Match me, this time performing a different
action.
5. When instructor has gotten everyones attention, she raises her
hand in a fist, which represents voice level zero.
6. By this time, all students should be on voice level zero, with their
attention on her.
I attempted this attention-getter with the second group of students of the
day. The first time I tried this attention getter, I did it exactly the way I
described it above. The students were very receptive to this new addition to

the classroom. So I decided to try an attention- getter of my own. This

attention-getter requires for listening ears to be on and ready. This was one
of my summer camp attention getters, it comes off fluently and naturally
whenever I perform it.
1. The instructor stands in a place in the room where she can be seen by
every student. It can also be very helpful to walk around our setting
while performing this attention getter.
2. The instructor starts by saying if you can hear my voice, following
this statement, the instructor will give a set of instructions. For
example, If you can hear my voice rub your stomach.
3. The instructor will also perform the acts in which she asks her students
to perform.
4. The instructor will repeat this until the desired behavior is being
displayed.
5. A helpful hint is to start this attention-getter off in a low voice, which
forces students to be quiet, in order to participate in the attentiongetter.
What I learned
The completion of this task exposed me to an important aspect of teaching. I
learned to never stop exploring your options. In this case, attention-getters
are something I was very comfortable and familiar with going into the
classroom. I didnt go into this task expecting to learn something, and what I
ended up learning is that as long as your students change, so will the way
you approach your classroom. In this classroom, movement has proved to be
an exciting way to reel in the attention of the students, where in my past
vocal expression worked best. It reminds me that as a teacher, everything I
choose for my classroom should reflect my students, and what will help them
be successful learners.
Second, I learned that over-use of attention-getters can be
counterproductive. I noticed that anything that is repeated too often in this
class will be more easily ignored by the student. That is why it is important to
have a few different attention-getter, both verbal and non-verbal in the
classroom.