Quiet Down Strategy

One of the more challenging things I find about managing centers is to help get students back on task while also running my own small group. For a long time I would stop what I was doing with my group to get the attention of the class to remind them of the expected behaviors. This was very frustrating and I felt that my group work suffered on the more squirrely days.

My principal suggested I find a way to remind students to end off-task behaviors without stopping instruction and work during centers. I tried flicking the lights, erasing tally marks for off task behaviors, but I still felt that is was more disruptive than helpful. I finally went out and bought a rain stick.

When students are talking too much or are off task, I turn over the rainstick. They have two turns to quiet down before they lose a marble. It is quiet enough that it isn't completely disruptive, but loud enough that it reminds students what they should be doing.

I take it to my small group area and I don't have to leave the group to help manage behavior! I love it :) It has been so successful, I've been using it during independent work times as well.

Does anyone else have a "refocus" strategy they would like to share?