How to Use Call and Response for Classroom Management

Using call and response for classroom management can completely change the way your students behave during transitions, independent work time, and more! In this post, I’m going to share some call and response ideas and tips to help you get this strategy started in your classroom.

What Are Call and Response Attention Getters?

Call and response attention getters are a helpful way to get students’ eyes on the teacher in a short amount of time. It usually involves the teacher calling out a word or short phrase to the class and the students responding with a related word or phrase. For example, the teacher might say “1-2-3, eyes on me” and the class might respond with “1-2, eyes on you”. 

Call and response attention getters are perfect for transition times in the classroom. Whether you’re trying to get students’ attention to give instructions during centers or you’re trying to quiet the class before lining up, a call and response can make it go much more smoothly!

5 Tips for Call and Response Classroom Management

Call and response can be an awesome classroom management tool for the classroom, but it’s important to use this strategy thoughtfully. It’s not enough to just have a fun phrase for students to repeat back to you throughout the day! Here are some tips for using call and response to help with classroom management.

1. Choose a Unique Call and Response

The first tip is to try to use a unique call and response. That way, when students hear you call out that phrase, they’ll know exactly what to do. For example, the “1-2-3, eyes on me” call and response is very popular and teachers might have different expectations of what students should do when they say “1-2, eyes on you.” Do they hold up two fingers as they repeat the phrase, or do they just turn and look at the teacher? Using a unique call and response can help avoid confusion like this!

When I was in the classroom, I would say “spaghetti” and the kids replied “meatballs”. Then I'd say “voices” and they'd say “off”.  I was the only teacher who used it, so they quickly learned exactly what to do. Now that I've been subbing, I teach classes the same thing.  I used it during musical practices with 65+ kids and it worked like a charm.  Having a specific and unique call and repeat can truly be a classroom management game-changer. Here are some other examples that you can try:

2. Include the Target Behavior

My next tip is to use a phrase or action that ends with the target behavior. For example, my spaghetti and meatballs call and response ends with “voices off” so students know exactly what’s expected of them. The “1-2-3, eyes on me” phrase ends with students looking at the teacher.

Your actual phrase might not name a target behavior. Instead, you might give students an action to perform as they repeat the phrase. If you call out “Chicka Chicka” and want students to respond with “Boom, Boom”, you could teach them to clasp their hands together as they say it. This can ensure that their hands are empty and they’re ready to listen to the next direction.

3. Practice and Review as Needed

Call and response might not go very smoothly at first! That’s why it’s helpful to give students the chance to practice the call and response several times before using it organically during the day. 

As with any classroom routine, your students will likely need a refresher every so often when things get a little bit lax. You can go back to basics and review expectations with your students whenever it’s needed throughout the year.

4. Don’t Forget to Use It!

One of the most important parts of using a call and response system in your classroom is to use it regularly. If you wait until your class is overly talkative or out of control before you try to use this strategy, you’ll likely find that it’s not as effective. Instead, be sure to include call and response throughout the day so that it truly becomes a routine for your students. It will become second nature for you and your class!

5. Switch It Up When Needed

This leads me to my final tip. When something is routine and repetitive, you might find that you need to shake things up a little bit in order to maintain student buy-in. This might mean that you change the actual call and response to something different, if you think your students can handle the change.

Another strategy to shake things up might be to include your call and response in your whole-class reward system. For example, you might have your class work towards a reward by building a picture. They can earn pieces of the reward by participating appropriately in the call and response. When you use the phrase, you can look for students who are responding in the expected way and then invite one of them to add a piece to the class reward. This can help you add some variety to the call and response without having to change the phrase!

Classroom Management Resources for Kindergarten

If you’re interested in creating a kindergarten classroom that runs smoothly all year, you’ll definitely want to check out the Kindergarten Behavior Blueprint. This self-paced video course will help you build a solid foundation in kindergarten classroom management. It also includes access to over $500 worth of printable resources that you can use to feel organized and prepared for a successful school year, no matter what behaviors your students throw at you!

Save These Tips for Call and Response Classroom Management

Be sure to save this post so you can come back to it later! Just add the pin below to your favorite classroom management board on Pinterest. You’ll be able to quickly find these tips for call and response when you’re looking for simple ways to help your classroom run more smoothly.