We’re continuing our Back to School Series, where we share 5 amazing tips that will set you up for the best first week of school. 👉 Click here to read Tip #1! In this post, we’re diving into one of our absolute favorite strategies: Call and Response — the best way to get your students’ attention quickly (without yelling).
Back to School Series: Call and Response
😩 Feeling Like You’re Losing Control?
There’s nothing more overwhelming than standing in front of a room full of wiggly, chatty students — and not knowing how to help them settle down.
Back in my first year of teaching, I had two big questions:
- What’s the best way to get my class’s attention quickly?
- How do I keep the classroom calm without raising my voice?
After a lot of trial and error — watching YouTube videos, observing other teachers, and experimenting in my own room — I found my answer: Call and Response.
🗣️ Why We Love Call and Response
“Call and Response” attention-getters have always worked beautifully in my classroom. They’re fast, fun, and effective — and they save your voice.
I always teach 2–3 call and response phrases during the first week of school so my students know exactly what to do when I need their attention.
It’s as simple as:
- Teacher: “Class, class!”
- Students: “Yes, yes!”
No yelling. No clapping over chatter. Just a quick, respectful cue — and it works like magic.
✨ See It In Action!
Want to see how I use call and response in real life? Watch this quick reel of me using my favorite attention-getters with my class—it’s simple, effective, and fun!
📽️ Watch the video below:
🗣️ Use Call and Response to Reinforce Expectations
One of our favorite tools for maintaining structure? Call and response routines.
Not only do they capture attention quickly, but they build classroom culture and give students a role in the routine.
Here are a few of our favorites:
- Teacher: “Hands on top” → Students: “Everybody stop!”
- Teacher: “Peanut Butter” → Students: “Jelly Time!”
- Teacher: “1, 2, 3, Eyes on me” → Students: “1, 2, 3 Eyes on you!”
Want something more personalized? Max uses rhythmic clapping patterns that students echo back. It’s simple, non-verbal, and super effective.
🎵 Max’s Music Twist
Max is a middle school music teacher, so he brings rhythm into everything. He loves using rhythmic clapping patterns with his students, and I’ve adapted that into my own classroom. The kids love echo clapping — and it gives us a little spark of fun during transitions!
🧰 Add This Tool to Your Teacher Toolkit
Whether it’s your first year or your fifteenth, call and response is one of those simple tools that can totally change the tone of your classroom.
Grab my Go-To List of Call and Response Attention Getters to quickly grab your students’ attention and set a calm, focused tone from Day 1!
📣 Let’s Hear From You!
What’s Your Favorite Call and Response? We hope you found this post helpful! Comment below with your favorite call and response phrase — or one you’re excited to try this year!
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