Dan Morgan, a retired military veteran with an impressive background in teaching abroad and public administration, has spent the past two years as a substitute teacher with Scoot Education in San Antonio & Austin, Texas. We honored him for having the most subbed days out of the whole state of Texas! His dedication to student learning inspires us all.

We sat down with him to hear about his journey, his experiences with Scoot, and his advice for new substitutes!

1. What grades and subjects do you usually teach with Scoot?

I’ve had the chance to teach almost every grade, from pre-K through high school. I’m certified in special education and math, but I teach everything from math and science to English Language Arts. My passion is definitely math, but I love stepping into any role and helping students wherever I’m needed.

2. Why did you start substitute teaching?

I actually found my passion for teaching while working abroad! I was a contractor for the State Department in Ukraine and noticed how driven their young people were. Many were trilingual and would approach me to practice English, often asking, “How can I get to the United States?”

When I returned to the U.S., I wanted to help our young people prepare for the global job market. Today’s opportunities are worldwide, and I wanted to empower students to succeed in that arena. Bringing my experiences to high school students has been incredibly rewarding.

3. What is your favorite thing about being a Scoot substitute? 

Scoot feels like family. I remember last year when a couple of Scoot consultants visited my campus. Even though I never met them in person, they immediately recognized me. It was like family showing up to check on you, which felt really special. 

Scoot really cares about your well-being. I’m willing to travel hour-long commutes to assignments because I know I’m supported. I was even honored by the region for having the most substitute days last year—something I didn’t even realize!

It means a lot to work for a company that recognizes your hard work and genuinely cares. It motivates me to give my best effort every day.

I love how they’ve grown in my region, too! When I started, Scoot worked mostly with a couple of charter schools, but now I see them on campuses all over. It feels good to work for a company that’s expanding and creating opportunities for subs like me.

4. Do you have a memorable moment from your time with Scoot?

One of my favorite moments happened at the school where I first started teaching. I was thrilled to return and run into former colleagues there.

But the most exciting part was seeing three of my former students who are now teaching themselves—one of whom is a coworker at my current campus!

Seeing their growth from eighth graders to working adults is incredibly rewarding. It feels like I had a hand in their journey.

5. What advice would you give to someone new to substitute teaching?

Classroom management is key. Without it, students won’t do the academic work.

Establish your expectations early on, and don’t be afraid to be firm when needed. When you step into a classroom as a sub, students are naturally going to test the boundaries.

Also, every school has its own views on managing student behavior. If you have a campus that has good support for subs, you’ll have an easier time. But just make it clear that you’re in charge and stay positive.

6. If you could describe Scoot Education in one word, what would it be?

Satisfying. I really appreciate the way Scoot supports its substitutes, and that keeps me coming back. Whether it’s the friendly check-ins from the team or just knowing that Scoot genuinely cares about our well-being, it feels good to work for a company that puts people first.

Dan’s story shows how impactful substitute teachers can be in students’ lives. We’re so grateful for the positivity and dedication he brings to classrooms across Texas. Thank you, Dan, for being such an inspiring part of the Scoot family!

This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

Want to sub with us?

If you’re a current sub or someone looking for hands-on teaching experience, apply to Scoot Education! We’re an educational staffing company helping to create exceptional experiences in education.

As a Scoot sub, you’ll get 1-on-1 support through a personal education consultant, connect with job opportunities that are aligned to your needs and market leading pay.

Apply now

As a substitute teacher in New Jersey, Montilla has found a way to bridge his experience with education and his current love for sharing ideas through written and spoken text.

“I focus my energy toward empowering young and old using the vehicle of spoken word poetry.”

Returning to schools as a full-time substitute teacher allowed him to engage with young people on a more intentional level. It was a career move that he saw as “a good and exciting challenge.”

Montilla had experience off and on with education for more than 18 years. Most recently, however, he worked at a local post office.

After an injury forced him to consider other work, Montilla remembered his passion for working with children.

“I have a good sense for them and I’m easily able to work with students,” he says.

Montilla began looking online for job opportunities to get him back into a classroom or community space where he could engage with kids and make a difference.

“I was looking to get back into education and came across Scoot Education online,” Montilla says.

“Scoot was responsive and friendly. It felt heartwarming. I enjoy speaking with the staff at Scoot.”

Rather than sorting through potential teaching positions, Montilla was able to rely on his dedicated consultant, who paired him with flexible and engaging opportunities at Scoot’s partner schools. With so many job opportunities always available, Montilla is grateful for the consistency he finds working through Scoot.

Being a substitute teacher is a rewarding career. Still, there are administrative details that all employees in New Jersey have to wade through.

Understanding licensure, background checks, and different school requirements can be daunting, so using an expert service like Scoot Education helped Montilla streamline the administrative process to get back into the classroom.

“The possibilities are endless. There are a lot of options,” Montilla says. Thanks to Scoot’s help, he’s easily moved between schools and jobs, and he’s pleased with the opportunities so far. Initially set for just one month, his current position has continued for more than four, and he has no plans to leave anytime soon.

“Working with Scoot has allowed me to know wonderful kids who just need a little love and guidance.”

Montilla finds that every day in the classroom fills him with as much energy as it takes. “What drives me is the idea that I may plant a seed in their brain of positivity, growth, empowerment, confidence, self-belief, encouragement, knowledge, wisdom and understanding,” he says.

Even during the months when his assignments are varied, and he’s meeting new students frequently, his passion for teaching helps jumpstart the day and get the students comfortable.

Montilla encourages anyone who’s considering teaching to give it a shot. Above all, he returns to the sense of purpose he gets from being a substitute teacher for so many different kids.

After writing his book and spending countless hours perfecting his public speaking and interaction skills, Montilla has found a way to share his passion and talents with the next generation. “It gives my speaking purpose,” he says.

“It’s a unique opportunity to reach developing minds and change their lives for the better.”

Want to sub with us?

If you’re a current sub or someone looking for hands-on teaching experience, apply to Scoot Education! We’re an educational staffing company helping to create exceptional experiences in education.

As a Scoot sub, you’ll get 1-on-1 support through a personal education consultant, connect with job opportunities that are aligned to your needs and market leading pay.

Apply now

 

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Getting to know your students is a sub tip that will always help you connect with your students. It not only helps you remember names, but shows that you care!

But here are 7 more strategies for memorizing 100+ names really quickly.

1. Use name tents

Source: Emily’s World

Ask students to write their names in large letters on both sides of a folded paper and to keep this card on their desks for you to spot.

Consider asking them to write 3 fun facts about themselves on the back of their name tent for their neighbors and you to see.

2. Use flashcards for each student

When you meet the class for the first time, hand out index cards to each student. Then, ask students to draw a horizontal and vertical line to divide the card into four sections.

Post an example card on the board and ask them to fill out these sections of the index card:

• Top left: Full name
  • Ask students to write their full name or a preferred version of their name. Set guidelines for nicknames in class (e.g. shortened names are OK, but invite them to correct pronunciation.
• Top right: Seat number
  • If your class has seat numbers or if your teacher provides you with a seating chart, ask them to write that.
• Bottom left: One identifying detail
  • Ask for a distinctive, unchanging detail to help recognize each student. Encourage details like hairstyles or accessories while being mindful of potential sensitivities.
• Bottom right: Fun fact about themselves
  • Respect confidentiality and encourage both significant and casual details (e.g. “I’m on the varsity basketball team. OR I can pen spin for hours).

After collecting the cards, use them to call on students randomly, review them quietly, and challenge yourself to recall their names. This tip comes from teacher and author Roxanna Elden.

3. Annotate your roster

When checking for attendance, spend a few extra seconds for each student to identify his or her most 1-2 outstanding physical features or other noticeable traits.

Be sure to include ways of pronouncing names that are unfamiliar to you.

4. Learn a few names at a time

Use the time just before and after class to learn 5-10 names per class.

Or prioritize talking to a different group of five students each day you’re in that class assignment. Try asking them:

• What did they do on the weekend?
• What do they like to do after school?
• What’s their favorite book, show, or song? Why?
• What’s their least favorite ice cream flavor?

This helps you build relationships with students quickly. It shows you are interested in them as people!

5. Use mnemonics

Create connections between a student’s name and something unique about them. This could be a physical feature or a quality about them.

Even better if you can make it rhyme (e.g. Fred hates banana bread) or make the first letter match their first name (e.g. Lisa likes Lychee).

6. Ask students to write something about themselves

If your students are a bit shy or resistant to chatting, try assigning short personal writing prompts. Then practice names (”Well done, Sasha”) as they return papers.

• What is your favorite thing about your routine each day? Describe it and explain what makes it so fun for you! ​
• Write about a time you stood up for someone or helped someone and it made you really happy!
• You are responsible for creating a whole new city – what would your city be like?

You’ll learn so much about your students–how they think and how they would respond to hypothetical situations.

7. Greet students by name as they enter the classroom

Get to know your kids by knowing their names! They’ll begin to trust you.

You’ll also get good practice at pronouncing everyone’s names–especially difficult ones!

One important disclaimer

You can use these tricks to make it easier and faster to learn names. But remember, it’s ok if it doesn’t happen on the first day. In any case, just try your best and impress the kids if you can.

Want to sub with us?

With these tips, you’re sure to become a favorite sub! If you’re a current sub or someone looking to try out teaching, apply to Scoot Education.

We’re an educational staffing company dedicated to creating exceptional experiences in education.

As a Scoot sub, you’ll get ultimate flexibility in your work schedule, 1-on-1 support through a personal Education Consultant, and market leading pay.

Apply today

Greg Kates can relate. He’s one of our substitute teachers in Colorado who has taught both full classrooms and one-on-one as a paraprofessional.

In an interview about his experience as a substitute teacher, he shared how he approached challenges with tricky students and behavior.

Ultimately, his consistent warmth and positive reinforcement proved to be his most effective superpower.

We hope this 3rd episode in our Scoot Street blog series inspires you when you’re dealing with your troublemakers.

Getting to know Greg

What is your name and what kind of classroom do you help teach?

Greg: My name is Gregory Kates and with Scoot, I have been a one-on-one para, a science teacher, a math teacher at one point. Mostly science, para, language arts and English.

So what led you to start subbing?

I decided to start subbing because teaching was always my dream, but it always felt super inaccessible without a grad degree.

At first I was definitely concerned, but Scoot just jumped in and made my dream super accessible.

I’ve done long-term positions for Scoot too, which means I was basically doing what I would be doing with the license, without having one.

I think this is important because I’ve been through so many different classrooms, from stressful classrooms to more light classrooms, to all sorts of different students. Now with all that experience, when I become a real teacher, I know exactly what I’m doing.

What is your favorite thing about being a substitute teacher?

I love the students. They always make me happy. I get lots of words of affirmation as long as I’m trying hard to get lots of, “Mr. K, you’re really cool.” Or if I go to preschool, I’m leaving there with at least 10 notes or drawings.

If you try hard and you’re willing to create a relationship with the students, they’re always gonna treat you really nicely because you’re something new and interesting to them. And you’re not the same old, same old.

It’s fantastic. I love hanging out with students.

The other day, I was at school and they had a dance. Everyone was dancing. Some of the students started dancing. So I started dancing. I did the worm, I did a handstand and walked and they all got super excited.

You know, just seeing the bright, happy faces of all the students. That’d be the biggest part.

4 Examples of handling challenging student behavior

Could you share with me some examples of challenging, but rewarding experiences in the classroom?

Example 1 – Redirect energy to more positive activities

Greg: I was a para for a kid who was an incredible young student. He had down syndrome and he was super lively.

It was just all day, me running around making sure that he was okay. It was so incredible because I was able to be there for a long time and help him with every single thing he needed.

Also, I was able to help him get out of his shell, have more fun–in a way that’s constructive–[because he used to] like biting people a lot.

We started biting less, running more, biting less, dancing more. It was so great to be in his life.

Example 2 – Fight fire with patience and respect

Another example was with a student who had autism. There were a few times he would engage in physical altercations with me. And at first, it was difficult to see beyond that and I thought that was a really bad thing.

But after I showed him that I was here to help him and not just to be a destructive, authoritarian adult in his life, he ended up really liking me and being super loving. Loved hanging out every second.

Example 3 – Set expectations and understand the reasons behind student behavior

I used to work with another student who at first went up to me and said, “You know, I fight substitute teachers, right?”

Then I said, “Well, I don’t think that worked out very well for you. I don’t think that’d be very constructive. We’re trying to learn here,” in a nice tone.

I continued to check in with him, let him talk it out. I did the dance moves–that always gets kids laughing.

Soon enough we had an emotional bond and instead of what he was doing before–saying he was going to fight teachers or he was on his phone, which is not allowed–he did his [schoolwork] packet and then hung out with the rest of us!

Right now I’m painting a picture of the job being kind of hard, which it is, but it’s rewarding!

Example 4 – Compromise slightly to encourage students to be on task instead of just saying “no”

Lastly, I was with a student who wasn’t doing her work. She kept drawing. Her drawings were really good. She was super nice, well-behaved and quiet when I asked people to be quiet, but she still wasn’t doing her work.

So I got a little tired of it, but I couldn’t just keep saying no because sometimes you keep saying no and they do it anyway. And what do you have to do? You have to call culture or the dean and that doesn’t feel good. I try to do that as little as possible. It has to happen sometimes, but I try to make sure to handle the classroom myself.

She was drawing eyes, but I noticed that her eyes didn’t have the spot to really give it that realism. It gives it that pop because it’s the light reflecting off of the eyes.

So I showed her how to draw that. She got really excited, finished her drawing, and put it away and did her work.

Greg’s takeaway

Greg: Seeing all these incredible students responding to feedback is amazing. When I let loose occasionally, do the worm, draw with them, they learn to participate and love you after that.

And that’s just what a student has given me.
Just a place to try a million things, make a bunch of mistakes, learn from them, grow and create a million great relationships with these students.

Closing advice

What advice would you give to someone subbing for the very first time?

Greg: Go for it because it’s an incredible experience. You will make a lot of mistakes, but you’ll learn a lot.

As long as you respect the students, help them, and learn to not just be this super rules-oriented, crazy person. Just meet them with compassion and empathy. Sky’s the limit. These kids will love you forever.

If you could describe your experience with Scoot in one word, what would it be?

Greg: Rewarding. I feel like that’s gotta be the word.

Subbing is a very hard job in a lot of aspects, but if you’re focused and you have the right mindset, it’s so incredible and it’s better than anything I’ve ever done by far.

The team at Scoot is so supportive. The nature of subbing is that many of us have lots of gifts and skills to bring, but we’re not real teachers, so we can’t do everything right.

But Scoot has given me a million opportunities. They’ve been super supportive at every turn. If I ever have a problem, they’ve just given me feedback. They don’t look for reasons to be mad at me.

This opportunity has made my dreams come true. I’m on the fast track to becoming a teacher and I never thought that’d be possible for a while. Without Scoot, I would’ve continued being a construction worker, just hanging out.

Conclusion

Never underestimate the difference of kindness you can make for your students.

Remember to stay the course and stick by these methods:

• Set expectations: Don’t be afraid to tell your students what constructive behavior is. But always remember to keep a gentle and firm tone. And take note when you’re repeating yourself too much.
• Build relationships with your kids: Show them you love and care. They’ll grow to trust you and feel encouraged to be on better behavior. Being interested in their interests is a good place to start!
• Compromise: Work with them to encourage good behavior and cooperation. If that means adjusting expectations, communicate that to them. For example, if you have a talkative group, allow them to work together or in pairs quietly.

Want to sub with us?

We hope this interview has encouraged you if you’re an educator yourself! If you’re thinking about teaching, consider applying to Scoot Education.

We’re a substitute teacher staffing company dedicated to creating exceptional experiences in education.

As a Scoot sub, you’ll get ultimate flexibility in your work schedule, 1-on-1 support through a personal Education Consultant, and market leading pay.

Apply today!

In middle or high school, some students might view breaks as childish or a waste of time. But the opposite couldn’t be more true.

Brain breaks are powerful for motivating students and helping them focus better. There’s many ways to make breaks fun and collaborative as well.

We’ll dive into what brain breaks are, why they’re important, and how to incorporate them into your classroom.

What are brain breaks?

A “brain break” is an activity that gives students an energy boost, while preparing their minds and bodies to engage in the next task. They help students rest and refocus their mind to learn better.

Brain breaks are useful for all age groups from younger students to even adults!

There are many types of brain breaks:

• Movement breaks: Physical activities like walking outside, yoga poses, jumping jacks, motor exercises, or a quick dance party.
• Social-emotional breaks: Deep breathing, mindfulness exercises like meditation, journaling, or talking with a neighbor
• Mental breaks: creative exercises, playing a game, or multi-sensory art activities

How long should brain breaks be?

They should take 3 to 10 minutes. They can be done individually (like deep breathing) or as a whole class (like a round of Simon Says).

A general rule to follow is to take a 3 to 5 minute break for every 10 to 15 minutes of concentrated work time for elementary students, and every 20 to 30 minutes for middle and high school students.

15 brain breaks for secondary school

If video is more your thing, here’s Val, one of our Education Consultants, with 5 easy brain-breaks to refresh your kids and ensure their success. Read on to learn of 10 more brain break strategies.

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Movement breaks

As kids enter middle and high school, they lose recess time and spend more time on their screens or sitting at their desks through lectures and long study hours.

But exercise improves learning! Research shows that physically active children consistently outperform their inactive peers academically on both a short- and long-term basis.

A short movement break will get blood pumping through the body and oxygen flowing to their brains. This will help with attention, cognitive function, memory, self-regulation, and the ability to cope with stress. And it lightens up the mood!

1. Shake it out

Try the “5, 4, 3, 2, 1” method – call out five actions for your students to do as quickly as they can. For instance, 5 jumping jacks, 4 push-ups, 3 sit-ups, 2 squat jumps, and 1 tree pose. A little cardio gets the blood flowing and can enhance focus.

2. Pinky-Thumb Flip

This one-minute sensory exercise uses both halves of your brain and your hands. Hold your hands into fists. On one hand, stick out your thumb only. On the other hand, stick out your pinky. Now, bring both fingers back in and switch back and forth.

3. Yoga minute

Take a minute to move and stretch with your students. Pick up to 5 yoga positions to hold for a few seconds. You can play a video to follow along or lead them through the sequence yourself.

Mindfulness breaks

Mindfulness exercises are extremely effective for stress reduction, relaxation, and overall well-being and mental health, no matter your age! In fact, many schools are using SEL (social-emotional learning) techniques in their classrooms.

Now more than ever, middle and high schoolers should be taught these strategies before they transition into adulthood. As they enter college, students will meet more stressful situations and responsibilities. These are tools that they can use throughout their life.

4. Guided breathing exercise

One way to practice mindfulness is by doing breath work. Invite students to think about what makes them feel calm and relaxed (e.g. listening to music, reading a book, lying down).

Share with students any of these 3 breathing techniques that they can use when they want to feel calm: balloon breathing, flower breathing, or blowing bubbles. You can also play a video for them to follow along.

5. Meditation

Guided meditation can help secondary students relax and refocus in class. It’s a simple and inviting way to promote mindfulness and well-being in the classroom.

Encourage students to find a comfortable position and close their eyes. Then, use a video that provides calming visuals and soothing audio instructions. Try Khan Academy’s guided meditation video for students.

6. Journal time

Set aside 5 minutes during a class period for journaling. Journaling is a great reflective exercise for people of all ages. Depending on your prompt, students can practice gratitude, honesty, self-awareness, and take a step back from busy-ness.

If you collect their journals, reading them can always teach you something new about your kids, allowing you to connect with them with more empathy. Here are 55 prompts high school students will love. Feel free to make up your own as well!

Creative activities

Get your students to exercise their artistic abilities in any medium – drawing, storytelling, or music. Gamify these activities to get everyone engaged and socializing with each other.

7. Collaborative storytelling

First student starts the story with one sentence. Each subsequent student adds to the story with one additional sentence. Story ends with the last student.

8. Drawing games

You could play a game that gets students to bust out their drawing and guessing skills. You’ll definitely get a few chuckles at people’s drawings. Here are two games that are great for large groups:

• Pictionary: This is a simple drawing and guessing game. Use the whiteboard and have everyone guess individually or in teams.
• Telestrations: This is like a “telephone” game, but on paper. It’s also known as the “Write Draw Pass” activity. You’ll need to divide up a large class into groups of 8 and make sure there’s a logical passing order. Learn how it works here (and fun variations).

Classroom games

Games help students practice communicating verbally or nonverbally and get to know more about each other! They also bring out people’s competitive spirits, encourage teamwork, and teach strategy.

9. Two Truths and a Lie

This is a fantastic 10-15 minute icebreaker that encourages students to share interesting tidbits about themselves. It helps students get to know each other in a lighthearted way.

You can play this game on teams or individually. It’s an ideal activity for the beginning of the school year or after a break.

10. Heads Up, Seven Up

Heads Up, Seven Up is a quiet, deduction game. There are 3 ways to play Heads Up, Seven Up.

It’s a perfect game to play to calm your kids down after a long day. Tell your kids they can play this at the end of class. They’ll be excited to play and finish up their work quickly!

11. Silent Ball

Try Silent Ball for three minutes before dismissal. Have students stand in a circle, sit on the carpet, or even sit on the tops of their desks.

Give students a small, squishy ball to silently pass around to each other in class. If a student makes a bad pass, drops the ball, or utters a sound, they’re out of the game. Keep playing until there is one student left standing (or sitting).

There are some modifications you can make. For example, players out of the game can knock down a pass in order to join back in the game.

Silent Ball builds a positive classroom community by fostering friendly competition and boosts nonverbal communication.

Educational breaks

Take a few minutes to learn a quirky fact, an interesting historical event, or a new language. It’ll broaden their horizons, giving students a fresh perspective on humanity and a break from work.

12. Learn something new

Watch a short 3-5 minute video that inspires wonder or curiosity. Learning doesn’t have to be confined to the traditional curriculum!

Videos from SciShow, How it’s made, or National Geographic can be a quick, interesting break from the work they have been doing. Make sure the video is appropriate for class and not too long and distracting.

13. Foreign language tongue twister

Try out a tongue twister challenge-in a different language for an extra challenge. It’s a fun way to improve pronunciation and discover hidden linguistic talents!

Check out: 9 Tongue Twisters From Around the World

Other brain breaks

Give your students space to solve puzzles and write down their thoughts. Riddles and puzzles encourage kids to exercise their brain outside of the days’ lessons. Introduce these breaks after they finish work, so they don’t become too much of a distraction.

14. Riddle time

Challenge your kids to think outside the box. Share a few of these brain bending riddles for your students to think about during the day.

Check out: 100 Riddles for the Classroom

15. Puzzle palooza

Bring in a puzzle and set up a little table for a quick puzzle break to reward your kids for finishing their work on time. Some might stay throughout recess time to complete the puzzle.

Check out: Free Online Jigsaw Puzzles

Why are brain breaks important?

Brain breaks help students recharge, refocus, and reconnect with themselves and others. There are all kinds of benefits associated with brain breaks:

• Enhance focus and concentration
• Boost learning and short-term memory
• Emotional regulation
• Inspire creativity and problem-solving skills
• Improve social skills
• Foster positive classroom environment

Take recess, for example. Research shows the power of recess! When children play together, they learn how to take turns, resolve conflicts, and solve problems.

How do I integrate brain breaks effectively?

1. Observe your students’ engagement levels

Schedule a group game after 20 to 30 minutes of quiet work. Or let them know they can relax after they answer 5 math questions. This will help your students stay motivated during work time, knowing they have a break coming up.

You might decide to adjust the timing depending on the age and specific needs of your students. Older students tend to focus better than younger students.

Most importantly, stay flexible! Carefully observe if your students are getting tired or losing focus early. Then start the brain break earlier to re-energize them! If they’re on a roll, hold off on taking a break.

2. Pick different brain breaks

Create a list of brain breaks to make it easy to get started without thinking and choosing. And it allows you to try out different ways to engage your students!

Or here are some more creative options:

• Put them on a large dice or beach balls
• Write them on popsicle sticks to pull from a jar
• Print a brain breaks bingo card to complete

3. Find the best break for the right situation

Think about what your group of kids will respond best to. Each kid has different interests and preferences. Take this opportunity to get to know your students better! Do they like making music? Do they like dancing? Are they into drawing?

Also consider the time of day and your students’ energy levels. If everyone is tired at the end of the day, a sit-down activity might be better than a dance break.

Being aware of your students’ energy levels and enthusiasm will help you run effective brain breaks.

4. Use a timer

Keep time with a stopwatch or your phone to make sure your break lasts the right amount of time.

Too short, and kids might not feel rested enough. Too long, and they might become distracted and reluctant to return to the task at hand.

Place the timer somewhere your students can see or use music as a countdown timer. Tell them that the activity is over when the song is over. This way, they can be fully prepared to get back to work when it’s time.

5. Talk about it afterward

Make sure to ask kids how they felt about the activity.

Ask them the following questions:

• How did you find today’s work?
• What was your favorite brain break?
• How do you think the brain break helped you?

Their feedback will help you understand how to improve your brain break sessions.

Want to sub with us?

We hope these ideas and tips were helpful! If you’re a current sub or someone looking to try out teaching, apply to Scoot Education! We’re a substitute teacher staffing company dedicated to creating exceptional experiences in education.

As a Scoot sub, you’ll get ultimate flexibility in your work schedule, 1-on-1 support through a personal Education Consultant, and market leading pay.

Keep more than one in your back pocket to find the attention-getter that works best for you and your students. Happy teaching!

1. Call backs
2. Classroom transition songs
3. Line up chants
4. Give me five

1. Clap-in or snap-in patterns
2. The look
3. Sign language
4. Instruments
5. Proximity

Why use verbal and non-verbal cues for classroom management

1. Save time and energy: A well-executed clap call back or a simple point to the classroom rules can swiftly command attention without draining your energy.
2. Foster teamwork and listening skills: Cues promote patience, active listening, and teamwork. Students learn to respond together, encouraging positive peer influence and exemplary behavior.
3. Set the mood and make learning fun: Interesting attention-getters and songs can enrich your students’ learning. Catchy tunes and creative cues with instruments or using sign language teaches kids new cultures and ways to communicate.

Verbal cues

1. Call backs

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• Class, class? / Yes, yes?
• 1-2-3, eyes on me! / 1-2, eyes on you.
• Hocus pocus… / Everybody focus!
• Macaroni and cheese! / Everybody freeze!
• Waterfall / Shhhh… (with finger on lips or waterfall arm motion)

2. Classroom transition songs

3. Line up chants

4. Give me five

Non-verbal cues

1. Clap-in or snap-in patterns

2. The look

3. Sign language

4. Instruments

• Claves
• Chime
• Bell
• Singing bowl
• Drum
• Rain stick

5. Proximity

How to implement attention-getters effectively

1. Use a variety of cues that will work for your students.

2. Practice, practice, practice!

3. Ask your students to teach you signals they already use.

4. Be open to feedback from the students.

5. Use visual reminders to help students learn a new signal.

Teachers! What’s your favorite attention-getter?

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