The Power of “Class-Yes!”

According to Whole Brain Teaching Quick Start by Chris Biffle one of the first steps in successful classroom management is implementing Class-Yes.  I use this in my classroom, and whenever I say “Class” my students respond, “Yes”.  This is a wonderful attention getter.  However I say “class” is how my students must mimic it.  If I sing it, they sing, it.  If I say it three times, they say it three times.  If I use a funny voice, my class responds with a funny voice.  The students copy the tone, projection, and intensity of my voice. This is the attention getter I use all day long.  According to Biffle, even if you say “Classity Class”, your students will respond “Yesity Yes”.  And yes, it works!!  When I use this simple attention getter, I am quickly able to get students to focus on me and engage in what I am saying.  There are times that we are doing a cooperative learning project and things might get noisy and I need students to listen to their next direction.  I now do not have to try to talk over them, I am able to use the simple “Class-Yes” procedure and they are quickly back on task and engaged in what I am saying.  I love changing up my voice, which keeps it interesting for the kiddos.  You want the students to completely buy in to what you are selling, so you have to have fun with it!!  “Class-Yes” is a very effective approach to teaching that activates the neo-cortex area of the brain.  “Class-Yes” has been power in my hands.  I can now get my students in control, on task, and ready for instruction!

I use posters in my class with many of the teacher commands on them.  They are from http://first-grade-fever.blogspot.com.  There is a link to her Teachers Pay Teachers Store and you can download them for free!

http://first-grade-fever.blogspot.com