Guess what kids get tired of and start to tune out? Kind of like you heard husbands do...or your own children... Your voice. That's right, I said it. Your voice is something they hear all.day.long. It can be tiresome, though I'm sure you have a lovely voice.

When I was having my first year of two severe behaviors and 5 less severe, but still disruptive, the behavior specialist became my new BFF. BFFL because knowing there was a job in "behavior specialist" changed my entire career and personal learning path. She told me this same thin: I'm annoying. To my kids at least. And that's OK. I know we, as teachers, talk a lot. It's part of the gig. But you want to make transitions easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy? Use a transition tune!

I have three distinct bells in my classroom - a tri-bell, a "call the bell boy" bell, and a long bell that is used for meditation. Each bell means something different and makes the kids do something different. This year the tri-bell means "CLEAN UP AND SIT ON THE CARPET!" I scream that because that's what the kids scream to each other when they hear it. It's hilarious and I let them because they are doing the right thing. Scream the procedure, children! Tell the world you know the classroom routines!