I’ve written before about my favorite quiet signals. I’ve used them for years, and they consistently get my class quiet every time with minimal effort on my part. But there is one quiet signal I will never use: the call-and-response quiet signal.
What is Call-and-Response in Teaching?
The call-and-response quiet signal is a popular way to get students quiet. You’ve probably seen call-and-response quiet signals all over TikTok or Pinterest boards. When done right, it’s very photogenic, so to speak.
Call-and-response involves the teacher calling a phrase, and students responding with a different phrase. For example, if the teacher says, “Hands on top,” students chorus back, “That means stop!”
And I get it – call-and-response quiet signals are cute (“To infinity” “And beyond”), seasonal (“Hocus Pocus” “Everybody focus”), and self-referencing (“Waterfall”“Shhhhh”).
Why Call-and-Response Often Backfires
The strategy may look clever, but in reality it comes with some serious drawbacks:
- It often creates more noise
- It quickly becomes rote and routine
- It feels more like a game than a sign of the teacher’s authority
- It eats up instructional minutes
- It’s not one-size-fits-all
Let’s break those down.
Call-and-Response Quiet Signals aren’t actually Quiet
The problem with call-and-response is that it often creates more noise. The teacher has to be louder than the loudest chatter in order for the “quiet signal” to be heard. By being loud, that encourages the students to be loud in response.
The point of a quiet signal is to be, well, quiet. If you’re being loud, and the students are being loud, the volume level will keep going up.
And you just know that once the noise level has spiked, it will take twice as long to bring it back down. That’s the opposite of what a quiet signal is supposed to do…and it’s exhausting when you’re already carrying the weight of a busy day.
Meaningful Novelty Improves Learning
Research has shown that the brain perks up at novelty.
That’s why your new haircut gets noticed on Monday morning, but by Friday, nobody’s saying anything about it. Call-and-response quiet signals work the same way: interesting at first, background noise soon after.
I’ve seen this happen repeatedly in classrooms: The teacher says the first part of the call-and-response, and half the students keep talking, ignoring the response entirely. It’s easy for the teacher to interpret this as a mumbled response, so they often move on with the directions or the lesson, not realizing that they don’t actually have the class’s attention.
Why Call-and-Response Feels More Like a Game than a Quiet Signal
Quiet signals work best when they are an extension of the teacher’s authority. Gentle but firm boundaries and high expectations often result in the best-behaved classes.
When call-and-response is introduced, it can feel like a game where the teacher and students are equal participants.
Especially when the wording needs to be changed up because students are getting too comfortable with the phrasing, the teacher’s authority becomes diminished in the students’ eyes.
What began as a cute and effective attention-getter in September can turn into a noisy struggle in May.
This happened to me, in fact. As students became jaded and bored with my cute rhymes, I searched for more interesting, more unique, more exciting calls and responses. By April, I couldn’t remember them all, and they had no power to quiet the students down.
The Time Drain Teachers can’t Afford
Between deciding which call to use, getting students’ attention, waiting for everyone to say the response, waiting for them to settle down after the response…
All of that is instructional time trickling through the hourglass. Can you feel it draining away?
When you’re already stretched thin, that lost time adds up fast.
One minute here, one minute there, and the next thing you know, the bell is ringing and you still have ten minutes of instruction left. Where did that time go? You spent it waiting for students to repeat a cute catchphrase.
No matter what grade you teach or how many years of experience you have, you’re going to want every spare minute. Don’t let your quiet signal (ironically) be the reason you’re rushing through the last part of your lesson.
Why Call-and-Response Isn’t Universal
Some call-and-response strategies suggest using music or rhythms, which might be against a student’s religious beliefs. For example, in some religions, music is discouraged during certain holidays.
Some calls and responses use foreign words you may be mispronouncing or that may have cultural nuances you’re not familiar with.
Additionally, while call-and-response might be cute when kindergarteners do it with their sweet little voices, eighth graders may reject the call-and-response as “babyish.” (It’s hard enough to get 8th graders to talk during class anyway!)
Finally, while some students may joyfully shout the response, others may whisper it or not speak at all. This makes it difficult for the teacher to gauge participation and readiness.
Picture this: You’re out sick, and your sub tries the same chant…but half the class ignores it because it doesn’t sound like you. Quiet signals should work no matter who’s at the front of the room.
Better Alternatives to Call-and-Response Quiet Signals for Classroom Management
The best quiet signals are…quiet. They are consistent, and they are non-negotiable.
Whether that’s a quiet countdown, quiet patter, quiet directions, or something else that works for you, the most important thing is to have a system and use it consistently.
The best quiet signals don’t need your students to respond; they just need them to stop.
What do you think?
Read about my favorite teacher-tested quiet signals here, then share your thoughts about the call-and-response quiet signal in the comments. Have I convinced you?
“Ready, set…”“GO” (leave a comment!) I’d love to hear your experience with call-and-response quiet signals.
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