My students have this down.  

Every class begins the same way.  With God’s Word and with prayer.  There have been a couple times I have been busy with a student’s request, delaying my new tradition, but the rest of the kids will remind me.  

“Mr. Daniels, you forgot the Bible verse!”

Psalm 118:24 is displayed on my front wall.  My dad used to say it often when I was a kid.  He still reminds me of it today.

“Today is the day the Lord has made.  Let us rejoice and be glad in it.”  

We turned it into a chant with cadence and rhythm.  I allowed my first class to help me create the flow of it.  Here is how it goes …

The bell rings for class to begin.  The student closest to the door walks over to shut it, and I start by singing, “Tooooo-day is the day (clap, clap) the Lord has made. (clap, clap) Let us rejoice (clap, clap) and be glad in it.”

The students chant and clap with me.  And then we will pray.

Sometimes I pray.  Other times I ask for volunteers.  A few times when two or three hands will rise up, I tell one to start and another to finish.  

Many times I will weave class themes into my prayer on whatever my wishes are for that day.  Lord, help me learn my students’ names.  Father, help the kids practice this new sentence structure.  Be with those who are traveling over Labor Day.

I have noticed that upon completion of our class prayer, the kids are quiet.  Focused.  Totally in tune with the world around them and locked in.

It is hard to believe it took me 23 years of teaching to come up with this idea, but I have never begun class in such a way.  Considering its success in setting a positive tone, I will keep this tradition alive as long as I teach.

It wasn’t perfect to begin with.  We had to practice.  Over and over again.  My 8th graders were a little too cool for it.  I had to loosen them up.  But when four 8th grade girls added their own hand motions followed by a fun jump kick, I allowed them to stand beside their desks to add a little flair.

The quiet kids sometimes just smile and clap.  Others shout it loud and proud.  Sometimes I lovingly tease kids into participating, saying, “Okay, we are going to try it again, and this time Johnny is going to do it with us.”  Johnny will normally smile and follow suit.  It works.

I had to get my first prayer in school on video.  Think about it.  I had waited 23 years for this moment.  I handed my phone to the kid in the front row and allowed him to push the play button. 

Even if you teach in public education, you can pick a chant that revolves around a school theme or allow your kids to create something fun.  Give them a say in it.  It doesn’t have to be a Bible verse.  

As for the prayer, you could do what Rita Pierson did instead.  Her speech entitled “Every Kid Needs a Champion” gives a glorious idea.  Rita led her class in a self talk chant heard in the video below.  I always watch this video the first week of school.  It never gets old.

Rita’s mantra went like this: “I am somebody.  I was somebody when I came, and I’ll be a better somebody when I leave.  I am powerful, and I am strong.  I deserve the education that I get here.  I have things to do, people to impress, and places to go.”

Once the opening of my class was solidified, I implemented my transition chant.  We all have those moments when students are partnered up and sharing with one another.  How do you refocus the class?  Create a transition chant.

I have based my chant off of Tauren Wells’ song “Take It All Back.”  I will loudly sing out, “Taking back what the enemy stole!”  Straight out of the song.  Then, the kids and I will sing the, “Woah, woah, woah,” clapping with each word, and on the 4th beat they are to put their hands on their desks and get quiet.  

It took a while to perfect, but we practiced until it was crisp.  Now, heading into the second full week of school, all my classes know how to transition and get quiet.

The older your students get, the more you will need to modify your chants to fit their personalities.  I have noticed my 8th graders are not quite as passionate as my 7th graders.  While elementary chants can be more cutesy, middle school call backs need to be adapted to their liking.  As for high schoolers, something short and sweet would probably work best.

Practice chants regularly.  Expect excellence.  If you tolerate mediocrity, that is what you will get.  Help the kids buy in by allowing them freedom to create their own chant.  The repetition and practice will all pay off if you do it right, and the amount of time saved down the road will be priceless.

Transition chant ideas video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WbhWKilmHs 

Just for fun: I tried an experiment on my walk last Saturday.  What if I tried to high five every walker that passed by?  I got three opportunities.  The first guy was so shocked when he saw me raise my hand that he got a deer in the headlights look and yelled, “Sorry!” when he passed me without slapping.  The second guy smiled and enthusiastically greeted my hand.  The third guy looked extremely confused but raised his hand for a slap anyways.  My wife would probably say the high five is a bit grease monkey, but oh well.  David Puddy would approve.