I Sang The Answer

Submitted by Dan Fee, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin

Idea posted May 10, 2006

For whatever reason, kids at both of my schools are sometimes singing the answer. In other words, I ask a question, call on a child, and s/he chooses to sing the response. I decided that since this was so great, and was not something I had thought of having them do, that I'd make a little award for "singing the answer."

It's nothing really, just a slip of paper with a half note on it. In the head of the half note, I wrote, "I sang the answer!" When a child chooses to sing the answer, I just point to the pile of awards, and they know to go over there and help themselves. I have pieces of tape near the awards so they can tape the award to their shirt if they want.

It's kind of cool to have kids walking around school with the awards on their shirts. It also gives the teacher an idea of some of the good things that happened that day. And of course, it makes the child feel wonderful.

I e-mailed all the teachers when I started this, to let them know about it and give the teacher the option of having the kid put the award in their desk or in their backpack if it causes a problem. (The children know this as well.)

This has turned out to be a great way to encourage kids to sing alone. I like how free and unthreatened it makes the atmosphere in my room. Plus, it just gives kids more chances to sing alone, and I have more chances to assess their singing.

One of my third grades is really getting into this! Hardly a day goes by without my calling on someone, who gets a little spark in their eyes and all of a sudden sings the answer! Then another, and another - and some of them are not children you'd expect to choose to sing alone.