Do you have proven go-to classroom management tools that you use daily? In my experience, I have found several that have worked well for getting the children’s attention. And the aspect I love about them the most is that they are all non-verbal.

The simplest and most common management tool I’ve seen used in various Montessori classrooms is the hand bell. A simple, gentle “ding-ding-ding” is enough to get the children’s attention. This is what I use now, and have used in both Lower and Upper Elementary classes.

Of course, at the beginning of the year there is practice involved with ringing the bell and having the children stop, look, and listen to the bell ringer for instructions. But once children get the hang of it, children can be asked to ring it and provide the announcement, which they love. In the past, I’ve also had a “bell ringer” job as part of our class job assignments, which was always a coveted role.

As an alternative to a bell, I love using a chime. The one below is one I’ve used and it has a beautiful sound. Plus, you can vary the sound depending how you play the chime with the accompanying mallet.

A rain stick is also a peaceful reminder sound. We used the rain stick in addition to the bell or chime as a way to let children know that their voices were getting too loud and to bring the noise level down. Again, introducing the rain stick and practicing what its purpose is does take some time, but is much gentler than ringing the bell and saying it verbally.

These three classroom management tools are staples in classrooms where I’ve taught. I know they are very common in other Montessori rooms, too since I originally got these ideas from Montessori classrooms I’ve observed!

What tools have been successful in your classrooms?