What Is a Lesson Starter, and How Can It Improve Classroom Instruction and Behavior Management?

Lesson Starters, often known to teachers and students as warm-ups, bellringers, or do-nows, provide an opportunity for students to ease into the lesson of the day. In addition to being an academic activity that focuses students on the lesson that is about to begin, Lesson Starters are also a valuable behavior management tool. During the first three to five minutes of class (and even as students are entering the classroom before the bell rings), teachers are often bombarded with calls from the office, late students, notes that need to be signed, and myriad other interruptions. During this time, teachers are also expected to complete administrative activities such as performing change-of-class hall duty and taking attendance. These activities are more efficiently managed when students have a task to begin as soon as they enter the classroom.