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Voice is as simple as it gets! Teachers can use their very own voice to maximize efforts in the classroom.
Thank about your most impactful teachers in your education. What made them stand out the most? Of course there will be exceptions, but it's likely that they 1) cared about you 2) had an active teaching style and 3) utilized strategies for creating engaging lessons, including their use of voice.
- pitch
- tone
- diction
- cadence
- modulation
All of these things can be utilized to create a voice that maintains interest and engagement within a classroom. Voice is very dependent on the grade level, students, situation, or content that you teach and can have a great effect on how your students respond to you. Don't get it twisted though- louder isn't always better. Low and slow, up beat and energetic, bold and confident, playful and fun, direct and authoritative. There are all kinds of voice levels and tones and a time and place for all of them, even in the classroom.
Have you ever seen a kindergarten teacher command the attention of 30 little people with a whisper? Watching them hang on to every single syllable is pure magic and IS possible!
What about a class of squirrely 3rd graders learning their multiplication facts because their teacher does a whole rap song with them?
I still remember my 7th grade Spanish teacher's goofy, low pitched and LOUD chant that taught me how to conjugate verbs. She even had improve hand signals to go with them. I should note, this was out of her character and maybe that's why it made such an impact!
Last year, my tone of choice during most whole group instruction was firm but warm with my 6th graders. When working in small groups, I went for quiet and excited, celebrating even the smallest victory with students. During our poetry unit, I brought the drama and voice was constantly changing depending on the style of poem we were reading. During our argumentative writing project, I became more...argumentative. I ended many statements with a higher pitched inflection that is often used when posting a question, just to keep them on their toes. Social Studies content was very dry so I brought as much enthusiasm as possible.
It's these little things that we can do with our greatest tool, our voice, that can make big impacts in our delivery and lead to great gains for our students.
p.s. Here is a class example of a teacher not using voice as an engagement tool.
Bueller? Bueller? Anyone? There's a reason that everyone was glazed over here...