Adding Glitter to the Grit
Written by: Adrienne Chyba
Elementary-aged students are facing growing academic demands, from building strong literacy and math foundations to developing critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Educators must deliver rigorous content while meeting a wide range of learning needs. In this challenging landscape, high-quality academic engagement strategies are essential. By adding glitter to the grit—infusing fun, creativity, and relevance into rigorous learning—educators can keep students motivated, make learning stick, and ensure all learners stay actively engaged and ready to show focus and gain success!
#1 Relationships > Everything…
Before any real learning can happen in the classroom, students need to feel a genuine connection with their teacher. Relationships are the heartbeat of a vibrant learning environment! When kids know their teacher sees them, values them, and truly cares, magic starts to happen. Trust grows, walls come down, and students become more willing to take risks and dive into learning. These strong bonds aren’t just nice to have—they’re the secret sauce that fuels confidence, curiosity, and academic success. A warm, positive relationship can light up a classroom and leave a lasting sparkle on a child’s learning journey. Before the glitter, relationships with your students are pivotal.
#2 Immediate Feedback
Young children thrive on quick wins and instant feedback! Their attention spans are short, so they learn best through fun, bite-sized tasks that keep them moving and thinking. But the real magic happens when feedback comes right away—whether it’s a high five, a cheerful “you got it!”, or a quick tip to try again. Immediate feedback helps kids stay motivated, builds confidence, and turns mistakes into learning moments on the spot. It’s like giving their brains a little cheerleader, keeping the energy up and the learning going strong! One way I like to make that immediate feedback a little more “glittery” is by using something I like to call “Magic Smelly Dots”. Whenever I notice a student being engaged and focused on the task at hand/using their best listening skills, I give them a “magic smelly dot” on the back of their little hands. I love to use Lip Smacker chapstick for this! You would be amazed at what a little yummy smelling dot will do to boost a child’s focus OR encourage them to KEEP focusing! You could also use smelly stickers for this as well–you cannot go wrong with a little smell-good magic!
“Immediate feedback helps kids stay motivated, builds confidence, and turns mistakes into learning moments on the spot.”
#3 Visual Cues
Minimal auditory directions from the teacher can help reduce distractions and keep the classroom calm during independent work time (and let’s face it, sometimes using our “teacher voice” is draining!) The “magic quiet band” bracelet is a fun and simple visual reminder for students to stay focused during independent work time. When they see or feel the bracelet, it gently cues them to keep their attention on the task without distractions. This playful tool encourages self-regulation and helps create a calm, productive classroom vibe—all while making focus feel like a little magical habit! I love to grab inexpensive rubber bracelets from Amazon or the Target Dollar Spot!
#4 Brag Tags
Brag tags are awesome little necklaces that celebrate students who rock your building’s goals or classroom rules! Super easy to use—just hang them up, send a student to grab one, and voilà—they get to wear their badge of honor for the day. The ones I use say, “Ask me how I was responsible today,” but you can totally customize them to fit whatever amazing habits you want to spotlight. It’s a fun, hands-on way to cheer on great behavior and sprinkle some extra positivity throughout your classroom!
#5 Make Time for the Fun Stuff…
Amidst the lessons, routines, and endless standards, it’s so important to make time for the memory-making moments—the truly magical stuff! As a classroom teacher, I lived for those days that broke the mold and brought joy front and center. From 1800’s Day—no tech, writing on slates, and lunches packed in pails—to our very own Winter Olympics, where students competed for medals and classroom glory, every moment was a chance to turn learning into an adventure. Pirate Day? You bet—complete with pirate names, plank-walking, and a virtual tour of a ship! Backwards Day was a blast—we flipped the schedule on its head, called each other by our last names, and topped it off with the perfect photo… students facing away from the camera, of course! These are just a few fun ways to shake up the daily academic grind and keep your kids hooked, happy, and ready to learn!
Adding glitter to the grit of academics doesn’t have to involve fancy plans or tons of prep—it can be easy and super rewarding! Little things like a dab of scented chapstick or a special lanyard worn proudly by a student celebrating their daily wins can work wonders. These small moments of magic keep kids engaged and excited for the biggest magic of all—YOU!
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