Engaged pupils are motivated to learn, wanting information about issues significant to their lives. Elementary teachers can use high-impact techniques to develop this personal motivation in pupils. Techniques include lessons focused on issues and situations familiar to pupils' lives. High-impact elementary classrooms contain personal elements from pupils' lives, such as art projects focused around family members, books with themes familiar to pupils and pictures of people who inspire pupils in the class. Teachers must connect with pupils, discussing the pupils' experiences and interests, to bring those elements into classroom projects.
Colorful, descriptive visuals give pupils a reference with which to remember important information. High-impact teachers create these visuals, guiding the memory process of pupils who see and interact with these visuals on a daily basis. For instance, a high-impact kindergarten class may have the alphabet displayed, using bright red vowels and bright blue consonants to show the difference. The classroom may have large, colorful words displayed, such as "Door" over the class door or "Books" over the bookshelf. These colorful displays give pupils a visual cue, helping them relate color difference to vowels and consonants, and helping them to see how to form words using both.
Along with color, music plays an important role in memory. High-impact teachers can use a stereo to play music during specific lessons. They can use this technique to help pupils focus on the lesson, such as playing a specific song each time they begin the math lesson. Teachers can also use background music, teaching songs that help pupils remember important information. As an example, a teacher can play background music while teaching a class the alphabet song. Later, the teacher can replay the background music during exams, or play the music and ask pupils to sing the song to the class.
Pupils' education needs are not constant. Developmentally challenged pupils have unique needs, as do pupils with weaknesses in previous grade levels. High-impact classrooms contain a number of unique educational tools, allowing teachers to address the individual needs of each pupil. This includes puzzle games for pupils who need to visualize a lesson, flash cards for pupils who need repetition and traditional worksheets for pupils who just need extra practice. High-impact teachers are prepared to meet these individual challenges with creative learning techniques.