Stop Just Taking Attendance and Use This Quick Question Hack Instead!
If you’ve been here a minute, you already know I’m a big fan of routines that build community without blowing up your entire class period. Enter one of my all time fave routines: Attendance Questions… a.k.a my go-to way to kick off class with connection, consistency, and a little bit of organized chaos.
I know what you might be thinking:
“Mary Beth… I barely have time to take attendance, much less ask questions while doing it.”
But hear me out, attendance questions are one of the easiest low-lift, high-impact ways to create a classroom culture where students feel seen, safe, and maybe even a little excited to be in your room (gasp!).
Starting class with attendance questions is my secret formula for getting even the most reluctant students to participate and slow roll their continued engagement in my class.
So... What Is an Attendance Question?
It's exactly what it sounds like. When I take attendance each class period and go down the roster, I don’t just say a student’s name and have them reply “here.” That’s boring and you can get a lot more bang for your buck out of that time. Instead, I ask a fun, simple question students can answer with one word or sentence. No pressure. No grade. Just vibes and getting to know your students better as people.
It looks a little something like this…
“Would you rather have pizza or tacos for the rest of your life?”
“What’s your go-to hype song?”
“If you could start your own business, what would it be?”
“What’s something small that made you smile this week?”
These questions spark conversation, laughter, and occasionally full-blown debates (the Chick-fil-A vs. Raising Canes showdown nearly ended friendships in my 3rd period haha), but most importantly the simple question gives me a pulse check on my students every single day.
Attendance Question ≠ Bellringer
“So are attendance questions basically just a bellringer?”
Nope, not at all. Let’s clear this up…an attendance question is not the same thing as a bellringer or “do now.”
📌 A bellringer is content-driven. It gets students thinking about the lesson, reviewing prior knowledge, or applying skills.
📌 An attendance question is connection-driven. It has nothing to do with curriculum and everything to do with building a culture of connection.
There’s room for both in your classroom. In fact, I pair them together. While students are completing their daily bellringer or reviewing the agenda slide, I’m working through attendance questions one-on-one or as a whole class conversation.
The combo of structure + connection? That’s the secret sauce!!
(And bonus: it’s the one thing that actually reminds me to take attendance consistently. Because we’ve all had that awkward call from the office that we forgot to submit our attendance, right?)
Why I’m Obsessed (And Why You Will Be Too)
Once I switched to using attendance questions I became obsessed because the routine…
✅ Builds relationships
When you give students a chance to share a tiny piece of themselves, they start to feel like they belong. You learn their personalities, interests, and who they are beyond being a student in your classroom. It’s a sneak peek into their daily lives!
✅ Gives quiet students a voice
Even the shyest kids can answer a low-stakes question with a nod or a few words. It’s a soft entry into class and a sneaky way to build participation confidence over time. Those students who never talk and never want to participate? This gives them a way to participate in class discussion with no pressure on them. Slowly over time as they get more comfortable, you will see them participate in more content related activities. No kid is going to speak up in a room where they feel uncomfortable.
✅ Makes attendance less boring
Instead of calling names and hearing “here” on repeat, it becomes a moment of fun and something to look forward to each day. Miss a day of the attendance question after it becomes a routine in your room, and I guarantee you will have students who literally remind you to do it!
✅ Sets the tone
Whether silly or thoughtful, attendance questions establish that our classroom is a place where curiosity, personality, and connection matter. You’re setting the intention and creating a culture of inclusion and participation from the minute students walk in the door.
✅ Quick and easy
Seriously. I know you’re busy. This takes no more time than traditional attendance, but the payoff is much greater!
How to Actually Make Attendance Questions Work (Without Losing Your Mind or Time)
Ready to give it a try but not sure how to pull it off without derailing your whole class period? Here’s how I keep it running smoothly on even the craziest of days…
✅ Choose your question before the bell rings
Have it ready when students walk in. You can write it on the board, display it on your daily slide, or just have it mentally locked and loaded. I like to include it in my Daily Bellringer and Agenda Slides so it becomes part of our daily flow (grab those here if you want the done-for-you version!).
✅ Keep it casual but consistent
I treat it like a quick check-in. While students settle in and start their bellringer, I go down the roster and ask each student their answer. Some days we turn it into a short class convo if energy allows, but it doesn’t have to be a big production everyday.
✅ Use a slide or board space to post the question
This helps students who come in late or are neurodivergent and need time to process. Plus, it keeps you from forgetting the question mid-roster (it happens to the best of us).
✅ Build a theme routine if you need structure
Not sure what to ask every day? Create a theme system to narrow your focus. Here’s an example:
Music Monday – favorite artists, concert experiences, pump-up songs
Tasty Tuesday – food hot takes, dream fast food menu items, snack battles
What If Wednesday – fun hypotheticals or business-minded “what would you do” questions
Throwback Thursday – childhood faves, cringey trends, old school vs. new school
Future Friday – dream jobs, startup ideas, what they’d do with $1M
✅ Keep a digital bank of questions
Trust me, you’ll thank yourself later for this. I use a simple Google Doc to track all the good ones I’ve used or heard. Anytime I’m in a staff meeting or scrolling socials and hear a fun idea, I drop it in the doc. Boom!..Future attendance question saved.
✅ Let students pass, and don’t force it
You’ll have students who aren’t in the mood, and that’s okay. I always offer the option to pass, no questions asked. The goal is connection, not coercion. If they start to pass more frequently, that’s a clue to you that this student may need a one-on-one check in.
Want to Make This Routine Actually Sustainable?
Listen, if you're nodding along thinking, “Okay, I love this idea, but how do I fit this in with everything else I’m already juggling?” you’re not alone. I’ve been there, trying to remember my attendance question while also scrambling to pull up the bellringer, use the restroom in the time between class periods, take attendance, settle the chaos, and make it all look like I’ve got it together.
That’s exactly why I created my Daily Bellringer and Agenda Slides for Business, Marketing, and Entrepreneurship to make your life easier and your routines smoother.
These slides:
✔️ Include 200 done you for attendance questions already included on each slide
✔️ Have ready-to-go bellringers tied to real business and marketing content (so you’re hitting standards, not just stalling for time)
✔️ A space to input your daily class agenda so your students know exactly what to do when they walk in
✔️ Keep you from reinventing the wheel every class period across multiple preps
✔️ Work for any Business, Marketing, and Entrepreneurship class,so if you’re like me and teach multiple preps, you’re covered
Basically, it’s like having your beginning of class period routine already planned for the entire year, so you can sip your coffee, greet your kids, and still actually remember to take attendance.
Want to steal my system?
Grab my Daily Bellringer & Agenda Slides right here on TPT and thank yourself later when the start of each class period feels just a little bit smoother.
So, what do you say? Ready to implement this simple routine this year and see even your most reluctant students start to join in on the conversation?
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