Introduction: Why Bell Ringers Are the Perfect Ground for Action Research

Every teacher knows the first five minutes of class can either launch a lesson into smooth, focused learning—or derail the next 70 minutes entirely. As educators, we often focus on the major elements of instruction: learning goals, assessments, engaging activities, curriculum alignment, and feedback loops. But the small rituals—the quiet transitions, the opening routines, the first moments of mental settling—may be even more influential than we give them credit for.

That realization sparked my interest in conducting an action research project centered around classroom bell ringers. But not just any bell ringers: a structured, repeatable practice combining guided meditation and visual anchoring to enhance student focus, calm their nervous systems, and reinforce the central themes of each lesson.

In other words, I wanted to see whether giving students five focused minutes could improve the next fifty-five in measurable, meaningful ways.

This article lays out the full plan—the rationale, the research questions, the methods, the data collection strategy, and how other teachers can adapt this model. It also serves as the foundation for publishing regular updates on the results as they unfold.

What follows is my complete bell ringer action research plan, designed to be transparent, replicable, and rooted in both practice and research.

Section 1: What Is Bell Ringer Action Research?

Action research is a structured method for teachers to investigate practice in their own classrooms. It blends inquiry, reflection, data collection, and real-time adjustment. Rather than studying students from a distance, the teacher actively examines everyday instructional choices—small and large—to understand what actually works.

So when we talk about bell ringer action research, we’re really talking about:

• Studying the effectiveness of a specific bell ringer routine

• Measuring how it affects student learning outcomes

• Tracking changes over time

• Making iterative adjustments

• Reflecting on implications for broader teaching practice

This approach is powerful because it turns the ordinary into an opportunity. The first five minutes of class aren’t just transitional fluff—they’re a consistent, controlled variable teachers can study deeply.

Section 2: Rationale — Why Study Bell Ringers?

Most classrooms already use some form of bell ringer: a writing prompt, a quick question, a grammar exercise, a retrieval practice task. But many teachers don’t intentionally measure the impact of these routines, even though multiple research strands point to their importance:

1. The Brain’s First Moments Shape Learning

Cognitive science emphasizes “attentional priming”—the idea that the brain’s initial state determines how well it processes incoming information. A calm brain absorbs more. A scattered brain absorbs less.

2. The Transition Problem

Students often arrive distracted, socially activated, or dysregulated. Five minutes of intentional grounding can shift the entire emotional climate of a classroom.

3. Repetition Builds Neural Pathways

Consistent routines help students form habits of focus. If the first five minutes are structured, predictable, and meaningful, students settle faster and produce stronger work.

4. The Anchoring Effect

Attaching the day’s content to a single image, symbol, or object creates a “retrieval shortcut.” This is where the visual anchor method becomes powerful.

5. The Mindfulness Advantage

Guided meditation has been shown to improve:

• working memory

• emotional regulation

• executive functioning

• on-task behaviour

• comprehension and retention

In short: if any part of the class is worth researching, it’s the part that shapes everything that follows.

Section 3: The Bell Ringer Routine Being Studied

This action research project centers on a two-part bell ringer system:

Part 1: A 2-Minute Guided Meditation for Focus and Calming

The meditation is simple and repeatable. Students are guided through:

• Breathing deeply

• Relaxing shoulders and jaw

• Consciously letting go of distractions

• Visualizing success in the lesson

• Setting a personal intention

This is NOT about spirituality or anything mystical. It’s about cognitive readiness.

We know that when students reduce cortisol and activate the parasympathetic nervous system, they learn better. The meditation is designed for exactly that.

Part 2: A 3-Minute Visual Learning Anchor

Each lesson is attached to one memorable image.

Examples:

• To Kill a Mockingbird Chapter 1 → Boo Radley holding scissors

• Literary Conflict → Two rams charging each other

• Cell Structures → A city map representing organelles

• The Treaty of Versailles → A cracked globe wrapped in rope

Students visually study the image for one minute.
Then they write or quietly think about a question related to it.

This creates a mental hook for the rest of the lesson. When I later refer back to “Boo Radley with scissors,” students can retrieve all the associated information quickly.

This mental linking process is called dual coding, a research-backed strategy for retention.

Section 4: Research Questions

The entire project revolves around three core questions:

1. Does a guided-meditation bell ringer improve students’ ability to focus in the first 15 minutes of class?

Indicators include:

• fewer disruptions

• smoother transitions

• increased on-task behaviour

• quicker settling time

2. Does the visual anchor improve retention of the lesson’s main concepts?

Indicators include:

• improved quiz/test scores

• stronger notes

• more references to the anchor image

• student self-reports of memory recall

3. Does consistency in bell ringer routines improve long-term academic outcomes?

Indicators include:

• overall grade trends

• improved completion rates

• increased confidence

• quality of student work over time

Section 5: Literature Review (Condensed)

While this is not an exhaustive academic literature review, the action research draws on several well-established findings:

A. Mindfulness and Guided Meditation in Schools

Studies consistently show improvements in:

• executive function

• working memory

• emotional regulation

• behaviour

• attention

Regular short meditations have measurable cognitive impact, especially for adolescents.

B. Dual Coding Theory

When information is represented both visually and verbally:

• retention increases

• comprehension strengthens

• recall becomes faster

Anchoring major concepts with a single consistent image takes advantage of this principle.

C. Retrieval Practice

Bell ringers with stable structures encourage students to recall prior knowledge, strengthening neural connections and supporting schema development.

D. Predictable Routines

Classrooms that begin with a consistent ritual show:

• reduced anxiety

• faster engagement

• stronger behaviour patterns

• improved sense of belonging

This is especially powerful in de-streamed or mixed-ability settings.

Section 6: Methodology of the Action Research

This project uses a cycle-based action research model, following the classic four steps:

1. Plan

Design the guided meditation + anchor system, identify indicators, set data collection tools.

2. Act

Implement daily for a set period (e.g., 8–10 weeks).

3. Observe

Collect qualitative and quantitative data.

4. Reflect

Evaluate data, adjust routines, and repeat the cycle.

Section 7: Data Collection Plan

The research uses three forms of data:

A. Quantitative Data

1. Short weekly retention quizzes

   • One or two questions tied to the anchor

   • Measures short- and long-term retrieval

2. On-task behaviour tracking

   • Number of redirections needed per class

   • Time until the class is fully engaged

3. Assignment completion rates

   • Comparing pre-intervention and during-intervention trends

4. Grade comparisons

   • Specific common assessments before and after the implementation period

B. Qualitative Data

1. Student reflections

   • Quick exit slips

   • “Did the anchor help you today?”

   • “Did you feel more focused after the meditation?”

2. Teacher journal

   • Notes on class climate

   • Difficult days

   • Success days

   • Surprising observations

3. Anecdotal evidence

   • Student comments

   • Parent feedback

   • Colleague observations

C. Teacher Self-Reflection Metrics

Action research isn’t just about student data—it’s also about teacher change.

I’ll track:

• my stress level at class start

• perceived clarity of lessons

• time saved in transitions

• personal observations on classroom atmosphere

This is important because bell ringers affect teacher focus as much as student focus.

Section 8: Implementation Timeline

Week 1: Baseline Data Collection

• No new bell ringer system yet

• Track behaviour, engagement, grades

Weeks 2–7: Full Implementation

• Daily guided meditation

• Daily visual anchor

• Daily entry routine

• Weekly mini-quizzes

Week 8: Reflection and Adjustment

• Analyze data

• Refine instructions

• Modify anchor prompts if needed

Weeks 9–12: Cycle 2

• Continue with modifications

• Begin writing up findings

Section 9: Sample Script for the Guided Meditation

Here is an example of the 2-minute script used:

“Close your eyes or look softly toward the floor.
Take a deep breath in… and out.
Let your shoulders relax.
Let your jaw relax.
Let whatever happened before this moment drift away.

Picture your mind becoming clear, like a blank page.
Imagine yourself understanding today’s lesson easily and confidently.

Take one more deep breath.
When you feel ready, open your eyes.”

This script can be adjusted or expanded depending on student needs.

Section 10: How the Learning Anchor Works

Each anchor image is:

• Simple

• Memorable

• Symbolically connected to the lesson

• Referred to 2–4 times later

When teaching To Kill a Mockingbird, for example, “Boo Radley with scissors” becomes the shorthand phrase linking back to:

• Radley family history

• town gossip

• unreliable narration

• childhood fear

• characterization through myth-making

Students attach meaning to the anchor, making the entire lesson easier to recall.

This technique will be the core of the retention measurement data.

Section 11: Expected Outcomes

While the research is ongoing, the following outcomes are anticipated:

Academic Outcomes

• Improved retrieval

• More consistent note-taking

• Higher test scores

• Stronger discussions

• Increased comprehension

Behavioural Outcomes

• Faster settling

• Fewer disruptions

• Higher on-task time

• Smoother class transitions

Emotional Outcomes

• Reduced stress

• Greater sense of calm

• Increased confidence

• More positive classroom atmosphere

Section 12: How Other Teachers Can Adapt This Model

This research plan is easily adaptable across:

Grade levels

Elementary, middle school, high school — all can use guided meditation and anchor images.

Subjects

English, science, history, math — every discipline benefits from retrieval practice and emotional regulation.

Time constraints

The system can be compressed into:

• A 1-minute breathing exercise

• A 1-minute anchor

• Or expanded to 10 minutes when needed

Student accommodations

The structure naturally supports:

• ESL students

• neurodivergent students

• students with high anxiety

• students who benefit from predictability

Section 13: Sharing Results and Next Steps

As results are collected, I’ll publish updates to document:

• improvements

• surprises

• setbacks

• modifications

• student stories

• sample data charts

These posts will contribute to a larger body of teacher-driven research—research that grows from real classrooms rather than distant studies.

Ultimately, the goal is not just to understand bell ringers better. It’s to understand learning better.

Conclusion: Small Routines, Big Impacts

Action research doesn’t require dramatic interventions or radical redesigns. Sometimes the most powerful research question emerges from the simplest classroom habit: the first five minutes.

By studying a bell ringer routine built around guided meditation and visual anchors, this project aims to answer one profound question:

Can a small daily ritual meaningfully change how students learn?

Early evidence from educational psychology, retrieval science, mindfulness research, and classroom management strongly suggests yes. But action research helps us move beyond theory into lived classroom truth.

As the project unfolds, the hope is to uncover insights that not only improve my own teaching—but also provide useful strategies for educators everywhere who are looking to strengthen focus, calm, memory, and connection in their classrooms.

Sometimes the path to better learning doesn’t begin with a major overhaul.
Sometimes it begins with five quiet minutes.