The Disney secret that every teacher should use: Take 5

Take 5 for teachers, making every student feel like the most important person in the room. Lee Cockerell describes a practice built into Disney's culture called the Take Five, spontaneous moments where cast members are trained to look for opportunities to do something special for a guest. A child's ice cream scoop falls off the cone? Replace it for free. See a little girl dressed in her favorite princess outfit? Ask for her autograph. Know a fun fact about a ride? Share it. These moments usually take about five seconds, not five minutes, but they leave a lasting impression.

As Cockerell writes, "Disney's magic isn't magic at all. It's the intentional, trained behavior of people who decided that every guest deserves to feel like the most important person in the park." The magic, he says, isn't a grand gesture. It's a moment of deliberate noticing, pausing from the task in front of you to say, with your action: I see you. You matter.

Sound familiar? It should. It's also what great teachers do every day.

Why take 5 translates perfectly to teaching

Cockerell's first leadership principle is that everyone is important, and he means everyone. He connects this to what he calls the RAVE theory: Respect, Appreciate, and Value Everyone. This is exactly what inclusive classrooms are built on: spaces where every student is valued, supported, and appreciated for the unique individual they are. Kids don't remember the test you gave or the worksheet they completed. They remember how you made them feel. A Take Five is how you make them feel seen. It costs nothing, and it can be something a student carries with them for the rest of their life.

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Take fives by grade level

Early Elementary (K–2)

When a young student hands you a drawing, ask if you can have their autograph on it. Display it in a frame, on a bulletin board with plastic sleeves, or wherever students can showcase work they're proud of, not a uniform assignment, but their choice. They just became a real artist.

Greet every student by name at the door, and go one step further. Not just "Good morning, Amy", but "Good morning, Amy! How was Girl Scouts last night?" Keep a small mental note of what each kid is into, and follow up. It takes five seconds and tells a child that their life outside your classroom matters.

The student of the week or "Guest of Honor" setup works beautifully here too, a special chair during morning meeting, a bulletin board decorated with their family photos, and a week in the spotlight. And when it comes to parent communication, don't let your first message home be negative. That first week, notice one good thing about every student and send it home. It sets the tone for everything that follows and connects back to Danielson's framework for positive family communication.

Upper Elementary (3–5)

When returning a paper or research project, lean in and ask a real question, not about the grade, but about the topic. For example: "You researched cats, do you have one at home?" The student feels heard. They get to talk about their passion instead of their score.

Notice progress out loud and specifically. "I noticed you really improved on your spelling test this week." "I noticed you had a new friend with you at lunch." "I noticed how well you did during transitions today." This honors the process, not just the final product, and kids this age are hungry for that kind of recognition.

And if you can swing it, invite small groups of students to eat lunch with you in your classroom. Just conversation, maybe a special snack, and a chance to get to know each other. Rotate through until every student has had a turn.

Middle School (6–8)

Middle school is where things get a little awkward: puberty, social pressure, and heightened self-consciousness. Public praise can backfire. So go private: a Post-it note on a student's desk before they arrive, praising something specific. They see it. It's just for them. They'll keep it.

Make the connection between your content and what they actually care about. If a student is into video games, find the link to today's lesson. Pop culture, sports, whatever they're into, showing that you know something about their world signals I see you as a person, not just a student.

Try anonymous check-ins using tools like Classroom Screen (check out the related posts below) or a Google or Microsoft Form if you want names so you can follow up privately. And when you can, show up outside of class, a game, a concert, a rehearsal. It hits differently when they see you in their world.

High School (9–12)

For older students, Take Fives often look like investing in their future. If a student is consistently bringing their best quality work, good energy, real effort, tell them directly: "When you need a letter of recommendation, please come talk to me." That's not a throwaway line. It tells a teenager they have a future worth recommending.

Try the 20% time idea, giving students space to invest in a passion project, become experts on something they love, and share it with the class. It's a Take Five that spans weeks and lets students be seen as more than their grades.

And as students walk out the door? A quiet, genuine word: "Really nice job today. You showed up. It really matters." Brief. Real.

Don't leave moments to chance

The biggest takeaway from Cockerell's book is this: Disney didn't leave Take Fives to inspiration. They trained for them. Cast members weren't just allowed to do Take Fives, they were expected to look for the opportunity. For teachers, that means building a real habit:

• Regularly ask yourself: "Who haven't I connected with this week?"

• Keep a simple tally to make sure every student gets a moment, not just the loudest or the most struggling.

• Remember that the students who most need a Take Five are often the ones who never ask for one.

These small moments of belonging can make a real difference for a student who's struggling or for one who just needs to know they're seen.

The Challenge

"What if every teacher walked in tomorrow asking, 'Who in this room needs me to take five today?'" It's not extra. It's not above and beyond. It's the work. Take five this week. Notice someone intentionally. Tell them, with your action: I see you. You matter. And if no one's told you today, you matter too.

This episode is inspired by Lee Cockerell's Creating Magic (Crown Business, 2008).

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READ MORE AT www.sfecich.com DR. SAMANTHA FECICH IS AN EDUCATOR, AUTHOR, SPEAKER, AND PODCAST HOST PASSIONATE ABOUT HELPING FUTURE TEACHERS TRANSITION FROM CAMPUS TO CLASSROOM.