One of the most important tricks any teacher needs is the ability to get their class quiet, quickly and respectfully. Now for many of us, we know this is easier said than done. But this one skill is so important, it separates the struggling teacher from the pro- more than almost any other skill.
Just imagine the principal walking into your room. He or she tells you that he needs to tell something to your class. Can you get your class quiet immediately? Do you have the rapport and respect from your students to get them settled without resorting to yelling?
There are a hundred ways to regain control of your class. I recommend finding three or four that work for your students and fit your personal style. Then rotate between these whenever you need to.
Want a couple?
If you take your students to lunch, remind them at the beginning of class that the longer it takes for them to get quiet, the longer it will take you to finish your lesson. If necessary, you might need to stay in from lunch until the material is covered. Then, if they continue speaking, I tell them, “That’s one minute from lunch.” I repeat as necessary until they get quiet.
Here’s another: It’s similar to the lunch time trick, only I use the threat of homework. “If it takes us too long to finish this classwork because of your talking, I guess we’ll have to do this for homework. I really don’t want to do that. Do you?”
One more: “We can’t leave here until this is finished. And I’m not writing any tardy slips…”
Whatever you use, don’t threaten and then not follow through. If you create expectations for behavior with a consequence for not meeting those expectations, you darn well better be able to follow through. Otherwise the whole system falls apart.
Having the ability to quiet your students quickly adds so much to my enjoyment of my days spent teaching. I feel comfortable letting my kids discuss issues in class knowing that I can get things focused in a hurry if necessary. We can occasionally joke around and laugh together, knowing that when it’s time to work, we can get focused.
This one class management skill will help you enjoy your day and your students more than almost any other management technique. Leave me a comment about the ways you get your classes quiet. I’m sure there are tons of methods out there just waiting to be shared!
Darren