Classroom Management – Helping Teachers Grow

Never underestimate the power of making eye contact with your students.  All too often we get so involved in our day, that we rarely take the time to look our students in the eye.  I’ll never forget the time during my first year teaching when I explained this elaborate task to my class of fourth graders and set them to work, only to discover than nearly every student in the class had no idea what to do once I’d released them from their seats.

I was dumb struck. Thoughts like, “How could you not know what to do?  I was just explaining the directions for the last five minutes!”  But I held my tongue and took this as a learning moment.

From that moment on, I made sure that every student was looking directly at me with nothing in their hands before I gave any instructions.  Then, once I had everyone’s attention, I moved through the class, making sure that everyone was still looking at me, and gave the directions.  Then, when I had finished giving my vastly shortened instructions (thirty to forty-five seconds, tops), I asked if there were any questions.  I took the time to look every student briefly in the eyes, waiting for any questions.

This time, when I told them to “Make it happen!” they made it happen.

It was a most refreshing feeling.

So, short story made even shorter, take the time to teach your students to always watch you when you are giving instructions.  It will save you much time and headache down the road.

Darren B.

You’re waiting to go to lunch, and your students are just bonkers.  They are excited to get out of class, even if it’s only for a moment, but you can’t let them just dash out the door and run down the hall to the cafeteria.  What do you do?

You can always raise your voice and try to be louder than the students.  But who really likes that?  Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to quiet the class without yelling?

Try these tips:

• Leverage something you want with something they want.  For example, if they want to go to lunch, tell them they can’t go until everyone is seated and quiet.  Just watch them help each other get quiet.
• Create a class reward and work towards it as students remember appropriate behavior.  Jars that get filled with marbles work great- when the jar is full, the class gets a reward.
• Explain that the longer it takes to work through a lesson, the more likely it is that the lesson will be homework.
• Explain that class can’t be dismissed until all information is covered.  “We can’t leave until we’ve answered all our questions…”
• Sit quietly and tell the students closest to you a funny personal story.  As they begin to enjoy your story, other students will become interested.  Before you know it, the whole class will be listening!

Whatever you do, try you best not to get into the raising-your-voice trap.  It only leads to louder and louder classes.  Become the voice of calm and quite respect in your classroom, and watch your students begin to reinforce your expectations.

DarrenB