There is a teacher trait that has the power to . . .
lower your stress.
make you more consistent.
increase your enjoyment of teaching.
improve your relationships.
gain critical insight into your students.
It’s something never mentioned in educational circles but is present among the most effective teachers.
Those who don’t possess this trait nearly always struggle.
So what is it?
It’s awareness. It’s the ability to stay present and alert to the world around you.
The good news is that it’s a trait that can be developed naturally by following a few simple guidelines.
Here’s how:
Talk Less
Most teachers would benefit by cutting the amount of talking they do by one-third. Because talking too much causes students to tune you out. The less you talk, on the other hand, the more impactful your words.
Talking less also frees the bandwidth you need to take in the whole room. You’re able to anticipate misbehavior before it happens. It’s the key to having teacherly sense.
But you must make an effort to be judicious with your words. You must cut the fat and avoid narration, thinking out loud, and off-topic asides—as so many teachers are wont to do.
Slow Down
By taking your time, by waiting, pausing, and moving more deliberately, your senses are better able to tune into the tone and temperature of your classroom.
You see more. Your perception becomes sharper and more refined. You’re able to take in the information you need—strengths, weaknesses, body language, energy levels—to adjust your instruction accordingly.
By slowing down, you also move faster through the curriculum, draw attention to you and your message, and remove the excitability and mental clutter that interfere with your students’ ability to focus.
Observe More
Here at SCM, we talk a lot about the importance of observation. But it isn’t just important during periods of independent work. It’s important to have an observational mindset all the time.
This ensures that you’ll never forgetfully turn your back on your students and sacrifice their safety or right to learn in peace.
Instead, you’ll automatically position yourself to see your entire class. You’ll develop quick recognition, discernment, and understanding—which in turn produce better lessons, clearer communication, and every-single-time consistency.
Breathe
When you’re stressed out, anxious, or worried, your breathing shallows. Your vision narrows. Your senses constrict. Your preoccupation with yourself and how you’re feeling deepens and severely limits your teaching ability.
Because you’re never fully awake to the moment, you see things that don’t register. You become stiff and unable to be yourself. You can’t think of stories, connections, or humor that are key to making learning come to life.
Consequently, your students view you as uptight, boring, and not all there.
The antidote is to breathe fully—roughly four revolutions per minute. This will open your sense-perspective and keep you limber and mindful to the present. It will allow you to be you.
A Lack of Wisdom
Teachers who rush around, talk a lot, have narrow vision, and breathe in short, shallow breaths appear as if they don’t have their wits about them.
They appear scatterbrained, ruffled, and unsure of themselves. The job seems too big and overwhelming. Their lessons are uninteresting.
As a result, students test them, take advantage of them, and get under their skin.
But their struggles have nothing to do with intelligence. It’s not that they aren’t cut out for the job or that they don’t have the ability. It’s that they lack the wisdom that comes from keen awareness.
For many teachers, improving this one area is the missing ingredient. It’s the reason why they’ve felt as if nothing they do works as promised.
It’s the reason they’re stressed out, continually behind the eight ball, and not the teacher they can and should be.
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I couldn’t agree more! When I began practicing staying in the moment in my classroom, the changes were significant in how I felt. That’s not to say that the high-stress nature of this job vanished. I still feel stress. But, it helps enough to be noticeable and it’s worth the practice. Recommend!
Guilty as charged! Thank you, Michael. I will truly work hard on it. (But how I did enjoy and still recall amusing and often wise life lessons of the chatty asides of several past teachers—master raconteurs in my book— from elementary thru university days. I was sometimes the only one in the class reacting, so I guess it did fall mostly on deafened ears.)
I feel stressed when students didnt pay attention on work i need ur guidance.maths teacher
Thanks Micheal. Will definitely change my management.
I wonder – and what did you do before? Just kept talking and talking? And no one ever told you what teaching really is?
thank you so much
Definitely I will try them and implement the given tips in my classroom and I hope it will bring a change and of course for the better..
Regards
Geeta
You’re welcome, Ali.
What about a special Ed classroom with 5 grade levels? New teacher here. I gotta watch my PC. All have behaviors. None listen. Chaos. 🙁
I’ve learned so much from reading through your articles about classroom management and how to live in the present and oftentimes, when I’m feeling anxious or overwhelmed, these articles pop up and remind me that I can do this and make a difference.
Thank you
I’m glad to hear it, Yesenia.
I so delighted after see out your teaching tips.
Best regards:
Fayyaz chattha
Talk less. I needed to read that.
Thank you…
I love reading your articles, they usually make me feel much more confident. Sometimes, I learn uncomfortable things but I’m learning – which is the aim!
Once again, a wonderful article. Interestingly, as you teach longer, you tend to do this naturally , partly because you have less energy to spend . So you have to conserve what you do have for what’s important, teaching. As I have developed my craft I have realized that it is true, that talking less is important. I used to feel like I had to constantly add my input, that students couldn’t work independently. Now I say what I need to and watch them go. Wow, they can do so much when I get out of their way. Thanks again.
You’re welcome, Christine.
Third year teacher here. I have been struggling with slowing down my whole life, but now it is on high magnitude due to the stress level. I am forgetful, and have a hard time retaining the many fine details that are vital during conversations with admin and students. I will work on this as my goal throughout the year.
Thanks for this! Do you ever think about doing some video? I’ve been doing a lot of explicit teaching for my sixth graders of the rules, procedures and expectations, and sometimes find myself at a loss of just how to get my point across. I think me and other readers would benefit greatly from being able to see it in action!
You’re welcome, Kate. We’d love to do video. The tough part is figuring the logistics.
Super article. So important to self monitor yourself to become more effective in the classroom
I agree with Kate. I would love to see some videos addressing this topic and others as well!
Thank you.
I am always telling my students that some days you are the bug some days you’re the windshield. This is when I am aware of how they are feeling but usually not until the end of class. I will become more aware as to what kind of day it’s going to be thanks to your article.
Thank you for this powerful insight
It’s my pleasure, Aaron.
Wow! It sounds like having TEACHER SUPERPOWERS!
Over the years, people have often told me that I speak too fast and talk too much. They’re quite right. I do. This week I shall focus on speaking less, and speaking more slowly, and looking around more. This could be just what I need!
Wow awesome just what I had to read Amen 💞
I’ve always wondered why I’m struggling in spite of all my efforts and other teachers aren’t. This article has given me an insight. While I have awareness in many areas of my life it’s lacking in the classroom. Hopefully reading and following your advice will help me be the teacher I know I can be.
This school year I’ve been practicing two things intentionally: saying less and slowing down my speech. I made these goals for the students’ benefit but have noticed that at the end of the day I feel tired, yes, but not in the exhausted way I’m used to. It’s like my energy is being conserved the way a previous commenter noted. I had not anticipated that but am pleased with it.
Hello Michael,
You have changed the way I teach for the better so thank you! I would also agree with others that some videos would help greatly. Have you considered doing some?
You’re welcome, Petra.
Thanks for being there. You are much Appreciated. Moira in Madera.
My pleasure, Moira.
Hi Michael,
This article can not come at a better time, I shared it with my colleagues,
Thanks a lot!
Thanks Jenny!
Hi! Thanks for this- awareness / being present definitely seems to be the missing link when it comes to being consistent. Not exactly related to this article but I was wondering how you recommend following the classroom management plan in situations when it’s difficult to have time out- for example, assembly, school trips, or bus journeys.
Kounin called it ‘with-it-ness’.
I love your articles and they’ve helped me become a better teacher.
Just one thing. Can you stop using “cut the fat” as a metaphor? It’s a microaggression and can cause problems for fat people and people struggling with disordered eating. It’s easier to pay attention to your message if people aren’t emotionally reacting to the way you present it.
Thanks!
It’s so interesting that this is what I practice in my own life, and yet, it has been a blind spot to my teaching. Thank you for reminding me to slow down and to be more presently aware. My years of meditation does assist in this observational technique and approach to living, but somehow I got caught up in performing as a need to meet a ridiculous ideal towards the “teacher standard”
You’re welcome, R.