I’m often asked what to do when your class isn’t badly behaved, but still disruptive.
In other words, as a group they tend to be excitable and talkative. Every transition and activity you have to settle and quiet them down.
It’s a common question because it causes so much teacher stress.
After perusing the SCM website, many teachers decide that they need to be more consistent following their classroom management plan.
This is important, to be sure.
Being consistent is non-negotiable for good classroom management. It’s an essential step, as is bringing your own calm presence to the classroom. Together, they make a huge difference.
However, all-class misbehavior can often be traced back to sloppy routines. The standards of which are almost always too low and ill defined.
Everything you do repeatedly as a class, like entering the classroom, transitioning from one activity to the next, or opening laptops, should be made into a highly specific routine students do without your input.
Well-taught routines are critical because they:
Keep students focused.
Provide sustained purpose.
Save weeks of learning time.
Reduce your need to talk.
Lower your stress level.
Place more responsibility on students’ shoulders.
Cut way down on misbehavior.
Make everything easier.
The totality of the effect on students is that they become more mature.
Having objectives to accomplish, with little let up, removes silliness, distractability, and dependency on the teacher. The more routines you have, the better.
So if this is you, if you’re stressed and overworked and feel as if you have to do everything for your students, including talking them through every this and that, then you must teach—or reteach—highly detailed routines.
Show your students precisely how to sit quietly and work, ask a question, line up for lunch, hang up their backpack, gather into groups, give their attention, etc. Model what it looks like. Have your class practice until they can prove to you they can do it perfectly.
Then hold them to it every moment of every day.
And whenever they don’t mirror back the high standard you’ve set, then have them repeat the routine. Accept nothing less than excellence, and that’s what you’ll get.
The best part about requiring perfect routines is that it transfers to everything you do. I once had a teacher think I was silly to put so much emphasis and detail in the routines I required.
But what this teacher didn’t realize was that I was setting an example for how to approach math, science, writing, and every other academic subject. I was infusing the discipline and work habits that result in true academic progress.
I was also preparing them for life outside of the school system.
The truth is that you should go overboard in teaching routines. You should be a NASA engineer preparing the Saturn V for a trip to the moon. Details can spell the difference between Apollo 1 and Apollo 11.
Now, while it’s true that the older your students are the less you have to model routines, this doesn’t mean that your routines should be any less specific. Also, routines don’t have to be militaristic.
They can look as relaxed as you wish as long as that is the expectation. For years, I had my students walking to lunch in a quiet herd around me—no line whatsoever.
I’ve also added various dances, movements, and unrelated tasks to make my routines multi-step, memorable, and more challenging, allowing me to continually ask more of my students.
Having a well-behaved class is about your leadership. It’s about boldly teaching and raising expectations, even amid the reversing tides of the culture and low standards infecting our schools.
There is a lot to this topic, but we’ve got you covered. From how to teach routines to how to hold students accountable can be found in the Procedures & Routines category of the archive.
I encourage you to read, learn, and then double down on routines starting ASAP. In a week, you’ll have a different class.
PS – My new book Inspire, which describes the principles you need to carry with you every day in order to transform student behavior and learning, is now available.
Also, if you haven’t done so already, please join us. It’s free! Click here and begin receiving classroom management articles like this one in your email box every week.
Good stuff. A lot to routines. I’m doing this more w my 9th grade Algebra class & its working so far.
Also, a parallel….I just went rock climbing for the first time. On a short flat portion w good footing, you are tempted to unclip both carabiners & just walk….but you never, ever unclip both carabiners. When you’re dead tired near the top & you just want to finish and your brain is tired, it’s easy to make a mistake and unclip both accidentally, but if you carved the routine, you won’t.
Just have to say – I love your advice but this is what’s driving teachers out of the profession…the fact I have to do the same (;:/- Every Single Day is RIDICULOUS. Sorry no matter what – when you are in 8th grade and we have consistently gone over this since I had the same students in 7th grade. Cannot wait to retire as a result.
I SO UNDERSTAND!!! I’m doing/saying/teaching/modeling/step-by-step-walking students through procedures, finding/submitting assignments, and STILL some email and say, “I have no idea what ____ is or where to find it!” Comments like that are incredibly discouraging. I am trying to find ways to stay positive and keep going, but 8th grade and teaching middle/junior high is doing me in.
I too teach 8th grade. My classes seem to be a lot like yours. I am beginning to think that this their generation. It seems to be across the US that this grade is like this. The classes following these 8th graders are nothing like them. There is still hope. Hang in there.
Your words of instruction and encouragement are looked forward to each and every week. As a veteran teacher of more than twenty years, I still find guidance from those like you. It is applicable and doable in my everyday routine. It makes a difference to me, my co-workers, and my class – daily. The proof was this past week when some of the more challenging kids attended conferences with their parents with smiles on their faces and admitted to me in front of mom/dad that 5th grade is fun! Carry onward!
Thank you, I needed to hear that again. I have a sweet group, but they are so chatty. As a teacher we are so busy with just the business of teaching, we forget about the basics of classroom management.
Does Leader In Me line up with Smart Classroom Management?
What about when certain students hijack the repeating/practicing routine process in order to continue misbehaving and being the center of attention?
yes!
What about when the teacher next door is “the fun” teacher and as we switch classes I have to deal with her class being unmotivated and constantly checking the time. They don’t try their best on my exams.
Yes their behavior is in check in my class- but then as they test; it appears as I am the one not teaching! No effort on my exams-yet they excel on hers.
Meanwhile I can hear my class in chaos in her class and I have to stand at the door to “catch” my class as they come back to me to have them follow my expectations.
If they are excelling on hers then she is doing something right and maybe you should take some notes. If your routines are so strict that they hate your class, they won’t do anything for you. Sometimes as teachers we need to bend a little to the needs of our students.
!100% Kids don’t learn from teachers they don’t like Relationships have to come before rigor. I’m dealing with this with my own son right now. He has a “mean” teacher and all of the kids dislike her, they pretend to be paying attention but often tune her out.
I find it challenging as a specialist on a six-day rotation pushing into the classrooms. Students know my rules and expectations but are sometimes disrespectful to special area teachers. Shouldn’t they know how to carryover their discipline?Any suggestions?
I just retired, and as a classroom teacher I was using Smart Classroom Management. Now as I walk into classes that are not using SCM and their classes are so chatty, how can I stop some of this disruptive behavior as a sub! Just telling them to stop talking does not work!
Any advice on this: How can I use some of these methods as a sub.
Thanks!
Wendy
I’m a building sub and I dread some classes because of the chatty kids and disrupting my instructions because they want to be spoon fed instead of working for themselves!
I’m also interested in what we can do as subs. Maybe you could devote an SMC newsletter just to substitutes?
I’m a building sub and always hope to get the ‘good’ classes – the ones with top notch classroom management to start with. The students all know me and I review my expectations with each class as I’m assigned. Those used to consistent routines do well (there’s still some boundary testing because I’m a sub) but those without consistent routines are hectic! They see a sub and think it’s a free for all! It makes for a very long and frustrating day.
I teach a grade 3-4 split. You’d think I’d know better. I just reviewed/retaught my procedures. It’s like they wanted me to be more organized!
Thank you for reminding me I am usually the problem.
If the precious resource is “our teachers”, wouldn’t it make more sense to take care of them? Setting an example for some of those troubled youth by removing them has worked for many years. The old saying about hauling firewood in a Ferrari can be applied to today’s teachers.