Side-talking can be especially frustrating because, although it’s done out of earshot, it’s remarkably disruptive. When your students turn their attention away from you and to a neighbor, they miss important instruction and learning time—which means you’ll either have to repeat yourself or reteach … Read more
It’s a common scene. The teacher stands in front of a large group of students with one arm extended skyward, fingers forming a number (two being most popular), while the other hand is closed but for the index finger poised over pursed lips. The … Read more
When covering classroom management-related topics and routines, it pays to be highly detailed. Providing steps for independent work, modeling how not to enter the classroom, teaching the ins and outs of small-group collaboration . . . Anything and everything that involves what you want … Read more
They enter your classroom bleary eyed. Some have bed-head and pillow lines etched on their faces. A couple are still finishing up breakfast. One boy appears to be wearing the same pajama top he wore to bed the night before. For more than a … Read more
Being an effective speaker is essential to an overall strategy to create a classroom your students look forward to coming to every day—which then provides powerful leverage to influence behavior. You can’t afford to leave it to chance. You can’t afford to make mistakes … Read more
If your students don’t listen well, then you’ll struggle with every classroom management issue under the stars. Capturing and keeping their attention is that important. Yet most teachers don’t give the way they speak much thought. They consider what needs to be said, perhaps, … Read more
How you speak to your class matters—a lot. It affects how attentive your students are, how well they listen and follow directions, and how independent—or dependent—they become. It affects the efficiency and effectiveness of your lessons and the extent of student engagement. It affects … Read more
One of the most common errors teachers make when presenting lessons, providing directions, or otherwise addressing students is to string sentences together with very little gap between them. In other words, the teacher will move from one thought, idea, or bit of information to … Read more