When students get bored their minds drift. And while some settle on daydreaming, tile-counting, and general inattentiveness, other students are drawn to more…ahem…destructive pursuits. For where there is boredom, there is misbehavior percolating just under the surface, ready to pounce. Although there is a … Read more
Telling students exactly what you want is good teaching. It seems obvious, but if you’re unable to communicate what you want from your students, then they’re never going to give it to you. Too often when giving directions teachers begin talking before they’re ready. … Read more
Do your students begin moving before you finish giving directions? Do they turn in their seats, reach for materials, or begin standing and conversing with classmates before you even finish talking? Do you find yourself gradually raising your voice, trying to get in that … Read more
Are your students slow to follow directions? Do they ever seem reluctant, lost, or unsure of what you want them to do? Does it ever feel like no matter how often you repeat yourself or how loud you speak you still can’t get through … Read more
Your students love video games. They love action movies and bawdy comedies. They love snowball fights, skateboards, birthday parties, and action sports. They love laughter and thrills, challenge and daring-do. They want to leap off thirty-foot cliffs into murky water below. They want to … Read more
Questions are the lifeblood of learning; they mustn’t be discouraged. But yet, if left unchecked and unopposed, they can throw you far off topic, cause boredom and restlessness, and slow learning to a crawl. Though more art than science, it’s possible to trim the … Read more
You notice it an hour or so into the school day. Your students are chatty and distracted. Their heads are on a swivel. They’re squirming in their seats. Only the most dedicated appear to be following along. What do you do? Do you plow … Read more
It’s one of the great challenges of teaching. How do you compete with the distractions of a modern student’s life? How do you interest them in what you’re offering when their entertainment options are so immediate, so exciting, and so easy? How do you … Read more