Managing a classroom full of students can be a challenging thing to do. Beginning teachers struggle with classroom management but so do experienced teachers who sometimes need a refresher. There are some simple things that can help to keep a classroom functioning in an orderly fashion that helps promote learning. These strategies can also be used by parents at home with small modifications.
Clear Precise and Consistent RulesIt is important to have clear, consistent and precise rules in order to maintain an orderly classroom. If the classroom rules are vague, too numerous, or rarely referenced, they will soon be forgotten and ignored. If the rules are not consistently enforced, it becomes nearly impossible to enforce the rules.
Classroom rules should be explicitly taught at the beginning of the school year and clearly posted so that they are visible all year. This is only the first step. Throughout the school year, the teacher should often reference the class rules to keep them fresh in the minds of the students.
The key to having effective classroom rules is that there be no more than five rules and that the rules be clearly stated and explained so that all students know exactly what is expected. An example set of class rules might be: 1. Only one person talks at a time. (this covers no talking when the teacher is talking and also allows for orderly classroom discussions) 2. Be where you are assigned to be when you are scheduled to be there. (this covers being in class on time and remaining in the assigned seat or work station). 3. Follow directions the first time they are given 4. Speak and act with respect for all class members.
These rules cover most classroom management situations and are few enough that they can be remembered. If a student breaks a rule, the teacher should immediately ask the student what the rule says. *Note that the rules state what we want to have the students do rather than what we do not want them to do.
Finally, the classroom rules need to be enforced consistently. If the rules are only enforced part of the time, the students will soon infer that they do not need to follow the rules all of the time. Always enforce the rules by treating the students with respect, remind them privately of the rule rather than in front of the whole class.
Whisper, Don't Shout
When a classroom gets loud, it is tempting for the teacher to speak louder to gain the attention of the students. Shouting over the noise of the students only serves to increase the noise in the classroom. A much better way to get the student's attention is to whisper. Start whispering as you walk around the room. As students start to hear you, they will start to quiet down. This creates a chain effect. As more students stop talking, others will follow. A good idea is to whisper things like "The first person to raise their hand gets five extra credit points on their next assignment" or "The first person to hold up a pencil gets an extra hall pass." You can do this randomly during class. As the students start to figure out that you will whisper chances for them to get things they want, they will start to be quiet so they can hear you.
Proximity Control
Being near the students can be enough to bring them back to the group. It is a good idea for the teacher to spend as much time as possible circulating the room, walking between desks and checking on students, for many reasons but classroom control is one of them. The teacher's proximity to the students makes them less likely to stop paying attention and do something else. If you notice a student who is not paying attention, simply keep teaching but make your way toward the student. Stop next to the student's desk and keep teaching. You don't have to say anything to the student. Chances are that your being there is enough to get the student back on track.
Precision Commands
Precision commands are very effective but there are a few cautions. First, be careful not to overuse precision commands. they lose their effectiveness if they are used too much. Save this technique for more difficult cases. Second, be sure to pre-plan your consequences. If you wait to determine the consequence in the moment you may offer a consequence that is ineffective or difficult to implement. Third, do not raise your voice or use disparaging remarks. Finally, be aware that some cultures do not allow for a child to make eye contact with an adult. If this is the case, do not make eye contact, skip that step.
The steps for precision commands are:
1. Position yourself so that you are within 2-3 feet of the student.
2. Make eye contact.
3. State a polite request (not a question) for example "Johnny, please take your seat."
4. Wait 3-5 seconds for a response.
If the student complies, praise compliance. If the student does not comply, move to step 5.
5. Restate the command using steps 1-4, using the words "you need to" for example, "Johnny, you need to take your seat."
If the student complies, praise compliance. If the student does not comply, move to step 6.
6. Restate the command in the same manner adding "or (pre-planned consequence). For example: "Johnny, you need to take your seat or you will need to stay for two minutes after class." If the student complies, praise the compliance. If the student does not comply, follow through with the consequence.
*It is important that you not raise your voice and that you are close to the student. If you correct a behavior in front of the other students, you run the risk of embarrassing the student and provoking a negative response that makes things worse.
More information about precision commands can be found here.
Planned Ignoring
Often times students will exhibit undesirable behaviors in an effort to get the teacher's attention. Minor behaviors designed to get the teacher's attention can be managed using planned ignoring.
When ignoring the behavior, do not acknowledge the behavior. Simply continue with what you are doing. Praise other students who are not exhibiting the behavior. Be sure that when the student is not exhibiting the behavior that the student is praised for behaving appropriately and that the student receives interaction with you.
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