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Ask for help > Crowd control!
Crowd control!
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millmo
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Crowd control!
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Hi I am fairly new to teaching. I am doing fine when it comes to lesson plans, ideas etc. What I struggle with is crowd control. I teach a wide range of classes from 2 year olds to 8 year olds. I seem to lack authority...any advise. It �s mainly the older ones that fool around. They are not naughty as such, just talk alot and don �t pay attention. I know they enjoy the lesson, maybe it is too much fun? HELP!!!!!
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5 Nov 2010
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boydegg
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Hi Millmo
Don �t be afraid to wait for silence. Just stop what you �re doing and wait patiently until the students realise you �re waiting. It can seem like ages while you wait - but it �s important for the students to realise you expect silence when you want to explain something.
Raising your voice is a bad idea. Don �t try to shout over the students to be heard. It �s bad for your voice, and it will become the norm.
Whatever you do, don �t shout. If you lose your temper, you �ve lost control.
Brian |
5 Nov 2010
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nombasa
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When you want silence hold up a closed hand with the other put a finger to your lips. In your closed hand you could have a couple of stickers for the first two or three who obey the command. Praise those that do. Say, "Judy you are sitting so nicely, well done!" The others will soon follow suit especially if they know that their good beaviour will be noticed. This is called proximinal praise. Work on the positive rather than on the negative. If you see someone being naughty then speak not to them but to a child nearby who is displaying admirable traits. Children are praise junkies and will change if they think that they can expect sincere personal praise.
Brian is so right when he says don �t shout - unless there is danger. Quiet, assertive teachers tend to have quiet and happy classes. Noisy and agressive teachers tend to have quiet but easily disruptive and anxious classes. Week and inconsistant teachers tend to have noisy and troublesome classes. Of course this is a generalisation but what you should aim for is being kind, quiet, assertive, interesting and fair!
You sound as if your classes are fast paced. That is good. Keep that going. If you want to have any specific help pm me. I am trained as a behavioural co-ordinator and often advise and work with parents and teachers of children with behavioural issues. |
5 Nov 2010
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anitarobi
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Keep it challenging enough for them, and set a time frame. They also respond well to pair work, especially if you pair them up in unusual combinations (not two best friends, but two kids on the opposite sides of the classroom, e. g.). My teenagers also respond well if each pair gets a slightly different task, because they are interested in what the others will have to show at the end of the lesson - keeping things a bit competitive for them is always a must! But the eight year olds are not teenagers, so perhaps it �s just too easy for them. If you have them all in the same group (2-8 yr olds) - and I sooo hope you don �t - of course the difficulty level should not be the same. 8-year-olds are capable of dealing with difficult tasks, reading and basic writing, and they love role-play, games and interesting stories (especially when they have feedback such as points in games, applause for performing a play, or praisals for the posters they make about some story). What you say, about them enjoying the lessons, may be true if it �s too easy, but their lack of attention can definitely be from the fact that sth is just too easy for them. |
5 Nov 2010
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millmo
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Thanks for all the advise.I �ll try it out today!!! |
8 Nov 2010
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