Disruptive Student(s)

Disruptive Student

A few days ago, I was asked by another teacher, "what to do when a student is disruptive and your teaching a lesson?"

There are times when a student interrupts the lesson, so how should you respond? You have several options on how to handle the situation:

Option 1

·   Pause

·   Ask the student what's the matter ( Use a caring tone)

·   If you can solve the issue quickly, then do so and continue on with the lesson.

Option 2

• Pause
• Ask the student to sit in his/her own seat
• Tell him/her that you will come and talk with them in a few minutes
• Resume the lesson.
• Upon completion of the lesson, speak with the child about what was wrong. Tell him/her why the behavior was inappropriate and tell him/her what type of behavior is expected of them.

Option 3

• Stop the lesson
• Briefly speak to the child, saying- You can not behave this way in our classroom. I’m sending you next door for a timeout. When you are ready to sit quietly you may return. (Use a caring tone)
• Have a trusted student walk the child to another teachers’ room for a timeout (Please speak with another teacher to make sure this is okay with him/her)
• Resume the lesson
• Upon completion of the lesson have a student get the disruptive child from the other classroom. Speak with the child about why the behavior was inappropriate and tell him/her what type of behavior is expected of them.

Option 4: Use only when the student’s behavior is out of control or extreme (i.e. may harm himself/herself, other students, or you) OR you will not be able to finish the lesson with the student in the room.

• Stop the lesson
• Briefly speak to the child, saying- You can not behave this way in our classroom. I’m sending you to the office to talk to the principal. (Use a caring tone)
• Have a trusted student walk the child to school office to speak with the principal
• Resume the lesson
• When the child returns to class, speak with him/her about why the behavior was inappropriate and tell him/her what type of behavior is expected of them.

Spring Time

SPRING IS IN THE AIR

Spring break is fast approaching, which means that the end of the school year is drawing nearer. As it heats up outside, your students will become busier! Take advantage of the weather and plan some lessons that can take place outside. For example in science take students outside for observations or create a checklist they can use to collect data and interpret it the next day using graphs and analysis. In math, for younger students give them sidewalk chalk and have them solve math problems with a partner. There are numerous ways to incorporate the great outdoors into your lesson plan. Be creative and think outside the box when planning your outdoor lessons!

Also, since the weather has been so nice, use it as an incentive for the class. Grant the class extra recess time for good behavior. Just make sure you've covered all your instruction for the day before giving them extra time. Even if its only an additional 10 minutes the students will love being outside.

Join! Become a part of the discussion.

Join

Join in!!! I would like to encourage you to post your comments on the Classroom Manager Blog. You can also rate the posts at the bottom of the page. Doing this will help to give me feedback so that I can better tailor my posts to help more teachers. I look forward to reading your posts!



Lesson Planning and Classroom Management

Lesson Planning and Classroom Management



How often when lesson planning do you consider classroom management? Lesson planning is a perfect time to consider and implement classroom management ideas. It is also a great time to incorporate the use of daily procedures. Working with primary aged students, I constantly include classroom management in my lesson plans. For example when doing group projects, I have to think of how I want my students to move to get into groups. I have to model how to handle items and hold group discussions. I especially plan for how the students will retrieve and return items. When planning to incorporate management you do not have to make extreme details, but do put notes in your plans to remind you of how to manage your students effectively so that you and students focus on the lesson being taught.

It's great to take the time at the end of each day to reflect on the lesson and how it went. When doing this also reflect on how the students were behaved, how they move about the classroom, got supplies, etc. Reflection is a great way to review your day and give thought on how to make improvements.

Teacher Timeout

TEACHER TIMEOUT

Have you ever been in your classroom and wanted to break out in tears or scream at the top of your lungs because the students are misbehaving. You have reached your stress level and you need a TEACHER TIMEOUT.

Teacher timeout is only to be used when there is no way to get students to quiet down or perform their work and you are stressed out. When this happens consider counting backward either to yourself or to the class. Think of a way to get the students attention. Maybe a chant, song, or dance. If you think that this will not work have students sit quietly for about two to three minutes.

Having a lack of classroom management can cause teachers a lot of stress. You need to speak with you administrators and colleagues to discuss ways you can improve. Be honest when discussing your struggles. It's better to be upfront with your administrators and colleagues about your management problems. They can see that you have a lack of classroom management without even opening your classroom door. Administrators want all there teachers to feel confident and to have great management. They know that students learn best when the classroom environment is under control. If you are struggling with your management, just consider emailing or meeting with your administrators about your issues.

Classroom Management Anonymous meeting

What's the famous line from a support group meeting? Ah yes...The first step to solving a problem is admitting you have one.

This topic is a difficult one to discuss because often time as humans we don't like to admit that we are not doing a good job. But the fact is that sometimes it true. Some teachers who struggle with classroom management may often times tell friends or co-workers, "It's not me its the students! They just don't listen to anything I say". Teachers that make these comments are struggling to gain control in their classroom and manage the students effectively, but they blame the students. A great way to determine if it's your lack of classroom management or student behaviors is to take this questionnaire.

Answer YES or NO

1. Have you had some of the same issues with management in other school years?
2. Does your administrator make comments or provide feedback regarding your lack of management?
3. Do you allow student misbehavior to continue without make changes or providing incentives in the classroom?
4. Do other staff members have to come in your room and assist you due to student behaviors?
5. Do you have more than 5 students who act out on a daily basis?

If you answered yes to at least 3 out of the 5 questions, then it is you who is problem. A tough pill to swallow? I too had to come to this conclusion when my classroom management was poor and my students misbehaved constantly. But the great thing is, is that you can change you!!!!! You can evaluate your classroom current state and decide what changes and modifications need to made to have a spectacular classroom management.  

*** Some students do misbehavior for many other reasons besides the lack of classroom management. It is your job as a teacher to determine who those students are, but not to blame all the student.

Attention Getters

ATTENTION GETTERS

There are tons of attention getters! Here are a few that I use on a daily basis. Ask teachers in your school what their attention getters are or create your own. 

15 Ways to get your students attention  ( T- Teacher S-Student)

1. Clap the Beat- T claps a beat and S clap the same beat
2. Give me five- T & S hold up one hand and say
(1) Eyes- Look
(2) Ear- Hear
(3) Hand-Still
(4) Feet- Quiet
(5) Mouth-Closed

     3. Use a chime or bell

     4. T says "Hands up" S put hands up, freeze, and stop talking

     5. T says- " If you hear clap once, if you hear me clap twice, if you hear me clap three times"

     6. T says "Voices" 

         S says "Shhhh"

     7. T says " 1, 2, 3 Eyes on me"

         S says "1 ,2 Eyes on you"

     8. T says:                     S says:

         1,2                           Eyes on you

         3,4                           Crisscross on the floor

         5,6                           No more tricks

         7,8                           Sit up straight

         9,10                         Let's begin

     9. Tune of "Frere Jacques": Sing

         Are you listening?

         Are you listening?

         Everyone, Everyone

         If you are listening

         If you are listening

         Look at me, look at me OR (Pat your head, Touch your nose, etc.)

    10. Tune of "Happy and you know it": Sing

          If you're listening and you know it clap your hands

          If you're listening and you know it clap your hands

          If you're listening and you know then your face will surely show it

          If you're listening and you know it clap your hands OR (Touch your nose, head, chin etc.)

    11. Count down from 10, 9, 8,........, 2, 1

    12. Give the students a secret word (Ex. Bubblegum) that when they hear it they know to get quiet.
    13. T says- "Alligator, alligator"
          S says- "Chomp, chomp"
    14. Call and response from the movie Finding Nemo
          T says- "Shark bait"
          S says- "Brew ha ha"

   15. Turn off the lights to calm the students.

***Yelling/shouting are not attention getters.

*** Attention getters are useless unless the teacher EXPLAINS, MODELS, and REHEARSES them.