How To Quiet A Noisy Class - Classroom Management Strategies

Summary

In this video, Eldrich from AhaSlides shares effective strategies for new teachers to manage classroom behavior. He advises against shouting and sending disruptive students away, as these methods can undermine authority and create a negative atmosphere. Instead, he suggests using non-confrontational language to reinforce good behavior, employing silent treatment to quell noise, and establishing call-and-response patterns for immediate attention. Additionally, he introduces the 'Secret Agent' technique to foster participation and camaraderie, where a randomly selected student's good behavior can reward the entire class, promoting teamwork without singling out individuals for poor performance.

Takeaways

• 📣 Avoid shouting at students as it can lead to losing your voice and authority.
• 🚫 Sending 'bad' students away can signal a lack of control and diminish your credibility.
• 🗣️ Use non-confrontational statements to reinforce positive behaviors instead of focusing on negative ones.
• 🤐 Implement a 'silent treatment' to get a noisy class to quiet down.
• 😞 Use facial expressions to convey your feelings and encourage students to adjust their behavior.
• 📌 Establish a call-and-response pattern to regain students' attention and maintain classroom order.
• 🕵️‍♂️ Introduce the 'Secret Agent' technique to promote participation, good behavior, and teamwork.
• 🎉 Offer rewards to the entire class if the Secret Agent performs well, fostering a sense of collective responsibility.
• 🤔 Train students from the first day on the call-and-response technique to ensure it's effective when needed.
• 📝 Assign students a card upon entry to create curiosity and encourage immediate engagement.
• 👍 Encourage students to share their own classroom management tips for a collaborative learning environment.

Q & A

What is the main issue discussed in the video script?

The main issue discussed is how to effectively manage classroom behavior and control students, especially during the early weeks of a teaching career.

What is the first mistake mentioned in the script that teachers often make?

The first mistake mentioned is shouting at the students, which can lead to losing one's voice and establishing a battle of loudness rather than effective classroom management.

What is the second common mistake that teachers commit according to the script?

The second mistake is sending 'bad' students out of the classroom, which conveys a message of inability to control the class and undermines the teacher's credibility.

What is the first tip provided in the script to improve classroom management?

The first tip is to avoid confrontational statements that blame or accuse students, and instead, focus on reinforcing positive behaviors and encouraging students to follow suit.

How can a teacher use the 'silent treatment' as a classroom management technique?

When students are loud, the teacher should remain quiet, maintain a calm demeanor, and wait patiently for the class to quiet down, which can prompt students to follow suit and settle down.

What is the 'call and respond' technique mentioned in the script?

The 'call and respond' technique involves the teacher calling out a phrase or action, and the students responding with a specific reply or action, which helps to refocus the class's attention.

What is the 'Secret Agent' strategy and how does it work?

The 'Secret Agent' strategy involves giving each student a card upon entry, selecting one student randomly to be the Secret Agent, and informing the class that if this student has a good lesson, the entire class will receive a reward. This promotes good behavior, participation, and teamwork.

Why is it important for students not to know the identity of the Secret Agent?

Keeping the identity of the Secret Agent secret ensures that all students try hard to achieve the stated target, as they are motivated by the potential reward for the whole class.

How can the 'Secret Agent' strategy help with classroom management?

The strategy not only encourages good behavior and participation but also fosters a sense of camaraderie and teamwork among students, as they collectively work towards a common goal.

What is the final message of the video script?

The final message is that classroom management is crucial and the video provides various tips to help teachers maintain control while keeping the learning environment fun.