As a teacher, it would be very easy to stand up, give your lesson and then return to your seat to work on projects or papers from the comfort of your own desk. If you have a tendency to do this, you're setting yourself up for a managerial failure in your classroom. Don't let it happen to you!

Plan:

Being "out and about" is as simple as it sounds, but this simple suggestion is powerful. Be amongst your students! Students are less likely to misbehave when their teacher is in close proximity to them. Walking around the room while teaching and as students are working will keep students alert and on task. Students who might be having trouble with the work in front of them will appreciate the easy access they have to your ready and willing help. If you notice that several students are running into the same problems, now is the time to take them aside for extra help or address the entire class with some additional teaching at the board. By moving around the classroom, you can also make sure that the "slow-to-get-started" student is ready to get moving, the "distracted" student gets back on track, and the talkative student is silenced.

Do you have more than one student at a time needing your personal attention? Here's a suggestion to help minimize the distracting calls of "Teacher! Teacher! Over here!" Give each child a 3x5 index card with a giant question mark printed on it. Laminate the cards for durability. Pass these cards out to each student to keep in his or her own desk. Instruct your students that when they have a question which you cannot attend to at that moment, they are to simply lay out the index card on the top right-hand corner of their desk. As you are walking around checking on students, you can quickly see, at a glance, those who need your immediate help - without distracting others to gain your attention.

Action Thought:

• Am I going to be an "out and about" kind of teacher?
• What will it take for me to do this?
• When is it OK to sit down at my desk?
• How will I teach students to seek my help without disturbing the rest of the class?
  

NEXT: Cuing Students: Verbal and Non-Verbal - Week 3

Seminar Outline:

Welcome to FOCUS on Classroom Management
F - Focus Attention on You! - Week 1
O - Out and About in the Room - Week 2
C - Cuing Students: Verbal and Non-Verbal - Week 3
U - Use Praise Effectively; Use Rewards Selectively - Week 4
S - Seek Help When Needed - Week 5

25 Children. One Classroom. You are the Teacher. ARE YOU READY?!
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