Shout Multiplication
how do you discipline a very unruly class?
(philippines) My class is composed of 42 3rd grade students, NO aid… I’m just a student-teacher.There’s no day that i wouldn’t hear anyone insulting a classmate for his/her name, for his/her looks, etc. About 98% of them can’t read properly and can’t do basic functions such as multiplication, division, etc. It’s as if they’re still Grade 1.The only way that the pupils will behave when the teacher shouts or orders them to go out of the classroom.I want to try something “nicer”.But every time i try to talk to them softly and try to give them positive reinforcement, they wouldn’t behave only until i follow what the teacher does… any ideas to help me?
You certainly have your hands full. I have a very challenging class of 30 students lots of LD and behavioral problems, and that is more than enough for me. I don’t know how I would manage that many kids.
The marble in the jar can work well. While I know that the money system works for some people, I don’t like it. There have been a few times where the money gets stolen by another student, and it’s very hard to prove who took it. In my school, many of the teachers are doing something called “freedom Friday”. It’s a system where the kids must get themselves settled and working before the teacher comes in the room in the morning, after recess, and after lunch. If everyone is doing what is expected, they earn a letter toward spelling out “Freedom Friday”. Once they have earned all of the letters, they get a period of free time to play games, or go outside on the playground. Sometimes we do movies. I have been using with success, however, I have some students who have tried to sabotage it. Those students have been told that they are not allowed to participate until they are ready. You can also give them criteria for earning bonus letters. For example, if everyone works without talking or getting up from their desk for fifteen minutes (or whatever you decide). For any reward system that you use, the expectations must be clear. Write them out on poster board, and post them in the classroom. I would also post the classroom rules on the walls. Were the students involved in creating the classroom rules? They tend to follow them better if they were involved.
I have also used the strategy, particularly after lunch, that if they work well for the whole morning or afternoon, they can play on the playground for the last twenty minutes. Also, give them frequent brain breaks, and make sure the day is structured so that they are doing something active, and then something quiet, followed by something fun.
I find starting the day with journals, or silent reading, a good way to get them calmed down and ready to learn.
To get their attention, try simply raising your hand, and saying thank you to those who respond right away. The others will then also raise their hand, because they want positive attention from you right away. If that doesn’t work, get a bell. Don’t raise your voice over theirs, because then they will simply talk louder and ignore you. You also want to protect your voice.
Don’t be afraid to tell them that you are waiting for quiet to continue. Ask them to put down their pencils, fold their hands on their desk, and look at you before you start to speak.
Also, ask them to draw a picture of how they felt when someone called them a name, and then discuss the pictures with the class. They may not realise how the name calling is affecting others in the class. Explain to them that when we insult people, people don’t like us. We make more friends by being nice to people. You can role play with them, on the proper way to behave. You can also model it with how you behave with them. For example, say “would you please put down your pencils and look at me?”
Practice classroom procedures with them. Practice how they walk through the halls, go outside for fire drills, what they do when you want their attention, etc. Everytime I go in the computer lab with my class, the first thing we do is practice what to do when I want their attention. We do this even after four months of school, because it can be hard to tear their attention away from the computer.
Once you have the class under control, you can actually teach.
Good luck!
Twist and shout multiplication