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Classroom Management Chatboard

Need Help

by Struggling

Dec 1, 2011

Hello, I have been a teacher for 10 years, but have recently moved down to a much lower grade than I have taught in the past. My students do not have the attention span that I am used to dealing with. As a result, I 'lose' them frequently. I KNOW it is MY fault. My kids are good kids, but I am getting frustrated with them because they just 'wander' and start having conversations in the middle of my lessons. I am following the lessons the way the teacher guide has them, but they are too long and too diffcult to hold the kids' attention. Today, teaching a math lesson, I DIED - they were trying (well, most of them were anyway), and finally one girl said "I'm Bored!" and a boy asked "Can we be done now?" Oh, they were done all right. So was I. I was really sad when I left, because I know I am a good teacher, but I am not doing a very good job right now. Also, I am having some serious problems managing them. It seems whenever we have a transition, they all burst out and talk and completely ...See More

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Sara On 12/01/11, Struggling wrote:

Shorten the lessons. Find a different guide if you need to but clearly the teacher's guide you have isn't working for your students. Take a day - get a sub - and go and observe in a colleague's room - there's NO shame in that. You need to find your rhythm with your new age group and good help might be in the...See MoreOn 12/01/11, Struggling wrote:

Shorten the lessons. Find a different guide if you need to but clearly the teacher's guide you have isn't working for your students. Take a day - get a sub - and go and observe in a colleague's room - there's NO shame in that. You need to find your rhythm with your new age group and good help might be in the very next classroom. Have you any building colleagues - especially colleagues in the same grade who could help? I switched grades several times and each time I needed to find my new mark.

Transitions are hard for young ones - I let mine talk while lining up and I silence them only as we leave the room. Silence is unnatural and I don't expect it from them. I tell them you can talk so long as it does not interfere with the task at hand and that task now is - lining up - let's be safe, always, but let's see how quickly we can line up.

There are tricks to getting young ones to be silent - you can be be scary and scare them into silence but that's not my approach. Exaggerated faces can be helpful - you can put a look on your face that almost commands but certainly reminds them of the need for silence. Practice it in the mirror (I'm not kidding) Raised eyebrows suggest an expectation, your head turned slightly to the side...

You're not a bad teacher, you're a new teacher... a rookie in your grade. I feel absolutely great that I can say I've taught about ... 6 different grades and became good at all of them - some of us never leave our grade! But it takes some time and a strong ego and likely - getting rid of that teacher's guide that isn't working for you or them.

Look up and zip up" is one - when I say that, I'm not a happy camper so I don't use it often but I'll use 'look up and zip up' for strong moments that Need them to be silent and they're not being so.

Good luck - this will work out for you - any teacher that feels as badly as you do is a teacher who really cares and any teacher who cares as much as you clearly do will find their way to the things they need to do differently to be a good teacher in a new grade.

> Hello, > I have been a teacher for 10 years, but have recently moved > down to a much lower grade than I have taught in the past. > My students do not have the attention span that I am used > to dealing with. As a result, I 'lose' them frequently. I > KNOW it is MY fault. My kids are good kids, but I am > getting frustrated with them because they just 'wander' and > start having conversations in the middle of my lessons. I > am following the lessons the way the teacher guide has > them, but they are too long and too diffcult to hold the > kids' attention. Today, teaching a math lesson, I DIED - > they were trying (well, most of them were anyway), and > finally one girl said "I'm Bored!" and a boy asked "Can we > be done now?" Oh, they were done all right. So was I. I > was really sad when I left, because I know I am a good > teacher, but I am not doing a very good job right now. > Also, I am having some serious problems managing them. It > seems whenever we have a transition, they all burst out and > talk and completely forget to follow the direction I gave > them. With older kids, I simply wrote the direction on the > board and timed them, and gave points to the fastest team > to be ready - and it worked like a charm. These kids - > they just don't buy into that. (they are 1st and 2nd > grade). When we line up, they talk, and talk and talk. I > wind up sending everyone back to their seats several times > to try lining up "the right way" - eventually that works, > but we are losing so much time. I know these kids are > smart and good students, and I could get them so far ifI > could just figure out what MY issues are with management. > I take the 100% responsibility for what is going on in my > room - they are not bad kids. But I sure feel like a bad > teacher right now! :(

Dec 3, 2011

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Nancy Berg On 12/01/11, Struggling wrote: > Hello, > I have been a teacher for 10 years, but have recently moved > down to a much lower grade than I have taught in the past. > My students do not have the attention span that I am used > to dealing with. As a result, I 'lose' them frequently. I > KNOW it is MY fault. My kids are good kids, but...See MoreOn 12/01/11, Struggling wrote: > Hello, > I have been a teacher for 10 years, but have recently moved > down to a much lower grade than I have taught in the past. > My students do not have the attention span that I am used > to dealing with. As a result, I 'lose' them frequently. I > KNOW it is MY fault. My kids are good kids, but I am > getting frustrated with them because they just 'wander' and > start having conversations in the middle of my lessons. I > am following the lessons the way the teacher guide has > them, but they are too long and too diffcult to hold the > kids' attention. Today, teaching a math lesson, I DIED - > they were trying (well, most of them were anyway), and > finally one girl said "I'm Bored!" and a boy asked "Can we > be done now?" Oh, they were done all right. So was I. I > was really sad when I left, because I know I am a good > teacher, but I am not doing a very good job right now. > Also, I am having some serious problems managing them. It > seems whenever we have a transition, they all burst out and > talk and completely forget to follow the direction I gave > them. With older kids, I simply wrote the direction on the > board and timed them, and gave points to the fastest team > to be ready - and it worked like a charm. These kids - > they just don't buy into that. (they are 1st and 2nd > grade). When we line up, they talk, and talk and talk. I > wind up sending everyone back to their seats several times > to try lining up "the right way" - eventually that works, > but we are losing so much time. I know these kids are > smart and good students, and I could get them so far ifI > could just figure out what MY issues are with management. > I take the 100% responsibility for what is going on in my > room - they are not bad kids. But I sure feel like a bad > teacher right now! :(

It must be very difficult and frustrating to feel the way you are. It is a tought transition and so often teachers who are moved from one grade to another are not provided with the support necessary to make a smooth transition. The first piece of advice I can give you is find a colleague that has experience in the second grade and ask them for effective strategies. This person needs to be someone that you trust. Younger students need immediate gratification in order to buy into it. There are several strategies that you can try. One is choose a word such as POPCORN. Ask the students to choose a reward for specific expectations that they create. For example, sitting in their seats when the bell rings, work out in a timely manner, lining up appropriately etc. For each expectation met, write one letter of the word popcorn on the board. When they have all of the letters on the board written give them a reward such as popcorn. Students also love stickers at this age.. Put them on their work, or the cover of a folder, notebook etc. They pride themselves in doing the right thing. Perhaps assigning students to a variety of jobs each day. These students should be chosen based on following all of the class expectations. They usually fight to be the teacher's assistant. Good luck!

Mar 8, 2012

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