AboutPatricia Ireland-Williams Expertise I am a retired K-12 Public School Principal (8 years as a teacher and counselor) and 23 years as an administrator. I can help parents with questions about how the system works, provide ideas on how to solve school issues or assist teachers in coping with the plethera of stressors they face.
Experience I am currently an educational consultant and have served on the State of Arizona Solutions Team.
I am a junior in the Elementary Education program at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. I have been observing Kindergarden and 2nd grade classrooms this semester.
My questions are many, however, I know you are probably swamped so I will only take a few moments of your time. During one of my scheduled times to be in the 2nd grade classroom I did a mini teaching lesson. It was in the afternoon and practically total chaos. They kept talking to each other and running around the room. I was standing in the middle of the room trying to get them to come and sit down on the carpet for a story, which was part of my lesson. They just kept running and doing their own thing. Finally, the teacher yelled at the top of her lungs for them to sit down or else. Could you please give me some advice on how I might do better in getting the student's attention without having to yell and without losing self-composure?
My next questions are what professional tatics can I use on children who refuse to sit properly at their desks while working or on the carpet for story time or other lessons? How can I get them to stop laying down on the carpet and be engaged in the lesson?
Thank you for your time. I really look forward to hearing from you soon. I would love to add these questions to my teaching portfolio before the end of the semester.
Wendy Ausmus
Answer I am so sorry to hear of your experience with these misbehaving kids. I would assume that by this time in the school year, the teacher would have complete control of discipline. Kids running around not on task is simply unacceptable. Yelling at kids should not be necessary if the teacher has established a positive learning environment.
Do not begin a lesson unless you have the attention of the children.....you can use quiet wait time where in you use silence to get their attention or you can slowly count down........5-4-3-2-1 eyes and ears on me.
I would suggest that you discuss your need for their attention and ask them to help you come up with some simple rules that everyone can agree to. Start off with a few of your own and ask them why they would be important example: No one talks while someone else is talking, keep hands and feet to yourself, sit in assigned area, etc.
Once your "rules" are established, then begin positively reinforcing the good behaviored kids by saying, "I like the way Julie is paying attention" "Thank you, James for keeping your hands and feet to yourself"
