Seating Arrangements Best arrangement includes broad walkways from the front to the back of the class and also from side to side. When addressing the class, make sure all students remain in your line of vision.

Benefits to Mobility in Classroom Teacher can check students’ work more easily. Encourages students to be more involved in lecture or discussion. Discourages students from daydreaming or goofing off. Helps prevent attempts at cheating during tests. According to Fred Jones, “Either you work the crowd, or the crowd works you.”

Being a Successful Teacher Means Loving Them... We want a positive classroom atmosphere. We want our students to look forward to our class. We want them to enjoy learning.

But Love is Not Enough—You Also Have to Mean Business The mental part of meaning business centers on a clear understanding of consistency. Never make a rule that you are not willing to enforce every time. Consistency begins with thinking long and hard about which classroom rules you are willing to enforce every time. You might find that some, while they sound good, will not be worth your time when you are forced to choose.

First Step to Effective Discipline – Stay Calm When we get upset in the classroom, we usually open our mouths—and what comes out is nagging. Our first objective, therefore, is to relax in response to seeing the disruption. This is not a natural response. It takes training.

Relax, lower your blood pressure, keep your mouth shut, and give yourself a moment to think. If you are calm, you are in control of your mind and body. If you are upset, they are in control of your mind and body.

After Commitment and Calm Comes Action How do you signal to disruptive students that you mean business? Stop what you are doing, take a relaxing breath, turn slowly toward the students, and square up as you simply wait to see what the disruptors do. Typically, the disruptors will look at you for a few seconds as the wheels turn, then get back to work rather than raise the stakes.

If the student just looks at you instead of getting back to work, the stakes have been raised. If you do not get what you want, move closer, relax, and wait. You can "raise" simply by using time and proximity.

In rare situations you might have to stop what you're doing and walk over to the students. But preferably, if you are mobile, you can move casually in their direction as you work the crowd. If the student continues to raise, you can always go to consequences. But, keep this in mind: You can deliver consequences just as effectively with low blood pressure as you can with high blood pressure.

Principles of Instructional Management Withitness Good lesson momentum Smoothness in lesson presentation Group alerting Student Accountability Overlapping Satiation Enjoyable and challenging activities

Tailor your discipline and instructional methods to fit your personal style. Stay calm, hang on to your idealism and enthusiasm, and remember... The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates The great teacher inspires. ~William Arthur Ward