When I was teaching, our student discipline handbook was jam-packed with rules, designed to keep students from running amok. It is, after all, critical that order be maintained.
One such rule, which most schools embrace, was "no gum chewing."
Many of our would-be learners were summarily dismissed from classes for this awful breach of the school's judicial system. These destroyers of education were often banished to the Student Management Room (a euphemism for detention center).
And why wouldn't they be? How can any teacher be expected to engage students in a place filled with these bubble-blowing, lip-smacking, eye-rolling miscreants?
Imagine your child missing an opportunity to learn, because she was jettisoned for chewing gum. Would you expect anything less? I mean, how dare she chew gum in an institution of learning?
I keep wondering, is there anything that merits more consideration in the world of education than this insidious gum-chewing? Who cares about technology integration and better assessment practices, when we've got gum in our schools?
Something has to be done! Got any ideas?
Mark Barnes is an education author and consultant and the publisher of Brilliant or Insane. Learn more about Mark on our Team page. Follow him on Twitter here.
When you walk into restaurants and many shops, someone greets you as you enter. With a smile, the host makes you feel welcome and sets a positive tone for your dining or shopping experience. The same principle applies to students entering your classroom. While not always possible, we should strive to welcome our students to our classes every day.
Offer praise and feedback (this need not be class related).
Some students, like those with ADD/ADHD, have trouble switching classes. Greet these students at the door with explicit directions about what to do. For some of my more challenging students, I would essentially escort them to their seats to ensure they started class on task.
It gives you a chance to connect with every student and to gauge their emotional state.
Students have a lot to say and we should take the time to listen to them.
Albeit brief, it's a chance to have a one-on-one conversation with a student.
It gives you an opportunity to model (and for students to practice) socially acceptable behaviors, like eye contact, a firm handshake, and good posture.
You can ask each student a question to formatively assess their understanding of the previous day's lesson. With some classes I'd take this a step further and ask a question which the students had to get right before entering class.
Teach the students respectful behaviors. My rule was a simple one, "Every time I ask you a question, please answer the question and ask a question in return."
Me: Did you watch the football game last night?
JJ: Yeah, I can't believe the Redskins lost. Did you watch it
Me: Of course. Not sure why it surprised you though. They've been awful this year. A matter of caution, I'd often ask about their lives outside of school
and about their weekends. For students with horrible home lives, doing
so sets them back and can ruin your effort at fostering a welcoming
classroom environment.
It can be a time saver. While I had a consistent classroom routine, greeting students at the door would allow you to cue them to something that may be different (please be sure to turn in your homework or please pick up the work you missed yesterday from the absent folder).
Simply greeting students at the door has been proven to increase student attention to learning (on-task behavior) and it establishes teacher rapport with students.
It's simple and effective and worth the little extra effort.
Reed Gillespie writes about education for Brilliant or Insane. Learn more about Reed on our Team page. Follow Reed on Twitter here.
