Introduction: How to Discipline Students and Be Their Best Friend!
Students. They can either see you as their enemy or their best friend. We, teachers, can look at it the same way.
There are no bright kids or dumb kids. There are only lazy ones or hard working ones and you will have to guide them to being a hard working one, by being their friend.
Show them that you can be fun and smart without turning into a robot—which most students think teachers are or people who get too smart turn into.
With these tricks they won't see you as a threat and it will just come naturally that they will go to you and try to be your friend because compared to other teachers, you are one of the few they can lean on and have a fun time with even if you teach them hard stuff.
Step 1: Say It Once
I know it might sound a bit wrong but to engage them to listen to you, you should not repeat yourself.
They want a steady flow of ideas. Once you repeat yourself, it will get the students sighing and rolling their eyes. Let them know that they might miss out on something by not repeating yourself.
If it’s really important, emphasize by adding a dramatic pause at the end of a sentence.
Those students who weren't listening will wonder why you paused and start listening to you.
Step 2: Student Hand Signals
When you ask students that they should "pay full attention" and indicate that they will follow this with a non-verbal signal is great for honing their listening skills.
For example, "I'm going to read the Declaration of Independence. When I'm done, share your thoughts by holding up one finger if you agree, two fingers if you do not agree, and three fingers if you have a question."
This way, the entire class will participate, engage, and respond. It's also one of the favourite parts for kids who tend to be shyer as it gives them a "voice" and a chance to participate with everyone else.
Step 3: Creating Questions
This one takes a high level of concentration in the classroom—which is good but cannot be used too many times.
If your class is watching a documentary, speech, or hearing a story read out aloud, then break them into parts by stopping a few times (3-5) and have students write a question or two about what was just heard.
This way, your students actively listen for any confusion or wondering curiosity that they may have. They tend to ask meaningful questions about the topic so be prepared! It is in this way of engagement of a topic do students get interested, high-concentration for short bouts of time with the whole class (which are their friends too) involved.
Step 4: Have Fun!
Just be yourself! Don't look at yourself as an older person. Just think how you would teach your friends during college or how a kid would teach other kids—on the same level. Be yourself and don't hold anything back!
I was able to find a good link to an online product that would be very handy because it was written by a teacher Craig Seganti who taught for 20 years in Los Angeles and has even been featured in Los Angeles Toughest Schools in America.
Thank you for reading this Instructable. You are now on your way into a cooler teacher! Thank you for your kind service!
