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"If you ask me what to do about a kid being ‘off task’,
my first response is going to be, ‘What's the task?’"
(Alfie Kohn)
In college, I always heard that little ones can’t stay focused for very long, and to break up their learning with movement, music, and play. What I never understood was, with all those interuptions, how was I ever supposed to teach? These kids have to be ready for standardized tests in just a few weeks, I’ve got them all focused and a great momentum going, and now I’m supposed to stop and let them sing a wiggles song?!
When I got my first classroom, I figured out what the real key is to keeping kids on task: variety, variety, variety.
When kids need to move around during the middle of a math lesson, it doesn’t have to be with a trip to the playground or a stretching exercise that totally detracts from learning- the movement can incorporate learning! Be as creative as possible in designing lessons that have kids standing up, switching seats, doing related fingerplays and song movements, and moving around the room as much as possible. (Some ideas for this are listed below).
Another tip I picked up during my first year was from an early-childhood workshop I went to (my first three years of teaching were spent in a public school HeadStart setting with three-and-four-year-olds). The speaker subscribed to what is a basically a fifteen minute guideline: never do any activity longer than 15 minutes with preschoolers. And you know what? It works! Just when they start getting antsy, it’s on to something else.
I developed something I call the F-MAP rule to follow when designing lessons:
Fifteen-Minutes, Active Participation.
This rule means to strive for active participation as frequently as possible and to
try to switch activities every fifteen minutes if they do not involve
active participation on the part of EVERY child.
I noticed my third graders could work on the same project for an hour or more and complain when it was time to stop, but with other tasks, they were playing around after five minutes! Holidays, time of day, other events in the day, etc. can all influence student behavior and throw off even the most well-designed lesson. But, in general, I noticed that if the task was well designed, meaningful to students, and required their constant and active participation, they could stick to it for far longer than 15 minutes and really get into some higher-level thinking. But for direct instruction (modeling), I noticed I would have to work extra hard to keep their attention after 15 or 20 minutes. When I switched tasks every 15 minutes, my kids were more involved in the lesson, retained more (because I was more likely to engage them in their preferred learning style or modality), and they caused less behavior problems.
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Here’s an example of a 60-minute traditional math lesson that many curriculum guides outline:
5 minutes Warm up (independent written task, usually 3-5 problems in the text)
5 Minutes Review warm up (teacher-led with student volunteers providing answers)
30 Minutes Teacher Modeling, Guided Practice (teacher explains, writes on board, asks questions, students
answer; might involve some manipulative usage)
15 Minutes Independent Practice (worksheet or textbook problems)
5 Minutes Review/ Assessment (teacher asks questions, volunteers answer).
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Yawn. I almost fell asleep typing that. The poor kids sit at their desks for the entire hour. There’s no way to tell whether every student really mastered the concept taught, or ensure they’re even paying attention while the teacher blabs on and on, interacting with the five kids who always want to be called on. And which part do you think the teacher usually loses the kids on? Yep, the modeling and guided practice. It doesn’t fully involve the students, and it goes on too long.
Let’s see how the F-MAP rule (15-minute, active-participation) rule might work into that schedule- remember, activities can be shorter than 15 minutes, but not longer unless they involve every student’s active participation, and that means more than simply listening to a lecture or discussion.
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Example of the Same 60-Minute Math Lesson Using the F-MAP Rule:
5 minutes Warm Up (independent written task could be textbook, workbook, fun activity sheet, writing a fact
family, a higher-level thinking story problem, singing a math song along with a CD, etc.- something
a little different every day)
5 minutes Review warm up (sometimes whole class, if the students struggled with the concept the day before,
sometimes with a partner or a group)
5 minutes Introductory activity: (Kids sit on the floor at the teacher’s feet as s/he leads them in something to
grab their interest: a short role play, a real-life problem to be solved, a song or chant, etc.)
10 minutes Teacher Modeling (The ‘meat’ of the lesson: teacher conveys the concept to be taught in concise,
simple language, using lots of props, examples, the board or overhead, and student input as much
as possible.)
15 minutes Guided Practice (While still sitting on the floor, students use manipulatives, wipe-off boards, or other
props if possible to practicfe the concepts taught with each other under the teacher’s guidance).
15 minutes Independent Practice/ Partner Work (Students go back to their desks and complete a task by
themselves to demonstrate mastery or with a partner if the lesson is a multi-day one. The tasks
vary from further manipulative work to worksheets to math games to writing about and explaining
what they learned to problem solving. The teacher walks around the room to assess who needs
additional assistance and to keep kids on task).
5 Minutes Review/Assessment (students respond to teacher’s questioning with as much movement and
creativity as possible- standing up or sitting to show agree/disagree, writing an answer on an
index card with markers and holding it up, even just sitting on their desks instead of at them while
reviewing in unison- such as skip counting or naming a multiplication table).
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The basic components of the lesson were still there. The teacher still taught the concepts in the textbook. But students were actively participating, and not allowed to daydream during lenghty modeling and discussion sessions. The teacher kept the kids close to her during themost important part of the lesson to ensure they were on task before releasing them to the distractions of their desks. They got to move around in ways that added to, rather than detracted from, the lesson. A broader range of learning styles was addressed. By following the F-MAP rule, you can help ensure that students are learning and on-task the majority of the time.
“Sure, that sounds great, but when am I going to get the time to creative and hands-on lessons? It takes me hours each evening just using the lessons in the curriculum guide!”
I know the feeling. It’s much easier to use what you were given. After all, they wouldn’t have published it if it wasn’t effective, right? But we all know the difference in our students’ behavior when we have an interesting, well-designed lesson and when we use a textbook-based one that we never bothered to tailor for out own classroom. The feeling of satisfaction at the end of the day that comes from knowing our students allowed us to teach without constant interupption and that they were successful in learning makes the time well worth it.
And the best part is, it takes less time after the first year in a new grade or with a new curriculum. You know the outcomes that are expected and getting your students to master them becomes intuitive.
F-MAP Tip#1: Do the least amount of teacher-directed instrdcution as possible, for two reasons:
1) It’s the most boring (remember the teachers and professors you had that lectured all the time?)
2) It doesn’t allow kids to construct their own knowledge and ensure they retain it.
What’s the point of teaching if the kids won’t pay or attention or remember it? The more hands-on, partner, group, independent, centers, games, actitivies, field trips, walks, songs, and computer activities you do, the more kids will learn. Present the concepts you need to present as breifly and simply as possible. Then give kids a variety of tasks to practice what you’ve taught through the activities mentioned above while providing the support they need through small group instruction, individual conferences, and verbal interactions. We’ve learned how to do this for reading instruction already: Teach a whole-class mini-lesson, then let the kids loose in centers, independent reading and practice activities, and small group assesment and skill reinforcement. Now we need to learn how to simplify that process and repeat it for the other subjects, especially math.
F-MAP Tip #2: Ask students to do little things during direct instrcution, such choose the color of the marker you write with and the numbers you use, to ensure maximum participation and ensure students are internalizing the material.
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Traditional Method:
“62+19. First I add the nine and the two. What do I get, Maurice? Good, eleven. I put the one here and carry the one. Then I add the 6+1, and I get what class? Very good, 7. The answer is 71”.
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In this example, the kids interacted 3 times. The teacher did all the thinking and explaining.
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F-MAP Method:
“I need a two-digit number- Shane? OK, 34. Now I need another two-digit number. Make it less than 50. Keri? She says 17. The problem we created is what? (Class: 34 plus 17) Great! Who can tell us the first step? Exactly. Jonathan says to add 4 plus 7 to get 11. So, I’ll just put 11 down here at the bottom, and we’re all done! Thanks, Jonathan! (Kids start laughing and calling out). Wait, I can’t just put 11 at the bottom? But Jonathan said 4 plus 7 is eleven. Jonathan, you gave the wrong answer! (Kids laugh harder and insist Jonathan was right and the teacher was wrong). Ohhh, I see, Sara says I need to put the one at the bottom and carry the one from the ten’s place over to the ten’s column. Okay, now I got it. So what’s next? Maria? Put your finger on your nose if you agree with Maria’s answer. Griffin, you agree- tell us why you think that answer is correct. Alright, so I add 3+1 and then add the 1 that I carried and get 5. Class, the answer is? 51. Excellent. (Notices Josh is picking at his shoe and Wanda is looking out the window). Josh, we’re write the answer in a different color so we don’t get confused. Which color do you want? Okay, green, and let’s have Wanda come up and write the next problem for us. Wanda, choose someone to tell us a two-digit number…”
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With the F-MAP example, the kids interacted 12 times, including several whole-class responses. Once the teacher asked students to show their response by putting their fingers on their noses if they agree, enabling her to see who understands and who doesn’t and allowing the kids to move and participate. The kids created the problem and explained how to solve it. The teacher was silly and joked around with the kids. She gave them ownership over the smallest decisions, such as the marker color, and even had a child write the next problem, freeing her up to faciliate from the back of the room and ensure participation from everyone.
F-MAP Tip#3: Whenever someone writes on board (including you), have the rest of the class also write at their seats.
This doesn’t work for all lessons, but is a good general principle. If you want a few kids to put the correct answers on the board, for example, have everyone work at the same time, circulate around, and ask students who have done the work correctly to put the answer on the board. This way the class is working and not just waiting for the child to write the answer. Similarly, if some children are solving on the board or overhead, the others can be working the problem on paper and be prepared to tell whether they agree with the answer on the board and why/ why not.
F-MAP Tip#4: Ask students to write for you on the board whenever possible.
For example, today we were reading a map to find out which states have deserts. As the children mentioned them, I started writing them on the board so the kids would be able to spell them correctly without searching the map. After the second state, I realized my attention was being taken away from the class because I was writing, so I had a student finish the task for me. I was then able to walk around and make sure everyone was participating and comprehending.
F-MAP Tip#5: Whenever asking a question that requires a simple number answer, have children SHOW their answer on their hands.
Our class recently had a dispute over which digit in a particular number was in the thousands place, the 3 or the 1. The kids showed on their fingers which digit they thought was correct. This required everyone to participate without having to speak in front of the class, which is scary for some kids, and allowed me to see who needed more practice with place value.
F-MAP Tip#6: Have kids make specific hand gestures to represent different needs or responses.
This can be done simply: “Put your hand on your head if you think the answer is the Atlantic Ocean, put your hand on your ear if you think it’s the Pacific”. OR you can create a more complicated system to use all year long: have kids show one finger to ask a question, two fingers to make a comment, three fingers to ask about page numbers or to clarify the assignment, four fingers to ask permission for the bathroom, etc. I showed my kids the sign language for toilet and that’s how they signal they need to use the bathroom – this way they don’t disrupt the flow of a lesson by asking if they can go (I just nod yes or put a finger in a “wait” gesture). Another way to use hand signals is to designate specific gestures for a specific lesson. When analyzing our writing, I put a diagram of a hand on the overhead with a specific criterion written on each finger: Index finger means not enough detail, middle fingers touched together (so as not to make a rude gesture, of course) means off-topic, ring finger means needs text support, etc. I put overhead copies of past student writing (anonymously), and the kids read, showed on their fingers what the problem was, if any, in each piece of writing, and then scored the piece so they had an idea of how they would be scored when they took the test.
F-MAP Tip#7: Use songs to teach and get students' attention.
I did this constantly when I taught in early childhood- for some reason I am too embarrassed to do it now with older children, lol! Some of the kids really like it, though, so I try to incorporate it. We have a good morning song and songs for particular lessons and topics, but I used to also use a lining up song, clean up song, and tons of songs just to focus the kids and get their attention. Nothing quiets a group of wiggling youngsters like a familiar song- they’ll stop talking because the want to sing! Teach them to always fall silent when any song ends and wait for directions.
Songs for Teaching: Using Music To Promote Learning is the definitive site for any teacher wanting to use songs in his or her instruction. This site explains how to create your own songs, when and how to use music in the classroom, and has an unbelievably extensive list of age-appropriate song lyrics and tunes sorted by every theme imaginable. The best part? It include lyrics, tunes, SOUND CLIPS (great because I can’t read music!), and where-to-purchse info if you want to buy a particular recording. A tremendous resource worth checking out, whether you are an avid music user or wanting to incorporate song into your classroom for the first time.
Songs for Teaching Home: http://songsforteaching.homestead.com/index.html.
Movement songs: http://songsforteaching.net/movement.htm
Transition songs: http://songsforteaching.net/transitions.htm
Procedure songs: http://songsforteaching.net/lazar/tunesfortasks.htm
When should you play music in the classroom? Before and after class, during movement (be careful that this doesn’t make your little ones too rowdy- some groups can’t handle this), and behind small group discussions.
Using music to help students remember material (learning journeys, visual reviews, and musical mindmaps):
Ever envied those teachers who seem to have a song for everything and can make up practical, meaningful songs kids love seemingly on the spot? Here’s how to create your own songs for your students’ specific needs.
Still not convinced you can use music in your room? Are you sure you have a horrible voice and your kids will laugh at you? Try chants, poems, and raps!
What is a chant?
How do you teach while you present a chant?
How do you teach students to write chants?
A listing of fun chants and raps by subject area.
A final page is called “A cornucopia of useful points regarding music in the classroom” and explains how loud to play it, what type to select, when to let students select, building a CD collection, choosing a stereo, and using music in classroom management.
http://songsforteaching.net/richallen/cornucopia.htm
F-MAP Tip#8: Periodically have students stand up as part of your lesson, not as a break from it.
This is easier to incorporate than you may think. When we compared numbers recently, I had two kids stand in opposite corners of the room with small whiteboards. Each wrote a number and, on my signal, flipped over the whiteboard for us to see. Students had to use their hands to make the greater than/ less than sign and point to the smaller number. The whole activity only took about five minutes, but that was five minutes they got to stand up instead of doing paper-and-pencil work.
F-MAP Tip#9: Consider using Think-Pair-Share.
This is a method of ensuring that everyone gets to participate, even those who take longer to process information. You pose a question and have the kids think in silence about the answer, then pair up with the person next to them, then share what they thought. I use hand signals to represent each part, then clap out a pattern and have the kids clap it back to me to signal that the whole class is coming back together. My students this year got tired of TPS after awhile, though, because it’s slow and they’re used to a fast pace, but that didn’t seem to bother my class last year or the year before. You’ll have to use your discretion regarding how often to use this method with your kids.
F-MAP Tip#10: Be silly, use dramatics, and take some techniques from the gospel preachers.
If you have ever been to a charismatic Christian church, you may have noticed that the congregation does not sit quietly and passively by. The preacher will often have the congregation repeat things back and say things to their neighbors. The preachers use these techniques to drive home their most important points. I use it when my kids need to ‘wake up’ or when I’m saying something very crucial. In a very dramatic and maybe even a silly tone, I'll say, “You can only change one variable at a time in a science investigation- how many variables? One! That’s right, tell me again, how many variables can you change at once? One! Turn to somebody next to you and tell them, ‘You can only change one variable at a time in a science investigation’” (have the kids do it) “How many variables? One!”. They really get a kick out of this, and some students are likely to relate and really feel comfortable with this (even if you don’t!). Kids usually love anything unexpected, so anything we as teachers do to liven things up is appreciated. I have a friend who teaches second grade in New Jersey- she has been known to give spelling tests laying down on her desk and to stand on a chair to make an important point. She's a natural actress, and that style isn't for everyone (especially if behavior management is an issue), but I can't imagine any child dozing off in HER class. :-)
F-MAP Tip#11: Move students’ seats often.
Many teachers don’t feel this is neccesary, but I have found that the longer I leave kids near each other, the more comfortable they become with one another. That’s great for partner work, but they tend to become increasingly chatty and playful during inappropriate times. Think about it: the first day you sit next to a stranger you would likely be fairly quiet, but after a week or so, you’d probably know the person’s life history! I keep mixing the kids up.
F-MAP Tip#12: Choose your seating arrangement carefully.
I have never found pods/groups (desks pushed together) to be effective- the kids are facing each other, why would they bother turning their heads to see me? It’s just too distracting. (I am going to try again this school year, though). If your students work in small groups and independently for most of the day, it might be a good set up, and many teachers make this method work well. Personally, I use a lot of direct instruction and I want to set my kids up for success, not tempt them to talk to each other. Take a look at the Classroom Tour pages to see my various desk arrangements (they change all the time!). Right now I do have two pods in the middle of my makeshift horseshoe arrangement and it's been working well, especially since all the students in the pods can easily focus on what's happening at the front of the room.
F-MAP Tip#13: Develop a repertoire of very short, kind things to say to refocus kids without further distracting them or yelling.
Did you ever notice that whenever you reprimand a student in a normal or loud tone of voice, the entire class stops what they are doing to eavesdrop? The whole class' concentration is broken because one child was doing something that probably only distracted one or two people (or maybe just the teacher!). And if you're trying to teach and you interrupt yourself with a lecture on paying attention, forget it. Everyone loses their train of thought. I still need daily reminders about this one- the middle of a lesson is not the time for a lecture. I need to say only what is necessary to get kids back on track.
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Situation |
Not Listening? |
Still Not Listening? |
Still Not Listening? |
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You’ve called on a child but the rest of the class is chattering. |
“Okay, let’s hear what Tony has to say.”
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“Let’s listen, Tony might be asking a question that you want to know the answer to”. |
“Tony, you can ask your question as soon as you think the class is ready to listen with respect”.
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You made an important point that the class didn’t respond to. |
“I’ll say that part again. Listen closely…” (pause for effect) |
“Janice, can you repeat what I just said for anyone who didn’t hear?”
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“Leena, why do you think it’s important to remember that?” |
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You gave a direction but kids are muttering to each, “What did she say?” |
“Class, which page are we on? [The ones who did hear respond loudly and in unison] Thank you”. |
“Wonderful, I see an entire table that has found page 67.” |
[Begin the lesson with a reference to the direction]. “You should now be on page 67. Take a look at the caption next to the photo and raise your hand when you know which habitat is pictured.”
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You’re ready to begin the lesson but the kids are still rummaging through desks and talking. |
“Show me you’re ready to begin by having your crayons and scissors out, and your hands in your lap”. |
“Justin, get yourself a token. You’re the first one to be ready with your materials out and hands in your lap. Thanks for your cooperation.” |
“Your crayons and scissors need to be on your desk by the count of 5 or you will not be able to participate. 1,2,3,4,5.” (If someone did not make the cut off time, ask them to put their head down during instructions, and when everyone begins coloring and cutting, quietly walk over to the student and ask him/her to get the materials ready then. Don’t walk away until s/he is prepared).
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F-MAP Tip #14: Know when to abandon a lesson.
If you’re trying to teach a lesson and the majority of the class is completely off task, no matter how many times you re-direct them, consider whether it’s the timing. Right around the holidays, the last period of the day, the hour before a field trip, etc. are going to be very difficult times to teach. Switch to something else. If the timing is good, consider your lesson. If it’s boring or poorly-designed, abandon it immediately and try another activity. Get out manips, assign a partner activity, or move on to another subject and catch up later. If you have an engaging lesson that you are giving your all for and the kids are just being rude, tell them so and end it. Several times a year, I say to my kids, “You know what? You’re showing me that you really don’t want to listen to me today. You’re talking, playing around, and not answering my questions. I put a lot of time into figuring out the best way to help you understand this, and to make it fun for you, and that’s not fair for you to ignore me. I’m not going to teach when you don’t want to learn. I apologize to those of you who were doing the right thing, but your classmates have ruined it for you and me. I’m going to grade your spelling tests, and you may do page 323. All of it. And do not complain that you don’t know how to do it, because I tried to teach you and you ignored me”. This honesty really gets through to kids! They struggle through the assignment so quietly you could hear a pin drop while I calm down and gather my patience. After 10-20 minutes, I ask, “How many of you are ready for me to try to teach my lesson again?”. The overwhelming majority, if not all, of the kids will raise their hands, and I begin where I left off with a slightly shortened version of the lesson. The kids are much better listeners at that point because they have seen how difficult the material is without a teacher’s instruction and have learned not to take it for granted. Teachers have feelings, too, and it’s important for kids to learn that.
F-MAP Alternative Activities:
Kids act out when they're bored. When my students are talking, playing around, out of their seats, and daydreaming, I know chances are my lesson wasn't planned or executed properly. Being pro-active and keeping students engaged in interesting activities will minimize behavior problems and maximize learning time.
Kids simply can’t stay focused for long. Read, in short and simple terms, why this is, and what fun things you can do to help change their ‘states of mind’. http://www.songsforteaching.com/Evanski.html
More Behavior Management Tips
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