Key Idea:
Champion teachers employ a formal register (tone and demeanor) in the classroom as a mark of authority that maximizes effective behavior management.
Principles:
Economy of language
Less is more. Being wordy can signal nervousness or indecision. Know what you want to say and say it concisely
Do not talk over
Do not compete for attention. wait until you have complete silence. this makes students understand that the decision to listen to your voice is not situational.
Do not engage
Don’t engage in distractions when asking for compliance. Ex “David take your foot off Margaret's chair” David might say “But she was looking at me” Don’t skip to Margaret and ask if she was doing this or even say “I’m not really concerned with what Margaret is doing.” Even by saying this, you are engaging in what David said. The correct response is “I asked you to take your foot off Margaret’s chair” or “ Right now, I need you to follow my directions and take your foot off Margaret’s chair.” What about if David does what was asked but makes a comment like “but she pushed me or I wasn’t doing anything” The correct response is “I asked you to take your foot off Margaret’s chair. Once you have done that, you don’t need to say anything else.” In some cases what the other student has done needs to be addressed. However, this does not happen until after the first student has complied with your command
Square up/stand still
Don’t give directions while engaging in other tasks, like passing out papers. This sends the message that your directions are not important. Use your body language. When giving directions you want followed do not shy away. Face the student you are talking to and use your body language to show that you are in control
Quiet Power
Go against your instinct here. Getting louder and faster shows that the students have rattled you or effected your emotions. Get slower and quieter when you want control. Drop your voice and make them strain to hear you.
Don't forget: Formal Pose
Use your a serious register or body language when conveying a serious message. If it is a message you want listened to, do not use casual body language (ex broad hand gestures, leaning against the wall etc)
Reflection:
How do you think quiet power might be effective or ineffective? Would you use this technique in your classroom? Why? (respond in 50 words).
Quiet power definitely goes against our natural instinct but I think that if I even go silent for a few seconds and then start again it will be a good reminder for me to talk slowly and quietly. I would definitely use this technique in my classroom. Students will know that what I am saying is important.
ReplyDeleteI will need to practice Quiet Power to see how it works. When a room full of 2nd graders gets carried away with chatter it spreads like wildfire and quickly gains volume. Trying to get them to listen to the teacher by talking softly may be completely ignored by most of the class. There may be need for an easily recognized signal for getting quiet, then I can speak softly to maintain their attention.
ReplyDeleteI would need to practice this, but I can see how this would be very effective. I think you would have to do it just right, or the students would ignore you. I would use this in my classroom, but like i said, I would need practice.
ReplyDeleteI think using quite power can be very effective. When I was working in a third grade classroom I observed the teacher using quite power and when I was given the opportunity to teach a lesson I used it as well. The students knew they were off task and being called on it and straighten up and focused back on the lesson.
ReplyDeleteI think quiet power can be very effective and I would definitely use it in my classroom. I think it will take practice, but would be very effective in a classroom. Even when I did my math lesson in my Thursday clinical practice class I realize that I did exactly what I shouldn’t have, talked louder and faster. When I did this, the classroom did not get any quieter and I think I even left out a part of the directions because I was talking too fast. I realize that if I would have tried talking quieter and slower, it probably would have been much more effective. Students would have had to quiet down in order to hear what was going on instead of thinking it was okay for them to continue talking. Plus, I think it allowed them to see that I was nervous instead of confident and they used that to their benefit.
ReplyDeleteI am a bit skeptical of quiet power. I have not seen quiet power used, so maybe when I see it work effectively I will be a believer. I have seen it but it takes awhile to get the class to stop talking and realize. I feel it takes too long to get the attention of the entire class.
ReplyDeleteLike I said silence is deafening, and I would use it.
ReplyDeleteI think quiet power is extremely effective. I have seen this used in my classroom very often and it always works. As weird as it is to say this, I have also noticed this working when I was training my dog a few years ago. Every time I yelled at him to correct him, he got more excited and didn't listen to me. When I ignored him or turned around, he would sit and calm down. Interesting similarity...
ReplyDeleteI think the quiet power definitely works in classrooms. I agree that it does take a longer amount of time, but I think the resulting silence makes more of a statement than the teacher raising her voice in the front of the classroom. One comes off as bothered and as she can't control the class, and the other as she has control and is waiting for the class to realize it.
ReplyDeleteQuiet power is a great example of how “doing less can mean more”. When the students see the control of and confidence of the teacher’s quiet voice they take the direction and compliance more seriously.
ReplyDeleteI think quiet power is effective because I implemented in my observation classroom. I did the 1, 2, 3 eyes on me in a whisper voice and the students paying attention whispered back, 1, 2 eyes on you. The students not paying attention immediately looked forward to me because they felt as if they had been left out of some whispering club and wanted to e included. It was effective and I would use it again.
ReplyDeleteQuiet power is definitely effective because it tells students that you are not going to alter your behavior due to their behavior. Rather it says, I am in charge, and you need to be quiet to listen to my directions. It is a great way to regain control of the classroom.
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of using quite power. I even think that this is an awesome technique to use as a parent. So many times when we become frustrated it is easy to get louder. I think that this shows you are in control and students are going to respond to you by having to stop what they are doing and listen harder.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with what Rilee said about being quiet going against our instincts! I believe quiet power can be so effective once used properly. It reminds students that the teacher shouldn't have to raise her voice to get student's attention and shows that the teacher is confident in what she is doing.
ReplyDeleteQuiet power can definitely be effective because I have witnessed it several times. When a teacher lowers their voice, students stop talking and pay attention to hear whatever is being said. It can be ineffective if it is so quiet that no one can hear it. I would use it in my classroom. I think it would be effective in a situation where the whole class is talking before recess and I quietly start telling the kids that are paying attention that they may head outside.
ReplyDeleteQuiet power can be very effective in getting attention, calming the class, and regrouping. The technique communicates a lot without saying much at all. I will definitely use this in the classroom.
ReplyDeleteQuiet power can be effective if students are responsive to this technique. I have seen situations where students respond positively and have become calm and focused. I have also seen situations where it was unsuccessful, mostly due to the teacher implementation. Quiet power, when introduced properly, can be a very effective alternative strategy to raising your voice and being emotional in class.
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