High School Classroom Management

As students mature and enter the different levels of school, their capability to pay attention to lessons decrease. Especially in high school where they are caught up with different issues like fitting in, premarital sex, drugs and alcohol, it would become very hard for teachers to discipline them. However, there are some effective high school classroom management techniques which teachers can learn in building classroom discipline.

First, show the students that you are interested in getting to know them. Memorize their first names and use it in addressing them. Before starting the lesson, ask them how they are feeling. Also, you may learn about their hobbies and favorite pastimes and get updates from time to time. Say their favorite band is playing in the city; ask them if they are planning to attend. If they are interested about cars, ask them about their opinions regarding the different models. These subtle queries will let them know that you are also curious about their lives.

If your lesson is an hour long, students are most likely going to get bored if you stick to lectures. Plan different activities where they can get out of their seats for a little while. Group reports, role plays and experiments are some examples of activities that would entertain the students while helping them learn at the same time.

Knowing how to deal with inappropriate behavior is also necessary. Keep in mind that when disciplining the class, you have to be firm but not too aggressive. If students are spacing out or not paying attention, talk to them after class hours and ask why they are behaving like that. Perhaps their seat is located near the window and they are distracted about the stuff happening outside and might want to change locations. Always ask before assuming anything. It could also be that they are shy or afraid that if they look at you, you might call on them for recitation. On the other hand, if students are sleeping in class, it is best to wake them up and ask them why they fell asleep; maybe they were up all night doing homework or practicing for varsity, maybe they are not feeling well, or are tired from doing part-time jobs. Even if this is not the case, if you ask out of genuine concern, students are often embarrassed at your display of kindness and resolve never to do it again. Sometimes, though, there are students who are simply uninterested and sleep in class often. If this happens, ask them to step outside and come back when they are ready to participate, or as punishment for their act, give them extra home work to make up for the lesson they missed when they slept.