Quick & Easy Preventative Interventions For Teachers 

Quick and easy Preventative Interventions 

So you can spend more time teaching

Highly effective teachers know how to stop most disruptions without having to stop their instruction. They achieve this by using a variety of small yet powerful techniques. Listed below are just a few examples:

  • Build positive relationships immediately
  • Look at the misbehaving student, smile, and shake your head, indicating, NO
  • Use projection technology instead of whiteboards, so that your back is not turned from your students
  • Wander toward the location of the disruption as you continue teaching. Body proximity is a valuable intervention.
  • Call on the misbehaving student with a question what will make him feel valued.
  • Send the student on a ‘therapeutic errand.’ (To redirect the energy)
  • Stand very close to the misbehaving student and continue teaching.
  • Stop very briefly and whisper something to the student like, “Can you save that for later? thanks.”
  • Hand the student a small note that states, “Please stop talking. Thanks! ☺
  • Teach with plenty of incomplete sentences and questions to keep the students engaged.
  • Give each of your students responsibility for teaching a part of the lesson.
  • While continuing to teach, place your hand gently on the student’s shoulder.
  • Use enforceable statements (ex: “I allow students to stay with the group when they are not causing a problem.”)

*Taken from The Love and Logic Institute, Inc. for more information visit www.loveandlogic.com

 

About the Author: Katie Ueberroth