Classroom Management Series #2: Students finish early

As we stated in the first post of the second classroom management series, students interrupt class by talking for many reasons. 

One of the reasons students talk is because they have finished their work before the rest of the students.  If students don’t have MEANINGFUL work to do, then they will get bored.  When students are bored, they tend to engage their friends, who may not be done with their work yet and the teacher tends to be working more.  When students are off task, teachers are running around making sure students have something to do.  

Want to stop running around?

We are going to discuss some procedures that students can easily do when they finish their work.*

Procedure	Explanation
Read silently	-students read library or personal books and respond in their journals/logs  Download here Secondary Book Journal Prompt
Complete missing or unfinished work	-students get out work that needs to be complete -teacher keeps a list or file of what assignments students are missing with extra copies of the assignment (with student’s name or number on it) The Teaching Tribune
Extra practice	-keep files on concepts that students struggled with handy for students to get extra practice on made by Cindy Berenter at TpT
Positive notes	-students write positive notes to other students, teachers, or staff in the school
Teacher’s helper	-If a students has all assignments in and has done extra practice, they can be a helper -Helpers can help answer questions about the assignment or what to do next -Helpers can organize an area for teachers, hand out papers, or run an errand

To have these procedures really, REALLY work you must model what to do, have students practice them, and put them on a poster that always hangs in your classroom.  This will help reinforce the procedures and lessen the “what do I do now?” questions.   

by Poppies and Lilies

**Remember: we are discussing procedure not discipline.  Procedures can be seen as preemptive strategies to combat negative behaviors in the classroom.**

Next week we will be talking about students have a question. Post any tips you have on the topic in the comments section.