What are some effective ways to keep 1st graders focused in a classroom setting?

One of the few things I learned when going for my substitute teacher training through STEDI was that t you have to know limits. When combined with Montessori information and control techniques you really have an arsenal. First, when kids become unruly its often because they are either: Over stimulated, Bored Hungry If you find that they are out of control walk calmly over the room light switch and shut the lights, don’t flash them on and off, that’s annoying, Just witch off the light and leave the room dark for a few minutes,.

Kids will try and figure out why is the room dark. And that will get their attention. One thing you have to remember is kids up until they are about 12 or so have a 10-20 minute attention span.

It’s not what I say, but through Maria Montessori, Dr. Brazleton and others who know this professionally. Change up the routine. Keep all lessons simple, interactive and fun and have a break between switching gears.Is the only lesson you teach is language?

Or are you the entire days teacher. It seems strange that school would have first graders switching teachers or classrooms. Since you specify language, why not break it up with words from other cultures, Mad Libs, Rubric puzzles, and charades, finger spelling.

Language is the art of communication, present a lesson on Morse code and have the students try and do it, teach them a few words in hieroglyphics and have them make their own. Creativity keeps them learning. Boredom is your monkey wrench.

Once you keep the interest going you will always have their attention. Have them choose a book to read to you. And each student takes turn at a passage.

Montessori lessons will help with this situation. Control is more indicative that something is wrong and they are bored, is how I see it. I taught for many years and still tutor and teach and sub.

My father in law and sister are teachers. Many years ago I helped out in both of my kids rooms, atleast 3 times a week with reading, etc . We had just moved to a new school that was supposed to be a great district.To my surprise, neither of the teachers had any control of the kids.

The bad kids got all the attention and the good kids sat and were bored. The two teachers would spend a half hour on one kid disrupting the class instead of getting control immediately and moving on. I was so disgusted at what was going on and the lack of respect for the teachers we finished the school year and I began homeschooling.

My best advice for you is to get control of the kids immediately. Do not allow anyone speaking while you are or disrespect. If the kids break a ruled follow through immediately with consequences.

You can be nice later after the kids understand where you stand and what you allow. That may include raising your voice in the beginning. If you do not establish who is boss upfront, you will have a long school year.

I worked in a daycare for about 7 years. Most of my time was spent with 2 year olds who have the attention span of about 5 minutes. I learned early on that I had to find ways to keep them focused on each activity, including lunch time, potty time and even nap time.

I always kept a stash of "SMARTIES" candies or M&M's on hand. You'd be surprised how much control you can gain with just 2 M&M's. I also kept stickers and waterclor markers (to draw small "tattoos" on hands or faces.

Teachers have to be creative, inventive, and even entertaining. The tone of your voice, the expressions on your face, the way you walk can keep the attention of children while teaching language skills. Create games, divide the class into groups (rabbits, ducks, cows, etc.) and give each a task to finish as a group.

Perhaps the reward could be to let that group line up for lunch or outdoors, first. Just be on your toes, ready to adapt to any situation and be creative!

My grandson has the attention span of a peanut butter sandwich... He is bright, and he is funny, but he is over active. He does not have any disorders, he was just quicker than his fellow 1st graders last year. The teacher found ways to keep him relatively occupied.

She would have him compete in school work with a comparable student who was also quite bright and active. This seemed to work. She also paired calm students with over active ones.

The calmer students were wishing to learn, which helped to influence the more active students to calm down a bit. Kids are empathetic, and they pick up on the tensions as well as the calm of those who surround them. If you alternate calm and active kids, this may do the trick.

Of course, some calm kids can then become rowdy for the same reasons. In 1st grade you can also have the students put their pencils down and rest their heads on their desks when they start to act up. This will give them a moment to reflect on their behavior and give you the opportunity to teach the rest of the students.

This can be done during reading time effectively. Some energetic education is also a good idea. I remember learning how to walk in front of people and say "Excuse me" (which is a lesson some kids could be taught now) and we play-acted out some of our readers.

This gives the active kiddies a chance to interact but within parameters that are set by the teacher. Any time the children can get out of their chairs and move a little bit is a good thing because they will be more likely to sit still when they are supposed to. Thank you, by the way, for being one of the greatest profession on Earth!

Without teachers we have nothing, no firemen or policemen. No doctors nor lawyers. If not for teachers no one would learn as much!

:).

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.