How do I keep my students focused and on task?

Question

I am running out of ideas to keep my 4th grade class of 36 focused. I am having more-than-usual problems with blurting out/ interrupting and it is really starting to get to me. Nothing I've tried seems to work for more than a week. I'm desperate for ideas. Thanks in advance for your help.

Answer 1

Try giving them shorter assignments, and do more one-on-one work, or let them work in pairs. Grade fours don't have a very big attention span and they aren't really into sitting like bumps on a log, so try to mix up your seat activities with action activities. I have had good results with calling a stretch break - a two minute stand up and stretch beside the desk interlude - that seems to help. If the weather is good, I like to get outside at least once a day. You can do a lot of math in the schoolyard, by using what is around you. Ditto english - writing about what you see, as well as the usual phys ed routines. .

Answer 2

I teach middle school math. One of my classes is very chatty as well, and they always seemed to be behind the other classes because there was so much time spend on trying to keep them focused.

One thing that has worked really well is to use a big digital timer that they can see. You can set the timer for every 5-10 minutes. If your class is quiet during that time, the class gets a point. If they are talking out of turn during that time, you get a point. Whoever has the most points at the end of the class, or day if you are a self-contained class room, is the winner.

When the students win they should get a few less homework problems, 10 free minutes at the end of the day, or other rewards that might work for them.

The classmates should take care of themselves. They will get on the case of the student or students that are ruining it, and peer pressure will help keep the kids on track.

Another idea that works, for example in math, is that I start by telling the students that they have 10 problems for homework. Then I go through the lesson. Every time someone blurts out or isn't on task, that adds a problem to the homework. It shouldn't take long for them to figure out that it is better to just have 10 problems. This also works well for just the "problem" students and not the whole class.

Either way, be prepared to stick to your guns and ride it out. Have more problems and/or rewards ready.

Good luck! :)

Answer 3

From my own time in college, the best classes were the ones that applied the lesson to today's life problems. i.e, teach your students about math by allowing them to build kites that fly. They'll learn about pounds of wind vs how much kite fabric/paper they'll need. Younger students would love to take a shopping list to the local supermarket to get prices on the list. Then have them add the total, add, say 5% tax, for experience and then ask how much change they'd get back if they gave the cashier-----dollars. I wish my teachers had better ways of teaching instead of droning in front of the class.
Science-interest the class in a project with teams of say, 4 students. If they are interested in "competing" then they will be too busy to be mischief makers...If you use your imagination your
class will be so absorbed that they forget to be bored and into mischief. Try something short at first, it will work. Good Luck!!

Answer 4

If you want them focused and paying attention, then try this:

say whoever answers like 8(or whatever nuumber you want) questions (raising their hands)before the end or the day gets a piece of candy, or 5 extra credit points!

GOod LUck!!

OR if they talkt too much then say, whoever talks will get a 0 on the next assignment coming up!

THEY WILL LISTEN FOR SURE!
Hope this helps!!


YOu can also try making folders which hold all the information of each student(each student has their own folder with his or her information) throughout the week, like if they Talk too much they lose 5 points, unprepared 3 points, misbehave is minus 15 points. and at the end of the week, have them bring it home to their parents, and if they dont return with parent signiture, they lose 5 points off their final grade for conduct or something!

here is an example
Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri
Unprepared -3
talking -5
Misbehave -10
ETC -15

Parent signature x_______________

Answer 5

You have to keep the task interesting enough for all abilities in the group (now THAT'S a challenge!!!) so that the task itself is more fascinating than distractions. A bugger of a challenge, I agree... keep the tasks achievable and not boring repitition. Make goals realistic. Allow variation (without punishment) in how long it takes for each to reach the goals you set. Create rewards for successful, timely completion - maybe a 'bonus point' word find, for example. That is one of the best age groups to work with - energetic, keen, active, becoming bright enough to understand a lot... just have to try to keep them more interested in what you give them than distractions. May help to include some physical activities as part of the exercise to help burn off all that energy. Teaching math, for example? Have them handle items that represent problems.. maybe have several create body fractions (how can a small group of you show us what you think 1/2 looks like??? ).
Oh, by the way, I found that the best 'weapon' for me was humour - and 'exclusion' for repeat offenders. A naughty kid will not want to be excluded (by sending out of the room, to the office or whatever) from interesting activities and will likely calm down if allowed to stay.
DO NOT give idle threats. If you say, "Speak out of turn once more and you are leaving the room!" and he does, boot him!!!
Use your strengths. If you are naturally humourous, use humour. If you are naturally serious, use that. Kids are very sensitive to things artificial - a teacher trying to be something they aren't.
And care... even for the worst. Demonstrate each matters - and mean it. They will respond.
Be patient. Easy to 'pass the buck'. After decades in the classroom, I have to admit my many failures were ultimately my failures, not theirs!
Sounds pedantic... best I can do!!!! Good luck!!! And persevere!

Answer 6

Make everything fun. Don't talk about things that can lead to an unrelated subject. If they get off task, get them back on by emphasizing the subject. Or every once in a while have a class discussion about what they wanna talk about, or just have class discussions in general (it'll get them ready for middle school and high school). Make it an assignment, like a memory game or something, it will test their listening skills.

Answer 7

Less teacher-talk time, more learning through inquiry. Design activities that actually engage the students, in which they will learn through doing. Create opportunities for them to work in pairs and small groups. Make sure your activities have real-world applications. Differentiate instruction to reach all the students in your class, and design lessons that accommodate all the different learning styles. Basically, do everything you were taught at university!

Answer 8

I think you will find that a week of one 'method' is about all you will get out of 4th graders.

Have two teams (not girls/boys/ and not academically related)
Let each team vie for M&Ms in jars. Put them in for good behaviour and take some out for bad behaviour. On Firday, give winning team all the M&Ms divided up for that team's students.

Have a short rehearsal of the rules and regualations and have them written down for clarity. Ask kids for input. You may find that they are just as irritated with the class clown as you are.

Answer 9

Face the actuality : As toddlers, ninety% of the scholars loath historic previous.... it relatively is as a results of the fact, the instructor is going on rantting with the dates and alll those numbers of folk who died in that conflict.... WHich infant choose for's to appreciate that??? try coaching bearing directly to the clarification why we are gaining awareness of that historic experience? and what ought to've been diverse if it have been'nt there, and what are the clever purposes/ instructions we learn from it. attempt to grow to be a narrative-teller in college, for, historic previous is basically his-tale. forget approximately the dates, supply human beings names, and make it an action - secret... Like a movie or stuff

Answer 10

Make learning fun. Make games out of the teaching parts, it'll be fun AND you would learn. Naturally, Students will do anything to keep themselves entertained- so why not help them with that. Though, that doesnt mean let them get wild.