1. When the bell rings, wait 10-30 seconds before you start speaking
There is a prevalent culture in the school classroom environment that somehow dictates that as soon as the bell rings, the teacher should start talking or shall we say yelling.
We have to pause and wonder, what are the effects of that? Very simple, students are more reactive and less attentive to detail.
If kids go from class to class and anytime there is a moment of silence the teacher fills it in, we steal precious learning opportunities.
2. Use the board or screen for logistical or administrative announcements
Most of the yelling that happens in class has to do with announcing details and instructions to students but by doing this, you as a teacher are only doing extra work and damaging the building blocks of learning.
This is because your voice, your questions and commands should only be used when absolutely necessary. Everything else should be outsourced to a slide or paper instructions so that when a student asks, you can simply respond: “What do the guidelines say?”.
This makes them not only more accountable but makes them think.
If you do the thinking for them, you are not only learning to hate your calling as a teacher but you are enabling slothful learning in which the student takes a backseat in their education.
3. Only one person speaks at a time
A basic rule to have in the classroom is that only one person speaks at a time.
Whether it is you communicating something with them or a student asking or sharing something with the class, only one person should speak at any given time.
A great way to create the consistency necessary for silence to be respected in class outside of dialogue which in turn nurtures and feeds the dialogue culture is that when a student interrupts, simply ask, “Johny, do you have everyone’s attention?,” and then Johny who is being interrupted by Courtney will look around, survey the classroom and verify. Then everyone will quiet down.
The accountability component allows for better classroom management.
4. Enable pockets of complete silent work with talking free time
In my daily classroom schedule, my students are expected to honor silence as the default mode.
The bell rings and everyone needs to quiet down immediately.
We run our classroom program on a very tight schedule and get things done. Most work, except for working conversation, is done quietly. This is because most quality work, the one most families aspire schools to train their kids for, requires silence.
Then, prior to class ending my students get a full five minutes of free time to chat and chill. It is a decompression valve. Kids love it and it keeps our classroom running smoothly.
And I know the first objection will be that there is no time to waste as many public school districts specifically state that all classroom time is instruction.
But when you add seconds and minutes, the average classroom wastes over 5 minutes in interruptions, quieting students and non-instructional related interactions.
So the five minutes of free time is the decompression valve that allows for this process to be sustainable.
5. Never yell at students
Socrates never yelled at his students and it makes you wonder, how can somebody dialogue with someone who is constantly yelling at him/her?
Having a no yelling policy in the classroom can only happen when you address the root of what leads a teacher yelling and in 99% of the cases, it is because of a lack of clear processes, rules and guidelines.
The remaining 1% is left for genuine emergencies as when a child is in real danger and you must yell, think of a kid crossing the bus loop who has not noticed an oncoming bus. You MUST yell.
Aside from those rare occurrences, a Socratic Teacher should avoid yelling at all costs as it harms the communication with students and creates the need for a never ending increase in tone and stress.