Being a calm teacher

When you work with children, you very quickly learn just how much patience you actually have – perhaps not quite as much as you might have hoped. Sometimes it can be incredibly hard to stay calm, especially when you are faced with a number of children all misbehaving at the same time, or when you are in a particularly bad mood. Staying calm is vital: it will help you manage your classroom in the best, most professional way. It shows the children that there is no point in trying to wind you up (they will be only too happy to do this if you let them). And you will be providing a good role model for your class, showing them how to handle any situation, no matter how tricky, in a calm, considered and self-disciplined way. Consider the following action points:

Watch your volume levels:
Aim for a calm, quiet and low-key working environment. Keep a constant check on how you use your voice to help you achieve this. The louder you talk to the children, the noisier they will be in return. Speak slightly more quietly than you might think necessary, and force your children to listen carefully.