You need to stop teaching and go around and do work shops before school start, you are soooooo good. I love ❤️ what you are sharing so much, teachers out there could learn from this I love your videos, good job 👍🏽.
This is so true. The teacher that has a “good” class has usually put in a lot of work to set those expectations. Often times I see other teachers saying things like, ‘Well I don’t have good kids’ All kids can be good and meet expectations, but you have to put in the work to get that outcome.
TheSleepy Teacher This is definitely what I will be working on when I begin teaching next year. Building relationships are important. I plan to implement teamwork exercises into my class! 😀
ABSOLUTELY--agree 100%. My biggest pet peeve is when teachers say, "Oh, your kids are so good--you're lucky you've got a good class." Um, no. I've worked extremely hard and long to set up routines and expectations.
I was teaching a math lesson yesterday and I just stopped talking, sat down, and had an “are you serious???!” look on my face. The ones who were listening were like “she’s waiting for you to stop talking”. I absolutely love it when the other kids “get it” and help bring the others around. I’ll also hear “she’s told us 100 and some days how we need to sit on the rug. She doesn’t want to tell you again.” Ah, the magic of peer pressure. I always make sure to thank those who are being respectful also to encourage that in all students. ❤️
Yes! A lot of work goes into building those positive relationships. There is no quick fix. There just isn't. You just have to put in the work for sure.
I'm a student teacher graduating this May. I just have to say that your videos are so inspiring and I just LOVE how specific you are with your examples of implementation. It really helps me figure out how I'll implement it myself in my own classroom. Thank you for doing what you do!
Haha the drama / oscars worthy performance 👍🏼😂 Always a winner! “I was here all night making that space all fun and cool for you today... I can’t believe somebody would DO that ...to me....to US!” 👌🏼🏆🎥
Well said and explain!🍎❤️ I tried this today! Ms. Keah heart is soooo sad😢😢😩 They all reply why Ms. Keah. Everyone just stop stare at me. After I explain why my heart was so sad, they said ok Ms Keah we are sorry we will do better. Thanks 🍎
New teacher here! Very nervous and about to start. I've been binge watching your videos and love them all- ESPECIALLY that ending to them all, "and always don't forget to pray because He is the way". Amen! Thank you for what you do- I really appreciate you (:
Glad you can see that. I am on my third round of trying to get into Teachers Ed and I've seen teachers who don't seem like they realize what they have.
Great tips Miss. May! I agree that it takes time and work and it's important to build a good rapport with students. Something that works well for me is "Name and Name, you owe me time at recess/free choice time" ....they don't like that. When the time comes I ask them why they owe me time and they almost always know why. I will sometimes do Think Sheets or they must practice what it is they had trouble doing in class during their time. I also talk to the students a lot about self-discipline, self-control and self-regulation. I praise, praise, praise when I see it. It really works. We talk a lot about being mindful and what it means to set a good example. Oh! Also talking to them before the lesson and saying "I know this class is going to do a good job at being good leaders and work hard at focusing"...That age group just love the praise. Also it's good to do some self-reflection. Are my lessons too long? Are they not engaging? Do they need a movement break? Ahh! Teaching is hard! Yes, it does take work and consistency. Great video as always Miss. May....very helpful tips! Thanks for this. It was nice to see how you handle those challenging behaviours. ☺️❤️
You are so right. I always tell people the secret to great classroom management is building a positive relationship with kids, and you've got to put the work in. From there, consistency is key! I love to narrate positive behavior choices right next to kids so are off task. They quickly realize you see them, and often make a better choice. The staredown is effective too! 😁
This came at the perfect time. I am so thankful for your encouragement. This isn’t a sprint. It’s a marathon. We are in it for the long haul and we have to train the students for the marathon. It’s hard work. It’s annoying and frustrating at times. It’s aggravating. But, when you start to see glimmers of a payoff it is SO worth it. Thank you for sharing your loving, caring teacher heart with all of us. ❤️ and hugs!
Oh my gosh… I’ve done this before. Sometimes I feel mean… glad to know I’m not the only one lol 💗👌(I agree with the not taking away ALL of recess thing too!)
You are a sweetheart. Thank you for these tips. I just knew you were a believer by the way you shared your big heart of love for these kids. These tips are priceless. I can only imagine that those kiddos in your class must absolutely love you. We need more teachers like you. God bless you.
The second technique is me. I also will stop and give compliments or quietly hand out our school money to one or two kids and the rest will straighten up really quick. ClassDojo also helps as well.
Hey Ms. May! Thank you so much for making this video. I am going to be teaching first grade for my final teaching placement in a few weeks. ALL of your videos are so informative and I am sure I will take some of your strategies with me xx hugs~
Miss May. I need you and everyone who will read to pray for one of my kids. His home life is not good at all right now and he is naturally acting out. It's hard for me because he's VERY frustrated and has had to be removed for being physical for the past 4 days. My heart us hurting and his heart is hurting. All the prayer warriors in the world for this Lil guy.
I just found this video. I hope you are doing well. This was so helpful and great advice for new teachers. I love the Proverbs 3 sign in the background. Your words are so true - prayer helps and God will make a way.
You are so right in EVERYTHING you have said. I do this with my children and at my daycare. Which I have child who have not seen a school yet and they are learning their colors, letters, numbers and how to get along with other children. I love you Miss May. You are awesome🍎👑😃😊
I love how helpful and detailed your videos are! I am always looking for tips. You're great at explaining exactly and going into detail about how you handle common situations. Love love love this channel.
Love your videos! Very practical examples you can implement immediately. Love when you show and not tell. I love your examples and how you demonstrate it. Much love! God bless you
I do all of those things too...the stopping and waiting, highlighting that there are "people" who have lost their manners. I've kept kids in at recess, but it doesn't change their behaviour, so that's not really worth it. My class haven't changed their behaviour yet (so frustrating!). I've just changed our tables and desk partners and I'm about to set a seating plan for when we're on the floor. My next step is for them to stay in at recess and/or lunch and fill out a behaviour reflection. The step after that will be individual behaviour cards. My class last year was a total delight in this area. They listened carefully and worked hard, and they were just naturally inclined to be quiet. It was such a gift!
Slayyyed. ........thankyou so much for a realistic and relatable vid . Another one I have trouble with some kids who wont focus and retain but have huge potential. Its very frustrating, have you any tips for this miss may
Thank you so much! Please, any tips for friction situations between the kids, how can relationships be smoothened between them other than appealing for respect and team work please?
I wish more people would realize what you have shared about building genuine relationships. I love your idea about eating lunch with them - this is something I’ll definitely try this school year!
I love the idea of eating with your students the first week or so of school! Also, in the best way possible, this is the level of dramatic I aspire to be 😂
I’m still in the beginning stages of becoming a teacher. I’m a sophomore in college studying early childhood education and have taken on jobs to give me more experience with working with kids for example being a camp counselor and recently a AA in a elementary school, My question is how do you get a child to take you seriously when they feel like you are not the authority because you are the teacher or the “head counselor” I feel discouraged sometimes because I do have to step in to assist a child who isn’t listening but feel like I don’t have the authority to make them behave nor do they think I can “tell them what to do”. I hope that make sense would love your advice. Thanks!❤️
MISS MAy I have tried these options but this year I have students with an attitute. That would actually stand up and teach class just to be funny and make it worst. what else can I do?
You're going to have to start building those relationships immediately. That's what a lot of these kids need. You have to gain their trust and realize that it won't happen overnight. Have lunch with them, get to know their interests. ((HUGS))
I’m preparing for next school year and I’ve just been binge watching your videos! They are so insightful and encouraging! Thank you so much for making these! 😊
Love this!! Thank you for the suggestions. I’m new to 1st grade and coming from 3rd grade. I was expecting the honeymoon stage with first graders but there is not such thing, I’m having a hard time building the relationships while also setting expectations of the classroom because they are so chatty! But like you said it will take time! I’m going to focus on the relationships!
I do all of those, but this is the first year behaviors have been this crazy in 5th. They have been out of school for almost 2 years and most had no direct supervision or accountability at home so it is like having kindergarten students in 5th. Now we are back in the classroom they still want to play video games in the middle of testing. I have had to rest so many tests because they scroll away to play games and our District cancelled our monitoring network. This year is off to a tough start!
Great advice! These strategies have worked well for me in my self contained 5th grade classroom. Then I moved up to Jr. High and I teach 6th-8th grades. The same principle of building the relationship holds true; however, now I only have 45 minutes a day with them! Anytime I notice their talking getting out of control (not easily corrected or redirected) I take that as MY signal to work on more classroom community or sometimes just my relationship with the few individuals who are struggling. Each time I pour into students they want to do their best in the classroom. Thanks for this encouragement!
This is great! So incredibly informative and real. I am currently applying for teaching jobs and your videos give me the perfect balance of joy and good information! Thank you Miss May-I love seeing when you make a new video.
I used these same strategies with my high school students. They hated it. I also tried to make my science lessons so interesting that the students would manage themselves and/or each other. It’s amazing that what works for little ones also works for 14-18 year old little ones!
My firsties have been very chatty lately. I’ve also gotten two new chatty, bossy students in the past month as well. Guess I need to break out a mini lesson on classroom procedures. Thanks for being so motivating!
Hey there! Just discovered you today and I am loving everything you're sharing! I'm a homeschooling mom of 4 aged 7 and under, and this series is such an inspiration for me to keep working on behavior and routines with my challenging little people. My expectations have definitely been too high, with too little of my own modeling and explaining. Thank you so much for sharing your heart!
Wow! I love your passion and honesty displayed in your videos. The knowledge that you are providing is wonderful. You have inspired me to create my own channel geared toward preschool teachers. Check it out and provide feedback. Thanks again!
I loved your tips for whole group times. Do you have any suggestions for stopping off task behaviors and talking during seated work times? and transitions times?
Thank you for your words about relationships building, I too believe that you have to build those relationships with your students or nothing will work. Thank you for your kind words and adding the words about prayer for me that is also what I do to keep me grounded about why I do what I do.
what you said about teachers talking in staff meetings is so true! I feel like a goody goody when I'm sitting at a table and literally ignoring people trying to talk to me.... smh
In high school I had an amazing pre-calc teacher. She did the silent thing to the max. She would teach the class without talking to get us to pay attention and get us to stop. It worked great. The overnight camp I worked at was huge on not taking the entirety of free swim. You could pull the worst stunts and still got to go down to the water for a bit because that movement is important and taking the whole time loses its impact at times.
I think you're my favorite teacher on youtube! I have 2 years left in school, I got my AA in 2016 and getting my BA now, but i'm a full time permanent sub in the schools right now, so this is all so helpful even now. love your channel!!!!
Wow, thank you! That's such a huge honor. So many great teachers here on the Tube. I really appreciate that compliment. Many ((Hugs)) and congrats on your journey. ((Hugs))
I am dealing with this right now with remote learning. I have students who won't stop unmuting and talking although we talk about the rules ALL DAY LONG. I teach 2nd grade and it truly is challenging. I so love your TPT products and your videos. Thank you and God Bless!!
22 first graders.... Listen you have saved muhh...life..Something had to be different this year...And this kindness being dramatic and postive has really made a difference. I'm praying to keep it up. It's only day 3. But I hope to show that this is what we are missing living and eating kindness to our kids.
@@OneFABTeacher I teach, too and I GET every word you are saying. I was moved to Kindergarten this year and...oh how I am learning ♡ I love how you act out exact reactions and behaviors! You rock ♡ And look darling doing it.
I just started watching your videos, thanks. You are so great, I wish I would have had you as a teacher. I teach art to elementary school children who I only see once a week for 6-7 weeks then I get a new batch of classes for another 6-7 weeks and so on. How do I build relationships when I am with them for 90 mins once a week? Please help🙏🏽.
Love that you are so real with your suggestions. This year I'm a little afraid to try the "you teach the class" strategy because I have 4-5 future teachers in my class who would be more than happy to take over for me, even if they weren't the ones talking!
I've had that too, and they take the opportunity to goof off and upset the entire class. Sooooo like she said, different things work for different classes.
Im so thankful for this video!! I just started student teaching and i also find that the "falling rain" trick works for getting both attention and silence in very loud classrooms to give instructions to the kids. I put up a hand and start tapping it with one finger and they all start doing the same, then i use two then three four and five fingers until we're all clapping basically. Then decrease slowly until the class is very quiet and then i give the info!
This video couldn’t have come at a better time! It was definitely godsend. I was looking for answers after a rough day today and He just sent them with your video. I realize that I’m not maintaining nor do I feel like I’ve continued to build those relationships with my first graders. I’m all about getting things ready for my morning and for them and I need to step aside and make more time for that so thank you for that reminder! I am a first year and that’s no excuse but I need to be more mindful of this very important tip. I work at a title I school so I know these kiddos have hardships and need the best of me. Thanks again!
Miss May!!! I tried this with my classes. I'm a math intervention/math lab teacher K-2. It worked. I just sat there for 20 seconds. Silent. They all stopped!!! Then I kept the progression going.. amazing!!!
It's my first year in first grade and I think I may have not set the expectations down enough in the beginning. I have a SUPER talkative class. Is it too late for me? Do I suffer through the next 70 some odd days or can I get them where I want them to be?
I love this. This is my 3rd year of uni and 3rd prac, never have had an issue with chatting like I do this year. This video couldn't come at a better time
Your video was very inspiring and I also believe that it is important to build a strong, positive relationship with our students in order to build a positive learning environment. Thanks so much!
I just found your videos today and I'm so glad. I love your positivity and the fact that you get it! This is all for the kids and you think the way I want to think, thank you.
You rock! I just love your channel. Heck, I love you, Ms. May. Keep doing what you’re doing; It’s so important. I teach HS. These strategies are appropriate there too. You inspire me. And you’re right. It takes time. For me, it’s a 5-8 week process to establish a culture that will sustain us the whole year, but the fine tuning, re-teaching, and reminding kids about “the basics” & our non-negotiables is ongoing. If a teacher is struggling, just know that it’s never too late to have a first day of school or new beginning; Lesson plan around the culture you want to create & then teach, reinforce, and reward kids for appropriate/ academic behavior. Be fair. Teach everything you expect - not all at once (prioritize what’s needed to establish the learning environment you want to create). Best of luck.
Your ideas are fantastic! I teach an older grade but so many of the things you talk about are great for all grades. The relationship building is so imperative and I am trying many of your ideas starting with eating lunch with my kids. They were blown away when I sat down at their lunch table!
I remember being that kid in the classroom... it was mainly because i didn't see the need to stress over school work, it just wasn't important for me, especially to learn by listening to the teacher. (Since there were perfectly understandable examples on the paper anyways..) The only times when i actually payed attention to the teacher, was when the teacher would pay attention to me and ask me a question directly, or if i was asked to teach another student. I needed to be challenged. SO. There are two ways to go about this. The easy way, and the hard way :) If the child isn't shy, and doesn't mind the attention, you can direct the teaching towards them. Or just in general, have a more interactive classroom by asking a kid a question (and not just going with whomever has their hand up). Of course this doesn't work with anxious kids... so be sure to know your classroom first. That's the easy way... The harder but better way to get their attention, would be to gain their respect, by respecting them first. There are some kids who don't understand the different "social rankings"... so what to do in this case, before or after class; compliment them personally on something they've done. (The smaller the detail, the better ;) ) and then continue to ask them what they enjoy in class.. and so forth. After a day or two, then simply ask them if they'd like to help you with the teachings. Ask them for their input on the papers and what questions to ask. And EXPECT the "idk" answer.. but trust that they will be thinking about it. The next day,before class starts, ask them if they had thought about it. Then at the end of class, ask them what they'd improve on with the class, and notice they have some more to say. This is because they will emotionally get attached to you and start to feel a responsibility towards the class. This will force them to pay more attention as you will both talk about the class at the end of the day. And to make sure you keep your teacher/student separation (highly important) Make sure to comment and make suggestions on how they (and the other kids) can be better *students*... My apologies for the pagraph bloc! I do hope this helps... best of luck!
the nonverbal signal cues are great. Wish teachers had thought of such things when I was a child - more than 3 decades ago! Thanks for the insight. I'll try it whenever I have less formal teaching opportunities!
