Repeated eye contact and physical proximity – a recipe for problem prevention in the classroom. Teacher “withitness” can not only prevent misbehavior before it occurs, but also it can improve classroom climate and increase student engagement.

PROBLEM PREVENTION IN THE CLASSROOM

Well, of course! This one seems obvious. Nip “stuff” in the proverbial bud before it gets a chance to blossom. Problem prevention is the goal. But the trick is HOW do you do it? It starts with something from WOW #2 – that thing about your two best classroom management tools being your eyes and feet. Making periodic, frequent, normal, pupil-to-pupil eye contact with students and walking around and looking over shoulders as they work communicates that you know what students are doing – and in some cases, thinking about doing. This “teacher withitness” leads to problem prevention. (For more on teacher withitness,” see https://owlcation.com/academia/Classroom-Management-Strategies-With-It-Ness .)

In making eye contact, select any student in the room as a starting point. Make a momentary (half second) eye contact with that student. Determine a pattern (e.g., left to right, spiral out from center, etc.) to make sure you include all students. Use that pattern to attempt momentary eye contact with each student in the room. Then select another student and repeat. Repeat. Ad infinitum. (And classrooms where teachers use this type of eye contact get higher student ratings in positive class climate!)

True Story – It Words with College Students, Too

For 20 years I prepared master’s level students to become teachers. These are serious students. They cover their own tuition, demand to make up any class time lost to snow because they have paid for it, and consider any off-task behavior in class (by themselves or another class member) as a waste of their money. Then for my last six years of teacher preparation I had undergrads as well. These were generally less serious students who still retained an edge of adolescence. It was one of these who announced in class one day as I moved among the tables of students, “You know, Professor, yours is the only class that we don’t text in.”

“Oh?” I replied. (“Oh” is a very useful word in these conversations – a noncommittal expression that invites the speaker to continue.)

“Yeah,” she replied, “you’ll see us.”

I never consciously thought about watching students for cell phones. It’s just that in 16 years in the classroom I developed the habit of repeated eye contact and physical proximity with every student. These two communicate teacher awareness, shape student behavior, and result in problem prevention.

A HIERARCHY FOR PROBLEM PREVENTION

Also, consider the hierarchy of behavioral bud-nipping tools presented below (drawn from the work of Carol Cummings, 2000). The five presented here require no break in the lesson. The first one may surprise you… The remainder are techniques to help refocus a student’s attention.

A FINAL FOOTNOTE – PUN INTENDED

I encourage you to make use of your eyes and feet. And oh, yes, do wear comfortable and supportive shoes. As a teacher, I always kept at least one extra pair to change midday. I found my level of pleasantness was influenced by how my feet felt.

For more thoughts on problem prevention, checkout the following two videos:

Until next week – may you experience success in all your academic endeavors!

Alene

Cummings, C.B. (2000) (2000). Winning Strategies for Classroom Management. Alexandria, VA: ASCD