Hate To Drop A Bomb...You Got To Stay Calm

Recently, a colleague asked me how I stay as calm as I do with my students. I was dumbfounded that she asked this question because I had never viewed myself as that type of teacher before. As I have discussed in a previous blog about my imposter syndrome, the first thought in my mind was, man, do I have them fooled, but as their question played in my head for the past few days, I realized that maybe I am that teacher. Therefore, the topic of today's blog is how I stay calm in my classroom.

Believe it or not, your temperament substantially impacts student behavior. For example, if you tend to become tense, stressed, or uptight around your students, they are more likely to misbehave. A tightly wound teacher translates to a tension-filled classroom—the kind of tension visitors can feel, tingling in their sensory receptors the moment they enter your classroom. Moreover, make no mistake. Tension is terrible for classroom management, causing students to become excitable, unfocused, and primed to cause trouble.

Though I honestly believe that I am no expert on classroom management, I genuinely think that my ability to maintain a calm demeanor comes from being Responsive, Not Reactive.

Here are some ways that I am responsive rather than reactive:

• I take a few breaths. Step right outside the door. You are offstage, and this can help shift emotions quickly.
  

• I count. Before responding to a student, count to three . . . or five . . . or seven . . .
  

• I ask a question. Instead of giving a declarative statement, try, "How might you rephrase that comment to be more respectful?
  

• I pause and think before speaking. It is OK if your students are waiting for your words. The silence creates a space that is calming and contemplative for everyone.
  

• I smile. This is the best cover for unpleasant feelings. It can melt tensions or at least suspend them.
  

• I wait for the right moment. Please know that you do not have to address bad behavior right at that very moment. Instead, you can wait until after you are done with direct instruction or before or after the class is excused for their next class, recess, lunch, etc., to address that child one-on-one.
  

• I take mini-breaks throughout the day. Teachers hit the ground at a hundred miles an hour in the early morning and often do not stop until getting in their cars to go home. Avoid this all-too-common habit. Close your classroom door for a few minutes, put your head down on your desk, do a quick meditation, make a phone call to a friend, or listen to a short podcast or a soothing song.

The good news is that it is not difficult to change. It is not difficult to approach each new day of teaching with a calm, unruffled sense of purpose—dissipating tension like a lifting fog reveals a sunny day.