Starting lessons: Meet and Greet

THEME: STARTING LESSONS

ACTIVITY: MEET AND GREET

This is a really easy thing to do and it makes so much difference to the start of lessons – particularly ones with difficult classes! Sadly the big downside is that it can only be done if you can be in the classroom before the class arrives – fine if you are always in your own classroom but much more difficult if you are moving around into different classrooms.

What you do………..

1. Make sure that there is some work ready for the class to do when they enter……. A quick (5/6 minute) starter activity that does not require much equipment is best. Ensure that the instructions are either on the board or on their desks -if you do this most lessons they will quickly get into a routine! You could have a “back up” scenario (silent reading? Key words form last lesson?...) that you can always resort to if you have not managed to prepare a particular activity.

2. Stand outside the door of the classroom just before every lesson and personally greet every pupil as they arrive – with a lovely smile and a cheery comment – they will feel much more positive if you do this!

3. You can deal with any issues on an individual basis before the pupil concerned has the class as an audience! He/She will be much more amenable and likely to do as you ask, without attitude! Uniform, issues from last lesson, jewellery etc can all be dealt with without being confrontational. Pupils feel that they are being talked with rather than being told off!

4. Often pupils will tell you at the point of entry that they haven’t done homework/have forgotten a book etc – again the situation is much less confrontational than when it is done in front of the whole class and can be sorted out straight away.

5. Anything requiring a slightly longer conversation to resolve is OK because the rest of the class are getting on with their work (if you make this a matter of routine they will quickly know what to do once they are in the classroom).

So SIMPLE but highly EFFECTIVE! I try to do this most lessons but I don’t always manage it – I always regret it if I don’t do it with a difficult class.

So, get started – MEET AND GREET every lesson! The pupils will KNOW that you are a really cheerful, positive person who is looking forward to teaching them! They will be more likely to behave accordingly and the lesson will get off to a really good start!