Submitted by Andrea Cope, Texas
Idea posted June 13, 2003
1. Make them return to the doorway and reenter, over and over, until they can get to their seats quietly. Spend the entire 35 minutes on it, if you have to. If they haven't mastered it by the end of class, bring them back at recess and do it some more. You might have to do this several times. No, you're not teaching what you're supposed to, but you can't do that now, anyway. And you are teaching them that their behavior is unacceptable and will not be allowed to continue.
2. Go ahead and lose your temper. Shouting is almost always wrong, but it can also be very effective. Often just the shock of hearing you let fly is all it takes to get their attention.
3. (This was suggested to somebody in a similar situation a while back.) Leave tantalizing bits and pieces of your best, funnest lessons all around the room. Make it clear to them that everybody else is getting to (whatever), but they can't because their behavior isn't up the standard required to participate.