The single biggest challenge that teachers face when they enter a school year is getting the attention of their students. What is even tougher for the teacher is keeping their attention. Having spent a fair amount of time working with kids, I have learned that the key to getting your student’s attention is to give them what they want. You just have to package it with learning. Here are some tried and true teacher tips to keep get your student’s attention and keeping it for the long term.

1. Wrap your teaching in the proper wrapping. If you put cold, bland English out on the table for a group of thirteen year olds, you are not going to get a very attentive class. If instead, you wrap that English up with some things that interest a student of that age, you have a great buy in. For example, having your students write a paper on the ills of society every single time, why not let them write a paper about their favorite television show? It still is English after all.

2. Use the visual as well as the verbal. Talking as a rule is boring to students. Few students like to hear a teacher orate all day long, and chances are you do not like doing it either. Instead, bring in plenty of video stimulation.

3. Make every lesson a group endeavor. It is not a bad thing to have students do, instead of having students listen. Instead of telling them about how Romeo loves Juliet, let them act it out in a mini class play.

4. Hold little mini breaks to keep them focused and crisp. Many teachers teach as though they can never fit the entire lesson plan in. The truth is, if you eliminate the distracted moments through periodic breaks in the class, you will have more time on the whole.

5. Treat your class every now and then. While every school day should be about education, the students are people. Every once in a while, give them the chance to do something fun instead. Take them outside and let them stretch. They remember things like that, and they are much more likely to be good listeners for you when it is time to learn.

6. Have a sense of humor. The single biggest thing you can do to keep your kids attention is to be able to make them laugh. Have a sense of humor, especially about yourself, and you will have a class that wants to hear what you have to say.

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