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When you are working with a small group, how do you keep the rest of your class engaged?

Charm

Illustration by Ted Pitts

First, I make sure the rest of the class has something challenging but fun to work on (my current class loves math mysteries.) Then, I tell them that for every five minutes of quiet time they give me, they will earn five minutes of fun time. The fun time can be used for extra centers or recess, or they can wait until they've earned enough for a fun movie. It works like a charm!

Liza Vaughn
Third-grade teacher, Knoxville, Tennessee

'Can Do'

As a National Board Candidate enrolled in the Accomplished Teacher Institute, I learned a great way to keep my third graders busy at a "low roar" while I ran small reading groups.

I have always written my agenda for the morning or afternoon in the corner of the blackboard, but now I divide it into a "Must Do" list and a "Can Do" list.

The Must Do list comes first. That might be spelling and vocabulary, a related worksheet, a grammar page, and a journal entry. The Can Do's might include working in the computer corner or in the library corner on a beanbag. Some days, there might even be a puzzle at the back work table. If students get noisy, the Can Do's become unavailable.

After two or three noisy guys have their "Can Do" privileges taken away, students know what to do (or not do) to keep them. Now it takes very little effort to run my literature circles.

Mary Hanson
Pasadena, California

Projects

When I work with a small group of students, I engage the others in projects that don't require constant attention, such as:

• Placing a large variety of rocks with several gemology books on butcher paper so students can try to classify and label each stone right on the paper.
• Creating a "Cooperation" bulletin board. Students can search through newspapers and magazines or draw their own pictures to depict the theme. They staple their pictures onto the bulletin board to make a collage.
• Spreading a long piece of butcher paper across the room where students can quietly draw a mural, background scenery for a play, maps, etc.

Lynn Harczak
Fourth-grade teacher, Norridge, Illinois

Skill-Building

As a bilingual teacher of a self-contained, combined grades five and six class, I alternate between grade levels throughout the day. While I work with one group, the others first work on homework assignments. Then they choose from several activities that supplement instruction and sharpen thinking skills. These include working on computers with reading or mathematics programs, completing a 1,000-piece puzzle, and playing games such as Battleship or chess. They can work together in groups as long as they don't get too loud, so these times also give students opportunities to develop their social skills.

Mary Yalvac
Bayonne, New Jersey

Timed rotation

I have the other students working in other groups, each meeting a specific learning objective related to the academic subject. I use a timer. When it rings, the groups rotate.

With these learning groups, the children don't get bored. I still use my extra set of eyes and ears to maintain classroom management.

J. Dianne Anderson-Nickel
Elementary and Middle School Music and Literacy Teacher, Phoenix, Arizona

Work Wisely

Next summer, plan all the interesting areas that may be set up in your room (and plan to change them at least twice a month). On the first day of school, slowly introduce all those spots where learning will occur independently.

Life begins to fall into two categories: Work Time and Wise Time (which is after required work has been turned in.)

To whet appetites, bonus work carries rewards but is not compulsory, and all that fun stuff in the room is for Wise Time.

Now you are free to move about the cabin—excuse me!—the classroom. The key is planning and sharing the daily schedule with the class.

Marian Brovero
Retired Second-Grade teacher, West Palm Beach, Florida

Got an Answer?

What do you do when you need a little extra money for a classroom project?
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