http://www.edutopia.org/blog/classroom-management-tips-novice-teachers-rebecca-alber#2 Speak only when students are quiet and readyThis golden nugget was given to me by a 20-year veteran my first year. She told me thatI should just wait and then wait some more until all students were quiet.So I tried it; I fought the temptation to tal. Sometimes I!d wait mu"h longer than I thought I "ould hold out for. Slowly but surely# the students would "ue ea"h other$ %sshh#she!s trying to tell us something#% %"ome on# stop taling#% and %hey guys# be quiet.% &They did all the wor for me'()y patien"e paid off. *ours will too. +nd you!ll get to eep your voi"e.#3 se hand signals and other non-verbal communication,olding one hand in the air# and maing eye "onta"t with students is a great way to quiet the "lass and get their attention on you. It taes awhile for students to get used to this as a routine# but it wors wonderfully. ,ave them raise their hand along with you until all are up. Then lower yours and tal.-li"ing the lights off and on on"e to get the attention is an oldie but goodie. It "ould also be something you do routinely to let them now they have three minutes to finish an assignment or "lean up# et"..ith younger students# try "lapping your hands three times and tea"hing the "hildren to qui"ly "lap ba" twi"e. This is a fun and a"tive way to get their attention and all eyes on you.#! "ddress behavior issues quickly and wisely/e sure to address an issue between you and a student or between two students as qui"ly as possible. /ad feelings -- on your part or the students -- "an so qui"ly grow from molehills into mountains.0ow# for handling those "onfli"ts wisely# you and the student should step away from the other students# just in the doorway of the "lassroom perhaps. .ait until after instru"tion if possible# avoiding interruption of the lesson. +s naive questions su"h as# %,ow might I help you1% 2on!t a""use the "hild of anything. +"t as if you do "are# even if you have the opposite feeling at that moment. The student will usually be"ome disarmed be"auseshe might be e3pe"ting you to be angry and "onfrontational.+nd# if you must address bad behavior during your instru"tion# always tae a positive approa"h. Say# %It loos lie you have a question% rather than# %.hy are you off tas andtaling1%.hen students have "onfli"ts with ea"h other# arrange for the students to meet with youat lun"h# after or before s"hool. 4se neutral language as you a"t as a mediator# helping them resolve the problem pea"efully# or at least rea"h an agreeable tru"e.## "lways have a well-designed$ engaging lessonThis tip is most important of all. 5erhaps you!ve heard the saying# if you don!t have a plan for them# they!ll have one for you. Always overplan. It!s better to run out of time than to run short on a lesson.-rom my own first-hand e3perien"e and after many "lassrooms observations# something that I now for sure$ /ored students equal trouble' If the lesson is poorly planned# there is often way too mu"h taling and telling from the tea"her and not enough hands-on learning and dis"overy by the students. .e all now engaging lessons tae both serious mind and time to plan. +nd they are "ertainly worth it -- for many reasons.