You don't say: Non-verbal classroom management

Some of the most overlooked classroom management strategies are non-verbal actions and cues.  For some reason, many of us seem to believe that if we didn't say it then it wasn't communicated.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  As a teacher, it took me several years to understand the power of non-verbal communication strategies and their effect on student behavior.  As an administrator, I use these strategies daily, especially when working with large groups.  The reason I believe they work is that they are  non-threatening and allow the student to save face because others rarely even notice that a directive has been given.  This cuts down on the escalation that can occur when a student feels they are being verbally reprimanded. 

Some examples of non-verbal management strategies are:

1)  Proximity control - When the teacher moves close to a student who is off-task or acting out.  The close proximity of teacher to student is often all it takes for behavior to change.  In addition, the teacher might touch the desk or the paper to indicate the need to get back to work. Proximity control tends to work better when the teacher is regularly moving throughout the room.  If the students don't know where the teacher will be next, they are less likely to act out.  

2)  Visual cues - There are a number of cues that teachers can use to redirect student behavior.  Some are universal such as a finger over the lips for silence or nodding/shaking the head for yes and no.  Others are specific to the teacher or classroom.  For example, I point to my shirt and make a tucking motion when directing a student to put their shirt in or make a twirling motion with my finger to indicate the need to turn around.  These cues can also be used to reinforce positive behavior such as a thumbs up or a fist bump.  Students can also be taught to use visual cues.  For example, raising a pencil can indicate the need to go to the sharpener.  At lunch, my students have been trained to point to the restroom door or the water fountain to ask permission to go these locations.  

3)  The "Look"  - The "look" is a technique that I don't believe is used often enough.  Basically, the teacher looks directly at the acting out/off-task child with a silent stare that is neither happy not angry, but ambivalent.  Many mothers, especially those from the "old school," have this down pat. When a teacher has perfected the look, they can move a child to proper behavior from across the room.  However, for the look to work effectively, the student needs to understand that, if the behavior doesn't change, there will be a consequence coming shortly.  

Non-verbal classroom management techniques are simple to implement and can be extremely powerful when used effectively.  I would encourage all educators to add these and other non-verbal strategies to their classroom management tool bag.  

What are some non-verbal techniques that have been effective in your classroom?  Please share your ideas in the comments.  

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