Public speaking question of the day: this comes from one of my online students who says, “TJ, I a a second grade teacher. How do I handle giving a lecture when my students are doing rude things such as sleeping, walking up to get water without asking first, or dropping pencil boxes on purpose. I don’t have children so these are not issues that I have had to handle in my personal life. Is it best to just laugh it off or do I need to give serious consequences for them to learn?
First of all, hats off to you for teaching second graders as I do not have the patience or discipline to do that. It poses a unique set of challenges. Now, I am not an expert on teaching second graders but I do know how to improve any form of presentation. So for starters, I would advise you to talk to your fellow second grade teachers. You can also look for advise, videos, and blogs online on how to teach second graders effectively.
Next, I would advise you to ask your Principal, Vice Principal, or any other educational instructor to come sit in your classroom while you teach. Ask the to give you feedback. It may feel painful then, but it will benefit you in the long term to make an impact on the lives of these young children.
Lastly, I would tell you to video record yourself giving a lecture and try to improve on it.
At the end of the day, it is not about you. These are children with malleable minds and they are ready to learn. You just have to find a way to captivate them.