Best Way to Avoid Becoming Known as a Shouty Teacher

There is a certain type of teacher who, when their temper gets the better of them, everyone else can hear from down the other end of the corridor!

Sometimes, having a reputation for being fierce isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but if you find you are resorting to shouting on a regular basis, it is time to take a good look at your teaching and behaviour management techniques.

In an ideal world, teachers would never have to shout. A really good teacher very rarely does. Gaining and maintaining the command of the class does not mean you have to raise your voice. A firm, authoritative tone should be enough to establish who is the boss.

There will be days when things get on top of you and your blood starts to boil. Sometimes having a good shout can even be quite cathar­tic! However, shouting should be the very last resort. If you tackle every problem by raising your voice, you will soon find that you have shouted so much that it has no impact any more. Your students will switch off and stop listening to you.

How to avoid becoming known as a ‘shouty’ teacher

•  Always strive to keep calm and be professional at all times.
•  Always ensure you are in control of the situation. Count to te before you react and keep your voice at a normal level.
•  You should never need to shout just to get a class’s attention: use visual signals if necessary and always wait for silence before you begin to speak.
•  Remember: the quieter you speak, the more your class will have to pay attention to hear you.
•  Tactically ignore unwanted behaviour where possible don’t make mountains out of molehills.
•  Deal with problems firmly but fairly – take time to explain why something is unacceptable and ensure the class understands.