Classroom teachers are run by a strict schedule set by their administrators. Expected to cover rigorous standards and subjects on a daily basis, it can be hard to find an efficient system of classroom management for your students who need extra time to finish work. Frustration can arise when you are two days behind where your curriculum map says you should be and three of your students haven’t finished their writing projects yet!
The important thing to understand is that it can be frustrating for both teachers and other students in the classroom when you have students that are getting behind in their work. If you have followed the steps to ensure there isn’t a larger issue that requires special education services, you may be confused as to where you can go from here. Short of changing your entire teaching style for them, there are a few strategies that you can use to decrease your frustration and keep your class moving at an acceptable pace for the other students.
Some of the best ways to handle slow workers are as follows:
Set a Timer
If students are meant to complete the assignment in class, projecting a timer or setting a timer on the student’s desk can help the student to develop their own sense of time management. By allowing them to see the amount of time they have left, students can set their own pace of work based on their sense of urgency. It also lets the student know that there is a definitive deadline for their work completion.
The “Stop” Folder
This strategy works incredibly well with younger students. When it is time to move on from an activity, designate a folder in your students’ desks that is their “Stop” folder. Rephrase your “Time’s Up, let’s turn it in!” to “Alright, if you are not done with you assignment, go ahead and put it in your Stop folder”. At the end of the day, anything that is left in a student’s “Stop” folder goes home to be completed as homework (unless it is a test that needs to be completed in class). This causes students less anxiety with completing their assignments, knowing they will have the chance to complete the work later.
Break Up The Task
If you are giving a large assignment to your students, try to break up the pieces over multiple days. This gives the students a smaller task to finish in the allotted time, decreasing their anxiety over the daunting assignment. It also allows you to give instruction for each piece of the assignment in real time, thus allowing for students to receive direction over multiple days rather than front loading all of your instructions.
The Check-In System
Checking in with the teacher, for younger students, can be seen as a reward. It can be a very powerful motivator for students who are slower to finish work, as well. Telling a student to answer a certain number of questions and then check-in with the teacher encourages the student to get done to see you. It also ensures you that they are understanding the concepts being taught and this is not the reason they are slow to complete work. You can also use the check-in as an opportunity to let the student know if their pacing is acceptable or if they should be moving more quickly.
Slow moving students in the classroom are an inevitability of teaching. It is essential to find a system for these students to ensure their success within the classroom. There are a variety of techniques that can be adapted to ensure success and promote inclusion. If you are still struggling with the pace of your student or have futher concern, try reaching out to your special education staff to see if there is anything further that they can do to assist your student.