How to Keep the Undivided Attention of Your Kindergarten Class

Where is the respect now and days; especially with a little kindergarten student? It seems that a well behaved child is like finding a needle in a hay stack. This is very true, sad but true. As a teacher this is a task to handle and as a parent, there is something that you can (and should) do about it.

Parents, it all starts at home and if you think you have it rough with your kindergartner, try them times about 20 and even 30 in some schools. Sometimes parents don't realize the stress a teacher has and at the same time, never realizing that they love your child or for heaven's sake, they certainly wouldn't be a teacher.

Golden Rule: A Good Teacher Loves Kids

In a lot of homes in America today, correcting a child is either yelling at them, hurting them or not caring enough to do anything at all. You will never successfully correct a five year old kindergarten student by hollering at them. Always remember to get a child's attention and keep it, you must have eye contact and a stern but calm tone of voice.

When you read to a child, they can become very bored. I learned that quickly when I expressively read a book about Martin Luther King today. The book was so interesting to me. For one it was in the classroom to read to them already and hey, it happens to be Black History Month. I was so interested in reading this 20 page book with virtually no colored pictures to a bunch of five year olds. Uh, a no go. They were bored, even when I tried to get them involved by asking questions. I just looked at the teacher's aide and said "this is over their head, right?" She just smiled.

A kindergarten student needs exciting fiction stories. He needs vibrant colored pages and lot of expression. Always change your tone to match the part of the story. If you fail to use this advice, you will quickly learn that a child will lose interest and begin talking to his neighbor or he will act out in boredum.

When you are trying to maintain a classroom's attention, remember that you should use a stern, yet gentle voice. Hold your hand up as to say "stop" and put your finger over your lips to show them that it is time to be quiet.

Any and every good deed that a child renders is worthy of praise. When they do something good, they are caught following directions or they are on their best behavior, your kindergarten student is worthy of praise and sometimes, with incentive.

There is nothing wrong with giving small tokens of praise to them when they do something well. For instance: catch them coloring in the lines and give them a small piece of candy like a Reeses Pieces. Yes, it is that simple. You will be amazed at how a five year old wants to please you.

Take it from a substitute teacher and a mom of three kids, who has successfully graduated two of them from kindergarten.