Classroom management: the story of an American high school teacher in Lhasa

It is a well known fact among the teaching community that you are never going to have every student's attention every moment of every lesson. But it is also a well known fact that when you repeat the directions for an activity four times, model it twice, and then still find out that they aren't doing it... it's time to take matters into your own hands.

With thirty minutes left of class I realized that the whole previous hour and a half had been totally wasted and not a single second absorbed. They were just not listening. So I did what I had to do.
1. Stopped the class. Had them close their books and notebooks.
2. Erased the whole board (which had the whole days lesson on it), took down the pictures that we had been using and packed all of my things up.
3. Demanded that there be no talking. Instructed them to only read.
4. Wrote very deliberately on the board: I want you to speak English very well. I know you are smart. I know you are good students. When you do not listen. When you do not do your work. I cannot help you.
5. Then I wrote about four times larger than all the rest, I WANT TO HELP YOU.

There was silence in the classroom the whole time I was writing and for the two minutes that I just stood there and let it soak in.

6. Erased the board again and wrote: How can I help you? then angrily: WRITE AN ANSWER!

For the rest of class they wrote their answers. In silence.

Here are a few of them:

Ms. kelly: I think you teach the very well. I'm not any advice to you (really).

I know is mistake, please teacher forgive. from now on I can turn over a new leaf sorry my kelly teacher

I am decide if not respect you not listen not do my work then will give up your student and don't teach the english

sorry teacher we know mistaken, after we listen teacher speak text, please teacher this time excuse we

I know we are wrong. very sorry. we are very need ms kelly

ms kelly I am so sorry. we are need your helping please you don't angril

And a whole stack of others just the same. We'll just have to see how the next class goes... but really, how can you be angry with them?