Off/Neutral/On
In every classroom there are students that are easily distracted during seatwork. Teachers often feel that they need to stand next to the student who is off task in order for them to be productive. Most teachers would consider themselves lucky to have only one highly distractable student. This can leave teachers literally racing from student to the other. Michael Grinder suggests there there is not just off-task or on-task but a third mental state that is between the two, which he labels "neutral". Grinder (1993) states that "as the teacher races around with octopus arms putting off-task students back on task, that instructor is probably just putting them from OFF to Neutral" (p.35). Typically what happens when a teacher approaches an off task student, the student holds their breath and waits for the teacher to leave. When the teacher does leave they go right back to being off task. If a teacher instead approaches from behind and waits for the student to actually settle into the work (you will see them take a breath) that student will shift into ON and stay on task much longer.
Here is a video of a third grade teacher using both an influence approach and Off/Neutral/On. She slowly walks to the off task student, approaches him from behind as opposed to the front, says something to him in a private voice and waits for him to be on task before she slowly walks away.
Here is a video of a third grade teacher using both an influence approach and Off/Neutral/On. She slowly walks to the off task student, approaches him from behind as opposed to the front, says something to him in a private voice and waits for him to be on task before she slowly walks away.
Influence approach
When managing a student, a teacher can use power of influence. The teacher who uses a power approach conveys a message to the student that their behavior was personal. Using power on a student is very confrontational. With a power approach the teacher approaches the student from the front and their eyes are on the student's face. Conversely, when a teacher uses an influence approach they will approach she student from the side and keep their eyes on the student's work. This not only preserves the teacher/student relationship, but it also fosters intrinsic motivation. Students should be doing the work for themselves, not because their teacher wants them to. Here is an example of a teacher managing a student using an influence approach.