Your Lesson-Structure Comment ... 

Share your Lesson-Structure takeaways below
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Some past comments ... 

Lina Ko
I agree, lesson structure is key to effective lessons. When I clearly communicate instructions a lot of uncertainty is eliminated, and as a result there are less distractions.
Richard​
Yes!

Rob Sibley
Structure is so important. coming from casual teaching last year I have lost count of how many days I taught and just tried to survive the day due to poor organisation which meant the structure the class was use to went out the window.I have definitely found the value in organising and setting out my lessons effectively. I have also found a challenge in that im teaching in secondary as a primary trained teacher so the way you set out lessons are very different. I am however starting to get confident with my structure in most of my lessons.
Richard​
Excellent to hear, Rob.

Manfred Yew
I said the other day to someone that teaching is 70% parenting of other people's kids and 30% actually teaching content (probably shouldn't have said it out loud).
I can see that this may be my experience because I feel like I'm parenting students to do the right thing, and managing their behaviour, or managing their 'care factor'/homework.
Richard, would you say that this in your thinking is still a true statement, not in the sense that I experience 'parenting' but in a better way in which parenting is about developing a child to have agency in the world as an adult, and so developing agency in learning is 70% of the job?
Richard​
Absolutely, and very well put, Manfred. The 'trick' (it's not a trick) is to teach in a way that minimises the need for behaviour management in the first place. By teaching in a way that fosters agency (giving students a sense of control) true engagement starts to happen. And where there's true engagement there isn't a need for behaviour management. What subject/s are you teaching, btw?

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More past comments ... 

Lachlan Davies
I certainly think lesson structure has a big impact on management. At my current school not all science lessons are timetabled in a Lab and moving from a classroom to a Lab to do a practical activity can be a big waste of time if not handled correctly. I have had lessons where we don't get to do the practical because students have taken too long to get in and settled in the Lab. This seems to be a good consequence for those students who caused it but is very unfair who are always ready to learn. I have found very explicit instructions and clear consequences communicated before leaving the room to help with this but i am still working on it.
Richard​
Always a work in progress, Lachlan!

Isabella Fawcett
Explicitness is key! Especially with kids on the spectrum. I have a student with Autism and I told him in maths the other day that he had 4 questions to complete, me thinking question 1 a b c & d and 2 a b c to question 4. But he did question 1 a-d and just was done. I said ok lets move onto question 2 now and he said no Miss I have already done the 4 questions, you said we only had 4 to do. Explicitness is key for sure.
I love structure not just in my classroom but also in my life so I really find I thrive on it and most of my classes have worked out that structure to come into class and do what we need. This is why I like to have the aims or criteria on the board for students to follow along with as well but yeah it is that management that comes into play to help the structure work.
Richard​
That is a great 'Explicitness' story, Isabella!

Manfred Yew
I used to do the wait until everyone stops talking, but then I found that some students just wouldn't stop talking, so I've given up on it.
I've been encouraged to give it another go, but to see it through and not lose heart.
Richard, do you feel that it is necessary to have the hand in the air when waiting? Also, I often use a stylus and write on a powerpoint projected on a screen, so often I'm sitting at the teacher's desk waiting, do I need to stand up when waiting for their attention?
Richard​
This is another one of those one-size-fits-all mantras about teaching which I don't adhere to. It doesn't suit all teachers and only the teachers for whom it does suit preach this message (!!) 
Full disclosure ... the 'only talk when zero students are talking' mantra never worked for me. It's the ideal  but if you are losing out on engagement (ie you are losing the class / starting a war) as a result then you need to find another way. 
However, if you are talking and a number of students aren't paying attention then THAT is something you need to address.
I hope that helps.