Problems...

I am in the midst of starting a new unit with my Spanish 1 students.  Sometimes the new vocabulary and material doesn't lend itself well to active learning, at least not right at the beginning of this unit.  I have to get all of the "input" to the students and it has been hard thinking of active ways to do this, so during the past few days, they have done a lot of listening to me.  These days haven't gone too well.  They have been chatty, easily distracted, and somewhat disruptive.  I can't say that the sedentary learning style is the only reason behind this, but I believe it has a lot to do with it.  The kids in these classes are accustomed to a more active style, so I think they look forward to the interaction they usually get, and not getting it has made them seek out ways to get it, which has been disruptive.  It reaffirms my research, that students need active ways to expend their energy.  It is tough to expect them to sit and listen for extended periods of time.  At the same time, I need to have clear expectations that identify how students need to act in the classroom.  There is no excuse for them being rude and disrespectful.  Just because you have to take notes and listen to lecture doesn't give you the right to act out in a negative way.  Yes, a more interactive lesson would help, but a lack of enforcing expectations by me is partly at fault.