Say what to do, not what to stop
"Stop calling out" describes the problem. "Hand up, wait for your name" describes the solution. Only one of them is followable.
Aug 16, 2026 · 1 min read
A stop-instruction forces the student to translate: what should I do instead? Under pressure, in front of peers, that translation often fails, and the failure looks like defiance. Directions phrased as concrete, observable actions remove the translation step entirely; it's the heart of what Lemov (2021) calls "What to Do", and it's the difference between a direction that can be followed and one that can only be violated.
In practice
- Translate your three most-used stops in advance: "stop talking" becomes "eyes here, pens down"; "don't wander" becomes "back to seat two, please."
- Make it checkable: a good what-to-do can be seen done. "Pay attention" can't; "track the speaker" can.
- Keep the tone flat and brief. The instruction is information, not a verdict on the child.
Quick takeaway: every stop has a do hiding inside it. Say the do.