Lots of great suggestions for dealing with unwanted disruptions in class. When students are disruptive or off task, I can usually pinpoint where in the lesson I lost them. Then I can make adjustments as needed next time I teach it. I do think it's helpful to have some tangile strategies to employ (especially for brand new teachers) like the cards for students who like to be the center of attention, or shifting to group work if students seem bored during a lecture.
