There is statement I hear again and again from teachers struggling with classroom management. It’s often used as a reason for not holding students strictly accountable or justification for the chaos they’re experiencing. In reality, however, it reveals a profound misunderstanding of effective classroom … Read more
So you have this student, or maybe several, who during instructional time try to make their classmates laugh. Sometimes it’s just a look or whispered comment, but it can be a major disruption. It can also be hard to know how to handle. Should … Read more
Last week, I shared a way to make sure your class rules cover every possible misbehavior. But if you did the exercise, you may have noticed something strange. Something you weren’t sure what to do with. Something left over. You see, the exercise was … Read more
The purpose of class rules is to protect every student’s right to learn and enjoy school. It’s to form an impenetrable boundary that keeps misbehavior out and the freedom to teach in. Do your rules do that? Do they account for every possible disruption? … Read more
The gray area occurs when you witness behavior you don’t like. —But are uncertain whether or not it breaks a class rule. The problems associated with gray areas are legion and profound. They . . . cause you to be inconsistent. compel you to … Read more
It’s common for teachers to have blind spots. —Areas they’re unaware of but have a negative impact on classroom management. Being perceived by students as a pushover is a prime example. They all know it. But the teacher doesn’t have a clue. This is … Read more
It’s a common practice. One teachers have been doing since time immemorial. A student breaks a class rule and you write their name on the board. Check marks follow any further transgression. It’s a simple way of keeping track of consequences that also acts … Read more
Recently, a student asked to speak with me privately. He was outwardly calm. But clearly distressed on the inside. He wore an expression that said: “I’m done. I can’t do this anymore.” After a few deep breaths, he relayed a story about a run-in … Read more