It’s common for teachers to ask students to apologize for their misbehavior. It makes sense. Students should offer amends for their actions. The very act of saying sorry—which is difficult for many people—can provide a lot of satisfaction. It can feel as if it … Read more
You notice movement out of the corner of your eye. You hear but don’t see a disruption. You sense misbehavior happening behind your back. But you don’t know who did it. If you’re like most teachers, you spin around and glare. You ask who … Read more
Most teachers respond to losing control too late. They wait until they can’t even get their class quiet and seated before making changes. But trying to gain control of an already out-of-control class is exceptionally difficult. It takes expert knowledge, skill, and a wholesale … Read more
Two things happen the third week of school that conspire to increase misbehavior. Some teachers never recover from it. The first is that the honeymoon ends. Students become more comfortable. Initial enthusiasm wanes. Self-motivation dissipates. They fall back into their old ways. The second … Read more
I started SCM in 2009. Since then I’ve heard every possible reason why you can’t be good at classroom management. Although some circumstances are more challenging than others, none hold water. The truth is, you can have the class you want. I’ve done it … Read more
At the end of every school year we post a report card for teachers. The purpose is to assess the degree you were able to follow the principles of Smart Classroom Management. It takes just a few minutes to fill out, but the experience … Read more
There is a moment when classroom behavior always gets worse. It is a moment that is entirely controlled by the teacher. Yet, few teachers are aware of it. The moment consists of something the teacher does—or, more accurately, doesn’t do. It also typically gets … Read more
Many teachers have an out-of-control class and don’t realize it. Maybe it’s because they’ve gotten so used to chaos and disrespect that they think it’s normal. Maybe they’ve never actually observed a polite, well-behaved class before. Maybe no one has told them the hard … Read more