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	<title>Smart Classroom Management &#187; leverage</title>
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		<title>How To Become A Classroom Management Natural</title>
		<link>http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/2011/03/19/how-to-become-a-classroom-management-natural/</link>
		<comments>http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/2011/03/19/how-to-become-a-classroom-management-natural/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 19 Mar 2011 17:25:58 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Michael Linsin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Classroom Management Tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[What Effective Teachers Do]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[behavior]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[classroom management]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[influence]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[leverage]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[natural]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[students]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/?p=5782</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[It is said that classroom management comes easy to a lucky few. That some teachers are naturals. They walk into a classroom and somehow, mysteriously, the students just know to be at their best. But here&#8217;s the thing. If you peek beneath the surface of these &#8220;naturals,&#8221; if you take a close look at how [...]<p>&nbsp;
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/about-dream-class/"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-5493" title="Dream Class" src="http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/dream-spine.png" alt="" width="177" height="215" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffffff;">-</span><span style="color: #3366ff;"></span><span style="color: #ffffff;"> </span><a href="../">Smart Classroom Management</a> - Copyright 2009-2011, All Rights Reserved.</p>
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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-5783" title="A Classroom Management Natural" src="http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/A-Natural-Teacher.jpg" alt="A Classroom Management Natural" width="162" height="233" />It is said that classroom management comes easy to a lucky few.</p>
<p>That some teachers are naturals.</p>
<p>They walk into a classroom and somehow, mysteriously, the students just know to be at their best.</p>
<p>But here&#8217;s the thing.</p>
<p>If you peek beneath the surface of these &#8220;naturals,&#8221; if you take a close look at how they interact with students, you&#8217;ll discover no mystery at all.</p>
<p>The same qualities that make classroom management look effortless for them&#8230; are available to you.</p>
<p>You too can be a natural. Just follow their lead.</p>
<p>Here&#8217;s how:</p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #993300;">Be calm.</span></strong></p>
<p>Teachers who radiate a sense of calm have an almost otherworldly effect on students. By their very presence they’re able to settle excitability, erase silliness and immaturity, and focus students on what matters.</p>
<p><span style="color: #993300;"><strong>Be friendly.</strong></span></p>
<p>Natural teachers have a genuine, friendly attitude toward students. There is no <a title="How To Praise Students And Influence Behavior" href="http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/2010/11/27/how-to-praise-students-and-influence-behavior/">false praise</a>,  ginned-up enthusiasm, or forced camaraderie. They&#8217;re real, honest, and  openly friendly&#8211;which gives them powerful, behavior-influencing  leverage.</p>
<p><span style="color: #993300;"><strong>Be determined.</strong></span></p>
<p>Natural teachers have a bit of bulldog in them. An attitude that says: <em>I’m</em> in charge, <em>you’re</em> going to be well behaved, and we’re going to have a classroom we love   coming to every day. And that’s just the way it’s going to be.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #993300;">Be aware.</span></strong></p>
<p>Naturals in classroom management are sharp, perceptive, and acutely aware of everything that happens in their classroom. They observe a lot. They absorb a lot. And they&#8217;re always three steps ahead of their students.</p>
<p><span style="color: #993300;"><strong>Be fun.</strong></span></p>
<p>Teachers who are open to humor, to laughter, and to <a title="Why Having Fun Makes Classroom Management Easier" href="http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/2010/02/06/why-having-fun-makes-classroom-management-easier/">seeing the fun and funny in their students</a> are able to build strong rapport, camaraderie, and love for the class. All of which translate to better behavior.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #993300;">Be confident.</span></strong></p>
<p>Teachers who carry themselves with confidence, despite not always feeling it, send the unmistakable message that <em>they</em> are in charge. In this day and age, many students only respect, listen to, and respond favorably to clear, confident leaders.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #993300;">Be forgiving.</span></strong></p>
<p>Teachers with a forgiving nature are afforded greater influence. Every day is a new day in their eyes. No grudges are held. And behavior isn’t taken as a personal affront. Students are given a fresh start every day, which is a powerful reminder that their teacher believes in them.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #993300;">Be polite.</span></strong></p>
<p>Teachers who are noticeably and consistently polite enjoy a vast difference in the way students speak to them—as well as how their students treat each other. In polite classrooms, misbehavior is exposed for what it is: rude, absurdly out of place, and unappealing.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #993300;">Be unflappable.</span></strong></p>
<p>Showing frustration, <a title="10 Reasons Why You Should Never Yell At Students" href="http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/2011/01/08/10-reasons-why-you-should-never-yell-at-students/">yelling</a>, or reacting emotionally to misbehavior undermines effective classroom management. Teachers who keep their cool regardless of what&#8217;s going on around them are deeply respected by students&#8211;who in turn repay them with respectful behavior.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #993300;">Be dependable.</span></strong></p>
<p>Natural teachers build trust by being the same steady teacher today as they were yesterday. Students know they can depend on them to be reliable in behavior, word, and action. Moodiness, after all, destroys trust and will cause a classroom to spiral into unruliness.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #993300;">Be charismatic.</span></strong></p>
<p>Charisma is the sum total of the qualities above. For many discouraged teachers, particularly those focused on <a title="Why You Shouldn't Reward Students For Good Behavior" href="http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/2011/03/05/rewarding-students-for-good-behavior/">external rewards</a> and stiffer consequences, it is the missing piece. It is what gives a natural teacher the personal magnetism that inspires students to want to please them and behave better for them.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #993300;">What Are You Waiting For?</span></strong></p>
<p>None of the qualities above are especially difficult or unattainable. They don&#8217;t take extra planning or loads of time. No psychotherapy is needed.</p>
<p>It isn&#8217;t rocket science.</p>
<p>Becoming a &#8220;natural&#8221; in classroom management is like any other goal. It takes desire. It takes purposeful thought. It takes making a choice to pursue what you really want, and then putting your head down and doing it.</p>
<p>I recommend printing the list and reading through it before your students arrive in the morning. Allow yourself a few minutes alone at your desk. Take three or four deep breaths. And meditate on each quality.</p>
<p>Do it every day.</p>
<p>And soon, they&#8217;ll be calling you a natural too.</p>
<p>If you haven’t done so already, please join us. It’s free! <a href="http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=SmartClassroomManagement&amp;loc=en_US">Click           here</a> and begin receiving classroom management articles  like      this     one in your email box every week.
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		<title>5 Simple Ways To Be More Likeable To Your Students</title>
		<link>http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/2010/10/16/5-simple-ways-to-be-more-likeable-to-your-students/</link>
		<comments>http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/2010/10/16/5-simple-ways-to-be-more-likeable-to-your-students/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 16 Oct 2010 17:20:14 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Michael Linsin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Classroom Management Strategies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rapport & Influence]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[effective classroom management]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[happy students]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[leverage]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[likeability]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/?p=4940</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The idea is simple. If your students like you, they’ll want to please you and seek your approval. Which gives you leverage—leverage to influence behavior like almost nothing else. And the best news is… it’s automatic. Your students will automatically behave better simply because they like you. The prevailing wisdom says that teachers need to [...]<p>&nbsp;
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/about-dream-class/"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-5493" title="Dream Class" src="http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/dream-spine.png" alt="" width="177" height="215" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffffff;">-</span><span style="color: #3366ff;"></span><span style="color: #ffffff;"> </span><a href="../">Smart Classroom Management</a> - Copyright 2009-2011, All Rights Reserved.</p>
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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-4956" title="Roasted Tomato Soup" src="http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/iStock_000003785297XSmall.jpg" alt="roasted tomato soup" width="283" height="424" />The idea is simple.</p>
<p>If your students like you, they’ll want to please you and seek your approval.</p>
<p>Which gives you <a title="Why You Need Leverage For Classroom Management Success" href="http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/2010/04/17/classroom-management-and-leverage/" target="_self">leverage</a>—leverage to influence behavior like almost nothing else.</p>
<p>And the best news is… it’s automatic.</p>
<p>Your students will automatically behave better simply because they like you.</p>
<p>The prevailing wisdom says that teachers need to be grim-faced and serious or students will walk all over them.</p>
<p>Hogwash.</p>
<p>This old way of thinking doesn’t work with today’s kids. What does work is creating leverage and rapport through, among other things, likeability.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #993300;">Five Simple Ways To Be More Likeable</span></strong></p>
<p>It isn’t difficult to become more likeable to your students. <em>Anyone</em> can make a few changes in how they relate to their students and see results quickly.</p>
<p>Commit yourself to following the list below for just one week, and behavior in your classroom will improve—both because your students will be happier to be part of your class, and because you’ll have more influence over their behavior choices.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #993300;">1. Relax</span></strong></p>
<p>Stress will permeate your classroom like a thick fog, creating <a title="How To Create A Zen-Like Classroom In One Minute" href="http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/2009/11/14/how-to-create-a-zen-like-classroom-in-one-minute/" target="_self">excitability</a> in your students and negative feelings about you. So before greeting students every day, take a deep breath and shake the tension out of your arms, legs, and shoulders. Just let it go…</p>
<p>You’ll be more likeable, feel more confident, and carry the calm, relaxed demeanor of a teacher who knows what he or she is doing.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #993300;">2. Smile</span></strong></p>
<p>Deadlines, test scores, meetings, paperwork. When you’re under the gun, stressed, or not at your best, your smile is the first thing to go. And with it goes your likeability. You can’t be influential with a furrowed brow and a frown.</p>
<p>A smile is the first step to creating a mutual admiration society with your students; the more you smile at them, the more they’ll smile back. And the more you’ll like each other—a little known key to exceptional classroom management.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #993300;">3. Be Yourself</span></strong></p>
<p>Too many teachers hide their true personality from students for fear of inciting misbehavior. But enjoying your students and having a good laugh doesn’t cause misbehavior. It does the opposite. It makes you more likeable and gives you more power to command the behavior you want.</p>
<p>Keeping your personality under lock and key stifles your charisma, making you appear dry, dull, and humorless—which is the death knell of effective teaching. It inhibits that part of you that is the most inspiring and passionate; the part that students take notice of and put their faith in.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #993300;">4. Tell stories</span></strong></p>
<p>Nothing is more effective in creating leverage and admiration than being a good storyteller. Its transformational powers can put your students into the palm of your hand.</p>
<p>Start with simple 3-5 minute anecdotes. Share your travel experiences, embarrassing situations, or funny moments. As you get more comfortable, branch out to include fictional stories and stories to introduce lessons and units of study. (For more info on how to become a great storyteller, see <a title="About Dream Class" href="http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/about-dream-class/" target="_self"><em>Dream Class</em></a>.)</p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #993300;">5. Have fun</span></strong></p>
<p><a title="Why Having Fun Makes Classroom Management Easier" href="http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/2010/02/06/why-having-fun-makes-classroom-management-easier/" target="_self">Having fun as a class</a> is a potent leverage builder, but if you join your class in the fun, if you take an active part in it, your likeability will skyrocket. The key, however, is not to attach a secondary motive. Have fun just for the sake of having fun.</p>
<p>Not only will your students look at you differently after a game of <a title="Giants, Wizards, And Elves" href="http://wilderdom.com/games/descriptions/GiantsWizardsElves.html" target="_self">Giants, Wizards, and Elves</a>, but it will provide a wonderful shot in the arm for a sleepy, restless, or unmotivated class.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #993300;">How Does Your Soup Taste?<br />
</span></strong></p>
<p>Increasing your likeability will sharpen the contrast between being a contributing member of your class, and being separated from it (time-out).</p>
<p>For students in a majority of classrooms, everything feels about the same—muddled together in a lukewarm bowl of flavorless soup. The class is bland, the teacher is bland, time-out is bland. What’s the difference?</p>
<p>One of the smart classroom management goals, on the other hand, is to create extremes for your students.</p>
<p>The wider you can make the gap between what it feels like to be part of the class (savory, delicious soup), and being separated from it (bitter, unappetizing soup), the more effective you’ll be.</p>
<p>If you haven’t done so already, please join us. It’s free! <a href="http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=SmartClassroomManagement&amp;loc=en_US">Click        here</a> and begin receiving classroom management articles like    this     one in your email box every week.
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<p>&nbsp;
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		<title>How To Be A Classroom Management Superhero</title>
		<link>http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/2010/07/17/how-to-be-a-classroom-management-superhero/</link>
		<comments>http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/2010/07/17/how-to-be-a-classroom-management-superhero/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 17 Jul 2010 18:20:16 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Michael Linsin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Classroom Management Strategies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rapport & Influence]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[calm teaching]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[classroom management]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[influence]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[leverage]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[teacher job satisfaction]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/?p=4160</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[If you’re a regular reader of this website, then you know creating leverage is critical to classroom management success. One of the most powerful ways of creating leverage is to become admired—a hero to your students. I know. It’s not your job to be admired, or even liked. But the fact remains: the more students [...]<p>&nbsp;
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/about-dream-class/"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-5493" title="Dream Class" src="http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/dream-spine.png" alt="" width="177" height="215" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffffff;">-</span><span style="color: #3366ff;"></span><span style="color: #ffffff;"> </span><a href="../">Smart Classroom Management</a> - Copyright 2009-2011, All Rights Reserved.</p>
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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-4161" style="margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;" title="Classroom Management Superhero" src="http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/955071__business_superman__1.jpg" alt="Classroom Management Superhero" width="300" height="183" />If you’re a regular reader of this website, then you know creating <a title="Why You Need Leverage For Classroom Management Success" href="http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/2010/04/17/classroom-management-and-leverage/" target="_self">leverage</a> is critical to classroom management success.</p>
<p>One of the most powerful ways of creating leverage is to become admired—a hero to your students.</p>
<p>I know. It’s not your job to be admired, or even liked.</p>
<p>But the fact remains: the more students admire you, the easier classroom management will be.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #993300;">How To Be A Superhero</span></strong></p>
<p>Have you ever had a hero, someone you looked up to?</p>
<p>Think of how much you wanted to please her, how badly you would have felt disappointing her. Now what if your most difficult students felt that way about you?</p>
<p>Think of the leverage you would have.</p>
<p>For if you can become a hero in your students’ eyes, then you’ll have the kind of personal, magnetic influence that changes behavior.</p>
<p>Here’s how:</p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #993300;">Cause No Friction</span></strong></p>
<p>Demanding, <a title="Stop Lecturing Students And Lower Your Stress" href="http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/2009/06/27/classroom-management-tip-stop-lecturing-students-and-lower-your-stress/" target="_self">lecturing</a>, <a title="Why You Should Never Argue With Students" href="http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/2010/01/23/why-you-should-never-argue-with-students-and-how-to-avoid-it/" target="_self">arguing</a>, scolding, sarcasm, <a title="Don't Yell At Students" href="http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/2009/07/18/classroom-management-tip-never-yell-at-students/" target="_self">raising your voice</a>. Even in small doses, these methods will cause students to resent you, <a title="Why You Should Care If Your Students Dislike You" href="http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/2010/01/02/why-you-should-care-if-your-students-dislike-you/" target="_self">dislike you</a>, and exact revenge upon you.</p>
<p><a title="How To Keep Your Cool" href="http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/2009/08/13/how-to-keep-your-cool/" target="_self">Keeping your coo</a>l and letting your <a title="A Classroom Management Plan That Works" href="http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/2010/06/26/classroom-management-plan/" target="_self">classroom management plan</a> do its job, however, will put you in stark contrast with most of your colleagues, and your students will love and respect you because of it.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #993300;">Listen</span></strong></p>
<p>Few students feel like they’re really listened to. And yet it means so much to them to have a voice. So when a student comes to you with a problem, don’t write him off as a tattletale.</p>
<p>Look him in the eye, nod your head as you consider the problem, and then take care of it. Solving problems and addressing areas of concern shows students, perhaps more than anything else, that you really care. And in return, when you need them (to influence other students), they’ll be there for you.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #993300;">Protect</span></strong></p>
<p>Have you ever felt bad for your class because they had to endure the behavior of certain <a title="How To Turn Around Difficult Students Part 1" href="http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/2010/02/27/how-to-turn-around-difficult-students-part-1/" target="_self">difficult students</a> and then sit through your… ahem… reactions to them? That’s tragic! Do something about it.</p>
<p>Decide that you will protect your students from interruptions, distractions, and the selfish actions of a few. If you can manage your classroom in such a way that insulates students from such nonsense—see <a title="About Dream Class" href="http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/about-dream-class/" target="_blank"><em>Dream Class</em></a> and keep reading this site—then you’ll be one of the Fantastic Four to your students.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #993300;">Praise</span></strong></p>
<p>Master the art of meaningful praise. Small, personal, <a title="Small Gestures Of Praise Can Make A Big Impact" href="http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/2009/05/25/small-gestures-of-praise-can-make-a-big-impact/" target="_self">sincere acts of praise</a> can have a profound impact on students and is especially effective in endearing them to you.</p>
<p>But praise must be worthy. False praise, especially in the form of loud, public displays, has a fleeting and often negative effect on students. Done correctly, praise can send students running in the direction of what is good, what is right, and of what pleases you.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #993300;">Laugh</span></strong></p>
<p>Lighten up and have some fun. Enjoy your time with your students. Kids are funny, and they all love a teacher with a sense of humor. So tell jokes, laugh, and be silly once in a while.</p>
<p>There may not be an easier way to create leverage. If you can make them laugh, they’ll think you’re the greatest teacher in the world.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #993300;">Be A Leader</span></strong></p>
<p>If you’re quick to complain and moan about this and that, if you’re wishy-washy, flustered, forgetful, and disorganized, then you’ll be as inspiring as a desk chair to your students.</p>
<p>Be worthy of a hero’s status by carrying yourself with calm confidence. Be decisive, prepared, and behave in manner you expect from them. They’ll clue into the way you handle yourself, with how you respond to adversity, and with the gentle way you interact with them.</p>
<p>And they’ll do the same.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #993300;">A Breath Of Fresh Air</span></strong></p>
<p>These six superhero traits will elicit strong reactions from students. And because they’re so different from what students are used to, you’ll be a breath of fresh air, a welcome shock to the system.</p>
<p>But here’s the thing, the bonus:</p>
<p>You’ll feel great about what you’re doing. You’ll love your job. Classroom management won’t be such a challenge. And you’ll be confident in knowing you’re affecting students for the better, that you’re making an indelible mark on the story of their lives.</p>
<p>If you haven’t done so already, please join us. It’s free! <a href="http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=SmartClassroomManagement&amp;loc=en_US">Click        here</a> and begin receiving classroom management articles like    this     one in your email box every week.
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		<title>Why You Need Leverage For Classroom Management&#8230; And How To Get It</title>
		<link>http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/2010/04/17/classroom-management-and-leverage/</link>
		<comments>http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/2010/04/17/classroom-management-and-leverage/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 17 Apr 2010 17:29:34 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Michael Linsin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Classroom Management Strategies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rapport & Influence]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[classroom management]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[effective teaching]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[leverage]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[teaching with leverage]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[the love of teaching]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/?p=3726</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The key to effective classroom management is leverage. If your students like being part of your classroom, then you have leverage, and accountability will work the way it’s supposed to. If your students don’t like being in your classroom, then you’ll struggle with classroom management. It’s that simple. Because without leverage… Your consequences will be [...]<p>&nbsp;
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/about-dream-class/"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-5493" title="Dream Class" src="http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/dream-spine.png" alt="" width="177" height="215" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffffff;">-</span><span style="color: #3366ff;"></span><span style="color: #ffffff;"> </span><a href="../">Smart Classroom Management</a> - Copyright 2009-2011, All Rights Reserved.</p>
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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3727" style="margin-top: 20px; margin-bottom: 20px;" title="leverage" src="http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/leverage.jpg" alt="leverage" width="486" height="284" />The key to effective classroom management is leverage.</p>
<p>If your students like being part of your classroom, then you have leverage, and accountability will work the way it’s supposed to.</p>
<p>If your students don’t like being in your classroom, then you’ll struggle with classroom management.</p>
<p>It’s that simple.</p>
<p>Because without leverage…</p>
<ul>
<li>Your consequences will be ineffective.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Your students will be unmotivated.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>It&#8217;s a lot more difficult to get students to behave.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>You will have to rely on bribing, lecturing, reminding, and other minimally effective, energy-sapping methods.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>You will be tired, stressed, and frustrated.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Every new school year will find you hoping for a “good” class rather than creating your own.</li>
</ul>
<p>Done correctly, a teacher’s leverage can become so powerful and so influential that even the toughest students need no more than a glance to curb behavior.</p>
<p>That is no exaggeration.</p>
<p>Regardless of where you teach or who your students are, the power of leverage can transform your students into the class you really want.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #993300;">How Leverage Is Created</span></strong></p>
<p>Here is a partial list of some proven ways to create leverage in your classroom:</p>
<ul>
<li>Be likable.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Build a natural and trusting rapport with students.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Have a clean, organized, and peaceful classroom.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Rally around the pursuit of challenging goals.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Allow freedom within boundaries.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Use meaningful praise.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><em>Show</em> your students what you expect from them.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Keep your cool.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Don’t talk so much.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Transform your students&#8217;s limiting beliefs about themselves.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Hold students accountable without causing resentment.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Treat the cause of behavior problems, not the symptoms.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Be a great storyteller.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Use humor.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Protect the rights of your students to learn and enjoy school without interference.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Encourage independence.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>See the best in your students.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Have fun together.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Develop maturity and confidence.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Create a classroom that makes sense to students.</li>
</ul>
<p>Teachers seeking to improve classroom management tend to focus on finding the right combination of rules, consequences, and rewards that will work for them.</p>
<p>These are important, no doubt. But what makes them go, what makes them effective, is leverage.</p>
<p>This should be your focus.</p>
<p>The idea is to create a tsunami of leverage so wide and deep that no student can resist its power.</p>
<p>Every article on this website, from <a title="10 Ways To Make Time-Out More Effective" href="http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/2009/08/06/10-ways-to-make-time-out-more-effective/" target="_self">ways to make time-out more effective</a> to <a title="Small Gestures Of Praise Make A Big Impact" href="http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/2009/05/25/small-gestures-of-praise-can-make-a-big-impact/" target="_self">how small gestures of praise can make a big impact</a>, either directly or indirectly works to create leverage with students.</p>
<p>Future articles, too, will focus on this irresistible force. Some of the topics listed above have been written about in detail and can be found by exploring the categories along the right side of the page. Others are on the way.</p>
<p>I encourage you to keep reading. Try out the tips, strategies, and techniques revealed every week. Put them into practice.</p>
<p>You’ll discover your influence with students growing right along with your love of teaching and everything—classroom management, motivation, attentiveness, academic performance—becoming much easier.</p>
<p>If you would like a complete guide to transforming students that includes all of the topics on the list and many more, purchase a copy of <a title="Dream Class" href="http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/about-dream-class/" target="_self">Dream Class</a>.</p>
<p>And if you haven’t done so already, please join us. It’s free! <a href="http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=SmartClassroomManagement&amp;loc=en_US">Click   here</a> and begin receiving classroom management articles like this   one in your email box every week.
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		<title>How To Turn Around Difficult Students (Part 3)</title>
		<link>http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/2010/03/13/difficult-students-turning-them-around-part-3/</link>
		<comments>http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/2010/03/13/difficult-students-turning-them-around-part-3/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 13 Mar 2010 19:49:15 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Michael Linsin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Classroom Management Strategies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Difficult Students]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[building relationships]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[influence]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[leverage]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/?p=3550</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[This third and final part of this series is about communicating with difficult students in a way that will compel them to behave the way you want them to. But I must warn you. It’s going to be different than you’re used to and may take time to develop the discipline to overcome old habits. [...]<p>&nbsp;
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/about-dream-class/"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-5493" title="Dream Class" src="http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/dream-spine.png" alt="" width="177" height="215" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffffff;">-</span><span style="color: #3366ff;"></span><span style="color: #ffffff;"> </span><a href="../">Smart Classroom Management</a> - Copyright 2009-2011, All Rights Reserved.</p>
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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-3554" title="difficult student" src="http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/bully.jpg" alt="a picture of a difficult student" width="115" height="117" />This third and final part of this series is about communicating with difficult students in a way that will compel them to behave the way you want them to.</p>
<p>But I must warn you. It’s going to be different than you’re used to and may take time to develop the discipline to overcome old habits.</p>
<p>The benefits, however, can be life changing for difficult students.</p>
<p>There are two mistakes teachers make when communicating with difficult students. Both are counterproductive.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #993300;">(1) Reacting in frustration</span></strong></p>
<p>In dealing with difficult students, teachers become frustrated and react by scolding, <a title="Don't Yell At Students" href="http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/2009/07/18/classroom-management-tip-never-yell-at-students/" target="_blank">yelling</a>, and threatening.</p>
<p>True, these methods may suppress behavior in the short term, but they do nothing to improve behavior over time. In fact, they can cause an increase in misbehavior.</p>
<p>The reason is simple—and obvious if anyone has ever spoken to you this way.</p>
<p>It causes students to <a title="Why You Should Care If Your Students Dislike You" href="http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/2010/01/02/why-you-should-care-if-your-students-dislike-you/" target="_blank">dislike you</a>.</p>
<p>And once this happens, you’re done. You can’t help them. A bad relationship will sever any influence you had, or hope to have, with a difficult student.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #993300;">(2) Overpraising</span></strong></p>
<p>When difficult students do something correctly, teachers tend to praise too much or too demonstratively. They hug, cheer, high-five, celebrate, and give rewards and prizes—often for <em>expected</em> behavior.</p>
<p>This sends the wrong message.</p>
<p>Like <a title="Why Behavior Contracts Don't Work" href="http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/2010/01/16/why-behavior-contracts-dont-work/" target="_blank">behavior contracts</a>, it communicates to difficult students that they can’t control themselves like everyone else and therefore need special attention from the teacher.</p>
<p>If you treat them like it’s an accomplishment not to be a disruption, then you’re setting the behavior bar for them spectacularly low. One sure way to make difficult students stay difficult is to make a big deal out of expected behavior.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #993300;">Influence</span></strong></p>
<p>Your goal with difficult students should be to build influence with them. When a student likes and trusts you, they’ll want to behave in a way that pleases you.</p>
<p>It’s a simple idea, yet it eludes so many.</p>
<p>Follow these guidelines to build a level of influence that will make difficult students want to behave.</p>
<p><span style="color: #993300;"> </span><strong><span style="color: #993300;">Leave them alone.</span></strong></p>
<p>Most difficult students get <em>way</em> too much attention from teachers—often for years. Be the first to cut them off. The <a title="Stop Lecturing Students And Lower Your Stress" href="http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/2009/06/27/classroom-management-tip-stop-lecturing-students-and-lower-your-stress/" target="_blank">lectures</a>, reminders, pep talks, and endless warnings have got to go.</p>
<p>A good rule of thumb is to not spend any more time on them than the rest of your students.</p>
<p>Let your consequences do their job and give these difficult students a chance to become regular members of your classroom—and not the outcasts that constant attention can make them feel.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #993300;">Don’t cause friction.</span></strong></p>
<p>Have you ever had the feeling that some students are trying to get under your skin or trying to exact revenge?</p>
<p>Well they are.</p>
<p>The fact is, most difficult students don’t like their teacher. If a student dislikes you, you’ll have an uphill battle getting him or her to behave. Every time you scold or berate a student, you drop further away from changing behavior.</p>
<p><em>Note</em>: holding students accountable doesn’t cause them to dislike you, reacting in frustration does.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #993300;">Develop a friendly relationship.</span></strong></p>
<p>Having a friendly connection with difficult students is an easy way to create leverage with them. If they like you, you have powerful influence on their behavior.</p>
<p>When you get to know someone on a personal (ergo influential) level, you discover their positive qualities and they discover yours. So when you speak to difficult students, avoid talking about behavior issues.</p>
<p>Instead, talk about your common interests and work on getting to know them without strings attached; get to know them for the sake of getting to know them.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #993300;">Have some fun.</span></strong></p>
<p>It’s a myth that having fun somehow causes students to misbehave. The opposite is true. When you’re tight and serious, you’re less likable, the class is boring, and your students are more apt to act out.</p>
<p>This is particularly true of difficult students.</p>
<p>So <a title="Why Having Fun Makes Classroom Management Easier" href="http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/2010/02/06/why-having-fun-makes-classroom-management-easier/" target="_blank">have fun as a class</a> and allow your difficult student(s) to experience the feeling of being part of it. Give them a chance to love school for once—few of them do. It&#8217;s a powerful motivator to behave.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #993300;">The Bottom Line</span></strong></p>
<p>If these guidelines sound simple, you’re right. They are.</p>
<p>You don’t have to lecture difficult students. You don’t have to beg, plead, or convince them to behave. You don’t have to be a psychologist or a Harvard debating champion. You don’t have to prove your point, explain yourself, <a title="Why You Should Never Argue With Students" href="http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/2010/01/23/why-you-should-never-argue-with-students-and-how-to-avoid-it/" target="_blank">argue</a>, prod, persuade or manipulate.</p>
<p>You don’t even have to spend much time with them.</p>
<p>The bottom line is this:</p>
<p>If you build influence with difficult students, and you’re committed to holding them accountable when they misbehave, you can completely and unalterably turn them around.</p>
<p>If you haven’t done so already, please join us. It’s free! <a title="Email  Updates" href="http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=SmartClassroomManagement&amp;loc=en_US" target="_blank">Click here</a> and begin receiving classroom management    articles like this one in your email box every week.
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		<title>Why Having Fun Makes Classroom Management Easier</title>
		<link>http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/2010/02/06/why-having-fun-makes-classroom-management-easier/</link>
		<comments>http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/2010/02/06/why-having-fun-makes-classroom-management-easier/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 06 Feb 2010 19:42:32 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Michael Linsin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Classroom Management Strategies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rapport & Influence]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[classroom management]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[effective teaching]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fun]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[leverage]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[students having fun]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/?p=3210</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Years ago I was asked to teach a summer school science class to a group of eighth graders. Because many had failed a similar course during the school year, more than sixty students signed up. Another teacher was brought in to help. His name was John Dugan, and we hit it off right away. John [...]<p>&nbsp;
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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-3237" title="Kids Having Fun" src="http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/kids-laughing-300x244.gif" alt="Kids having fun in the classroom." width="300" height="244" />Years ago I was asked to teach a summer school science class to a group of eighth graders.</p>
<p>Because many had failed a similar course during the school year, more than sixty students signed up.</p>
<p>Another teacher was brought in to help.</p>
<p>His name was John Dugan, and we hit it off right away.</p>
<p>John was hilarious.</p>
<p>After a test, he would put on hip-hop music and break dance in front of the class. He was terrible, but his students loved it. Many would join him and mimic his nerdy gesticulations.</p>
<p>John and I laughed our way through most of the summer, and along the way discovered we had a lot in common.</p>
<p>We held similar philosophies on learning and both believed in the power of (students) enjoying school. In fact, John believed so strongly in this leveraging power that he didn’t use a classroom management plan. (More on that in a moment.)</p>
<p>John and I split the students into two classrooms but worked together much of the time. We scheduled half a dozen field trips, planned loads of cool experiments, and committed to having as much fun as we could.</p>
<p>In fact, having fun was our top priority.</p>
<p>There is no getting around the fact that students who are happy to be in school, learn and behave better than those who don’t. It makes perfect sense, yet many teachers miss this simple truth.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #993300;">The Power Of Fun</span></strong></p>
<p>If you’re a regular reader of this blog, then you know how important it is to have a <a title="A Classroom Management Plan That Works" href="http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/2010/06/26/classroom-management-plan/" target="_self">classroom management plan</a> that includes <a title="Classroom Rules" href="http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/2009/08/17/the-only-classroom-rules-youll-ever-need/" target="_blank">a clear set of rules</a> and a willingness to enforce them.</p>
<p>When this plan is combined with a learning environment that students are excited to be part of… well, you have the keys to the kingdom.</p>
<p>My first week teaching with John underscored just how powerful creating a fun learning experience is.</p>
<p>I was watching him as he was showing a group of students how to straighten a coat hanger for their rocket’s launching pad (we were teaching physics), when a few boys standing several feet away started giggling among themselves.</p>
<p>John looked up and yelled, “Hey, knock it off! I’m showing you something really cool and you’re missing it.” They said they were sorry and joined the group.</p>
<p>It occurred to me in that moment that John was teaching without a net: no classroom management plan. Although he was quick to correct students who interfered with learning, he didn’t seem to have any specified rules or consequences.</p>
<p>After school that day, I asked him about it. “Hey John, don’t you use a classroom management plan?”</p>
<p>“Nah,” he said, “but I probably should. My students get too loud and sometimes I have to raise my voice, but I never have any real behavior problems.”</p>
<p>And it was true.</p>
<p>Despite having a room full of students who were there primarily because of poor behavior, his class was well behaved.</p>
<p>His system, however, wasn&#8217;t perfect.</p>
<p>John wasted a lot of time and energy reminding students of this and that and <a title="How To Get Students's Attention" href="http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/2009/09/01/how-to-signal-for-your-students-attention/" target="_blank">asking for quiet</a> so he could speak—which could have been avoided if he had had a classroom management plan.</p>
<p>But it was undeniable that he had very few instances of bad behavior.</p>
<p>And therein lies the lesson.</p>
<p>John was so much fun, and his lessons so interesting, that his students would have done anything to be a part of his class, including behaving in whatever manner he deemed acceptable—however unspecified that was.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #993300;">Make Fun A Priority</span></strong></p>
<p>Adding some fun to your classroom isn&#8217;t difficult. It doesn&#8217;t take a lot of pre-planning and you don&#8217;t need any special talent. It just takes a willingness to make it a priority.</p>
<p>Schedule learning games, tell stories, be your silly self, and try to bring a spirit of fun to (almost) everything you do.</p>
<p>Oh, and make a fool out of yourself once in a while.</p>
<p>Your students will appreciate it, and you&#8217;ll add more leverage to your classroom management plan.</p>
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		<title>Why You Should Care If Your Students Dislike You</title>
		<link>http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/2010/01/02/why-you-should-care-if-your-students-dislike-you/</link>
		<comments>http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/2010/01/02/why-you-should-care-if-your-students-dislike-you/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 02 Jan 2010 21:47:57 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Michael Linsin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Classroom Management Strategies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rapport & Influence]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[consequences]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[disliking the teacher]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[effective teachers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[influence]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[leverage]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[likeability]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sarcasm]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Recently, I overheard a teacher confronting two of his third-grade students after they ran through a hallway on their way to recess. He stopped them, called them over to where he was standing, and said, “Congratulations, you two just lost your recess.” With an index finger jabbing the air, inches from their sullen faces, he [...]<p>&nbsp;
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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p>Recently, I overheard a teacher confronting two of his third-grade students after they ran through a hallway on their way to recess.</p>
<p>He stopped them, called them over to where he was standing, and said, “Congratulations, you two just lost your recess.”</p>
<p>With an index finger jabbing the air, inches from their sullen faces, he spent the next few minutes lecturing them on the merits of walking in the hallways.</p>
<p>The teacher’s intentions were good.</p>
<p>He sought to make sure the hallways were safe and wanted to hold the two boys accountable for breaking rules. But in doing so, he was making classroom management more difficult for himself.</p>
<p>He made two critical mistakes:</p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #993300;">1. He Used Sarcasm</span></strong></p>
<p>Besides being difficult for children to understand, sarcasm is cruel. It is meant to make the target of the remark feel inadequate and elevate the speaker to a position of superiority.</p>
<p>It also causes students to dislike their teacher.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #993300;">2. He Showed Anger</span></strong></p>
<p>Anger is a sign of frustration and manifests itself when a teacher feels he or she has no other recourse or when poor behavior is taken personally.</p>
<p>It, too, can cause students to dislike their teacher.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #993300;">The Problem With Being Disliked</span></strong></p>
<p>If you are disliked, the only influence you have with students is negative (i.e., <a title="Stop Lecturing Students" href="http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/2009/06/27/classroom-management-tip-stop-lecturing-students-and-lower-your-stress/" target="_blank">lecturing</a>, scolding, <a title="Don't Yell At Students" href="http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/2009/07/18/classroom-management-tip-never-yell-at-students/" target="_blank">yelling</a>, and sarcasm). And negativity only works to curb bad behavior in the moment. It does nothing to improve behavior over time.</p>
<p>Thus, it is a battle you’ll have to fight every day.</p>
<p>Being disliked also weakens the power of your consequences to curb unwanted behavior. When you enforce a consequence, instead of taking responsibility, your students will most likely blame you.</p>
<p>Do your students get angry at you when you send them to time-out? If so, then your time-out is not going to be very effective.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #993300;">The Benefits Of Being Liked</span></strong></p>
<p>Likeability, on the other hand, gives you leverage to influence students to behave as you desire. If your students like you, they’ll want to please you. Your consequences, then, become symbolic of your disappointment.</p>
<p>Likeability gives meaning to consequences and underscores the feeling of separation students feel when held apart from the classroom they love being a part of, by the teacher they admire.</p>
<p>This can be a very powerful consequence.</p>
<p>I’m frequently asked my opinion of whether a certain consequence will work for one grade level or another. In response, I always want to ask, “Well, how well do your students like you, and how much do they enjoy being in your classroom?”</p>
<p>The more your students admire you, the more effective your consequences will be.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #993300;">Yin And Yang</span></strong></p>
<p>The most effective teachers are able to balance an influential relationship with students (i.e., being fun, likeable, creating exciting lessons) with an unwavering commitment to their <a title="Not-So-Secret-To-Classroom-Management" href="http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/2009/06/03/the-not-so-secret-to-effective-classroom-management/" target="_blank">classroom management</a> plan.</p>
<p>You can’t have one without the other.</p>
<p>A positive relationship with students is what makes your classroom management plan work. If you’re grumpy most of the time, if you lecture individual students or use sarcasm, you will always struggle with classroom management. If you&#8217;re admired, however, classroom management becomes&#8230; dare I say&#8230; a breeze.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #993300;"> </span></strong>Likeability is just one of many ways of building leverage and influence with your students. In the coming weeks, I’ll be writing more about this topic, but in the mean time, please check out my book <a title="About Dream Class" href="http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/about-dream-class/" target="_blank">Dream Class</a>.</p>
<p>Dream Class explains everything you need to know about building the kind of relationships with students that make classroom management more effective and much, much easier.</p>
<p>If you haven’t yet signed up to be a member of this site, I invite you to join us. It’s free! <a title="Email Updates" href="http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=SmartClassroomManagement&amp;loc=en_US" target="_blank">Click here</a>, enter your email address, and start receiving new articles in your email box every week.
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		<title>Body Language And Classroom Management</title>
		<link>http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/2009/09/07/body-language-and-classroom-management/</link>
		<comments>http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/2009/09/07/body-language-and-classroom-management/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 07 Sep 2009 20:17:21 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Michael Linsin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Classroom Management Strategies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rapport & Influence]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Body Language]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[effective classroom management]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[eye contact]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[leverage]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[posture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[proximity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[smile]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[teacher influence]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[teaching with leverage]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/?p=1104</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The core principles we associate with classroom management—rules and consequences, incentives, and following through—are important. No doubt about it. The first step for teachers wanting to improve is to learn how to use them effectively. By following these principles, your classroom management plan will be built on a solid foundation. However, to be remarkably effective, [...]<p>&nbsp;
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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p><img class="size-medium wp-image-1106 alignright" title="Body Language And Classroom Management" src="http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/iStock_000007501514XSmall-185x300.jpg" alt="Body Language And Classroom Management" width="185" height="300" /></p>
<p>The core principles we associate with classroom management—rules and consequences, incentives, and following through—are important. No doubt about it. The first step for teachers wanting to improve is to learn how to use them effectively.</p>
<p>By following these principles, your classroom management plan will be built on a solid foundation. However, to be remarkably effective, to create the class you really want, you have to learn how to create leverage.</p>
<p>Leverage simply means having great influence with your students.</p>
<p>This is where the real power comes from. It explains how a teacher can take over a classroom of students from a tough neighborhood, given up on and deemed uncontrollable, and turn them into a dream class.</p>
<p>It’s the answer to the question, “How was she able to do that with <em>those</em> kids?”</p>
<p>Leverage makes everything you do as a teacher easier and more effective, particularly classroom management. The topic of today’s article, body language, is one way to increase your leverage.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #993300;"><strong>Creating Leverage Through Body Language</strong></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #ffffff;"> </span>Seven percent. That’s how much speaking impacts your students. The other 93% is attributed to non-verbal communication. Part of that 93% is the way you use your voice—tone, volume, pace, enunciation, etc.</p>
<p>The rest is body language.</p>
<p>Your body language has a strong impression on students. Therefore, it makes sense to use it to your advantage.</p>
<p>What follows is a short list of how to use body language to gain more leverage with your students. It’s not comprehensive, but it’s doable. And with regard to cultural differences, the items on this list are generally universal.</p>
<p><span style="color: #993300;"><strong>Eye Contact</strong></span> – Eye contact is perhaps the most powerful way we communicate. A single fleeting look from across the classroom can speak volumes. Longer eye contact is associated with trust, good feelings, and rapport—all of which are important leveraging qualities. Be aware, however, that too much eye contact can be intimidating, especially for shy students. So although we want to utilize the power of eye contact and should use it often, we shouldn’t over do it.</p>
<p><span style="color: #993300;"><strong>Facial Expressions</strong></span> – This one is easy. Smile. A smile makes communication easier, less awkward, and more persuasive. It’s also a mood-changer and will evoke warm and happy feelings in both the giver and the recipient. So let your guard down and smile away.</p>
<p><span style="color: #993300;"><strong>Posture</strong></span> – A sagging posture displays a lack of confidence and is associated with weak leadership. To students, it says that you’re unsure of yourself. They won’t listen to or trust someone who appears wishy-washy. Walking tall, with your body erect and shoulders straight, engenders confidence in you as a leader. You then become more believable, and students are more apt to accept what you say. The difference between telling a student to go to time-out with a tall comportment versus saying it with a sagging, defeated posture is night and day.</p>
<p><span style="color: #993300;"><strong>Proximity</strong></span> – Some classroom management “experts” recommend standing close to difficult students during lessons. But moving into someone’s personal space without permission is a show of dominance. It’s aggressive and antagonistic and is universally perceived as a threat. And although it may dissuade unwanted behavior during the brief moment you’re standing there, doing so will give you <em>less</em> leverage and influence in the long run, resulting in more disruptive behavior. Allow students their personal space. They&#8217;ll appreciate and respect you for it.</p>
<p><span style="color: #993300;"><strong>Touch</strong></span> – A brief tap on the shoulder or arm of a student you’re speaking with can elicit a subconscious response that makes you more persuasive. I know it sounds manipulative, but in reality, all it does is help build rapport. It’s a natural thing to do when speaking to someone in a friendly manner. It says: &#8220;Hey, I like you, and I want what’s best for you.&#8221;</p>
<p>Think about what your typical body language is communicating to your students and how it&#8217;s affecting your classroom management success. Is it increasing the amount of leverage you have with your students? Or is it making it more difficult to influence them?</p>
<p>Try out the above recommendations. Use more eye contact, smile more often, stand up straight, allow your students their personal space, and use the persuasive power of touch. Take note of how differently your students respond to you. I know you&#8217;ll be pleased.</p>
<p>Also, notice how changing your body language affects how <em>you</em> feel.</p>
<p>I’m certain you will look and feel more attractive and confident, resulting in greater leverage with your students and more effective classroom management.</p>
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