So you’re cruising along having a good day and a student pokes you with a stick. “What you said isn’t true.” “Shelby didn’t deserve a consequence.” “My old teacher did it this way.“ Statements like these, spoken with attitude, are meant to goad you … Read more
Since returning to in-person learning, respect has taken a nosedive. Students are just different. We all see it. We all know it. The question is, what to do about it? Well, the usual keys are still in play. Clear Boundaries 100% Consistency Calm Enforcement … Read more
My gosh, how they’re bounced around like a ship in a storm. Rewarded one minute, lectured the next. “Caught being good” then counseled. Punished then praised. Scolded then appeased then forced into another humiliating behavior contract. Tighten and loosen, tighten and loosen. Difficult students … Read more
It’s popping up more and more in IEPs and 504s. Called Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), it’s marked by disobedient behavior toward authority. But what is it really? It’s a student who doesn’t want to be told what to do. They don’t want rules or … Read more
Extreme behavior. Impulsivity. Disrespect. Poor motivation. Attention issues. Hyperactivity. You name it, doesn’t matter. There is one strategy that works better than all others combined. It isn’t even close. Boasting maximum influence, this one thing renders every other effort to change behavior hardly worth … Read more
The most common approach to an especially difficult class is to lower the bar. It’s to let the minor stuff go. It’s to appease and tiptoe, pick your battles and keep a lid on the classroom. The idea is that if you show you’re … Read more
So what is brazen behavior? I define it as anything especially disruptive, silly, or defiant. Some examples: Running or chasing in the classroom. Yelling, bursting laughter, or falling on the floor. Roughhousing and practical jokes. Ignoring specific directions or commands. Throwing spitwads, erasers, or … Read more
So you have this student who seemingly at every break wants to share critical information with you. Sometimes it’s an observation. “The heater is making a strange clicking sound.” Sometimes it’s a suggestion. “I think you should line the class up in alphabetical order.” … Read more