When it comes to classroom management, you’ve got to pick your battles. So the advice goes. The idea behind the common saying that you can’t have what you really want. You can’t have a consistently peaceful room environment. You can’t have impeccable student behavior. … Read more
A few years ago, I wrote an article called 50 Things You Don’t Have To Do For Effective Classroom Management. It resonated with a lot of readers. The reason, I believe, is because there is so much misinformation out there. We’re bombarded with it … Read more
Recently, a teacher asked me to observe her in action. It didn’t go well. Her classroom was chaotic. Her students played and goofed off. They yelled and roughhoused. They wrestled, guffawed, and used language that would make a sailor blush. They dismissed her and … Read more
The Smart Classroom Management approach works. It works for elementary school teachers. It works for middle and high school teachers. It works for new teachers and veterans alike. It works regardless of where you teach, who your students are, or whether or not you … Read more
Before rushing headlong into summer, it’s instructive to take a look back. To reflect on what went well during the past school year and what didn’t. Because, unless you know where you need to improve, you’re destined to experience the same frustrations year after … Read more
This week I’d like to share with you a very simple strategy. It’s something you can do every day. It takes less than a minute. But it can improve any area of classroom management your students are struggling with. On the surface, the strategy … Read more
There is a common misconception that you must have a big presence to be an effective leader. You must psych yourself up, throw your shoulders back, and move boldly among your students. Your voice must boom. Your walk must swagger. Your eyes must squint … Read more
A friend emailed me this week to share a story about his son’s first week of school. Evidently some of his classmates were misbehaving, and in response the teacher kept the entire class in for recess. This isn’t an unusual strategy. We often hear … Read more