Here at SCM, we believe you should start enforcing consequences as soon as possible (i.e., once the new school year begins). The quicker you’re able to establish a high standard of behavior the better. However, it must also be fair. Giving warnings and time-outs … Read more
Okay, so there is a strategy I’ve been using every first day of school that I can remember. I’ve never written about it. But lately I’ve been sharing it with my coaching clients. It seems to resonate with them. As I explain it, I … Read more
Hit the ground running. Send a message to your new class about what’s expected right from the get-go. The quicker you set a culture of kindness, respect, and high-bar work expectations, the easier it will be to maintain. So during that first hour of … Read more
The tendency is to rush. To try and cover every policy and procedure. To cram it all in on the first day of school for fear that if you don’t, then your students will develop bad habits. They’ll get lax and sloppy and misbehavior … Read more
Surprisingly, it’s still common advice: Never smile the first month or two of the school year. The idea being that if you show kindness toward your students, then they won’t respect you. Instead, they’ll perceive you as weak, a pushover. They’ll test you, challenge … Read more
To help ensure you begin the school year on the right classroom management foot, I compiled a list of questions. The questions are meant to test your preparedness. They’re meant to assess your level of commitment. They’re meant to save you from first-week-of-school mistakes … Read more
Most teachers begin the school year strong. They teach their classroom management plan in detail. They set expectations and polish and hone routines. They build quick rapport and inspire good initial behavior. Everything seems so easy. But then, three or four weeks in, things … Read more
Come the first day of school, you’ll be ready. Your room, your schedule, your activities and lessons. Your outfit. All primed, polished, and poised to succeed. You’ll even know exactly what you’re going to say when you greet your new class. Which is all … Read more