A teacher walks wordlessly with one of her most challenging students. They’re on the playground and it’s recess time. Some distance away the rest of the class laughs and plays and loses themselves in games of tetherball and foursquare. From a distance you might … Read more
Most students are praised too much. They’re praised too often, too public, and too over-the-top. They’re praised for things any reasonable person would conclude are simply not worthy of it. And as the bar of excellence drops lower and lower, it squeezes the work … Read more
Most teachers talk to difficult students—those with a proclivity for misbehavior—way too often. If you’re spending more time on these students than others, it’s a sign you’re not curbing their behavior. It’s also not fair to the rest of your class. There is a … Read more
Much of your classroom management success is dependent upon your ability to avoid making big mistakes. Make them often enough, or repeatedly, and you’ll lose control of your classroom quickly. Before long, you’ll begin to believe teaching in a chaotic environment is just part … Read more
Many years ago, on a whim, I wrote a short note to a student named Joanna to let her know how much I appreciated her leadership qualities. I wrote the note before school one day and left it folded over and taped to her … Read more
I received an email yesterday from a teacher who wondered how I would have handled a couple of her most challenging students. It seems that these two students have caused her nonstop headaches throughout the school year, and she was relieved her summer vacation … Read more
Classroom management is more than just rules and consequences. Everything you do as a teacher, from creating your room environment to how you praise your students, affects their behavior. Recently, I watched a teacher praise a student for the good work he had done … Read more