There is a classroom management strategy that hums along in the background of the most effective teachers.
You can’t see this strategy.
It isn’t applied once and reused when needed. It isn’t a step-by-step, how-to process. I don’t believe it’s ever been revealed in the history of education.
Until now.
The strategy is simple, remarkably effective, and no one will ever know you’re using it. It’s a secret held only by a select few. However, and this is key, anyone can do it.
The only downside is that when you finish reading this article you may doubt that it’s possible. You may harrumph and roll your eyes and say “Yeah, right, not at my school.”
But you’d be wrong. It works everywhere and with every grade level from kindergarten through high school.
It does take strong leadership. It takes knowing your power—the power of every teacher, in fact, whether they’re aware of it or not—to create the exact classroom you want.
If you believe you’re at the mercy of your students, however, then it won’t work for you. You may as well not read any further.
One more thing I should mention before the reveal. The strategy is individual. In other words, the way you apply it may be considerably different than the way I do, or anyone else.
Are you ready? Okay, here we go. The strategy is this: You decide beforehand how every moment will unfold in your classroom.
In other words, your students don’t decide how, when, where, what, how long, or with who they gather into groups, enter the classroom, work independently, walk, talk, take out their laptop, write their name, etc., etc., etc.
Every moment of student behavior/performance/action is decided by YOU.
This doesn’t mean that your students have to line up and walk to lunch like little soldiers, for example, or that you never allow for student choice.
Maybe you want them to be able to talk at certain times along the way or walk in a big herd around you. Perhaps you want them to make all design choices about their science project.
Regardless, the point is you decide, not them. Because every time your students choose—that is, without your express direction or instruction—your authority drops like an anvil.
Eventually, emboldened, they’ll wrest as much control from you as they possibly can. It’s human nature. When there is a void in leadership, someone or someones will step in and fill it.
To be clear, if you want your students to be able to call out during certain lessons or ask a neighbor for help with a math problem while working independently, fine. But you decide how it’s to be done.
You explain, model, and/or teach how to do it.
This “You Decide” strategy is the secret to why some teachers make it look so easy. It’s why their students seem so relaxed, content, and effortlessly well-behaved.
It doesn’t just happen. It’s chosen, choreographed, and then taught ahead of time by you. The students then are relieved of the stress of decision fatigue.
They’re relieved from having to fend for themselves or fill in for the missing ship’s captain. They’re free to learn, enjoy your class, and focus 100 percent on the challenges placed before them.
All because they have a leader who actually leads.
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I have tried out the SCM plan in my classroom the few couple years. I love the concept in theory, but I have the hardest time using it when students blow through the consequences before the morning is even over. This year especially, I have a class with so many students that lack impulse control. I teach and model procedures and directions. They prove to me that they can do it, so I know it is not for lack of understanding. I just feel like I find myself letting things slide because otherwise I would have multiple kids in observation mode at a time, and I would be sending notes home to parents everyday, and then beyond that I would not know where to even go. My school does not want us using any kind of point system in which you take away points, so I’m left scratching my head as to what I could even do to hold them accountable.
I’ll cover this topic in a video this week.
Which video is this, the one on August 28? https://www.facebook.com/smartclassroommanagement/videos/what-to-so-if-you-implement-scm-and-it-doesnt-work/1304334364650813/
The one with the Challenger disaster was on August 4, that’s before your post.
Cal, this could be true. I have taken one or two topics to the principal which I thought were major topics that she could reconcile. However, it always turns on me and how I am the one in charge and I need to do something about it. So from my best attempts, I now do not even go to the principal. She has suggested friendship activities so this is something that I strive to do at the onset. I have a full support about this so it’s not anything that I need extra permission for I work at a private school And and many ways it’s actually a freeing and creative environment in which I have a lot of room for expression in my classroom.
Yes, I have experienced a similar situation. That’s reality, right? I’m thinking that you pick your battles at the beginning. Choose one of the most important routines to focus on (i.e. lining up without hurting people or the Bell Work routine at the start of class) and you don’t move on until those are done correctly every single time. Go all out. Harp on them every time (cheerfully). Practice multiple times. Have students demonstrate. Positively reinforce. Explain the reasons. Teach it in different ways. Teach it like it’s a tough concept that they absolutely must know to pass your class. Bring pictures. Have older students come in and demonstrate. Spend the time. Do not give up! After that first battle is won (or all but one or two hold-outs are doing it correctly), choose another one. I think what this article is missing is that you can have the exact classroom you want, eventually.
I’ve worked in the best teacher’s classroom at my school and the not so well behaved. This is true. The best teacher had every step of the day envisioned in her mind and knew what it would look like. The not so well could not make up her mind how they should behave.
How do you plan a whole day like that in a co-teaching arrangement?
You plan it out with your coteacher. We spent hours on the syllabus and 1st day ppt not just what it said but who said what and when and where the other one would stand and what to say. The effect of proximity and visual cues is real.
I personally believe that teaching is an act of faith. Having a complete vision for the class throughout the day is possible but with the many uncertainties in the classroom – and our human inadequacies – I don’t have superhuman qualities to be a super teacher. I frequently pray that God will guide me throughout the day.
I love that! Yes, God hears our prayers, especially on how to reach our students.
It is so comforting to read this.
Interesting to choreograph the students. They never mentioned that in my studies. But teachers whose classroom is quiet do it. It’s just that students rarely laugh in these classrooms.
I hated strong leadership as a kid, it interfered with my natural love of learning. Just more things you could do wrong.
I do see that trying to not do that to students doesn’t work, they go bonkers.
Kids need strong leadership. It’s in how you lead. They need clear rules and boundaries and need to be observed constantly so you know your class like the back of your hand. They also need your sense of humour, your passion, your content knowledge, your ability to make the classroom fun and enjoyable. It’s ying and yang. A fine balance. That way the rules matter and they’re more compelled to follow them and you’ll have a focused, productive classroom.
As a student, my creativity and expression and joy and laughter still need clear boundaries. I have sat in classrooms as a student with teachers all along the spectrum. Regarding the teachers who allowed me to get away with too much, I only did not respect them, I tried very little to learn in their classroom. Is that because I’m an awful person? Partly. But also because all students without clear boundaries are tempted to be more awful than they would be otherwise. To this day, I remember MANY of the science lessons I learned in 8th grade because that science teacher was a barracuda. I got by with nothing in her class, and she loved all of us fiercely. She gave us freedom with boundaries. I did my best creative thinking, expression, problem solving and laughing in her classroom. I respected her, I learned from her, and at the end of the course, I respected myself more.
Excellent points.
Good classroom management is like a sonnet—there are clear rules that govern how a sonnet is composed and organized. But within those rules of organization? The author can create masterpieces. Shakespeare certainly worked wonders within those strictures.
Setting boundaries allows all students to take learning risks. Choice within boundaries allows students to try new things without fear of adverse consequences.
There can be a lot of joy, laughter, and learning for ALL students within the highly orchestrated classroom, especially when the teacher communicates how much they care for their charges.
I feel the same. I don’t really want to envision how everything will go. I do not have stellar classroom management (that’s why I’m here), so I do not set myself as an example at all, but I like to leave some room for my students to take initiatives. Sometimes, a student will have an idea and I’ll answer “Why not?” or even “Good idea!” (or “No.”, of course). Either way, I’m genuinely interested in what they have to say or suggest. I don’t want them to grow into pawns that can’t think out of the box, I want them to grow into smart, responsible and proud citizens who know that they can impact their world.
Great mindset in this post. It’s on YOU the teacher to be the leader in the classroom, it doesn’t matter about the admins, parents, other teachers. I see a lot excuses in these posts about how things won’t or cant work. The 22-23 school was my worst teaching year ever, so I adopted the SCM system that summer. Have been using it ever since and it has transformed my teaching. I still have bad days, and sometimes things don’t work, BUT i’m in control and I take ownership of what happens. The admins, parents, and other teachers are irrelevant. What counts are the students and myself.
That’s a lot of pressure
I read your book this summer and asked my co-teacher to read it. We’ve taught together for many years but this year we will be in a full co-taught model all day. I have two questions. Is there a grace period before you implement consequences? For example, we have kids on a Thursday and Friday the first week. Would you just focus on the teaching of the rules/consequences those days, start giving consequences the first full week once you’ve fully explained everything? Also, we will have 10 students with an IEP in our class of 29 this year. While no one has a specific behavior plan from what I’ve read so far, I’m wondering how you handle this system when a student may have modifications on their IEP and we know they need more redirection/reminders about impulsive behavior/calling out. Do you give more warnings or hope that everyone can rise to the occasion with the implemented plan. Thanks!
Hi Colleen,
It’s important to begin enforcing immediately after teaching your plan. As for your second question, it’s been covered in previous articles and videos (because it takes lengthy explanation). However, I may cover it again in tomorrow’s video.
As always, reading your classroom management strategies was interesting. The more I read, know and experience the more I understand your message and style of classroom management. It does require making a decision, committing to a plan and delivering the plan of action. It is not always the easiest process, however, it is what is expected, desired and a safe practice.
I loved how the suspense was created at the beginning of the article. I wish I had known this strategy when I entered to this profession 4 years ago.
I love the visioning process. As a new teacher, this year with 30 kids,, I have created a vision of a beloved community. I will be following your management plan as prescribed but I am also passionate about transformative social-emotional learning. So I have combined the two with classroom jobs that embed SEL. An IEP is a legally binding document, so more warnings, less times etc.. may be needed for certain students. I love your ideas and breathing exercises. I am 56 , a widow, and a survivor of losing a 21 year old child. Self-care and meditation are essential to teachers.
Hi Michael,
I just want to thank you for providing this advice consistently over the years. I’ve been using your method for quite a while but still need these reminders. I’ve gained a lot of knowledge from your work and want you to know how much I appreciate it!
Rob
It’s my pleasure, Rob. Thanks!
I adopted this method in the last 13 years of my teaching career. It was a lot of work to prep each class but the rewards were great. Each class was micro-planned (which didn’t mean we excluded student choice and free expression; but that there was a time for it). Classes were relaxing, fun and students felt safe. BTW, cell phones were stored in backpacks so that wasn’t a distraction. I was the boss, the students knew there would be worthwhile learning so the vast majority bought into this approach.
It’s not as though I had easy classes or students. But I showed them respect by not wasting their time with poorly-structured, boring lessons. It made classroom management easy and my time as a teacher much more fun!
Honest question, what if you aren’t sure how you want it done? I’m an ideas person. I think I have great ideas. But, I don’t always know how to implement a good plan. It’s something I work on, but it seems I’m always trying to improve on my plan or idea. I recognize that this can make me seem wishy washy, but I really just want to do things in the best possible way. Is consistency more important in these situations than efficiency or a more direct path?
Thanks!
Dear Michael,
Thank you for all your help and articles.
I’m wondering, however, do all the articles you write apply to high school teachers as well?
Most but not all.
Thank you very much for this article! I’ve integrated it into a daily checklist I use, based on your Yearly Karate Belts checklist system. I’m focusing on transitions and on children walking in line, and it’s really helping me! Several times over the past week, other teachers have pointed out my class’ line and reminded their children to be more like that.