There is an attitude gifted teachers carry with them every day of the school year.
It’s extremely rare.
But it gives them a remarkable level of authority, presence, and leadership that students strongly respond to.
This attitude is comprised of two deeply held viewpoints. At first glance, these viewpoints appear contrasting, even impossible to hold at the same time.
In the classroom, however, they’re perfectly complementary.
Anyone can acquire this attitude. It takes mental discipline, as well as an understanding of its power, but it’s there for the taking.
As mentioned, it consists of two seemingly opposing viewpoints. The first is to care deeply about your students. So deep, in fact, that you’re only willing to do what is best for them long-term.
Meaning, you refuse to use any strategy that . . .
- May work in the moment but doesn’t improve behavior over time.
- Is manipulative or dishonest.
- Feels good/seems right but doesn’t actually change behavior.
- Isn’t intrinsically directed.
Some examples:
- False praise
- Catching students being good
- Rewarding in exchange for good behavior
- Token economies
- Lecturing and scolding
- Narration
- Redirection and reminders
- False disappointment
- Over-the-top praise
- Prize boxes
- Behavior contracts
- In-class counseling/SEL practices
- Restorative justice
- Threats and intimidation
- Community circles
- PBIS and similar approaches
All of the above are short-term, external, feel-good, manipulative, and/or don’t change behavior.
Note: Each has been written about previously and often extensively. Please see the archive or use the search bar at top for more info.
So what is best for students long term?
Accountability. Clean, honest, undeniable accountability is the only thing in the classroom that changes behavior. It’s the only thing that makes an impact internally, where actual transformation occurs.
It’s the only thing that causes students to conclude, all on their own, that they are the problem and only they can fix it. No amount of talking, lecturing, counseling, rewarding, pep-talking, false praising, or explaining can do this.
In fact, the strategies on the list interfere with and delay students reflecting on their misbehavior and taking responsibility for it.
To sum up, the first viewpoint is to care enough about your students and their future to hold them consistently accountable.
The second viewpoint is to not care if your students misbehave.
No, this doesn’t mean you will allow misbehavior. It means that it doesn’t affect you emotionally. It doesn’t raise your ire, frustration, stress, blood pressure, or disappointment.
No matter what happens from opening bell to dismissal, therefore, you’re as calm and cool as an Artemis astronaut. Mentally untouchable.
How is this possible? By shifting responsibility for handling misbehavior over to your classroom management plan in full. Meaning, your only responsibility is to follow it like a Super Bowl referee.
- consistent
- accurate
- dispassionate
The unusual attitude of gifted teachers is to care enough to do what is best for students long-term (accountability), yet not care one whit if a student breaks a rule.
This is real power and authority.
Now, it’s important to mention that here at SCM we have hundreds of strategies that support and enhance this attitude and ability, including detailed explanations of everything related to them.
Please check out our archive or books and guides to learn more.
In the meantime, if you adopt this two-viewpoint attitude, you’ll have the ability to take over any group of students, no matter how out of control, and transform them into the motivated and well-behaved class you really want.
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