Here at SCM, we believe building influential relationships with students is critical—for many reasons. Not the least of which is that it makes everything, especially managing behavior, easier. Which is why we’ve gone to lengths in our books to break down in the simplest … Read more
Your classroom management plan is set in stone. There is no going back. There is no negotiation, no capitulation, no surrender. It is. And will remain. Your follow through is a promise that comforts, protects, and holds accountable those who interfere with the right … Read more
Teachers giving grades students haven’t earned is rampant, staggering in its increasing frequency. Why is this happening? A few reasons. First, the pandemic and accompanying learning loss has added pressure on teachers to get students caught up. This has caused the standards for earning … Read more
How you present yourself to your students matters. The way you dress, speak, and move has an impact on how they view you and thus how they behave in your class. Here at SCM, we’ve covered each of these areas in previous articles. But … Read more
Sagging pants are a problem in the classroom. They’re a problem because they bring an attitude of rebelliousness. You’ve seen it yourself. When a student sags their pants, they behave differently than when they don’t sag their pants. “But Michael, it’s an expression! It’s … Read more
This is my 700th article. Will there be a party here at SCM? A parade perhaps? Maybe a speech about me, me, and more me and all the people who made me who I am. Yay, aren’t I amazing! Oh, the horror. The truth … Read more
They seem happy around their classmates. They do their work. They follow directions. But it’s clear they don’t like you. You never get a smile. You rarely get eye contact. When you speak to them they return one-word answers or nothing at all. If … Read more
A culture of leniency has infected our schools from top to bottom, and it’s hurting everyone in its wake. Cheating and disrespect are rampant. Students repeatedly caught fighting are never expelled. Standards are so low it’s nearly impossible to fail. There is virtually zero … Read more