There is a phenomenon I see again and again in the classrooms I visit. As attention starts to wane . . . Eyelids droop. Fingers tap. Bodies sigh. . . . the teacher will speed up their instruction. They’ll talk and move faster as … Read more
It’s common to assume that allowing students to talk to whomever they want about whatever they want is a bad thing. That it wastes time. That it gets them off track. That it riles them up and causes misbehavior. But when you decide when … Read more
There was strong reaction to last week’s article, almost all of it good. But it left a few readers confused, even angry, especially those visiting our website for the first time. Because SCM runs counter to many long-held beliefs about classroom management. It upends … Read more
Effective classroom management is as much about what you don’t do. As it is about what you do. The mere absence of bad habits. The omission of certain teacher traits and behaviors. The removal of common but ultimately hurtful strategies . . . Can … Read more
It’s only natural to want to focus on what matters. To concern yourself primarily with content, lessons, and academic performance. To be a stickler about students getting their essays or projects done right. And give short shrift to the ordinary, everyday, and mundane. But … Read more
It’s normal to feel angry. How could you not? You have a student who is ruining your school year. They’re disruptive every day. They’re rude and disrespectful. They cause more problems, more chaos, and more disorder than the rest of your class put together. … Read more
One of the biggest causes of misbehavior is excitability. It’s also one of the hardest to fix. The reason is that most struggling teachers just don’t notice it. They become so used to the tension, so accustomed to the antsiness and disquiet, that they’re … Read more
In observing teachers, one common area of weakness is checking for understanding. Not every teacher, of course. But many. And this is a big issue. Because if you send students off to work independently, and they don’t know exactly what to do and how … Read more