Your class rules are the first line of defense against misbehavior. They should never be left to chance. They should never be created as an afterthought or copied from the teacher next door. They must be created thoughtfully and in a way that is … Read more
One of the many benefits of exceptional classroom management is that it saves time. With far fewer disruptions, you’re free to focus on student learning. You’re free to teach and inspire and build influential relationships. You’re free to recede into the background just to … Read more
Stroll through virtually any school and you’ll hear teacher voices spilling out into the hallways. You’ll hear them echoing above the clatter of their classrooms. You’ll hear them correcting and admonishing, directing and demanding for attention. If it were an office building, library, or … Read more
The parents don’t care. You work in a tough neighborhood. You get no support from administration. Your students have no accountability at home. You have Chase or Karla or Anthony in your class this year. You had a sub yesterday. Your class size is … Read more
Ask a struggling teacher how their class is going and they’ll inevitably bring up one or two students who take up much of their time. They’ll lament the disruptions and the battles. They’ll tell horror stories of incidents past. They’ll share how they’ve tried … Read more
It’s not often I’m surprised by an email. But a couple years ago I received one from a teacher who wouldn’t hold students accountable unless he had what he described as “proof.” Unless he had witnesses to back him up, or an outright admission … Read more
There is a lot of bad classroom management information out there. Now more than ever. Not a month goes by that we don’t hear of another irresponsible method being promoted. We hope to list our top ten worst strategies in a future article, but … Read more
When I began this blog more than six years ago, I made a commitment to telling the whole truth about classroom management. The good and bad. The harmful and transformational. What really works and what doesn’t. Along the way we’ve dispelled myths, exposed misconceptions, … Read more