Teachers tend to be overly focused on their most difficult students. They stress-out about them. They strategize over them. They spend more time dealing with them than the rest of their class put together. They try this approach, then that one. They powwow again … Read more
There is a common misconception that you must be “cool” in order to build rapport. The idea being that unless you’re able to interact with students on their level, unless you can speak their pop/youth culture language and tap into their wider influences, your … Read more
Teachers tend to lose their cool when they feel they have no other recourse. Their buttons get pushed, frustration builds, and they boil over. They raise their voice. They fume and lecture. They glare and scold and stab the air with their finger. For … Read more
Listening is always a problem with a new group of students. You can count on it. Dwelling on it or complaining about it—as many teachers are wont to do—is a waste of time. The effective teacher is only concerned with what they can control. … Read more
If dissatisfied, parents can be a source of great stress. They can question your methods. They can challenge your decisions. They can complain, make demands, and waste your precious time. Which is why it’s critical that you get them on your side, critical that … Read more
Although classroom management will make up only part of your first day of school, doing it right is essential. Because it sets the boundaries within which inspired teaching can take place. It establishes an impenetrable wall, safeguarding your students from distraction, interruption, bullying, disrespect, … Read more
Of the many goals you have on the first day of school, none compares in importance to setting the proper tone for your students. It is the initial impression of your classroom, after all, that establishes its culture. It’s the feeling, the pace, the … Read more
Allowing students to come up with the class rules is a common strategy. And at first glance, it appears to be a good one. But dig deeper into the whys and hows of effective classroom management, and you’ll discover it to be a mistake. … Read more