In Malcom Gladwell’s 2003 book Blink, he describes how experts can know what they know but not know why they know it. They experience a flash of recognition or vision of truth—a blink moment—based on years of past experience and know it to be … Read more
Kneeling down to a student’s eye level to discuss behavior or impart an important lesson is common practice. It’s recommended without second thought. Teachers do it every day. The idea is that it’s more effective and the student is more likely to heed your … Read more
The ability to get your students’ attention anytime you need it is critical for good teaching. Because . . . It saves time. It allows you to give further instruction. It’s a sign of a well-behaved class. The signal you use is unimportant. It … Read more
Several years ago, a colleague confided in me that she was afraid to hold her students accountable because she was convinced that they would hate her for it. Some of her students were taller than her and looked like adults, which may have been … Read more
How you give a consequence matters. It’s not just do or not do. The way it’s performed goes a long way toward your students taking responsibility. It’s another of the small details that separate just getting by from exceptional classroom management. The latter requires … Read more
Last week, I wrote about how to fix time-out if it isn’t working. And I got some peculiar responses. “What if my students like time-out?” “What if they want to stay in time-out?” “What if they prefer the quiet of time-out?” “What if they’re … Read more
Understanding time-out, its purpose and function, is key to its effectiveness. Yet, as I visit classrooms, many teachers get it wrong. It’s not a dunce-cap punishment or place for students to feel shame, which only causes resentment and more misbehavior. Rather, time-out must be … Read more
I’m not an expert in autism. Nor do I have a degree or teaching credential in special education. I write only from the perspective of a classroom teacher. This article is a response to the many questions we’ve received here at SCM about autistic … Read more