Every year, I ask three or four students with natural leadership ability to be part of my leadership team. I meet with them once a week or so. It’s informal, and the meetings don’t last long. I also don’t mind if others join in. … Read more
A student breaks a common classroom rule like forgetting to raise their hand. No big deal. It happens. So you calmly give a warning. And Mount Vesuvius erupts. The student crosses their arms, glares at you, and yells, “But I didn’t do anything!” You … Read more
You have good classroom management. Your students like and respect you. They follow your directions and are attentive while you’re speaking. Yet, the second you look away, even for a brief moment, you lose them and the momentum of your lesson. You’re able to … Read more
Since the advent of the smart phone, interest in acquiring academic skill and knowledge has dwindled. This is undeniably true. Kids spend hour upon hour scrolling hits of dopamine and it’s crushed their desire to learn. Even worse, once their phones are put away … Read more
The importance of having high expectations for students is thrown about so often that it’s lost any real meaning. It rolls off the tongue like a royal decree. “Thou maketh high expectations!” On cue, everyone nods along—Oh yes, yes, so important—while afraid to ask … Read more
The culture of teaching demands that you correct every wrong answer for every student for every assignment AND ensure they understand what they did wrong. It’s on you. This is, of course, time-consuming. It’s also stressful and frustrating given that most students don’t seem … Read more
When a student misbehaves, giving them a reminder or otherwise letting them off the hook can feel like the right thing to do. Because we’re compassionate. Students have a history. Some have been through a lot. Mistakes happen and we want to believe they’ll … Read more
There is one thing you can do right now that will . . . improve behavior lower your stress build better rapport save time In other words, make teaching more fun and effective. Here at SCM we’ve been shouting this strategy from the rooftops … Read more