In 1907, explorer Ernest Shackleton posted an ad that read: Men wanted for hazardous journey. Low wages, bitter cold, long hours of complete darkness. Safe return doubtful. Honour and recognition in event of success. He received 5000 applicants. Although the veracity of the ad … Read more
It’s a trend, and not just on Pinterest and Instagram. Perfect, charming, colorful, systematically designed classrooms are everywhere it seems. Looking more like fashionable boutiques than places of learning, many are truly impressive. They’re also a bad idea. Here’s why: Pressure When you become … Read more
Enforcing consequences is a critical part of managing your classroom. But it’s a small part. It’s a mere piece of a larger tapestry that is falling by the wayside due to the pandemic. You see, there has been so much negativity in our schools … Read more
Amid the pandemic, we’re seeing more and more students shutting down. Refusing to work. Rarely speaking. Staring off in the distance. Often hiding under a hoodie or hair shading their eyes. They need help. But the way most teachers (and counselors) engage these struggling … Read more
If you take misbehavior personally, then you’re weakening your ability to manage your classroom. You’re also: Creating stress. Building resentment. Increasing the odds you’ll lash out at your students. But you’re not alone. Scores of teachers struggle with this. So what to do about … Read more
Over the past year, educational standards have fallen like a rodeo cowboy. It’s not your fault. The pandemic has taken a toll on everything in its wake. But now that students are returning to school, how do we lift the bar back into place? … Read more
A short exercise break can relieve boredom, improve thinking, and reverse the negative health effects of sitting. To be most effective, however, it must be purposeful. It must be targeted in a way that increases your heart rate yet stimulates every muscle in the … Read more
If you’re a regular reader of SCM, and therefore a keen observer of your class, a drop in a student’s grades, performance, and behavior becomes quickly noticeable. We’re used to this, of course. All students have ups and downs over a long school year. … Read more