Here at SCM, we’ve talked a lot about the importance of maintaining a calm disposition. Because it makes you more effective—effortlessly so. Rapport, consistency, likability. Leadership, patience, charisma. All are made better, stronger, and easier by keeping your cool. Two ways to accomplish this … Read more
Stress is a killer. And not just physically. It can also ruin your teaching career. It can destroy your peace and happiness. It can affect your relationship with students. It can severely limit your ability to manage your classroom. The good news is that … Read more
A calm disposition can sweep excitability right out of your classroom. It can improve listening and attentiveness. It can curb misbehavior and accelerate maturity. It can also make you a more effective teacher. But inevitably, whenever I write about its importance, the question of … Read more
Cultivating a calm disposition will make you a better teacher. It will also improve classroom management. Because students respect it. They’re drawn to it and admire it. Perhaps more than any other trait. It gives you a natural leadership presence and an effortless ability … Read more
As the school year draws to a close, voices tend to grow louder. Routines get sloppier. Students become distracted, excitable, and primed for misbehavior. After all, they can feel the warmth of summer on their skin. The smell of sunblock and freedom is in … Read more
There is a common misconception that effective classroom management means silence. It means rigidness and tight restriction. It means backs straight and eyes forward. Hour after hour. And while there are teachers who try to run their classroom this way, or think they should, … Read more
Recently, I got a new group of students for a high school class I was teaching. Then a few days later, I came down with the flu. It was awful. It took me three weeks to shake and I missed more than a week … Read more
Make no mistake. Participating in class discussions is important, for all students. It’s important for their academic development. It’s important for their communication skills. It’s important for their confidence and enjoyment of school. But it’s also one of the most misunderstood areas of teaching. … Read more