One of the biggest reasons difficult students misbehave is because they’re often treated with the expectation that they will. Teachers tend to hover near them. They’re frequently pulled aside for reminders, lectures, and pep-talks. They’re rewarded inexplicably, praised effusively, and spoken to differently than … Read more
Last week, a reader asked a question I’ve gotten a lot over the years. “How should I hold difficult students accountable?” It’s a topic I haven’t covered specifically because the answer is so simple and direct: Just like everyone else. You calmly approach the … Read more
If you aren’t careful, a new student can severely disrupt your classroom and the peace you’ve worked so hard to obtain. Although often calm and quiet in the beginning, whatever habits and behaviors were permitted at their previous school will eventually bubble to the … Read more
Recently, I received an email from a teacher who was yelled at by a student. Her class had been in the middle of a learning game, and everything was going smoothly. Or so she thought. The students were playing by the rules. They were … Read more
A reader emailed SCM last week wondering how to handle six students who were wreaking havoc in his classroom. Every day they were disruptive. They were talkative and silly. They called out during lessons and made inappropriate comments. They played off one another and … Read more
It happens, often without warning. A student becomes so angry they verge on losing control. They fume and seethe. They glare and tear up. They turn dark crimson. Sometimes we know the cause of their infuriation and other times we have no idea. The … Read more
Ask a struggling teacher how their class is going and they’ll inevitably bring up one or two students who take up much of their time. They’ll lament the disruptions and the battles. They’ll tell horror stories of incidents past. They’ll share how they’ve tried … Read more
There is a lot of bad classroom management information out there. Now more than ever. Not a month goes by that we don’t hear of another irresponsible method being promoted. We hope to list our top ten worst strategies in a future article, but … Read more