I’m often asked what if anything has changed during my 27 years of teaching. There are a few things, for sure. The students are considerably less independent to begin the school year. Parents are far more protective. And we teachers don’t have as much … Read more
Bringing more humor to your classroom can have a strong impact on classroom management. Because it makes building rapport and influence easier. It improves listening and the desire to pay attention. It draws students to you, makes you more likable, and helps create an … Read more
Here at SCM, we’ve talked a lot about the importance of maintaining a calm disposition. It is, without a doubt, the most effective way to keep misbehavior-causing excitability out of your classroom. But it’s also caused some confusion among SCM readers. You see, staying … Read more
Your smile and consistency. Your pleasantness and good humor. Your kindness, honesty, and simplicity of message. Day in and day out, they let your students know how much you care. It’s something they can see and feel as plain as day. Which in turn … Read more
First-time visitors to SCM are often drawn to articles that deal with boundaries. They want to know how to set limits and hold students accountable. They’re looking for rules and consequences, borders and constraints. They want to gain control and begin reining in an … Read more
The importance of having good rapport with students can’t be overstated. Because rapport gives you leverage. It gives you leadership presence and the influence to change behavior. It causes students to want to listen, learn, and behave for you—even when they’re hellions with other … Read more
Recently, a former student contacted me through the SCM Facebook page. He was in my sixth-grade class almost 20 years ago. I remembered him well. In fact, although I didn’t use his real name, I mentioned him in Dream Class. He was the tough … Read more
There is a common misconception that you must be “cool” in order to build rapport. The idea being that unless you’re able to interact with students on their level, unless you can speak their pop/youth culture language and tap into their wider influences, your … Read more