This article is a long time coming. It’s been on the list of most-requested topics for several years now, and it’s high time we cover it. But it’s also been at the forefront of my mind. You see, a colleague recently tried to bully … Read more
This has been the most requested topic so far this year. And it’s an important one. Independent practice is the most critical factor in developing academic skill and competency. Done right, it can also profoundly affect maturity, mental toughness, and enjoyment of learning. So … Read more
The most common approach to an especially difficult class is to lower the bar. It’s to let the minor stuff go. It’s to appease and tiptoe, pick your battles and keep a lid on the classroom. The idea is that if you show you’re … Read more
It’s easy to admire teachers with the gift of gab, high social IQ, and ability to build rapport so quickly. We look at them and think, “I could never do that.” And you’re probably right. But here’s the thing: You don’t have to. In … 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
Word on the street is that many teachers are surprised by the misbehavior they’re seeing now that more and more students are returning to school. They shouldn’t be. After all, the students you saw online aren’t the same ones you’re seeing in person. Oh, … Read more
You can call it time-out, time away, observation mode or anything you like, but the way you send a student there matters. Far more than most teachers realize. It can be the difference between an easy and effective process and a stress-filled waste of … Read more
Here at SCM, we’ve talked a lot about the Law of Reciprocity and its remarkable power to influence student behavior. But we haven’t talked about what it looks like in practice. How exactly do you do it? What do you say? How do you … Read more