Last week’s article struck a nerve with some readers. I’m not surprised. Whenever I criticize a strategy that teachers hold dear, I brace for the reaction. Reading some of the comments and emails, however, it occurred to me that much of the ire came … Read more
Narration is a very common strategy, and has been for decades. The way it works is simple. After giving a direction, or signal to begin a routine, the teacher describes aloud the positive behaviors they see. “Jonathan is walking with his hands to himself.” … Read more
You can encourage them. You can empathize with them. You can coax and cajole them. You can gently ask if there is anything bothering them or keeping them from trying. You can lighten their load, bribe them with incentives, or offer choices, accommodations, and … Read more
Routines make everything easier. Because they . . . Transfer excellence to everything you do. Cut way down on misbehavior. Save loads of time. Keep students on task and purpose-driven. Free you to observe and supervise. Which is why anything and everything you do … Read more
Neediness can seem amplified the first month of the school year. Your new class is younger than the group you finished with just weeks before. And many come to you from teachers who coddled, over-helped, and rewarded them into apathy and dependence. Even if … Read more
“Hey, no talking during the lesson.” “I said to walk!” “Stop pushing in line.” No, these aren’t the type of reminders I’m referring to. In fact, they’re examples of what you should never do—first week of school or not—because they’re reminders given after misbehavior … Read more
If you have one or more difficult students in your class this year, then the first week of school is especially important. You have one chance to set them on the right track from the beginning. —Which is far easier than trying to coax … Read more
I’m often asked about the first day of school, so I’ve written many articles on the topic. Most are about establishing routines and implementing an effective classroom management plan—which are important, to be sure. But they’re not my number one goal on the first … Read more