Routines are the lifeblood of a well-run classroom. Because, done right, they save tons of learning time. They keep students focused and on task. They cut way down on misbehavior. They also make your teaching life a lot easier. For everything you do as … Read more
Here at SCM, we’ve talked a lot about the importance of consistently following your classroom management plan. Because it’s so, so critical. Not only does it play a big role in curbing misbehavior, but it’s also a factor in building rapport and developing trust … Read more
I often hear from teachers who in long missives describe awful behavior towards them. They describe angry, argumentative, and aggressively disrespectful students. Students who tell them off and try to disrupt and sabotage their class. Students who roll their eyes and refuse to look … Read more
When your class gives a subpar performance, the tendency is to ease up. To take your foot off the gas. To think, “Maybe I’m asking too much.” This is a normal response after a so-so routine, an unfocused lesson, or off-topic group work. But … Read more
I’ve spent many years observing teachers. And there is an odd phenomenon I’ve noticed among a large percentage. When teaching what they believe to be difficult content, almost without fail, they’ll pause and let students know that it’s difficult. “Listen up, because what comes … Read more
When a teacher first begins holding students accountable in the manner we recommend here at SCM, they’re often surprised at the response they get from students. Mind you, they aren’t taken aback by the improved behavior nor better attentiveness. For these were hoped for, … Read more
The end of the day or period can be a chaotic time. You may be distracted, passing things out or giving last-minute instruction. Your students, poised to leave, may not be so attentive. Voices get loud. Misbehavior tends to increase. And holding students accountable … Read more
In this day and age, when you consistently enforce your classroom management plan, it’s bound to happen. A parent approaches you to complain not about a particular incident. Or their child’s role in breaking class rules. But that their child was held accountable. In … Read more