Listening is always a problem with a new group of students. You can count on it. Dwelling on it or complaining about it—as many teachers are wont to do—is a waste of time. The effective teacher is only concerned with what they can control. … Read more
If dissatisfied, parents can be a source of great stress. They can question your methods. They can challenge your decisions. They can complain, make demands, and waste your precious time. Which is why it’s critical that you get them on your side, critical that … Read more
Although classroom management will make up only part of your first day of school, doing it right is essential. Because it sets the boundaries within which inspired teaching can take place. It establishes an impenetrable wall, safeguarding your students from distraction, interruption, bullying, disrespect, … Read more
Of the many goals you have on the first day of school, none compares in importance to setting the proper tone for your students. It is the initial impression of your classroom, after all, that establishes its culture. It’s the feeling, the pace, the … Read more
Allowing students to come up with the class rules is a common strategy. And at first glance, it appears to be a good one. But dig deeper into the whys and hows of effective classroom management, and you’ll discover it to be a mistake. … Read more
It’s an all too common compulsion among teachers. Upon noticing a class routine going off the rails, they immediately jump in to try and correct it. They remind. They warn. They attempt to squelch the problem before it gets out of hand. It makes … Read more
One of the reasons difficult students misbehave is because their teacher expects that they will. They assume they will. Which causes the teacher to behave in such a way that antagonizes the student and reinforces their bad behavior. To combat this phenomenon, you must … Read more
If not reminded, and reminded often, your students will naturally slip into believing that school is just something they’re supposed to do. They never consider that school doesn’t need them, individually anyway, but that they need school. So many students approach their education as … Read more