Following directions doesn’t improve by harping on it. It doesn’t improve by making a fuss about it or showing your frustration over it. And it doesn’t improve by pointing out to students how often or how poorly they’ve messed it up. The only surefire … Read more
So you teach this great lesson. Your students are really into it. They’re listening and participating. Their eyes are bright and inquisitive. They pass all your checks for understanding with flying colors. But as soon as you finish and give the signal for them … Read more
A warning is a courtesy you provide your students. It’s a declaration of free grace you offer by letting them know that you are aware a rule has been broken. But that no real consequence is forthcoming. It’s a consequence only in the sense … Read more
So you have this student who seems determined to ruin your school year. He (or she) is blatantly disrespectful. He makes fun of and laughs at other students. He’s rude and silly. He’s argumentative and attention-seeking. He is well known by every staff member … Read more
There exists an amazing strategy that will dramatically increase student interest, motivation, and comprehension in virtually whatever you’re studying. It’s so remarkable, in fact, that it will pull your students deeper into your topic than any other single strategy. It will cause them to … Read more
Many difficult students behave the way they do because they’ve experienced—and often continue to experience—emotional turmoil associated with a deplorable home life. Verbal and physical abuse, poverty, neglect, drug and alcohol use in the home, and other sources of emotional pain and trauma can … Read more
Getting involved too quickly is among the most common classroom management mistakes. Yelling from across the room, waving to catch an offending student’s attention, rushing into a disruptive scene with flashing eyes and rising temper . . . These are natural, instinctual reactions. As … Read more
Spend a day visiting classrooms at your neighborhood school and you’ll find many buzzing with tension. It’s a disconcerting sensation that hits you the moment you step through the door, making you all but gyrate with heebie-jeebies. For students, who are unable to escape … Read more