It’s one of the great challenges of teaching. How do you compete with the distractions of a modern student’s life? How do you interest them in what you’re offering when their entertainment options are so immediate, so exciting, and so easy? How do you … Read more
If you’re like most teachers, you stray from your classroom management plan. Oh, your intentions are good. You really do want to follow it to the letter. But ultimately you don’t. Situations keep getting in the way. Like, for example, when one of your … Read more
I hope you’re reading this. I hope the title piqued your interest. If it did, I’m glad you’re here. The topic is a special one. I hope I can do it justice. Bringing laughter into the classroom is so close to my heart that … Read more
One of the happy truths about classroom management is that you can always press the restart button. You can always call a do-over. Any time you like. So as soon as you notice your students becoming less motivated and more prone to misbehavior, that’s … Read more
Are you able to relax and enjoy school assemblies, or do you sit nervously, hoping your students will behave? Does it drive you crazy when they chat with each other, act silly, or rise up and block the view of the students behind them? … Read more
Time-out is an important part of any effective classroom management plan. But how is it best enforced? There is much confusion over where time-out should take place, how long it should last, and what students should be doing while they’re there. It’s a rare … Read more
When I was a new teacher many years ago, I was told by a veteran colleague that the school’s principal valued praise above everything else. So when the boss walked through the door for my first formal observation, I started throwing around praise like … Read more
The fundamental purpose of classroom management is to spend more time on academics and less time on behavior. The quicker your can handle misbehavior and move on, the better. This is one reason why it’s best to rely on your classroom management plan. If … Read more