The idea is simple. If your students like you, they’ll want to please you and seek your approval. Which gives you leverage—leverage to influence behavior like almost nothing else. And the best news is… it’s automatic. Your students will automatically behave better simply because … Read more
Do you repeat yourself when giving directions? Most teachers do. Besides wasting time and energy, repeating yourself weakens the power of your words. It causes students to tune you out. When your students become conditioned to you repeating yourself, they know they can take … Read more
Imagine if your students were able to perform every classroom routine and every transition perfectly without you having to say a word. Imagine only having to smile and say hello for the first ten minutes of every school day because they know exactly what … Read more
It’s easy to stick with your classroom management plan the first few weeks of the school year. You’re eager to make a fresh start, and your students are on their best behavior. By week three, you’re cruising. But then… slowly, imperceptibly, things start becoming routine, … Read more
During the first few weeks of a new school year, I try to identify students with natural leadership ability. Typically, two or three strong leaders will emerge from a class of thirty. My only criterion is that the other students look up to them. … Read more
You’re going to love this classroom management strategy. So much so that you may end up using it every day—maybe several times a day. It’s called ‘the power of one.’ The power of one is a proactive strategy you can use whenever your students … Read more
A typical time-out consists of 5 to 10 minutes of sitting at a desk separated from classmates. But for many students, this isn’t a strong enough consequence. For time-out to be most effective, your students need to feel the full weight of accountability. They … Read more
No, it’s not corporal punishment. It’s not bribing with Snickers bars. It’s not free time. The forbidden strategy I’m referring to has gotten a bad rap, but is so effective it’s used to train nurses, police officers, professional athletes, and opera singers. What is … Read more