Do you follow your classroom management plan yet still struggle with behavior? Do your students seem unfazed by your accountability measures? Do they return from time-out with a shrug, no more inclined to follow your rules than before? Then chances are you’re interfering with … Read more
As a third consequence of your classroom management plan, I recommend a letter home to parents. But probably not for the reasons you may think. I can’t emphasize enough that consequences for misbehavior are only a small part of classroom management. By themselves, they … Read more
In my previous article I wrote about how a warning should be your first consequence. This week I’m going to explain how to give a warning so it will have the greatest impact on student behavior. Here we go. The Purpose Of A Warning … Read more
I’m frequently asked whether I recommend giving a warning as a first consequence. My answer is an emphatic yes. Giving a warning eliminates the need for three commonly used strategies that make classroom management more difficult. Teachers who struggle with classroom management tend to … Read more
Why does it pain teachers to hold students accountable? Why are some so quick to ignore misbehavior, look the other way, or make excuses for it? Accountability is important, right? So what’s the problem? I have a few ideas. Teachers are slow to hold … Read more
World-class archer Kristin Braun practices six hours a day trying to do the impossible. Standing 230 feet from her target, she takes a deep breath and, while simultaneously lifting her bow into place, draws a steel-tipped carbon arrow. She peers over her left hand, … Read more
At Thanksgiving dinner, my grandfather used to blurt out whatever was on his mind, interrupt others while they were talking, and dominate the conversation. I was a grade schooler at the time, but if I could, I would have put him in time-out so … Read more
If you’re looking for elaborate or decorative classroom management ideas, you won’t find them here. Though prevalent, such ideas are unnecessary, even counterproductive, for classroom management. On this site, we’re focused on only two things: 1. What works best. 2. What is simplest for … Read more