It’s so easy to do. One of your smart, capable, polite, well-groomed, athletic, and/or charismatic students accidentally and ever-so-briefly breaks a class rule, and you smile and give them a gentle reminder. You trust them, after all. It was a mistake, after all. They … Read more
Okay, I won’t bury the lede. When students are doing, stop talking. Most teachers—yes, most—talk students through just about everything. Lining up to leave the room. Getting into groups. Starting work. Walking down the hall. Putting away materials. Playing a learning game. You name … Read more
Stress is crushing teachers, but there are things you can do to alleviate it. In fact, with a comprehensive approach, you can all but eliminate it. It’s a topic I’m hard at work developing here at SCM. (More details to follow.) But one of … Read more
Hello Amazing Teachers! On behalf of the entire SCM team, I want to say “Thank you!” Your willingness to share our website with your friends and colleagues keeps us going strong. I’m eternally grateful. 2025 marks our 16th year, and we have no intention … Read more
In the eyes of students, the following are lies: You have class rules, but don’t always follow them. You preach kindness, but don’t practice it yourself. You have deadlines, but accept late work. You promise interesting lessons, but don’t deliver. You teach routines, but … Read more
In Malcom Gladwell’s 2003 book Blink, he describes how experts can know what they know but not know why they know it. They experience a flash of recognition or vision of truth—a blink moment—based on years of past experience and know it to be … Read more
Kneeling down to a student’s eye level to discuss behavior or impart an important lesson is common practice. It’s recommended without second thought. Teachers do it every day. The idea is that it’s more effective and the student is more likely to heed your … Read more
Several years ago, a colleague confided in me that she was afraid to hold her students accountable because she was convinced that they would hate her for it. Some of her students were taller than her and looked like adults, which may have been … Read more