Note: This week’s YouTube video, The Secret to a Well-Behaved Class, is an important one that applies to all classrooms (K-12). It’s a must watch. Now, on with today’s article: We’re down to a week or so before holiday vacation, which means we’re nearing the … Read more
Public education is a mess. Toxic coddling has destroyed it. There is no “rigor” or accountability. Standards are staggeringly low and students have few boundaries. If you speak up on campus, you’re either ignored or gaslighted. Every approved and accepted method of classroom management … Read more
It’s not because it’s unnatural to you. It’s not because of your age, lack of experience, or personality. It’s not because of where you work or how many challenging students are on your roster. The reason you’re bad at classroom management is because you … Read more
No, not freely. Students should never be allowed to talk socially in class whenever they wish. However, when narrowly defined, giving your students the option to talk with their friends for a minute or two during the school day is a smart idea. Here’s … Read more
Smart Classroom Management now has a YouTube channel. Our plan is to post long-form videos that cover the core principles of effective classroom management. Think of it as a classroom management school to take you from novice to expert. Our new video is called … Read more
There is a classroom management strategy that hums along in the background of the most effective teachers. You can’t see this strategy. It isn’t applied once and reused when needed. It isn’t a step-by-step, how-to process. I don’t believe it’s ever been revealed in … Read more
While observing classrooms, it’s common for me to see students staring at screens during independent reading time. Chromebooks mainly but also tablets and, in some cases, even phones. But, why? Are screens better at improving reading than actual books? Do they deepen comprehension, speed … Read more
At the end of every school year we post a report card for teachers. The purpose is to assess the extent you were able to follow the principles of Smart Classroom Management. The exercise takes just a few minutes, but the experience is invaluable. … Read more