One reason many teachers struggle with misbehavior, disrespect, and the like is because they’re not strong leaders. In other words, they lack . . . Presence Confidence Boldness Courage They tend to have an external locus of control and difficulty grasping that they alone … Read more
Expect pushback and challenges to your authority during the first few weeks of school, especially if you teach in an exceptionally challenging environment. It’s normal, and it’s okay. You see, for now your students aren’t who they really are (or who they can become). … Read more
Stress is not only bad for your health, but it makes you a worse teacher. It causes you to . . . Lose your cool. Raise your voice. Be unlikable. Worst of all, however, is that stress brings tension and excitability into your classroom, … Read more
Your personal 2023-24 Smart Classroom Management report card is here! To review, the SCM report card is a rating system that revels the extent to which you followed SCM during the past school year. It evaluates your strength and weaknesses so you can use … Read more
Many years ago, before I started SCM, a district administrator who knew of my fascination with classroom management came to see me. She wanted me to visit a teacher at a nearby school. She didn’t tell me why, only that I would enjoy it. … Read more
For students who are motivated and determined to do well, group work is an exercise in frustration and unfairness. They do all or most of the work. Yet the grade is shared. And although they would love to say, “No, I’m not doing it … Read more
I know full well the opposing arguments. It’s outdated. It’s subjective. It’s discriminatory. It’s discouraging. It’s culture-denying. But with the right touch and spirit of compassion, you’re only helping your students by encouraging clear and universally understood spoken language. Here’s why: It gives them … Read more
Well, it isn’t trickery. It isn’t manipulation, bribery, or intimidation. It isn’t lecturing or one-on-one counseling. It isn’t rewards or tokens, threats or “caught being good.” Although these and other common methods can dampen misbehavior temporarily, they don’t actually change it. In fact, they … Read more