There are those rare teachers, perhaps one or two at every school site, who pride themselves with how late they stay after school. It gives them a kick, a buzz from feeling that they’re going above and beyond for their students. They like the … Read more
It’s common for teachers to send difficult students to the office. Fed up with the interruptions, the silliness, and the overt disrespect—and after so many threats and warnings—they haul the offending child down for some face time with the principal. Some schools require a … Read more
Happy New Year! And thanks for being a regular reader of Smart Classroom Management! From the bottom of my heart I want to thank you for your continued support of SCM. Your generosity in sharing your favorite articles with your friends and followers keeps … Read more
If there is one classroom management mistake made more often than others, it is the practice of giving reminders after misbehavior has already occurred. It’s so common, in fact, that it passes the lips of many scores of teachers daily—even hourly—in schools from Fresno … Read more
One of the most common email questions we get is . . . “What about students from disadvantaged backgrounds?” The question never ceases to knock me back on my heels because, truth be told, every strategy on this website has been developed in classrooms … Read more
There is a pervasive fear in teaching that if you’re not on top of your students every moment—coaxing, guiding, advising, directing—you’ll lose control of your classroom. If left unchecked, this fear turns otherwise easygoing men and women into micromanagers, hovering over their students like … Read more
Trying to persuade students to behave is one of the most prevalent methods of classroom management. This is why it’s so common to see teachers huddled privately with students—trying to push the right buttons, searching for the right words to say, attempting to convince … Read more
Classroom management shouldn’t feel difficult. If you’re straining, trying hard, and feeling heavy burdened, if you’re stressed-out and exhausted at the end of the day, then something is amiss. You see, exceptional classroom management is knowledge based, not effort based. It’s knowing what works … Read more