Wow, we made it! When the pandemic first hit and schools were closing, I wasn’t sure if I’d have enough to write about in 2020. As it turns out, I probably could have posted twice a week. We had some of our most popular … Read more
I read an article recently in which a teacher said he would no longer give failing grades during the pandemic. I get where he’s coming from, I really do. It’s a tough time for many students. But removing the bare minimum standard is a … Read more
Admit it. You can’t stand correcting daily work. It’s tedious. It’s boring. It’s stressful and adds hours to your work week. It’s also a colossal waste of time. Here’s why: Students don’t look at it. One of the worst kept secrets in teaching is … Read more
Because of Covid-19 and the staggering amount of preparation time required to start the new school year—whether online or in person—teachers are under enormous stress. There is so much to do, and not enough hours in the day to do it. There is, however, … Read more
Studies show that Black students are disciplined more severely than their White classmates for the same misbehavior. And the most common classroom management methods used today—with their subjective interpretations of misbehavior, token economies, and manipulative practices—are at least partly to blame. They’re rife with … Read more
I don’t read professional teaching books. I haven’t for many years. The reason is to keep my writing as authentic and untainted as possible. It must be based on what I see, what I experience, and what I have success using myself. Otherwise, I … Read more
Ever since schools shut down in mid-March, a small group of teachers, sprinkled here and there throughout nearly every school, has become even more overbearing than they were before. You know the ones. They dominate every meeting. They brag about and must share the … Read more
For the past several weeks, and as part of a new book I’m working on, I’ve been reading through the entire SCM archive of 560 articles. And I noticed something unusual. Every year or two there is an article that bombs. And not just … Read more