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
A lucky few students—those cute, smart, and well-behaved ones—are accustomed to big smiles and open body language from their teacher. For others, though, it’s a half-hearted greeting and barely a glance. Some students are afforded the privilege of helping out in the classroom before … Read more
If you’re struggling with classroom management and wondering why, one of the first areas to examine is the personality you bring with you to the classroom. Many teachers become different people the minute their students walk through the door. Sometimes this is a good … Read more
Your lesson ends, the recess bell rings, and you release your students to the playground to let off some steam. But on the way you notice one of your students, call him Anthony, rudely shoving others aside on his way out the door. How … Read more
When you hear a teacher shushing students, it’s a good sign things aren’t going well. Behind tight shoulders, tired eyes, and index finger poised over puckered lips, you’ll find a teacher struggling to keep his or her head above water. Shushing students to quiet … Read more
Without spot-on classroom management, dealing with unruly students can be maddening. It’s easy to lose your cool. And when you do, when you yell, scold, and wag your finger, you’re often rewarded with immediate improvement. A thorough dressing-down can stop misbehavior in its tracks. … Read more
Teachers cause much of the misbehavior in their classrooms. True, students come to class with behavior issues and personal agendas. Some are prone to misbehavior and are difficult to deal with. A few may even enjoy trying to disrupt your class. But more often … Read more
There are a number of popular notions about classroom management that are widely accepted as gospel. But reality doesn’t always match perception. This is one reason why classroom management can be so confusing. “I just want to know what does and doesn’t work so … Read more