The first two weeks of the school year is the honeymoon period. Students are eager and wanting to please. They’re bright and happy and on their best behavior. They take seriously your teaching of rules and consequences, and it shows. Which is wonderful, of … Read more
Here at SCM, we’ve talked a lot about the importance of consistently following your classroom management plan. Because it’s so, so critical. Not only does it play a big role in curbing misbehavior, but it’s also a factor in building rapport and developing trust … Read more
So I ran this experiment. And enough time has passed that I can now share it with you. Here’s what happened: I was halfway through the semester with a class I really enjoyed. I had prepared them well to start the year by employing … Read more
There is a secret a small cadre of teachers share that can drastically improve your class. It works in all situations and grade levels. It’s simple and straightforward. It causes a giant leap in progress—from behavior and listening to work habits and attentiveness. It’s … Read more
At this time of year, I often hear from teachers wondering if they should, or even can, start over again. Either they’ve been inconsistent. Or they didn’t teach their classroom management plan thoroughly enough the first time. Or they didn’t have much of a … Read more
One of the core tenets of SCM is to hold your students accountable for every rule violation. You do what you say you’re going to do. You follow through on your promises. Student breaks a rule and you enforce a consequence. It’s as simple … Read more
The tougher the class, the easier it is to be inconsistent. The easier it is to give in and lose control. Which is why when you have a challenging group of students you must be mentally tough. You must be, as Winston Churchill once … Read more
There are a number of reasons why you may not be as consistent as you’d like. It could be that you’ve gotten into the bad habit of trying to convince students to behave rather than relying on your classroom management plan. It could be … Read more