There is a mountain of misinformation about how to manage difficult students. It’s on a never-ending loop. Cycling through every school. Wafting down every hallway. And passing from teacher to teacher. At best, it’s confusing, contradictory, and difficult to apply consistently. It also does little to actually change behavior. Because, you see, most advice on … Read more
The questions usually come via email. But I also get them face to face when doing personal coaching. They’re often asked with a hint of incredulity, as if what I write isn’t necessarily how I feel behind closed doors. “Aren’t there some moments that call for lectures, admonishments, and the like?” “Isn’t raising your voice … Read more
Effective classroom management is as much about what you don’t do. As it is about what you do. The mere absence of bad habits. The omission of certain teacher traits and behaviors. The removal of common but ultimately hurtful strategies . . . Can have a profound impact on behavior. It can also simplify your … Read more
When it comes to classroom management, you’ve got to pick your battles. So the advice goes. The idea behind the common saying that you can’t have what you really want. You can’t have a consistently peaceful room environment. You can’t have impeccable student behavior. You can’t have politeness, cooperation, and silent independent work. That would … Read more
Via negativa is a method of improvement whereby one focuses not on what to do to become more proficient. But on what not to do—which, for many, is an easier proposition. It’s a method that is especially effective for improving classroom management. Because, you see, bad teacher habits are a primary cause of misbehavior. They … Read more
After nine years of writing this blog and connecting with teachers all over the world, not much surprises me. I’ve heard just about every behavior issue and classroom management struggle under the sun. Many, ten times over. But there is one thing that still flabbergasts me. It’s the scores of teachers who have lost control … Read more
Forgive me if this article sounds like a rant. I don’t mean it to be. It’s just that . . . well, it’s a topic, or classroom management practice, that really bugs me. It involves a strategy many teachers and administrators use in response to misbehavior. And although I believe their heart is in the … Read more
It occurred to me while responding to a recent flurry of emails just how prevalent the myths are surrounding classroom management. They’ve become embedded in the teaching culture. Ensconced over time. They’re held on to tightly, often reverently, by those who seek to justify their struggles. Offering a ready-made excuse for unruliness and misbehavior. Or … Read more