Taking Developmental Considerations Into Consideration
Teachers need to have high expectations of students, but also reasonable expectations of students. Read Full Post >
Recently in Behavior Management Category
June 17, 2013
May 09, 2013
Behavior Management Must: Tell Students What and Why
Prevent behavior problems by telling students what to do and why they should do it. Read Full Post >
February 04, 2012
Maslow's Hierarchy Hits Home
In my first post on this blog, here's what I wrote about my early struggles as an urban teacher: Just six weeks in, and with my classroom already up for grabs, insult and injury came when I was decked by a stray elbow while trying to break up a fight in class. As it turned out, though, this physical... Read Full Post >
January 07, 2012
Stop Disciplining, Start Diagnosing
Doctors don't prescribe drugs or reach for a scalpel the moment a patient reports symptoms. Doctors diagnose first, and treat second. Coaches don't cut players from the team every time they're in a slump. Coaches determine what's wrong with a player's shot or swing or stroke, and then work with ... Read Full Post >
December 09, 2011
Controlling Teacher, Out of Control Classroom
Great teachers maintain control of their classrooms. They do not, however, control their students. In fact, show me a teacher who tries to control students, and I'll show you a classroom that's out of control. One way many teachers try to control students is through disciplinary rules and punitive ... Read Full Post >
December 02, 2011
Student Attitude Adjustment or Teacher Attention Adjustment?
Like a lot of teachers, I believed at first that attention-seeking students needed attitude adjustments. So when kids acted out, I not only punished them but also preached to them about changing their attitudes. But nothing changed until I concluded that the best way to modify someone else's behavio... Read Full Post >
November 20, 2011
Strategic Group Selection--By Teachers, Not Students
When I worked in business, managers--not the people they supervised--decided who would work together on a project. This made sense, since they were in the best position to objectively determine which staff members would provide the right combination of skill, teamwork, and other qualities to ensur... Read Full Post >
May 13, 2011
Bad Students or Bad Situation?
At last month's Education Week webinar, Addressing Diverse Student Learning Needs, I stressed the importance of breaking from classroom traditions that are no longer--and may never have been--in students' best interests. One such tradition occurs every day in countless early childhood and elementa... Read Full Post >
May 10, 2011
Responding--or NOT Responding--to Misbehavior
It's hard--really hard--not to respond to misbehavior as soon as you notice it (something I've experienced as both a teacher and parent). Often, however, the best response is a delayed response or no response at all. Here are a few guidelines: Distinguish inappropriate behavior from disruptive beh... Read Full Post >
April 30, 2011
No More Timeouts for Tardiness
Some teachers greet tardy students with shame: "That's your third time this week, Charles!" Others prefer sarcasm: "Nice to see Erica has decided to join us." Then there are those who are welcoming: "Good morning, Mario. Take off your jacket, and please join us." And in many cases, teachers follow u... Read Full Post >
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