The Lesson Planning and Preparing Disconnect
Don't just plan lessons; prepare for them. Read Full Post >
Recently in Classroom Management Category
March 17, 2013
February 25, 2013
Lighter Classroom Atmosphere, Tighter Classroom Management
How a train whistle can improve classroom management and classroom atmosphere. Read Full Post >
January 31, 2013
A Peaceful, Loving, and Productive Start of Class
Connect with kids and set a positive tone by greeting students as they enter class. Read Full Post >
August 20, 2012
New Year's Resolution: Classroom Procedures, Not Rules
For educators the new year begins September 1, which means the time for resolutions is now, not January. And here's a perfect resolution for those of you who spend a lot of time and energy establishing and enforcing classroom rules: stop doing this. Instead, provide students clear procedures that wi... Read Full Post >
April 03, 2012
I'm Returning Your Tests, But Don't Look at Them
"I'm returning your tests, but don't look at them yet. Keep working on today's assignment." I've heard many teachers, including me, make requests like this, and then return students' tests--face down, of course. Yet rather than comply, students compare or complain. Compare scores: "I got an 85. Wh... 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 17, 2011
'Tis the Season for Two Kinds of R & R
I couldn't have been more relieved when winter break arrived my first year as a teacher. Two weeks of R & R. No lessons to plan. No papers to grade. And most of all, no kids to clash with. My break got off to a blissful start. I slept late, worked out, and spent time with family and friends. But af... 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 >
August 03, 2011
Controlling Classroom Traffic Without Patrolling It
In previous posts I gave suggestions for managing your daily supplies and documents. But there's one "thing" you manage that can't be stuffed into a tool belt or stowed in a bin: students. And since there are lots of them and only one of you, it's imperative that you control student traffic before ... Read Full Post >
July 30, 2011
The Deskless Teacher
Being anal retentive may not win you friends, but it sure pays off in the classroom where you're doomed if you're disorganized. Yet even if you're not a neat freak by nature, you can maximize teaching and learning time by disorganization-proofing your classroom. I previously suggested you do this by... Read Full Post >
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