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Smart Classroom Management - Education & Personal Development
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How To Handle Students Who Do Nothing Smart Classroom Management
I’ve been writing here at SCM for 15 years. 748 articles. 12 books and e-guides. Above all else, this takes focus. Which, in this day and age, I have to protect like a rare orchid. Otherwise, I’ll lose the ability to shut out distraction ... Read more
Why You Must Require Properly Spoken Language In Your Classroom Smart Classroom Management
I know full well the opposing arguments. It’s outdated. It’s subjective. It’s discriminatory. It’s discouraging. It’s culture-denying. But with the right touch and spirit of compassion, you’re helping your students immensely by encouraging clear and universally understood spoken language. Here’s why: It gives them ... Read more
Why You Should Limit Your Contact With Difficult Students Smart Classroom Management
Here at SCM we talk a lot about the importance of letting your classroom management plan do the work of improving behavior for you. About how this approach . . . Saves time. Lowers stress. Builds rapport. Embodies fairness. Engenders trust. Inspires respect. It’s ... Read more
Why You Must Say No To Pleading Students Smart Classroom Management
“Can we skip grammar practice just this one time?” “Can we have an extra day to do our homework?” “Can we do 10 math problems today instead of 20?” The requests are followed by a cacophony of sweet and impassioned pleas. “Please Mr. Fluffy! ... Read more
Why You Need To Freshen Up Your Class Routines Smart Classroom Management
This time of year things tend to get sloppy. Students are feeling the lazy pangs of summer approaching. It’s in the tea, the daily grind, and the changing weather. Left alone, this feeling will morph into poorer and poorer performance. Only you can do ... Read more
How To Avoid Dangerous Student Behavior Smart Classroom Management
The jettisoning of firm consequences in favor of a purely restorative approach has caused more dangerous behavior among students. It’s like nothing I’ve seen in 30+ years of teaching. Nowadays, a student can fight, bully, torment, throw chairs, and threaten a teacher without being ... Read more
What Is Effective Classroom Management? Smart Classroom Management
Well, it isn’t trickery. It isn’t manipulation, bribery, or intimidation. It isn’t lecturing or one-on-one counseling. It isn’t rewards or tokens, threats or “caught being good.” Although these and other common methods can dampen misbehavior temporarily, they don’t actually change it. In fact, they ... Read more
Why Orderliness Is A Predictor Of Classroom Management Success Smart Classroom Management
I can tell how effective a teacher is before seeing them in action. I just need a few minutes in their empty classroom during a typical day. If it’s orderly . . . Desktops clear and neatly aligned. Zero visible clutter. Floor free of ... Read more
Why "Pressure Passes" Are A Ridiculous Behavior Strategy Smart Classroom Management
Have you heard of pressure passes? They’re slips of red or yellow paper that allow difficult students to leave your classroom anytime they like. Yep, they just flash you the pass and then walk out. They’re all the rage among counselors and administrators, who ... Read more
27 Things That Make Your Classroom Management Plan Work Smart Classroom Management
Your classroom management plan is a small part of effective classroom management. It’s critical and absolutely mandatory, but by itself won’t get you very far. It’s the rest of it, primarily what SCM is about, that makes the plan go. A common refrain here ... Read more
Why You Should Never Fear Misbehavior Smart Classroom Management
If you stress over the possibility of misbehavior, then it’s a sign your classroom management is in need of an overhaul. You see, when you take on, mentally or otherwise, even an ant’s toe of what should be your students’ burden, you ease the ... Read more
Why Redirection Is A Bad Classroom Management Strategy Smart Classroom Management
Redirection as a classroom management strategy is common, accepted, and wholly uncontroversial. Touted from Baja to the Canadian Rockies and circumnavigating the civilized world, it’s recommended de rigueur without a second thought. “Just redirect” they say, so easy and breezy. It rolls off the ... Read more
A Fun Way To Walk Your Class Across Campus Smart Classroom Management
Typically, when I walk a class across campus I let them do so without my input. With as much independence as possible. It’s something I begin teaching on the first day of school and then slowly release to them as the days and weeks ... Read more
Why You Should Never Get Between Two Aggressive Students Smart Classroom Management
There was a viral video a few months ago of a teacher standing between two students who were arguing back and forth. The students were about a dozen feet apart. The teacher was facing one of the students when the other picked up a ... Read more
Why Public Education Is Failing And How You Can Fix It Smart Classroom Management
I happened to see an email from a teacher designating a list of students as those who would be assigned an “alternative” final project. Alternative in this case meant easier. Evidently, this group of students failed to meet a series of benchmarks leading up ... Read more
Why You Need To Bring More Humor To Your Classroom Smart Classroom Management
No, you don’t have to be riotously funny. You don’t have to prepare daily jokes and stories. You don’t even have to try to make your students laugh. But you do need to prioritize humor in your classroom. Have a spirit of laughter, a ... Read more
Why Time-Out Must Be Taught Smart Classroom Management
You don’t have to call it time-out. You can call it time away, reflection time, or anything you like. The name is unimportant. But what is important, critically, is that it must be taught. It must be explained in detail, modeled explicitly, and practiced ... Read more
How To Turn Around Difficult Students With A Simple Psychological Trick Smart Classroom Management
No, you’re not going to trick your students. Here at SCM, we oppose all manipulative practices of classroom management, which are unfortunately common in this day and age. (Think PBIS). We believe in honesty, transparency, and authenticity in all interactions with students. However, there ... Read more
The Best Of Smart Classroom Management 2023 Smart Classroom Management
Hello Amazing Readers, On behalf of SCM, I want to say “Thank you!” Your support sharing our articles and books and recommending our website keeps us going now into our fifteen year. We’re as excited as ever to bring you more of the simplest ... Read more
How To Avoid Holiday Misbehavior Smart Classroom Management
Misbehavior tends to increase as we edge closer to holiday break. It’s a phenomenon as old as Santa and just as predictable. But it isn’t inevitable. There are strategies that allow you to avoid the rise in rambunctiousness, excitable voices, and impulsively bad behavior. ... Read more
How To Handle A Bossy Colleague Smart Classroom Management
It could be a grade-level leader or department chair, co-teacher or seen-it-all veteran, or maybe a friend who teaches in the room next door. But we’ve all been there. We’ve all been annoyed by the bossy colleague who is constantly giving advice and pushing ... Read more
How To Handle Students Who Need Your Attention Smart Classroom Management
They’re needy and urgent. They follow you around and pull on your hem. They ask a zillion questions and expect your personalized attention. It doesn’t occur to them that you have other students, which drives you mad and stresses your willpower to the brink. ... Read more
How To Handle Unplanned Interruptions Smart Classroom Management
Things happen. Interruptions fall from the sky. Events and incidents out of your control invade your well-ordered peace like the hordes of Cimbri. A fire alarm. A student yelling outside your classroom. A schedule change. A recess downpour. Colleagues you count on drop the ... Read more
Why Some Teachers Continue To Struggle With Classroom Management Smart Classroom Management
I speak to a lot of teachers who’ve been struggling with classroom management for years. And I’ve noticed some common themes. I thought I’d share them with you. Because knowing the biggest hurdles and avoiding them, in any field of endeavor, is a shortcut ... Read more
How To Calm And Reset Your Classroom Smart Classroom Management
Your temperament will transfer to your students like Covid in a college dorm. Thus, your calmness from opening bell to dismissal is critical. That isn’t to say that you can’t be enthusiastic about your subject matter or that you shouldn’t emote, playact, and express ... Read more
A Simple Way To Improve Classroom Culture Smart Classroom Management
There is a simple way to improve classroom culture that works fast but actually moves the needle. To be clear, by improving culture, I’m referring to raising levels of . . . Respect Politeness Empathy Responsibility Work Habits The strategy I’m going to share ... Read more
How To Not Get Annoyed When Your Students Misbehave Smart Classroom Management
If you get annoyed when your students misbehave, then it’s going to lead to more misbehavior. Even if you don’t say a word. Your sighs, facial expressions, and body language reveal all there is to know about what’s roiling inside. Students prey upon emotionally ... Read more
A Simple Way To Attain Daily Improvement Smart Classroom Management
To be an effective teacher it’s critical to continually push your students to get better every day. There is no stasis. You’re either improving or you’re getting worse. It’s a phenomenon that holds true in most areas of life. That’s not to say that ... Read more
3 Powerful And Unique Ways To Model Smart Classroom Management
Going a day without modeling is like gardening without a trowel. Because modeling engages students. It draws them in and holds their attention. It removes any doubt about what you want them to do. It also provides purpose that motivates and dissuades misbehavior. But ... Read more
What To Say To Build Rapport With Students Smart Classroom Management
The SCM principle of being consistently pleasant has many and tremendous benefits. Chief among them is that it builds effortless rapport. By taking on an easygoing, good-humored disposition, your students will come to you and want to get to know you better. This in ... Read more
How To Respond To A Sudden Increase In Misbehavior Smart Classroom Management
Once in a great while, especially in the first few weeks of the school year, your students may test you to see if you really, really do mean what you say. Or sometimes there is bad luck involved . . . A fire drill. ... Read more
How To Handle Students Who Are Too Cool To Participate Smart Classroom Management
You spend precious minutes preparing a great lesson. It seems fun. It’s interactive. It gets students moving. And you’ve got a great story to introduce it. But just as you begin explaining to your class what they’ll actually be doing, you see eye rolls. ... Read more
How To Handle A Student Who Gets Angry When You Give Them A Consequence Smart Classroom Management
A student breaks a rule. You calmly give them a consequence. And they react badly. They sigh dramatically. They roll their eyes. They complain under their breath, glare at you, blame others, etc. This is very common in the beginning of the school year. ... Read more
Why You Shouldn't Pull Students Aside To Discuss Their Misbehavior Smart Classroom Management
Pulling a student aside for a chat about their misbehavior is a common practice. Intuitively, it would appear to make sense. —Which is why nearly every teacher does it. But the truth is, it’s a mistake that causes more misbehavior, not less. Here’s why: ... Read more
How To Never Get Angry And Transform Your Classroom Smart Classroom Management
What if while on vacation a coconut fell from a tree, bonked you on the head, and took away your ability to get annoyed at your students? You’d never lecture again. You’d never sigh, glare, or shake your head in frustration. You’d never scold ... Read more
13 Ways To Avoid Being A Stressed-Out Teacher Smart Classroom Management
You can’t just talk about your teaching-related stress. You have to do something about it. You have to make changes. Hoping it’s going to be better this year isn’t a solution. Only action will yield results. The power is in the doing, not the ... Read more
Why First-Day-Of-School Accountability Is A Must Smart Classroom Management
Last week’s article defined the conditions that must be met before enforcing consequences, which should be completed within the first hour of the first day of school. So . . . are you going to do it? Are you going to start holding students ... Read more
When To Start Enforcing Consequences Smart Classroom Management
Here at SCM, we believe you should start enforcing consequences as soon as possible (i.e., once the new school year begins). The quicker you’re able to establish a high standard of behavior the better. However, it must also be fair. Giving warnings and time-outs ... Read more
How To Improve Reading Scores Smart Classroom Management
Although outside my focus on classroom management, I’ve been asked again and again how I would improve reading scores. So here it goes. For context, reading scores are the lowest they’ve been in decades. Just 33 percent of fourth graders and 31 percent of ... Read more
How To Help A Bullied Student Smart Classroom Management
It’s in vogue these days to bring the victim of bullying and their tormentor together for a guided chitchat. Depending on the “practice” the teacher uses, the conversation can proceed a few different ways. I won’t bore you with the various methodologies, but the ... Read more