Do you use Silent Lunch, or do you teach lunchtime skills?
Date: May 29th, 2013
Watch this video [1:41] to learn why Silent Lunch is not a great behavior management technique, and what you might do instead.
Why is “never assume” my first rule of behavior management?
Date: May 23rd, 2013
There I was, veteran teacher, well-traveled behavior consultant, and what did I do? I broke my own first rule of behavior management: Never Assume. As in: never assume students know what to do, or if they know, that they will do it!
Should we pay them to behave?
Date: May 16th, 2013
Watch this video [1:12] to learn Polly’s unique take on using rewards to change behaviors.
Do I assume kids DO or DON’T have behavior skills?
Date: May 9th, 2013
Watch this quick video [0:45] to learn an easy way to avoid getting frustrated when your students don’t have good behavior skills.
Getting Billy to Yes from No, No, NO!
Date: April 25th, 2013
Five-year-old Billy is easy to spot. He is large for his age; his shock of black hair is tousled and dark circles sit beneath his eyes. His little blue plaid shirt is half untucked, and his black sneakers are worn. A bit of breakfast is stuck to his cheek. Billy is seated apart from the other kindergartners, all of whom are scrubbed and shiny looking. The classroom is calm and quiet except for the scratching of yellow pencils on paper.
Why I don’t call a behavior “inappropriate” or “unacceptable”
Date: April 18th, 2013
Watch this video [2:56] to learn why describing a behavior as “unacceptable” doesn’t help us change it, which is our goal.
Why I don’t like to send kids out of my class.
Date: April 11th, 2013
Watch this video [1:13] to learn why Polly thinks twice before sending one of her students down to the office, instead of managing their behavior herself.
How an Automatic Thought can totally rule your brain
Date: April 4th, 2013
Watch this video [2:33] if you think your Automatic Thoughts can’t totally dominate your actions. To manage a kid’s behavior, you first must have control over your own head.
How you can avoid power struggles with your students
Date: March 28th, 2013
Last month I wrote about watching one of my colleagues, Miss Hardy, a marvelous teacher, make four mistakes in a row when managing the behavior of Sylvie, a difficult student if there ever was one.
What is the REAL problem when a student violates the dress code?
Date: March 19th, 2013
Watch this video [1:12] to learn what the real problem is when students don’t follow the dress code or the rules about cell phones.
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