Be Consistent (Total Teacher Transformation Day 9) Classroom Management by Joel Wagner - May 12, 2009June 30, 20104 This is an article in the Total Teacher Transformation series. Click here for a complete table of contents. When I was a new teacher, I had some really good classroom rules and expectations and consequences all lined up. It was good on paper. Unfortunately, I didn't follow through consistently at all. If one of the "bad kids" did something out of line, WHAM, I was all over his misbehavior in an instant. If on the other hand, one of the "good kids" did the exact same thing, the one consequence was a smile and warning not to do it again. Human nature seems to lead us to pick favorites in our classes. These are the kids whose misbehavior we call "cute". We
How Do I Keep My School Administration Happy? (Or At Least How Do I Keep Them At Bay) General by Joel Wagner - June 12, 2007June 13, 20125 This article is part 6 of the series Questions That Will Save Your Career. Please read the other articles in the series.How Do I Keep My Students Quiet?How Do I Keep My Students Engaged?How Do I Keep My Students Interested?How Do I Keep My Students Learning?How Do I Keep My Students Away From Me?How Do I Keep My School Administration Happy?How Do I Keep My Sanity?10 Years of Teaching: How Do I Keep My Students Quiet?10 Years of Teaching: How Do I Keep My Students Engaged?10 Years of Teaching: How Do I Keep My Students Interested?10 Years of Teaching: How Do I Keep My Students Learning?10 Years of Teaching: How Do I Keep My Students Away From Me?10 Years of
Efficient vs. Effective General by Joel Wagner - June 6, 2007July 5, 20101 This week, I began reading The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss. It's an outstanding book. One of the points that he makes in the book is that of being efficient versus being effective. I have prided myself in some ways on being very efficient in most of the things that I do. There is definitely a place for efficiency. But is efficiency to be the goal of everything that we do? I propose that it is not. This can be seen in many things in life. An efficient pitcher in baseball is the one who throws the least pitches. And effective pitcher is the one who has the most results. Now, clearly being both effective and efficient should be the
06-07: What To Change Next Year General by Joel Wagner - June 5, 2007July 5, 20100 As we begin the summer vacation, I am looking back on what went really well this year, what didn’t work so well, and what needs to change for next year. Below are some of the changes that I intend to implement next year:Create a peaceful work environmentI have already changed the office setting in the new school where I will be. I have a clear desk my computer. and strive to keep it that way. I have a very calming desktop wallpaper and a clean desktop on my computer.RELAX MOREI seem to take things too seriously much of the time. I get bent out of shape when people don't do what I want them to do. Instead, I will do