WHAT WORKS IN EDUCATION The George Lucas Educational Foundation

Log In

We share evidence-based K-12 learning strategies that empower you to improve education.

Featured:

Comprehensive Assessment: A New York City Success Story at School of the Future

Featured:

John Seely Brown on Motivating Learners (Big Thinkers Series)

Featured:

How to Thank a Teacher

Blogs on Discipline

More Blogs on DisciplineRSS

More Positive, Not Punitive, Classroom Management Tips

Larry FerlazzoApril 29, 2013

Tags Best Practices, Classroom Management, Discipline, Teacher Development, All Grades

This article is adapted from Larry's new book, Self-Driven Learning: Teaching Strategies for Student Motivation.

In the previous excerpt from this book, I shared some specific strategies for positive classroom management. Here are a few more.

Positive, Not Punitive, Classroom Management Tips

Larry FerlazzoApril 16, 2013

Tags Best Practices, Classroom Management, Discipline, Teacher Development, All Grades

This article is adapted from Larry's new book, Self-Driven Learning: Teaching Strategies for Student Motivation.

Let's start with a question I've been asked on more than one occasion.

"I know my content and like my students, but sometimes it's hard to get them under control so I can teach my lesson. What tips for classroom management can you give me?"

Defusing Power Struggles: It's Not About Getting the Last Word

Dr. Allen MendlerNovember 12, 2012

Tags Classroom Management, Discipline, , Student Engagement

Mrs. Nelson is teaching a lesson when she notices Mason's head on his desk with distracting noises coming from him. She cruises his way while still teaching, leans in as she nears him and quietly reminds him to sit up and stop making noises. As she walks away and resumes teaching, Mason mumbles an inappropriate epithet that contains denial of the deed and offensive language. Other students sitting nearby turn their attention away from the lesson, collectively showing a look along with a few "oohs" that unmistakably challenges their teacher with the question, "What are you going to do about it?" Mrs. Nelson stops the lesson, stares at Mason and in a scolding manner asks, "What did you say?" The power struggle is on!

Fair Isn’t Equal: Seven Classroom Tips

Dr. Richard CurwinOctober 23, 2012

Tags Classroom Management, Discipline,

In last month's post, I mentioned that there are two skills that separate great teachers from good ones. I explained that the first skill is the ability to reframe student behavior, to see it in new ways. Today I want to discuss the second skill: knowing how to treat students fairly by not treating them the same. Allen Mendler and I introduced the idea that fair isn't equal to the education community in 1988 in the first edition of Discipline With Dignity (an updated, more comprehensive explanation with examples is provided in the current edition). Since then, nearly all of the educators who have used our model have seen remarkable results when resolving a wide range of behavior issues. In short, treating students in a fair -- but not equal -- way works.

Reframing: Seeing Students in a New Way

Dr. Richard CurwinSeptember 21, 2012

Tags Classroom Management, Discipline,

There has been a lot of talk lately of what makes a good teacher. It is easy to make lists of hundreds of values, skills and attributes that make for good teachers, but there are two skills that separate the good teachers from the great ones. One skill is the ability to "reframe" a situation for students, which I will discuss today. The other, which I've mentioned in earlier posts, is the recognition that "fair is not equal." I will devote next month's post to some specific teaching techniques which build on this.

Dogs as Role Models: A Lesson in Classroom Management

Dr. Richard CurwinAugust 17, 2012

Tags Classroom Management, Discipline, Leadership,

One of the questions I am most frequently asked is, "What do I do when several students act out at the same time?" Without resorting to S.W.A.T. gear, there are at least two methods that work almost all of the time. I learned them in a very unusual way.

Discipline and School Spirit

Maurice EliasJuly 26, 2012

Tags Classroom Management, Discipline, , Teacher Development, All Grades

Summer is a good time for reflection, and I have been reflecting on why, after so much education research, and so many years of educational practice, we still seem to be struggling to find "what works." So my next two blogs will look back at the words of folks who have thought about social-emotional aspects of education, written about them, and created successful and effective efforts to promote them.

How to Make Consequences Work

Dr. Richard CurwinMay 25, 2012

Tags Best Practices, Classroom Management, Discipline, Education Reform, , Student Engagement

Along with Dr. Allen N. Mendler, my close friend and co-author of several books, I have spent a great deal of time promoting the use of consequences over punishments. We define a punishment as what is done to us (detentions, suspensions, checkmarks on public boards, calls home), and a consequence as what we do to ourselves (learning new behavior, helping others). This new behavioral and social contract system uses values, rules and consequences as the main components of an effective school or classroom plan for discipline.

What's the Secret to Effective Classroom Management?

Maurice EliasMarch 21, 2011

Tags Classroom Management, Discipline, , All Grades

David Brooks, New York Times columnist, NPR media commentator, and author of the new book, The Social Animal, knows the secret to a classroom that is productive, engaging, and well-managed.

David Brooks, New York Times columnist, NPR media commentator, and author of the new book, The Social Animal, knows the secret to a classroom that is productive, engaging, and well-managed. Read More