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What Works in Public Education

Readers' Survey 2007: What You Wish You Had Learned in Your Degree or Certification Program

by Edutopia Staff

Crowd Control

You may have been up to your thorax in rubrics while earning that hallowed teaching degree, but once you're finally, blessedly, in charge of your own class, you realize one issue quickly bubbles to the surface: classroom discipline. That is, keeping the little darlings focused on the curricula while dealing with the ups and downs of thirty or so students, many of whom haven't learned to operate their emotional regulators. Other wish-I-had-known topics include how to communicate with parents and learning more about the technology that could be used to enhance classroom learning.

Our Take

Don't Despair

If you're worried you don't have a handle on your class, you're not alone, and there are plenty of resources to help. One of the best is the The Really Big List of Classroom-Management Techniques , an online directory of sites that offer ideas tailored to elementary and secondary education. Specifics at this online air raid shelter for when you're feeling overwhelmed include tips for handling special education, organizational strategies, ways to prevent behavior problems, sample classroom rules, and information on new products and services. There are even resources for those who question the basic premise of classroom management.

NEXT PAGE OF READERS' SURVEY: Best technology product for less than $100

2007 Readers' Survey Home Page

This article was also published in the April 2007 issue of Edutopia magazine.