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I have some pretty exciting news for regular readers of this classroom management blog.  I’ve been writing classroom management articles online for some time now.  Yes, it takes a long time to do, but sharing classroom management tips and tricks really does make me happy.

And receiving praise for your work is always nice.  Especially when you’ve been doing that work for free, just to help other teachers out there.  Well, over the past month I’ve written about 20 effective classroom management articles. 

And guess what? Today EzineArticles.com sent me a nice email, praised my work, and then awarded me EXPERT author status.  It seems that my classroom management articles have provoked a strong positive reaction with the EzineArticles readers.

I feel even more inspired now to share my classroom management ideas and tips with as wide an audience as possible.  I’ll speak  to you soon

Well, I’m getting more comfortable with all of the technology out there by the day.  I showed this classroom management blog to a friend today and he was amazed when I told him that I’d built it myself.

And I’m not surprised that he was so impressed.  When I think about the skills that I’ve learnt this year I get impressed!  It wasn’t that long ago when I could barely use a spreadsheet, and now I’m building websites.

But I’m not stopping there.  Whether it’s articles, or videos, or whatever, I’m going to leave no piece of technology unturned as I strive to spread the word about effective classroom management!

So with that in mind I’d like to introduce my latest classroom management project.

Drum roll please……

I’ve gone and made a Squidoo lens!  No, this is not a piece of modern art, but rather a pretty cool piece of web 2.0 technology that allows me to spread my message even further.  Don’t worry by the way, I had never heard of Squidoo or Web 2.0 until recently either!

>>> http://www.Squidoo.com/Classroom-Management-That-Works

Check it out at the link above and let me know what you think.  Wow…my effective classroom management roadshow just keeps rolling on doesn’t it?!

Okay, enough of the self adulation for this week!  I’ll be back in the coming days with yet more effective classroom management tips….

Fresh from the exciting news regarding Infet yesterday, I have some more great news.  No, corporal punishment hasn’t been brought back into schools (just kidding!).

The news is much bigger than that….

My quest to spread classroom management tips and techniques as far and wide as possible has been rewarded yet again.  No, not a knighthood from the Queen.  No, not a call from the President.

Instead, I’ve been invited to join the Sites For Teachers Community.  Regular readers of this classroom management blog know how I feel about recognition from my peers, and so I’m obviously excited about this development.

Sites For Teachers is basically THE place to find an absolute ton of FREE teaching resources by the bucket load.  Visit the site now by clicking the link below!

I know the anguish that classroom management problems can cause.  You feel alone, frustrated and even worthless.  I know, because I’ve been there. 

Yeah, I don’t feel like that anymore, but I know that there are thousands of fellow teachers out there that are experiencing the pain of classroom management problems.  And they are going through this emotional turmoil right now.

Helping these fellow teachers is the main reason why I decided to launch this classroom management blog.  It’s the main reason why I spent months slaving away creating Classroom Management 101.

And I’m going to be completely honest with you now.  Even though this whole process has taken such a long time, it’s been worth every second that I’ve devoted to it. 

Why?  Because already I’ve received several emails thanking me for my advice in Classroom Management 101.  Thanking me for giving them hope again. 

Putting myself out there in this way wasn’t easy.  It took guts to write a book on a topic such as classroom management.  But when I receive such positive feedback that all just fades away. 

Which is why when I received an email today from Infet.co.uk I was so delighted.  You see, not only did they have positive things to say about my book.  They also gave me a ‘recommended by Infet badge’ to display proudly on my site.

And let me tell you now.  This kind of recognition from my peers is worth its weight in gold. 

Like a 7 year old celebrating his birthday with his shinny, round badge, I’ll be wearing by badge with pride.  If websites could puff out their chests then my shirt would be popping through your screen!

Enjoy the site, and as always get in touch by clicking here for any reason at all.

Wishing you a peaceful classroom.

Proudly sponsored by Infet!

What do cute babies and classroom management have in common?  Okay, not much, but if you’re looking for classroom management that works, then you might want to check out the video below.

But before you do.  Where did it all go wrong?!  One minute they are small, cute, buddles of energy.  And the next they are running around your classroom causing you classroom management hell!

Answers on a postcard please.  All I know is that it’s hard to imagine some of the challenging students in my school ever being anything other than teacher tormenters! 

Enjoy the video and let me know what you think…

Okay, you can all stop emailing, because at long last Classroom Management 101 is live! 

An incredible amount of work has gone into this project which will hopefully provide YOU with the skills and tools needed to claim back your classroom FOREVER.

Go check out what all the fuss is about NOW by clicking here right this second. 

Okay, I’m still determined to learn as much technology as possible so guess what.  I’ve gone and made a YouTube video!

Yes, I’ve gone and made a video as a way of promoting the classroom management tips on this blog.  Please, let me know what you think, but don’t laugh too much!

Perfect classroom mangement here we come

Well, the remaining two reviews are back for my Classroom Management 101 book.  And guess what?  Yep, my smile is even bigger than yesterday.  They loved it, and I really am as happy as can be.

Writing Classroom Management 101 has been a real journey for me, and I find it incredibly scary having my fellow teachers review my work.  It makes me feel like a pupil again!

The great feedback meant that I could have spent the last few days relaxing, instead of worrying about the reaction to the book.  I knew the book would great a reaction, and I guess the lesson is that in futur,e I should have more confidence in my ideas.  But then again, teachers must be the most critical of all reviewers so you forgive me for being a little bit nervous!

I’m just putting the finishing touches to the chapter list, and a couple of other small things that need doing, but it should be ready VERY soon indeed.

I’ll let you the exact release date as soon as I have it.  In fact, readers of this blog will be the very FIRST to find out

What is it about wet weather that makes children go crazy?!  Okay, maybe crazy isn’t the best choice of word, but they do go a little wild.  I teach secondary school in the UK, all the way from 11-18 year olds, and it astounds me how hyped up the kids get when they’ve been kept inside due to the rain.

And where I live, we get a lot of rain!

I can understand that they get frustrated as they want to be outside, and that they have a lot of ready to burn energy, but sometimes the way they come back into school shocks me just a little.

Of course, if you have a wide range of effective classroom management strategies up your sleeve then you can quickly get your class under control. 

But I still find it astonishing how hyper the students are after a rainy break time.

The forecast for tomorrow is more rain, so I better make sure that I’m on the ball, and think carefully how I’m going to proactively manage their behavior.  As with all types of poor student behavior in the classroom, if you proactively manage the outcome, the you take away a LOT of the stress during the lesson.

Well, at least I have ANOTHER reason now to emigrate to a sunny country…

I received a few emails today from people asking what ‘Classroom Management 101 - Secrets of Effective Classroom Management….Revealed’ actually is, and when it will be released.

Put simply, Classroom Management 101 is going to be THE definitive guide to classroom management.  If you’re experiencing poor pupil behavior then this book will show you where how to get it under control.  And fast!

I’ve been considering writing a book on Classroom Management for years, and now it’s become a reality I’m genuinely overjoyed.  Just the thought of helping out one struggling teacher makes the whole project start to feel worthwhile. 

Sending out draft copies for review was a big deal for me.  I know that I have excellent classroom management skills (sorry to blow my own trumpet!), and I know that my new book contains a ton of effective classroom management strategies.

BUT sending out a book you’ve written - even when you’re sure of the quality, is daunting to say the least!  I know that Classroom Management 101 contains enough useful classroom management strategies to help EVERY teacher out there, but would my peers agree?

Well, let’s just say that the reviews have been pleasing

I asked 9 teachers to review the draft copy, and so far 7 have returned their feedback…

And the results?

6 Excellent and 1 very good!  AND a ton of very pleasing comments as well.  I’ll post some of the reviews on this site in the coming days (just to show off more than anything else!).

Now I just hope that the other 2 reviews to be sent back are favourable too but judging by the first batch of testimonials I’m pretty sure they’ll be excellent too.

I’ve off now to enjoy my wide smile!  Having fellow teachers tell me that my book was excellent really has made my day….

I’ve had quite a few emails over the past couple of days (well 2 but it felt like a lot!) asking me what is classroom management.  Since classroom management  strategies forms a huge part of what we do as teachers, I’m guessing these nice people emailing me aren’t teachers themselves.

But, in an effort to stop the stampede of emails (is 2 really a stampede?!) I thought I’d answer the ‘what is classroom management’ question here.  Put simply, classroom management is all about using strategies within the classroom to influence the behavior of the students that you teach.

Some people think that classroom management is only effective if you control the behavior of your pupils, but actually control is impossible.  Effective classroom management is where you influence the behavior of the students you teach in a positive way.  We all have free will, and teaching has changed.  You will never achieve total control over anyone (unless you’re a hypnotist which sounds fun!), but you can influence the behavior of others.

And here’s the thing.  Influencing your students so that you promote positive behavior in the classroom is actually a lot more powerful than just trying to control it.

So there you have it.  The answer to the question what is classroom management solved forever.  Hopefully people will find something else to email about or my inbox will be very lonely by tomorrow!

Well, the UK bank holiday is over, and today I returned to school.  Now, I love my job, and I genuinely enjoy teaching every single day, but I still find it hard to return to school after a lovely long bank holiday.  Especially when the weekend has been so much fun!

Once I’m actually back in school though, it’s a different story, and I enjoy every second.  Is the same true for other teachers out there?  I’m not so sure.  A quick straw poll at lunchtime highlighted just how much some of my peers disliked their jobs.

When I was chatting to them, it was clear that they were all passionate about education.  For most of them, teaching is all they’ve ever wanted to do. So why do they all dislike teaching so much, and why are so many of them wanting to leave the profession or switch schools?

Well, my highly un-scientific, stroll poll showed that poor student behavior was the reason so many teachers are unhappy in their jobs.  And my observations around school back this up too.  The teachers who enjoy their job the most and the ones who have the best Well, the UK bank holiday is over, and today I returned to school.  Now I love my job, and I genuinely enjoy teaching every single day, but I still find it hard to return to school after a lovely long bank holiday.  Especially when the weekend has been so much fun.

Once I’m actually back in school though, it’s a different story, and I enjoy every second.  Is the same true for other teachers out there?  I’m not so sure.  A quick straw poll at lunchtime highlighted just how much some of my peers disliked their jobs.

When I was chatting to them, it was clear that they were all passionate about  education.  For most of them, teaching is all they’ve ever wanted to do. So why do they all dislike teaching so much, and why are so many of them wanting to leave the profession or switch schools?

Well, my highly un-scientific, stroll poll showed that poor student behavior was the reason so many teachers are unhappy in their jobs.  And my observations around school back this up too.  The teachers who enjoy their job the most and the ones who have the best classroom management skills.

It’s such a shame that so many dedicated, and talented teachers leave the profession each year, simply because of deteriorating student behavior.  In fact, it makes me really angry. 

So what can be done about it?  Well, that’s a question for a another post or 20, but one thing’s for sure.  In the vast majority of cases, it simply isn’t the teachers fault that the behavior of the students they teach is so poor.  But it’s such a shame that so many talented professionals want to leave the job because of it. 

Wow, I have to say that I’ve managed to surprise myself with how well this blog seems to be running at the moment.  Day 2 and I’d had imagined crashing pages, broken links and worse….but at the moment the Classroom Management 101 blog seems to be running surprisingly well.

Fingers crossed that it continues that way in the coming days!  Fixing classroom management problems is one thing I’m good at.  Fixing broken websites is one thing I guess I’ll be very BAD at!

I hope that everyone is enjoying their weekend so far.  Here in the UK it’s a bank holiday tomorrow which means no school until Tuesday.  If you’re reading this from some place where you don’t have a day off tomorrow then I’m sorry to rub your noses in my good fortune!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend…

Wishing you a peaceful classroom!

After I posted my first post it occured to me that I didn’t really explain why I’m so incredibly passionate about promoting effective classroom management in the classroom.  Let me explain why.

When I started to train to be a teacher I was placed in a very rough, low achieving school.  Student behaviour was poor to say the least.  And the class that I had to teach my subject to 4 times a week were no better.  In fact, I’d go as far as to say they were probably the worst class in the whole school.  If not the whole world.  Okay, I’m exagerating, but it’s my story!

They were pretty bad.  Before I had to teach my first lesson I was up all night worrying about how I was going to control this rabble. Sorry to call them a rabble, but if you could see the class you would think I was being generous!

When the lesson came I was literally shaking with fear. My hands really were trembling.

 And so how did the lesson go?

This is the point where you will be expecting me to say that it went great, and that my amazing classroom management plan promoted excellent student behaviour.

Erm, well it didn’t! 

In fact, if I’m honest the lesson was a disaster.  I’d imagined some pretty horrible outcomes before teaching the lesson, but what actually happened was far worse.

So you may be wondering how did I go from a classroom management nightmare, to wanting to write a blog about classroom management tips and strategies.

And here’s why.  Not long after the lesson I sat down with my training course leader and explained the whole story.  He listened, nodded, and was understanding.  And he gave me some great advice.  Really, truly great, classroom management advice.

He believed strongly in positive and proactive classroom management, and he explained in detail how to use this model to promote good student behevior. 

What he told me that day inspired me.  It truly did.

There was no miracle.  My lessons didn’t certainly become amazing, and I didn’t become a classroom management ‘guru’ overnight.  But when I implemented what he told me my classroom management skills improved hugely. 

And more importantly he sowed a seed soemwhere deep inside that made me want to learn more about this stuff.  And I did.  Fast!  On my next teacher trainee placement my skills were unrecognizable from the months before. 

I had literally turned my greatest failing into my greatest strength.

And I owed it all to my very generous, and very clever course leader. 

You see, we are all passionate about something.  I just happen to be very passionate about sharing classroom management tips and strategies. 

So much so that it provoked me to write a book AND to write a blog.

To this day I am as passionate about effective classroom maangement as I was after that conversation.  I’ve left my course leader’s name out of this blog for privacy reasons.  But he know who he is.  To you sir, I say thanks!

Classroom management isn’t really that hard.  It just seems hard when you’re struggling.  But it doesn’t have to be.

I just hope that I can help share what I learned with someone out there and make it all a bit easier for you…

Wishing you a peaceful classroom!

Welcome to the first post of my effective classsroom management blog!  Those who know me will tell you that this project has been a long time in the making.  In fact, I’ve been planning to launch a classroom management blog for a considerable amount of time.

Why? Put simply, effective classroom management is the difference between a happy teacher with high achieving students, and a stressed out teacher with students not achieving their potential.

Sure, there are shades of grey in the middle, but there is no doubt that effective classroom management is of critical importance when it comes to the enjoyment that you and your pupils get from your lessons.

Well, that explains why I think classroom management is important, but it doesn’t explain why I’ve decided to write a blog about it.  Next time you are on Google have a look how much good information you can find about effective classroom mangement in the classroom.  My guess is that you won’t find much.  I certainly can’t and I’m pretty good at finding things online

So since I like learning new skills so much, and since I’m so passionate about good classroom management, it seemed like a great project to take on. 

I’m pretty new to this blogging stuff however, so please be patient with me if things don’t quite appear as they should.  I already have enough problems with my girlfriend nagging me, without having hundreds of you emailing to tell me that I messed up my blog, in some weird technical way!

Hopefully over the coming days and weeks I can share my own classroom management ideas and tips, and in the process help you to make your classsroom a more positive learing environment. 

That’s the plan anyway!

The aim of this blog though is not just for me to have fun.  The real aim is for you to learn some new classroom management ideas.  So if there is anything that you would like to see covered on this blog, please get in touch and I’ll see what I do:)

Wishing you a peaceful classroom!