Guest Post: Classroom Management – Donald Trump Style

  In today’s guest post, Sam Rangel (@samrangelSITC) from SuccessintheClassroom.com explores some of the key elements of an effective classroom management approach, sharing the benefits of his 20+ years middle school (Yrs 6-8) teaching experience in California, USA.  As a new teacher, I’ve found the SuccessintheClassroom blog to be an extremely relevant & practical professional learning […]

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Cracking the Hard Class

As a relief teacher, I’ve come across many tough and extremely challenging classes, taught by graduate and experienced teachers alike. Walking into, and taking control of the ‘hard class’ is one of the greatest challenges of my job, and I have learnt that there is no “one size fits all” approach. These classes are hard […]

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A Focus on the Teacher’s Attitude, Actions & Management Approach

The classroom teacher’s attitude, demonstrated through their words, actions, body language and management approach, is the most significant factor in successfully working with challenging students. My father taught me that “when dealing with people’s problems, you need to lift the bandaid to understand why they behave as they do”. I believe teachers can play an […]

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What is a “problem” or challenging behaviour?

A ‘problem’ behaviour is a particular behaviour, defined by its context, intensity, and frequency, which is expressed in an inappropriate social situation (Conway, 2005, p. 211). While a student’s ‘problem’ behaviours may offend, annoy, or irritate their teachers and peers, they are rarely meant to be spiteful. Such behaviours are associated with poor social skills, […]

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The “Theory of Bumps”

The “Theory of Bumps” (Bennett & Smilanich, 1994) is a framework which guides teachers’ responses to student misbehaviour along a continuum of severity. The Key Principles of the “Theory of Bumps” An effective teacher expects and plans for student misbehaviour as a natural part of the learning process. They aim to prevent or reduce the […]

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The Conscious Competence Ladder: The Four Stages of Skill Development

As I learnt in Graduate Module 1, there are four stages in skill development, and this has particular relevance to teachers’ use of behaviour management strategies.    I am currently seeking permission to reproduce a definition of this model from the MindTools website. Until then, please visit this link for a full definition. The Four Stages […]

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Part 2 – My Jigsaw Approach to Classroom Management

Back in 2008, my reflections on my school experience and professional reading led me to develop a practical construct to describe my classroom management approach. The result was: My “Jigsaw” Approach to Classroom Management Key Ideas 1. The classroom teacher’s attitude to student misbehaviour underpins the effectiveness of their management response. 2. A safe learning […]

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