It’s the start of a new year! Day one is either right around the corner or has just recently taken place. The beginning of the year is filled with so many fresh faces watching your every move and listening eagerly for the next direction. With all this newness, it can be easy for students to Read More »
Continue Reading
MAY
09
2016
Reinforcing Language: Giving Middle Schoolers Supportive Feedback
Teacher language—the words, tone, and pace we use when we talk to students—may be the most powerful of all our teaching tools. After all, language permeates nearly every interaction we have with…
Continue Reading
Continue Reading
JUL
13
2015
Public Discipline Systems
Public discipline systems—like Class Dojo, stoplights, moving clothespins along a colored card, writing names on the board—can certainly be appealing. Some days can feel as if they’re spent just disciplining, and public…
Continue Reading
Continue Reading
JUN
04
2015
How’s Your Reinforcing Language?
Once June arrives, it’s tempting to focus on the more leisurely days ahead. That’s important to do—we all need rest and rejuvenation. But before you begin that well-earned downtime, pause for a…
Continue Reading
Continue Reading
JUL
18
2014
A Guide on the Side
It's still summer, but I'm thinking ahead to winter. I'm picturing writing workshop time mid-way through the year: Students are busy at the computers, working with an intensity that's balanced by smiles…
Continue Reading
Continue Reading
MAR
11
2014
Waiting to Speak
Recently, more than a handful of my first graders were struggling with waiting to ask questions or make comments during direct instruction. I responded by using tried and true teacher practices: giving…
Continue Reading
Continue Reading
JAN
03
2014
Reinforcing, Reminding, and Redirecting
Adapted from the new 2nd edition of The Power of Our Words
Continue Reading
Continue Reading
APR
16
2013
Naming What Children Can Do
Mr. Park's fourth grade class was the most impulsive and squirmy group of children he'd ever taught. Children speaking out of turn, talking to neighbors, playing with small objects, or making odd…
Continue Reading
Continue Reading
NOV
19
2012
The Value of Struggle
"When did your courage surprise you?" I was profoundly moved by this question when it was posed at a conference I attended years ago, and it came back to me recently when…
Continue Reading
Continue Reading
MAY
12
2011
Positive Reinforcement
Last week I took part in a panel discussion about the pros and cons of positive reinforcement on Rae Pica’s online radio show. Her producers asked me to join because they read…
Continue Reading
Continue Reading
MAY
10
2011
Class Clown
Question: I am a parent of a very bright second grader. He reads at roughly a fourth-fifth grade level and has very strong math skills. The problem is he seems to have…
Continue Reading
Continue Reading
APR
01
2011
What to Do About Tattling
"Jaime isn’t lining up in the right place." "Grayson said a bad word." "Olivia hit me!"I know from teaching young children myself how challenging it can be to face a seemingly endless…
Continue Reading
Continue Reading
DEC
01
2010
The Method of Grandmother
Chip Wood recently shared a link on the Yardsticks blog to TED talk by Sugata Mitra, an educational researcher who’s done some compelling research on child-driven education and technology. Midway through the…
Continue Reading
Continue Reading
NOV
30
2009
Use Reinforcing Language to Keep the Learning Going
Often, when I talk with teachers who have started trying out Responsive Classroom practices such as interactive modeling, they reflect, “Interactive modeling worked great for a while. My students did really well…
Continue Reading
Continue Reading
NOV
12
2009
Teacher Language & Transitions
In this video clip, third grade teacher Kerry Tuttlebee uses several different positive language strategies to keep students moving during a transition while maintaining control in the classroom. I am really inspired…
Continue Reading
Continue Reading
NOV
01
2009
The Power of Teacher Language
As the children come back from lunch, they are slow to quiet down. Calmly, the teacher rings a chime, a well-rehearsed signal for attention. She waits a moment until the last child…
Continue Reading
Continue Reading
NOV
01
2008
Gremlins
Miguel hunched over a blank page in his notebook, scowling and biting his lip. I approached him and whispered, "I see you're having a hard time getting started. Is your writing gremlin…
Continue Reading
Continue Reading
FEB
01
2007
Words That Encourage Positive Behavior
Question: What's one way you use language to encourage positive behavior?
Continue Reading
Continue Reading
AUG
01
2002
Powerful Words
In 1993, after teaching for twenty years, I still loved my chosen profession, but I often felt frustrated. It seemed as though I spent an inordinate amount of time on classroom management…
Continue Reading
Continue Reading
Current Category
Other Categories
Building Classroom Community
Building Schoolwide Community
Bullying
Challenging Behaviors
Classroom Organization
Classroom Rules
Conversation Skills
Encouragement
Engaging Academics
Family Connections
Language Arts
Misbehavior
Movement
Professional Community
Professional Development
Reinforcing Language
Sharing
Working with Families