We’ve all seen it play out on the silver screen as if it were an epic western at high noon. The stern teacher fighting for control of the classroom. The unruly students battling to make their voices heard, or at least fighting to overcome that stern teacher.
Except, unlike in the movies, great classroom management isn’t about control.
It’s really about connection.
We want to create an environment where students feel safe, seen, and valued. We want to recognize our students for their unique talents, and more importantly, their individual dreams.
Our traditional methods for managing the classroom are broken. We focus on compliance because we feel like kids are inherently disruptive, and we might need to tame those students. This, however, is a mistake.
We need to begin from a place of trust. We need to see our students’ potential and recognize their dreams.
We need to connect to each of those individual dreams.
Find out where each of those students fits in.
Find out where they belong.
If they are not sure, we need to help them figure it out.
Your classroom doesn’t have to be a battleground. It doesn’t need to be a epic showdown at high noon.
Build a classroom community where students feel inspired, engaged, and eager to learn.
Build those connections. Inspire those dreams.
Rich