Well, teaching should be rewarding, but all too often we as teachers finish our days feeling less than rewarded. Why is this?

If you ask a hundred teachers, you might come up with two or three dozen different reasons why we aren't as satisified at the end of the day. Basically, our dissatisfaction comes from three main categories:

• too much pressure to increase student performance
• not enough classroom organization/feeling disorganized and ineffective
• a general lack of motivated and cooperative students

Wouldn't it be nice if there were some sort of simple system that would help?

Luckily for all of us, there is! I've been teaching in the middle schools for a dozen years, and there is no way I'd still be there if I hadn't developed a teaching system that works!

It's a simple system that translates easily to any subject or grade level. And, best of all, it helps alleviate all of the above issues.

Here's your step by step list designed to help you increase students' performance, organize your classroom more efficiently, and motivate students to do their best every day:

1. Run a list of your students' names. Across the top of this list, write out categories of behaviors you need to have a smooth classroom experience. I have five categories: materials, homework, disrespect, NFD (not following directions), and tardy.
2. Show this list to the students, and teach them what each of them means. Demonstrate the expected behaviors! Show them exactly what it means to be tardy. Does tardy mean "in the classroom when the bell starts ringing" or "seated on their seats when the bell is done ringing" or what? What qualifies as disrespect? NFD? Explain all this to the students. Take the time to answer questions.
3. Create a reward that students get for not receiving marks when they violate these classroom rules. In my classes, students who receive three marks do not receive the reward. Middle schoolers love free time outside since we don't have recess. Every Friday, we take the last thirty minutes to go outside and, of all things, PLAY! This Fun Friday is very motivating for my students. Students who received three marks or more that week don't get Fun Friday. They stay in with a different teacher and read silently or get caught up with their work.
4. Be consistent. Each week remind students of this system and what the Fun Friday is for that week. As students receive marks, note them down on the class sheet. If a student gets two marks, remind them that one more mark means Frown Friday.

Why does this system work? It works for a variety of reasons.

• It removes my ego from the classroom setting. When a student violates a classroom rule, it isn't perceived as a threat to my standing as a teacher. Rather it is simply a mark.

• It removes the argument from the classroom. When a students receives a mark, if they want to argue with you about why they received a mark, ask them, "Do you understand why you received a mark?" If they reply no, tell them calmly and evenly, "See me after class and I will explain it to you." 99% of the time, that student never stays to discuss their behavior with you.
• This system allows the student to become responsible for monitoring their own behavior. No longer does the teacher have to "fix" each problem from each student.
• This system promotes mutual respect in the classroom. This shared respect motivates student. You can connect more meaningfully with your students and draw upon this connection to motivate your students.

I can't state enough how important a consistent implementation of this system is for your success. Teachers who can adopt this strategy consistently will be successful classroom managers. Teachers who arbitrarily assign punishment based on how emotional they are at that moment will always be less effective than the teacher who calmly and consistently reinforce positive expectations.

Good luck!