Stomp the Elephant > Tips for School

Start every semester with students answering two prompts on 3X5 cards: “What do I want to learn in this class this semester?” and “Why I want it.”
Give a sincere and specific compliment to your administrator.
During each class, find one thing that one of your “hidden and quiet” students does right and let them know privately that you are watching their success.
Eliminate the word “don’t” from your classroom management strategies.
Start saying “walk please” during hallway duty (rather than “don’t run!”).
Tell your star student that you are expecting great things from him/her and then ask, “What are your ideas to make this semester productive and enjoyable for you?”
Ask the entire class, “What are your ideas to make this semester productive and enjoyable?” Involve all students’ ideas for classroom management by creating a poster that summarizes their key ideas (and be sure to include your ideas too).
Each Friday have students write down one comment, question, concern, and compliment (to peers or you) and hand it in on the way out the door.
When students come to you with a complaint or challenge, ask them
- what specifically is not working,
- then ask them what they do want instead,
- then ask them why they want it, then ask them how will they get started.
Occasionaly, as class is beginning, ask the entire class to write down how they will add value to class today just by how they operate.