Why You Need To Make One Classroom Management Commitment Right Now Smart Classroom Management

Now that your school year is over, it’s time to make a commitment.

By commitment, I mean never going back. Never giving in. Never allowing yourself any other possibility. Iron-clad locked, guaranteed, and assured.

What’s done is done.

The commitment I want you to make is to follow your classroom management plan to a T by enforcing a consequence every time a student breaks a rule.

—Regardless of who, what, when, where, or how.

This commitment is one you make to yourself. Although you’ll benefit with well-behaved students, and your new class will benefit from the peace it brings, this commitment is deeper than the benefits.

It goes to the heart of who you are as a teacher and leader and what you’re capable of. Yes, I know the idea of following your plan without wiggle room can be daunting.

I know there is fear and trepidation. I know the desire to please students in the moment and that some days giving a warning for a minor infraction is the last thing you want to do. Resistance can be a powerful foe.

Do it anyway.

Do it for your self-respect. Do it for the thrill of boldness and the growth of your influence and abilities. Do it for a shot at being great at what you do.

Supervise, witness, and act without hesitation. Then repeat and endure. Press on until it becomes a habit. You and your class will be rewarded beyond your imagination.

Now, it’s important to point out that before you can follow through successfully—that is, without drama, resentment, and massive pushback—you have to teach, model, and practice your classroom management plan with your students.

You have to eliminate all gray areas so that you both know precisely what does and doesn’t constitute breaking rules. You also have to know how to follow through.

But the reason I want you to make this commitment now is so that you can sit with it. You need time to think and get used to the idea of the new you. You need time to gather your courage.

You need time to marshal your mental fortitude and determination over the summer to get you through the initial moments of weakness and second thoughts.

But there is good news on the other side.

Once you get through the challenges to your authority, the immature reactions, and the skepticism that you really do what you say, you’ll begin to experience the rewards of your commitment.

And they’ll be amazing, regardless of where you teach or who is on your roster. This, in turn, will keep you on track and far from the temptation to ever go back.

Before long, being a leader your students deeply respect and admire will just be who you are.

PS – The Kindle version of The Smart Classroom Management Way is 50% off this weekend. The promotion starts early Friday and ends Sunday at 11pm PT.

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