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How to Spend Less Time Managing and More Time Teaching

Other than our students themselves, time is the most important resource in any classroom. How time is spent is a key predictor of whether and how much learning will occur. The more time we spend managing behavior, the less time remains for teaching and learning.

Of course, there is no magic wand that transforms distracted and disengaged students into fully committed and persistent learners. Some classes and students present more behavioral challenges than others, especially when one considers different learner populations and their unique needs. However, there are several strategies we can tap to shift the learning environment and create conditions under which students are more likely to choose acceptable and productive behavior.

This crucial shift involves reducing our reliance on compliance to shape and manage student behavior and increasing our influence on student choices and actions. Compliance can make a difference when we are present or when consequences are imminent, whereas influence changes how students think, feel, and decide, regardless of our presence. Here are eight high-leverage practices that we can adopt to reduce our reliance on compliance and increase our access to influence.

We can start by building credibility and demonstrating predictability. The trust and credibility we have with students form the foundation for much of what happens in the classroom. Students want to know that we will keep our promises, demonstrate expertise related to our instruction, and be consistent in what we expect and accept. They also want to feel our interest in their success and to be assured that we will be there to help them if they struggle. Students want to know that they can depend on us to be emotionally stable, consistently present, and focused on nurturing their learning.

We build on this foundation by connecting our expectations to the purposes they serve. When students understand the reasoning behind our expectations, they are more likely to accept and try to meet them. We may need to take additional time early in the year to discuss expectations, the roles they play, and what meeting them looks and feels like. Of course, we also need to reinforce expectations when students forget and fall short. Expectations connected to clear purposes invite students to cooperate rather than resist.

We can reduce distractions and off-task behavior by designing, teaching, and reinforcing routines that provide clarity and certainty in classroom life—as much as possible, anyway. Clear procedures, dependable schedules, and consistent transitions make acceptable behaviors easy for students to practice. Consistent storage and easy access to tools, materials, and other resources can reduce student frustration and confusion. Similarly, having consistent structures for student discussions, collaboration, and group work can reduce off-task and unproductive behavior.

We lessen resistance by offering opportunities for autonomy and ownership. Students are more likely to accept and support what they choose and create. We might start by having students participate in establishing classroom rules and norms. Where practical, we might give students choices about learning tasks, strategies, and demonstrations of learning. Students can also play meaningful roles in setting learning goals and monitoring progress. Additionally, we might engage students in discussions and reflection regarding their experiences in the classroom and how they might be improved.

We can engender additional cooperation by prioritizing questions over commands. Rather than telling students to “get to work,” we might ask them what their first step will be. When students are off task, we might ask what they think they should be doing rather than immediately directing them to the intended task. By framing guiding questions rather than issuing commands, we invite students to think, self-evaluate, and modify their behavior rather than resist a directive. These types of questions also preserve students’ dignity and promote responsibility.

We further enhance the learning environment by focusing more on progress than on problems. There is an adage that where we give our attention is where we will spend our time and energy. Confirmation bias shows that when we spend most of our time looking for problems, we will find said problems—and we might even create more of them. On the other hand, when we focus on where we see progress, even in small increments, we are likely to see more of it. Students respond to what they see in our behavior. If we expect, notice, and celebrate progress, they are likely to respond by trying to produce more of it.

We can make the environment even better when we commit to correcting with respect. It is inevitable that students will occasionally engage in unacceptable behavior. It is important that the behavior be addressed, but we need to be careful not to sacrifice our relationship with students in our correction. Our approach needs to communicate respect without accepting the behavior. Our consequences should be logical rather than punitive. We need to be brief, calm, and as private as possible. Our goal should be to restore learning, not embarrass, shame, or ostracize. In the process, we need to remain focused on the behavior as the problem, not the student. Misbehavior may be a decision, but it is not a character flaw.

Finally, we can foster greater learning commitment by building student confidence through competence. Students find it difficult to commit to learning when they doubt they can succeed. We might start by scaffolding difficult work. As students make progress, we can celebrate, gradually remove scaffolding, and nurture independent learning. The more students experience success that they see as their own, the more confident they become, the more learning risks they are willing to take, and the longer they will persist when they struggle.

We want to spend our time teaching, not managing behavior. Fortunately, we can shift the balance by intentionally building structures, creating focus, and nurturing relationships that reduce the temptations and opportunities for students to get off task, off track, and offline.

August 28, 2026

Five Practices to Build Early-Year Momentum

Once the school year is underway, we face the challenge of establishing routines, setting a pace, and creating a rhythm to carry our instruction and, by extension, student learning forward. We may be eager to introduce the curriculum and move forward with what we have to share with students, but success with these priorities depends on creating a solid context and processes to support what lies ahead.

A successful launch to the new year will require some patience, discipline, and focus from us. Time spent in the first weeks of school helping students practice routines, develop confidence, and refresh their learning can make our work with students in the coming weeks and months significantly more successful. Let’s review five start-of-the-year practices that can position our students and us for success in the year ahead.

Observe before expecting. We may have ideas and hold assumptions about what students should know and be able to do, but we must remember that what students bring to our classroom may vary widely due to a number of factors. Some students may not have fully grasped past learning or may have forgotten much of what they have learned. They may have had a summer filled with distractions and trauma. Or they may have engaged in activities that accelerated their knowledge and built new skills. The truth is that students will begin the year where they are, not where we expect or want them to be. By taking time to observe what students know, how they behave, and what they may be ready to learn, we can gain insights that inform our planning and guide our instruction in the coming weeks.

Prioritize progress over perfection. We want students to find success. Yet, we need to remember that learning is a journey. Perfection may be a goal, but expecting perfection can be a recipe for frustration and disappointment—for our students and for us. The gap between where students are and where they are going will be closed by effort and progress. We need not lose sight of where we want to take students, but we must be realistic about the length and nature of the journey. Prioritizing progress is a better strategy than expecting perfection, especially in the first few weeks.

Go slow to go fast. The beginning of the new year, those first few weeks when we meet and begin getting to know our students, is the time to focus on building a foundation for the rest of the year. Relationships built in the initial weeks can create a foundation of trust and reassurance that can prevent future resistance and conflict while building cooperation and commitment. Time spent refreshing concepts and renewing skills can save time and frustration later as students encounter more complex ideas and build new capacities. We may worry that we are off to a slow start, but momentum fueled by confidence and competence can easily make up for lost time.

Repeat to automate. Students do their best when they know what is expected and when they are comfortable and confident with routines. We may think that a few repetitions should be adequate for students to learn and follow daily procedures, but when students are still trying to find their place and hoping to fit in, this type of learning can take longer than we expect. Rather than place a number on how many times we will explain and repeat, we might continue until students no longer need reminding. While getting started may take longer than we anticipate, well-established routines and expectations can pay rich dividends as the year unfolds.

Assume positive efforts and intentions. Student behavior in the opening weeks may be erratic and unpredictable. Some students will withdraw until they feel a sense of belonging. Other students will act out and even be defiant until they feel assured in their relationship with us. Still others may test our boundaries and expectations until they are confident that we are serious and will follow through. In response to these varying and sometimes confusing behaviors, seeking to understand the reasons behind the behaviors we see will be more productive than drawing premature conclusions or assuming the worst of students. Unfortunately, when what we assume and expect is negative, we are more likely to encounter more negativity. Students often need time and a fresh start. We can help by assuming students’ intentions are positive—or at least suspending judgment until we have more experience with them.

There is much to do and think about in the initial weeks of the new school year. We might find ourselves wanting to immediately launch into the curriculum and leave relationship building, routines, and expectations for later, yet this is usually a mistake. Trying to correct and undo unacceptable and unproductive behaviors and processes usually takes more time and effort than establishing a strong foundation from the beginning.

August 19, 2026

The #1 Predictor of How Your Day Will Go

Whether we intend it or not, our mood sets the tone for what will happen even before class begins. Students notice and interpret our facial expressions, the tone of our voices, and other nonverbal cues from the first second they enter the classroom. What they observe can influence their behavior, their level of engagement, and even their learning.

Students supplement this initial information as they experience our patience, pacing, and flexibility. When students sense that we are calm and steady, they are likely to respond with cooperation and regulation. If they sense that we are tense and stressed, students may escalate their behavior or withdraw, particularly students who are especially sensitive or who may have difficulty dealing with negative adult emotions. It is also the case that when students sense that we are positive and enthusiastic, they are more likely to respond with engagement and enthusiasm.

Beyond how students respond, our mood and attitude drive what we notice, how we interpret what happens, and how we choose to respond. Consider these examples:

Our mood can influence what we expect, and what we expect can determine what we find. If we expect students to misbehave, we instinctively look for misbehavior, and as a result, we are more likely to find it; this is called confirmation bias. Even if the misbehavior is small, it may confirm our expectation and lead us to respond and, in some cases, escalate the situation.

Our attitude also influences how we interpret what happens. If our attitude is sour or we are feeling frustrated, we are more likely to assume negative intentions and seek to assign blame. For example, when a student misbehaves, we might interpret what we are seeing as a moment of frustration or as the student having trouble controlling their emotions—or we may interpret the behavior as a sign of personal disrespect. The same behavior can lead us to choose very different responses. Of course, our choice may also determine what comes next, and the situation may improve... or deteriorate.

We might think about this series of actions and reactions as a cycle. Our attitude determines what we see, how we interpret it, and how we respond. Students react to what we say and what we do. We respond to how students react to us, and students interpret and respond again. If the initial signals and stimuli are positive, the probability of a positive cycle will increase. If the initial signs and signals are negative, the possibility that a cycle of negativity and frustration also grows.

The good news is that we can influence our mood and modify our attitude. We might think that our outlook is determined by what happens to us, but in reality, our mood and our attitude are choices. They are driven not by what happens to us, but by how we choose to respond to what happens.

Sometimes we need to change our attitude or improve our mood. Or we may need strategies to keep our mood positive and our attitude in a good place. When we face either of these challenges, here are some strategies to consider:

Find and focus on two or three positive things during the day that you look forward to or expect to be successful. Shifting your focus can also improve your mood.
Create physical closure after each class. Erasing white (or black) boards can signal a break in focus and readiness for a fresh start. Closing computer programs and applications, arranging materials and notes, and other signals that you are about to start something new can help to flush negativity and get ready for what is ahead.

Recharge between classes. It may sound easier said than done, but even just taking a few slow breaths and closing your eyes for a minute of quiet can provide benefit. Stretching tense limbs or drinking water can signal to your mind and body to leave behind any stress or negative feelings and refocus on what is next.

Establish a beginning, mood-setting ritual. Playing music, greeting students at the door with eye contact and names, and starting with a predictable, low-stress routine can set the stage for predictability and positivity.

Reframe negative emotions and assumptions. Rather than assuming negative motivations for behavior, consider whether students are dealing with something you don’t know, struggling with regulation, or demonstrating a need to learn a skill to help them modify and control their behavior. Lead with curiosity rather than judgment and frustration.

Be ready to reset if the class starts with or descends into negativity. Choose a go-to strategy to interrupt impending chaos and refocus the mood in the room. Consider having students take a quick brain break or do a short think-pair-share while recalibrating your mood. You might even tell students that this is a good time for everyone to reset and try again.

Look for and celebrate micro-wins. Attitude adjustments cannot always wait for big successes. Finding small wins, noticing that things are going better than we expected, or noticing a student who is showing improvement can shift our outlook and leave us feeling more positive and optimistic.

Attitudes are remarkably contagious, and students are exceptionally susceptible to our feelings. The fact is that our outlook, our expectations, and our responses can have a profound impact on how students experience their day and even how well they will learn.

Of course, our attitude and mood can also have a powerful impact on how we experience our day. By recognizing how we are feeling, choosing to take a positive approach, and engaging in mood-improving activities, we can shift the trajectory of our day and leave everyone feeling and doing better.

April 02, 2026

Seven Indicators That the Year Is Off to a Good Start

We dedicate significant time and energy to preparation for the start of a new school year. Our attention is focused on arranging materials and equipment, learning everything we can about our students, setting the stage for the first several days, and hoping that all will go well. Predictably, not everything goes as planned. There are pleasant surprises, some unexpected challenges, and other “wrinkles” in our plans and expectations with which we need to deal.

As we move beyond the initial phase of structuring, expectation setting, and getting to know our students, our attention shifts to how well our early efforts are taking hold and our students are responding, and whether we are on track for sustainable success. Of course, we probably have a sense for how things are going, but it can also be helpful to have some signs and signals to monitor and assess our progress. Here are seven indicators we can consider.

Students greet us easily and positively as they enter the classroom. Eye contact, smiles, and verbal greetings are signs that students are comfortable with us, and positive relationships are forming. Of course, we need to be positioned to have them comfortably encounter us by standing at the door, greeting students by name, or otherwise positioning ourselves to welcome students.

Students are following established routines and transitions are smooth. It is a good sign if we are spending less time managing behavior and more time is available for instruction, discussion, reflection, and practice. Of course, behavior management will always be necessary. It is the gradual shift in balance that is important to monitor.

Students remind each other of classroom rules, expectations, and routines. Once students understand and are confident in what is expected of them and their behavior, they can be quick to notice when other students ignore or do not follow established norms. This behavior can be a sign that students are no longer relying entirely on us to enforce expectations and classroom culture is forming.

Students are active participants in class discussions and activities. As students become more comfortable and confident, they are more likely to ask questions and seek help when necessary. We can also monitor the levels of enthusiasm and engagement students show during activities.

Students are connecting with classmates. Obviously, some students will have existing friendships and students may be making new friends. Our attention needs to extend to whether we see obvious cliques forming, conflicts emerging, or efforts to exclude classmates.

Students generally submit assignments and complete tasks on time. Our monitoring might focus on whether students are giving adequate attention to detail and are striving to produce quality work. When students are demonstrating good work habits, time management, and organizational skills, the stage is set for a successful year.

Students seem willing to take learning risks, tolerate mistakes, and accept feedback. As the cadence of the school year settles in, we can begin to observe how students see themselves as learners. Confident learners are more likely to accept risks and mistakes as part of the learning process, while uncertain and reluctant learners are more likely to avoid risks and see mistakes as evidence of their lack of ability. How well students accept and use feedback can be a key indicator of how well students see themselves and are likely to grow as learners.

A good start to the school year makes the remainder of the term or year better. Continuing to build and sustain momentum is much easier than trying to establish connections, create focus, and build culture once negative patterns are set.

A final thought: If you are part of a co-teaching or other type of instructional team, it is important to set consistent expectations and provide consistent responses when students need reminding and redirection. If adults are not on the same page, students will quickly notice, and some may choose to exploit the situation to our detriment.

September 04, 2025

Five Student Behaviors to Recognize and Reinforce Daily

It is no secret that students learn more from us than what can be found in the formal lessons we teach. In fact, students often learn more from what we notice, what we ignore, and what we avoid than what is in their textbooks, the curriculum, or the standards they are expected to master.

Students often repeat what we say, imitate what we do, and embrace what we value. Consequently, it is important for us to be planful and strategic about what we notice, call out, and hold up in response to student behavior.

We know that if we spend most of our time correcting unacceptable behavior rather than reinforcing positive, appropriate behavior, many students will misbehave just to receive our attention. On the other hand, when students recognize that expected behavior is noticed and reinforced, they are more likely to adjust their behavior in that direction. This insight is one of the secrets of good classroom management.

The dynamic is also at play in more subtle and nuanced ways relative to specific behaviors. What we notice and reinforce every day, and in every circumstance, sends a message to students about what matters and the behavior patterns they should develop. When we focus our attention and recognition on specific circumstances and student actions, our influence can be even more pervasive.

Let’s examine five student behaviors that are closely associated with success in school and life. When we consistently recognize and reinforce these behaviors, we teach students their value and deepen their impact. We also increase the likelihood that students will see these behaviors as part of their identity and continue to practice them long after they leave us.

The first behavior is hustle. Students who hustle give consistent effort. They are often self- starters who need minimal encouragement to begin tackling a problem, practicing a skill, or completing a task. Self-starters frequently do more than the minimum or what is expected. They give consistent effort and look for ways to move ahead.

Also important is persistence. Students who demonstrate persistenceconsistently show up ready to work, even when it is hard. Persistent students keep going even after a setback. They push through struggles while looking for better approaches and more effective strategies. These students are committed to finding success and remain confident even before the outcome of their efforts is assured.

Another behavior that is closely associated with success is mastery of mistakes. This behavior should not be confused with carelessness. These students are willing to take learning risks that may lead to mistakes because they see mistakes as lessons to be learned and opportunities to try a difference approach. They accept mistakes as temporary, natural parts of learning.

Still another key success-generating behavior is optimism. These students are not unrealistically positive. They understand that learning and other efforts may be difficult, and they know they will experience setbacks. But they also believe that if they give their best effort and remain patient, the situations they face will improve, and they will eventually succeed. These students are more likely to see opportunities in difficulties than to become distracted by what is frustrating to them.

The fifth behavior is curiosity. Admittedly, curious students can sometimes be a challenge for us. They may ask lots of questions, have an active imagination, or present a unique perspective on the topics and issues at hand. However, their curiosity can be a powerful learning tool. Curiosity can open doors to possibilities, uncover hidden insights, and suggest new approaches to explore. In fact, curiosity is so powerful that it alone can overcome the typical learning challenges associated with poverty. We need to do all we can to preserve and nurture our students’ curiosity.

We might choose to formalize our recognition of these behaviors into daily shoutouts, weekly acknowledgments, or periodic awards. We just need to be certain that any student, regardless of academic performance, can receive them. Meanwhile, we need to remember that it is our daily recognition and reinforcement that will make the greatest impact.

July 24, 2024

We’re In Your Corner!

Other than our students themselves, time is the most important resource in any classroom. The more time we spend managing behavior, the less time remains for teaching and learning.

The Master Teacher Blog

How to Spend Less Time Managing and More Time Teaching

Five Practices to Build Early-Year Momentum

The #1 Predictor of How Your Day Will Go

Seven Indicators That the Year Is Off to a Good Start

Five Student Behaviors to Recognize and Reinforce Daily

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