The Game Plan Educational Solutions

Here's the secret to classroom management and facilitating student behavior: if you don't show your "buttons"---students don't know which ones to push to trigger you or elicit an emotional response from you. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​If you have self-control, you don't reveal your "buttons" (triggers).

And if you don't have VISIBLE "buttons", your students can't use their behavioral responses to bait you into accepting the release of their frustrations on YOU---it slides right off.

Boom.

The more self-mastery and composure you have, the more you can facilitate and de-escalate situations.

October Dump.

Highlights of my month: Halloween dance for sure.

Challenges of the month: consistency and missing my grandpa🤍🙏🏼

⬇️ What were some of yours?

In years 1 and 2 of my teaching career I used to close the door of my classroom, turn off the lights, put my head down on my desk, and wonder why I ever became a teacher. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​True Story.

As a teacher you will know, see, and hear a lot of things…in time, you’ll have skin so thick the earth’s crust layers will have nothing on you…

By remembering that students don’t know you enough to hate you, you will be able to detach when students resort to behavior to communicate a frustration in their life that may have NOTHING to do with you.

If you’re getting your feelings hurt by your students, you are giving the opinion of a frustrated 13-year-old, wayyyy too much importance!

By focusing on being empathetic to our students we are able to help them process their emotions, keep control of ours, and de-escalate situations that don't need to be escalated.

Here's the secret to classroom managment and facilitating student behavior: if you don't show your "buttons"---students don't know which ones to push to trigger you or illicit an emotional response from you. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​If you have self-control, you don't reveal your "buttons" (triggers).

And if you don't have VISIBLE "buttons", your students can't use their behavioral responses to bait you into accepting the release of their frustrations on YOU---it slides right off.

Boom.

The more self-mastery and composure you have, the more you are able to facilitate and de-escalate situations.

I distinctly recall, about 4 years ago, when I was ready to walk away from teaching. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​My students didn't like me, and a handful of them were requesting a random schedule change mid-year---telling their parents, each other, and my principal that they "weren't learning" (even though their scores proved otherwise).

It was a particularly tough year for me personally, and that brokenness showed up in my teaching---and I couldn't help it. I had only enough emotional energy to show up and do what I could, and as an over-achiever, it was killing me inside to feel like I was failing because I couldn't do it all or please everyone. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Until one day, my assistant principal came to my classroom for a walk-through (probably triggered by all the schedule-change requests) and at the end of the lesson after my class had been dismissed she commented what an amazing and well-constructed lesson that was, and that she just loved my teaching methods.

I bawled. I had never ever cried at work (during work hours) in my life.
All I needed was a reminder that even if it doesn't look pretty, you're STILL the bomb. You're still reaching those willing to listen. You are still doing what you can with what you've got. And that is all anyone can ask for.

Have you watched my latest vide on classroom management? ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​In this video I share 10 of the most common classroom management mistakes I've made in my own career, and in working with other educators.

If you want to have early access to all videos (plus some behind-the-scenes content!) join the League of Extraordinary Teachers on Patreon to become a supporter of this channel!

🔗In bio to join! See you there!

We've all had days where we are at our wits end.​​​​​​​​
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And then, our student says or does something that that completely make us SNAP!​​​​​​​​
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But here's the deal:​​​​​​​​
It is our responsibility as the adults to help our students de-escalate if, and whenever possible.​​​​​​​​
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And what does that mean for us as Teachers?​​​​​​​​
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We must have the skills, discipline and energy to regulate OUR own emotions. Because the fact of the matter is, if WE can't, or don't know HOW to self regulate, then how can we expect to help our students de-escalate THEIR emotions?​​​​​​​​
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A quick way to help yourself de-escalate is:​​​​​​​​
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1. ALWAYS taking at least 5 seconds to pause and Breathe.​​​​​​​​
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2. By focusing on the action or statement as a call for help; or an inability to express a thought--- not as a personal attack on who you are.​​​​​​​​
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3. Responding with a rehearsed response or action that will proactively de-escalate a situation.​​​​​​​​
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4. Taking mental wellness days seriously and disconnecting from work so you have the energy to self-regulate and de-escalate.​​​​​​​​
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This is just one of the many skills I teach in my Self-Paced Course, Teach Like an Inflencer Academy--- a program designed to help teachers systemize and facilitate efficient planning, effective and engaging lesson delivery, and inclusive classroom management for all learners.​​​​​​​​
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Now enrolling!​​​​​​​​
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To each their own😅, but one of the things I focus on with my teacher mentees, is their well-being. Teaching is such an all-encompassing profession, that requires SO much of our time, I quickly realized it didn't make sense for me to have a lengthy to-do list and complicated processes OUTSIDE of work as well. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​In simple terms, the criteria is this: if it requires additional (unimportant) decisions, if it is something you don't like doing, if it overstimulates you, if it doesn't recharge you or make you happy, if it takes away from your time to rest then what I tell my teacher mentees is to either:

1. Delegate
2. Automate
3. Eliminate

I know MY list isn't for everyone. This is simply what works for me. But the message is the food for thought: Where can YOU delegate, automate, or eliminate things outside of your teaching career to help create simplicity and relaxation OUTSIDE your work time?

If you need help getting organized, and learning how efficient teachers simplify, streamline, and organize their workflow to create more time and less stress, drop me a line in the comments by typing "ACADEMY"!

Whenever I used to hear "Collaborative Classroom Management" I grimaced. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​I thought, what do you mean let students help you come up with expectations?

What do you mean ask your students what they want?

What do you mean students will help manage their own class?

That felt like a recipe for disaster---one in which my classroom would be in complete chaos and I would be the teacher rookie who couldn't "control" her class.

But this is what I can tell you, now on the other side of that: Don’t be afraid to share management with your students! Sharing management doesn’t mean letting them do whatever they want. It’s about asking them what helps them feel safe, comfortable, and respected, and working together to set expectations that meet everyone’s needs.

In this way, accountability shifts to the students—you’re no longer the “policing” force, but rather a manager of the system they chose. Fewer power struggles, more cooperation. Because suddenly they're not YOUR rules—it’s theirs too! 🙌🏽

📽️Don't miss my newest video: CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES (*YOU'VE NEVER HEARD) by clicking the link in my bio!

I was lucky the school I worked for didn't really require us to call a certain number of students (with the exception of a few years) because I honestly hated making parent phone calls!

Mostly because the interaction made me nervous, and I dreaded the awkwardness of introducing myself to parents with complaints about their kids. I was setting myself up for snarky, defensive parent responses.

When you make your first point of contact with parents a positive experience, you are less likely to have unpleasant interactions with parents when you DO need their support with something relating to their learner.

If you prioritize connecting with parents the first 2-3 weeks of school, you can expect to have to make fewer calls over the course of the school year.

Now you might be thinking---Cecilia, I have nothing positive to say about this kid--- I don't want to lie!

This is why your first few weeks are great for reaching out when students are USUALLY at their best. Leverage this advantage to compliment and praise students.

This will prime parents to not be defensive, and if you don't abuse the parent calls (calling for EVERY LITTLE THING), they'll know if you're calling, it's because there's something you REALLY need their support with!

⬇️Does your school require periodic parent phone calls?