15 Tricks to Transform Yourself Into a Favorite Teacher

Ramona writes: I am a first year teacher struggling with classroom management at the elementary school level. I have some logistical challenges because I don’t have my own classroom and travel between classes and schools with a cart. I also have almost 300 different students I see every week. But mostly my problem is that I don’t like to humiliate children and make them feel bad, which seems to be what most classroom management looks like. Of course a child feels embarrassed if you administer some kind of punishment to him or her in front of the whole class. But it seems like if I don’t do that, the kids will walk all over me and I will quit (sooner rather than later) out of frustration and exhaustion. But is my own survival in the profession more important than kids’ feelings? This is the kind of thing I am struggling with. Any thoughts?

I have learned that one of the best punishments is to withhold compliments. I attended a clinic about beginning band at the Texas Music Educators Association clinic a few years ago taught by Charles Menghini. Since I can’t seem to find the clinic handout anywhere at my house or anything, I’ll paraphrase to the best of my ability.