Professional reading – Tod Whitikar – What great teachers do differently – Chapter 10 ability to ignore

http://fves.blogspot.co.nz/2009/06/chapter-10-ability-to-ignore.html

Good teachers know the right time to take a stand, or go with the flow.

Great teachers dont automatically react to behaviours designed to get attention or illicit a reaction.

Effective teachers model self-control; their classroom management is grounded in their ability to manage their own behaviour.

Great teachers have the ability to ignore - but that doesnt meant the they ignore their students.

Study found that the best leaders ignore minor errors. Jumping down the throat of someone that commits a minor mistake can be hurtfull to the receiver and de-motivate them. This is especially so for High achievers as they are used to succeding and have lofty standards for themselves. Picking up on minor mistakes will only deflate them.

Implications for my future teaching -

In my daily teaching I constantly grapple with the conflict that arises between allowing lessons to flow by ignoring minor infractions, or taking a stand and clamping down on misbaehaviours to re-enforce expectations. I have noticed that it works well to be hypercritical early on in the day by immediately responding to innapropriate behaviour, setting the tone for the rest on the day.