Student Discipline Achieved Through Cooperation

Deciding how to discipline students is decidedly one of the hardest parts of being an educator. Even little distractions by a student can break the concentration of your entire class. So, what is the best way to curb students' poor behavior?

Getting students to change their behavior is not as simple as issuing a consequence anymore. In fact, Ben Johnson, administrator, author, and educator says, "The real truth is that good discipline is not a one-sided endeavor, but it requires cooperation from both the student and the teacher -- as if they were dancing." Johnson shares some excellent insight for educators to ponder in his article, "The Dances of Student Discipline".

Connecting After the Course

A unique feature of Pepper is the ability to form your own personal community of people all over the country with whom you can share lesson plans, work samples, and ideas. Our discussion forum is an excellent way to get your feet wet. Simple click on the "Discussion" tab on the menu bar and post away! Connect with others who have taken the same course, post a new topic, or share your own thoughts about existing posted topics. 

Ways to Inspire Better Writing

We all know that practical application of skills engages students best. When they are putting skills into practice in everyday activities, they will remember them better and excel. Sean Hackney offers two great ways to help your students improve their writing skills by practicing, yet without feeling like it's more work. Hackney doesn't believe more writing is the answer. Instead, through the use of technology (blogging) and collaborating with peers, students can practice and hone their writing skills.

Take just a few minutes to read his latest article, "Field Notes: Writing as Conversation" at ASCD Express.