Teaching is such a circus, and to keep the show going year after year, there are some classroom practices to protect and some to ditch.
As a new teacher, you’re juggling a few balls, and that can be really challenging! As an experienced teacher, you’re juggling while spinning plates, and sometimes it can look easy.
It’s absolutely not. You may also be swallowing fire while balancing on one foot.
Because teaching so often feels like a circus, I’m always looking for way to perform fewer “tricks.” I’ve been teaching long enough to know that setting down the spinning plates is sometimes more important than taking on more.
That’s why today I want to share 10 basic classroom practices I’ve cut back on. These are the “plates” I’ve set down over the years.
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Hidden Classroom Practices
Much of teaching is hidden. Students, parents, admin, and even loved ones often don’t see how much we’re juggling. In part, that’s because, over time, you get better at putting on a show. Sometimes the plates we’re spinning are so light we barely notice them, but they take dexterity, attention, and time we often don’t have. Here are some hidden classroom practices I’ve cut back on.
First, checking my email is a tough one for me. I used to check my email when I woke up in the morning, throughout the day, and then several times at home. I don’t do that anymore. I check my email at school, and I try not to check it after I leave for the day. Sometimes, this is a plate I pick up again, and I am constantly working on setting it down.
Unlike snail mail, email has a feeling of immediacy, but it’s a false promise. Rarely do emails need immediate answers. In fact, I frequently open an email, read it, and then mark it as “unread” to deal with later. Setting that plate aside to deal with once or twice a day is plenty; it certainly doesn’t need to come home.
Other hidden behaviors can be insidious. These practices are so sneaky that you may not even recognize them, but each one takes up bandwidth that could be better used elsewhere. For me, these are toxic trends: toxic prophecy, toxic nostalgia, and martyrdom. These are thinking patterns I can slip into from time to time; some of these trends are also environmental. When I start to pick up these habits or fall into these patterns, I have to step back, put them aside, and redirect my energy in a positive direction.
All of these hidden classroom practices are also time and energy vacuums. On the surface, it may look or feel like you’re doing something important, but these classroom practices can actually add to your plate rather than lighten your load.
Instructional Classroom Practices
These are two instruction and assessment practices that I have ditched after fourteen years of teaching:
First, I do not grade without an answer key or a rubric. If an assessment doesn’t have a key, then a rubric is essential: rubrics clarify and communicate expectations for students and teachers. Rubrics ensure consistency in grading, but they also save teachers time! Grading without a rubric is an exercise in decision fatigue, so it’s a classroom practice I’ve left behind.
Second, I do not underplan. Nothing sends students to lining up early like a lesson that ends too early. That doesn’t mean every lesson needs an elaborate closing, but I have several go-tos that I can use to extend any lesson just a little. Giving students a sticky-note exit ticket is an easy option; other classic sponge activities include board races and task cards.
Classroom Management Practices
In addition, classroom management is part of keeping the circus running smoothly. A lot of classroom management is “hidden,” but these are two classroom practices I’ve ditched:
Most importantly, I do not raise my voice. This is hard, and sometimes I falter. However, raising your voice raises everyone’s cortisol, adds to the chaos, and does not lead to classroom regulation. To avoid raising your voice, you can have a classroom call out or routine, but I’ve found that I am the most consistent when I say, “End your conversation in 1, 2, 3” and then wait. The first few times may take a moment, and this is a routine we have to practice, but it’s clean, simple, and leads to a happier classroom.
Similarly, I do not negotiate anymore. First, I’m not a good negotiator anyway; second, negotiation gives students the impression that classroom expectations are flexible. Instead, when students struggle, it’s important to restate the expectation and consequences and then give students the space to make their choice. Sometimes their choice is silence, inaction, or a continuation of the behavior. Sometimes it’s improvement (even if it’s begruding).
This leads to another habit I ditched: now, I follow through on consequences. If I’ve set out a specific set of steps for cell phones in class, then I follow through. As a new teacher, I did not do a good job following through. In part, my classroom practices were too complicated or inconsistent, but now they’re part of my DNA. This also goes both ways: I also follow through on promises. If I promised to look up the answer to a question after class, then I do. If I promise to hold extra ACT prep after school, then I do. In part, follow through is about consistency and credibility.
Mental Health Habits
Teaching can have a significant impact on a teacher’s mental health. On one hand, teaching can lead to joy, curiosity, and growth. On the other hand, it can also be trying, taxing, and totally consuming! As a result, these are some of the most important classroom practices to consider. In an effort to limit the negative impacts of teaching, I have also eliminated these classroom practices:
First, I say “yes” less. As a new teacher, I was eager to please and get involved in all parts of school: I volunteered to coach, I applied for every committee, and I sat in on every round of curriculum revisions. Now, I’m much more cautious when I say “yes.” I agree to extra-duties that are fulfilling or that I feel strongly about. In fact, I’d argue that I say “no, thank you” way more often.
Similarly, I also do not stay quiet. In addition to always trying to please, my younger self often didn’t have the words to express concerns in an effective manner. Now, I mostly have those words, and while I chose my battles carefully and avoid sniping, I do not stay quiet when I’m concerned. Instead, I invest in professional conversations and relationships. Oftentimes, this combination allows me to confront or understand issues.
Finally, I do not ignore boundaries. Boundaries are an essential part of protecting my mental health. In fact, a lot of the classroom practices I’ve ditched are boundary adjacent. In the circus of education, the only “performers” that experience long-term success are those that figure out how to keep the act sustainable and healthy.
