Creating a Calm and Productive Classroom

The beginning of second quarter creates a clean grade slate for each kid. For those that earned good grades in the first quarter, their efforts will likely continue unabated. For those that didn't, there is a great opportunity for an instantly-rewarding change in class behavior, personal productivity and the increased learning (and grades) that those yield. My role in grades is usually minimal, but based on the fact that there were almost 25% F's in the overall distribution of my classes, I think it is time for me to reign in on some relaxed classroom privileges and impose consequences that have more of a 'cost' to the students than my continual requests for class compliance and self control.