ABSTRACT
When the very best teachers say something, they mean it. They do not depend on a commanding presence or a booming voice to manage their classrooms; rather, students respect their authority because they communicate expectations clearly and follow through consistently. Threatening students is ineffective in creating enduring change. Effective teachers understand the trade-off between short-term and long-term gains. Classroom management has a lot more to do with class than with management. One way great teachers exhibit such class is by thinking carefully about—and adhering to—the things they say to students. In this chapter, Whitaker emphasizes the importance of “saying what you mean and meaning what you say.” He tells a story about a football coach who did not follow through on threats he made to his players.
