The first post of a new career-switchin’ math-teacher blogger carries a good question: how much of yourself do you share with your students on the first day?

My answer, which extends waaay past the first day:

Me, I share very little, especially at the start, where I find a teacher’s mystery and allure to be a very specific but very effective form of classroom management. Once the students feel like they have you figured out, they’re less inclined to chase you or what you’re teaching.

Share something of yourself over at his/her/couldwepleasegetagenderatleast? blog.

[Updated to correct the blogger’s gender, which is well-hidden on his about page.]

The sick new tardy policy.

Every student starts with a green passport. The green passport has boxes for eight tardies and lines for fifteen hall passes. The student shows up tardy, the teacher signs one of the boxes. The student needs a trip to the bathroom, the teacher fills out one of the lines. No one’s gotta be uptight about it or make it personal.

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