The Classroom Management Guy Podcast

Gabriel Vigil
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  • Education
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Middle school teacher with 24 years of classroom experience sharing practical strategies for classroom management, student engagement, teacher burnout, school culture, difficult students, and surviving the realities of teaching. This podcast gives honest advice, real classroom stories, and simple systems that help teachers stay calm, organized, and effective—especially new teachers navigating today’s classrooms. Perfect for educators looking for practical teaching tips that actually work.

  1. 9h ago

    The Truth About Classroom Discipline (From a Middle School Dean)

    👉 Get more classroom management strategies at www.theclassroommanagementguy.com📩 If you have any questions or need any assistance please feel free to reach out to me. I help teachers like you all the time. My email is gabrielvigil@theclassroommanagementguy.com🎯 What if we've been thinking about classroom discipline the wrong way?In this episode of The Classroom Management Guy Podcast, I sit down with Mr. Chambers, a middle school dean I've had the privilege of working with personally.And this conversation challenged the way we often think about discipline.Instead of asking, “What punishment does this student deserve?” Chambers asks a much more important question:What will actually change the behavior?We talk about discipline, relationships, respect, school culture, teacher-administrator relationships, classroom management, and what struggling teachers can do differently tomorrow.🎯 In this video, you'll learn:🧠 Why discipline should focus on changing behavior⚖️ Why punishment and discipline aren't necessarily the same thing🤝 Why teachers and administrators need to work together❤️ Why relationships matter when correcting student behavior👦 Why Chambers doesn't believe most students are “bad kids”🗣️ Why respect has to go both directions🏫 What administrators really look for when hiring teachers👔 One surprisingly simple way to stand out in a teacher interview🚪 Why greeting students at the door matters🚶 How proximity can immediately improve classroom managementIf you struggle with:✔ Students who repeatedly misbehave✔ Feeling unsupported by administration✔ Knowing what consequences actually work✔ Building relationships while maintaining authority✔ Classroom management as a new teacherThis conversation offers a different way of looking at discipline—not as getting even with students, but as another opportunity to teach.⭐ Key takeaway:The goal of discipline isn't to make a student suffer enough for what they did. The goal is to help change the behavior.

  2. Sep 5

    The #1 Classroom Management Routine Every Teacher Needs

    🎯 Ben Peddie's Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ben.peddie/ 👉 Get resources mentioned in Podcast. https://www.edresearch.edu.au/guides-resources/practice-resources/foundational-classroom-management-resources-handbook 📩 Additional resources mentioned in Podcast. https://www.edresearch.edu.au/guides-resources/practice-resources/classroom-management-resources-user-guide👉 Get more classroom management strategies at www.theclassroommanagementguy.com 📩 If you have any questions or need any assistance please feel free to reach out to me. I help teachers like you all the time. My email is gabrielvigil@theclassroommanagementguy.com 🎯 What is the most important classroom management routine a teacher can have?In this episode of The Classroom Management Guy Podcast, I sit down with Ben Pettie, an educator and classroom-management specialist who has worked with hundreds of teachers and helped develop classroom-management resources for the Australian Education Research Organisation.Ben and I break down classroom management beyond simply telling teachers to “build relationships” or “create routines.”We talk about the actual skills underneath those routines—and why learning those skills can completely change what happens in your classroom.🎯 In this video, you'll learn:🧠 The #1 classroom management routine Ben recommends🚪 How to create an effective classroom entrance routine👀 Why teachers need 100% attention before giving instructions🔁 Why routines must become part of the classroom culture🗣️ How voice control affects student behavior👁️ What teacher “withitness” actually looks like👍 Why acknowledgement and praise are classroom-management skills⏸️ How deliberate pauses help control a classroom🚶 Why circulation and scanning matter🤝 Why trust still plays a critical role in classroom managementIf you struggle with:✔ Students talking while you're teaching✔ Getting your entire class quiet✔ Students entering class chaotically✔ Classroom routines that aren't working✔ Feeling like other teachers naturally have “it” and you don'tThis conversation breaks classroom management into skills teachers can actually identify, practice, reflect on, and refine.⭐ Key takeaway:Great classroom management isn't something certain teachers are simply born with. Strong teachers use specific routines supported by specific skills—and those skills can be improved with intentional practice.

  3. Aug 29

    Is Our Education System Broken? Two Educators Debate the Truth

    📩 If you are in the education field and would like to be a guest on the podcast please send an email to theclassroommanagementguy@gmail.com👉 Get more classroom management strategies at www.theclassroommanagementguy.com📩 If you have any questions or need any assistance please feel free to reach out to me. I help teachers like you all the time. My email is gabrielvigil@theclassroommanagementguy.com 👉 Cashius Jackson's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cashiusjackson/🎯 Is our education system broken—or can great teachers still make the difference?In this episode of The Classroom Management Guy Podcast, I sit down with assistant principal, educator, comedian, and content creator Cashius Jackson for one of the most candid conversations I've had about the state of education.Cashius believes education is facing some serious problems. Student behavior has changed. Parents have changed. Social media has changed childhood. Consequences have disappeared, and teachers are being asked to handle problems that go far beyond teaching.I agree with many of his concerns.Where we disagree is whether things can still get better.🎯 In this video, you'll hear us discuss:🏫 Whether America's education system is getting worse📱 How social media is changing student behavior👨‍👩‍👧 The changing role of parents in education⚠️ What happens when schools remove consequences🎓 Why students are sometimes passed along unprepared🧠 Whether PBIS actually helps student behavior🏫 Public schools vs. charter schools🚨 How a handful of disruptive students affect an entire classroom👨‍🏫 Why so many teachers are leaving education💪 Why I still believe great teachers can make a differenceIf you struggle with:✔ Increasing student behavior problems✔ Lack of accountability✔ Difficult parent interactions✔ Feeling unsupported by administration✔ Wondering whether education can actually be fixedThis conversation doesn't pretend there are easy answers.Cashius and I disagree on some things, but we agree on something incredibly important:Teachers matter.Even when we can't immediately change laws, districts, parents, technology, or the entire education system, we can still change what happens inside our classrooms.⭐ Key takeaway:We may not be able to fix the entire education system tomorrow, but we can develop stronger teachers today—and a great teacher can completely change the experience students have in a classroom.⏱️ Chapters:0:00 Can teachers change a broken system?0:44 Meet Cashius Jackson1:46 Expelled five years straight3:14 From substitute teacher to assistant principal4:21 Parents, students, and social media6:04 Have students really changed?8:22 Student rights and today's schools9:54 What happened to consequences?11:35 Public schools vs. charter schools13:03 How a few students can disrupt an entire class15:10 Are schools passing students who aren't ready?16:15 What do we do with students who don't want to learn?17:01 How changing environments changed Cashius19:33 Are schools expected to solve problems they can't solve?20:08 The problem with PBIS21:05 Is education reaching a breaking point?22:15 Cashius's controversial take on charter schools24:12 Why I still have hope28:42 The power teachers still have30:29 How do we support struggling teachers?31:13 What I learned working in administration32:30 Technology and classroom distractions33:48 Can we afford to give up?34:49 Do families still value education?40:46 What do we do with the students who don't want to learn?41:23 Why Cashius became an administrator44:08 Why he stays in education45:20 Education, comedy, and social media52:35 What educators around the country are experiencing53:37 Why so many teachers are quitting55:24 Final thoughts

  4. Aug 22

    What Great Teachers Do Before They Lose Their Cool

    👉 Get more classroom management strategies at www.theclassroommanagementguy.com📩 If you have any questions or need any assistance please feel free to reach out to me. I help teachers like you all the time. My email is gabrielvigil@theclassroommanagementguy.com👉 Chris Mukiibi's Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mrmukiibi/🎯 What happens when student behavior pushes a teacher to the breaking point?In this episode of The Classroom Management Guy Podcast, I sit down with chemistry teacher Chris Mukiibi to talk about the neuroscience behind classroom behavior, teacher stress, and one fascinating strategy he calls the “teacher escape hatch.”Chris explains why teachers can struggle to think clearly when they feel trapped in an escalating classroom situation—and why having systems already in place can completely change how we respond.🎯 In this video, you’ll learn:🧠 How a teacher’s emotional state affects the entire classroom🚪 What a “teacher escape hatch” is and how it works🔥 Why feeling trapped can cause situations to escalate🛑 How to interrupt a classroom power struggle before it gets worse🔁 Why strong classroom systems reduce teacher decision-making😰 How cognitive overload contributes to teacher burnout💪 Why classroom management is about systems, not controlling students📚 How Chris went from struggling with classroom behavior to studying the neuroscience behind it🎯 Why recurring classroom problems may actually reveal broken systems❤️ How teachers can create classrooms where they want to stay and students want to learnIf you struggle with:✔ Students pushing your buttons✔ Losing your patience during difficult classes✔ Constant classroom management decisions✔ Feeling overwhelmed by student behavior✔ Teacher stress and burnoutThis conversation offers a different way of looking at classroom management: instead of asking who needs to be fixed, start asking what needs to be fixed.⭐ Key takeaway:You don't have to make every classroom management decision in the heat of the moment. Strong systems give you a predetermined response—and sometimes the best response is having an “escape hatch” that gives you a moment to regain your composure before the situation escalates.⏱️ Chapters:0:00 Why teachers feel trapped0:30 Meet Chris Mukiibi3:20 Why so many teachers leave the profession4:18 Neuroscience and classroom management6:54 The teacher “escape hatch”8:02 How Chris uses tea to stop escalation9:23 A teacher who uses prayer beads11:30 Why feeling trapped can trigger rage14:14 Building classroom systems that work15:42 Chris's opening classroom routine18:12 What happens when students don't listen?19:01 Decision fatigue and teacher burnout20:56 Fix the system, not the person23:48 Chris's early classroom struggles24:20 Fear vs. cooperation in classroom management30:59 The one lesson that can help teachers survive33:56 How Chris became a teacher39:57 The experience that changed his life45:05 Resources Chris offers teachers50:48 The question that changed his teaching career52:45 The behavior crisis in our classrooms55:06 Final words of wisdom

  5. Aug 15

    Why Struggling Students Misbehave (And What Teachers Miss)

    👉 Get more classroom management strategies atwww.theclassroommanagementguy.com📩 Questions or need support?gabrielvigil@theclassroommanagementguy.comLawrence Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@UC9iiryh1sa5QylGuPrjGUzQ Lawrence Email: lawrence@lawrencecharris.comLawrence Instagram: instagram.com/lawrencec.empowersMany students who struggle in class aren't trying to make your day harder.They're trying to survive battles you can't see.In this episode, I sit down with youth empowerment speaker Lawrence C. Harris to discuss how bullying, trauma, mental health, and low self-worth shape student behavior—and what teachers can do to make a lasting difference.🎯 In this video you'll learn:🧠 Why struggling students often act out💬 How bullying impacts confidence for years📓 Why journaling can become a student's safe place❤️ What teachers can do—even with 120 students🎯 How helping students discover purpose changes behavior💪 Why confidence grows from keeping promises to yourself🌱 Small ways teachers can become life-changing mentorsIf you struggle with:✔ Students who constantly misbehave✔ Students dealing with trauma✔ Building relationships with difficult students✔ Knowing how to support students emotionally✔ Understanding behavior beyond discipline⭐ Key takeawayBehavior is often the symptom. Understanding the story behind the behavior is where real change begins.

  6. Aug 8

    The Debate That Changed How I Teach

    👉 Get more classroom management strategies at [www.theclassroommanagementguy.com](http://www.theclassroommanagementguy.com)📩 If you have any questions or need any assistance please feel free to reach out to me. I help teachers like you all the time. My email is [gabrielvigil@theclassroommanagementguy.com](mailto:gabrielvigil@theclassroommanagementguy.com)🎙️ Today's Guest: LeoLeo is a secondary history teacher in Southern California who teaches both middle school and high school students. In this conversation, he shares lessons from his first years in the classroom, building relationships with students, creating engaging history lessons, and the classroom debate that transformed the way he teaches.🎯 Great teaching isn't about giving students answers—it's about teaching them how to think.In this conversation, Leo shares one of the most powerful lessons from his teaching career: helping students wrestle with difficult questions and form their own conclusions. Through debates, discussions, and critical thinking activities, he discovered that learning happens when students begin questioning what they thought they knew.🎯 In this video, you'll learn:🧠 Why productive confusion can be a good thing💡 How debates increase student engagement🔥 A first-day activity that builds trust📈 Why relationships come before content🧠 How to get students talking💡 The power of student ownership⚠️ Why lectures aren't always enough🔥 The debate that changed Leo's teaching📈 How to teach critical thinking🎯 What students really need from teachersIf you struggle with:✔ Student engagement✔ Class discussions falling flat✔ Building relationships✔ Getting students to think critically✔ Creating meaningful lessonsThis conversation will give you practical ideas you can use immediately in your classroom.⭐ Key takeaway:**The goal isn't to tell students what to think. The goal is to teach them how to think.**⏱️ Chapters:00:00 – Scrapping the slideshow on day one00:23 – Meet Leo04:05 – Advice for teachers in their first years07:07 – Moving into the classroom09:12 – The first-day activity that built trust13:09 – Building relationships intentionally16:16 – Why relationships come before content20:13 – Giving students a fresh start21:01 – A lesson that didn't go as planned23:39 – The Canvas experiment27:30 – Favorite classroom activities29:01 – The Instagram Enlightenment project30:15 – Why Leo decided to try debates32:02 – The atomic bomb debate36:16 – Keeping every student involved39:04 – The UNO card seating system41:00 – Changing student perspectives42:18 – The debate that changed everything45:44 – Leo's future in education47:44 – Final advice for teachers

  7. Aug 1

    Your teaching plan will fail—here's why that's okay

    👉 Get more classroom management strategies at [www.theclassroommanagementguy.com](http://www.theclassroommanagementguy.com)📩 If you have any questions or need any assistance please feel free to reach out to me. I help teachers like you all the time. My email is [gabrielvigil@theclassroommanagementguy.com](mailto:gabrielvigil@theclassroommanagementguy.com)🎙️ Today's Guest: DrakeDrake is a 7th-grade math teacher in Tennessee entering his ninth year in education. During this conversation, he shares lessons learned from nearly a decade in the classroom, including classroom management, student relationships, teacher growth, and why flexibility is one of the most important skills a teacher can develop.🎯 Every teacher's plan will fail at some point. The question is: what do you do next?In this conversation, Drake shares practical advice for new teachers, lessons learned from teaching through unexpected challenges, and why flexibility may be one of the most important classroom management skills you'll ever develop. **Teaching isn't about everything going according to plan—it's about responding when it doesn't.**🎯 In this video, you'll learn:🧠 Why every teacher needs a plan💡 Why flexibility matters just as much🔥 How experienced teachers adapt when things go wrong📈 The confidence that comes with experience⚠️ Common mistakes new teachers make🧠 Why classroom management comes first💡 How to build student confidence🔥 The power of strong teacher-student relationships📈 Why mistakes help students learn🎯 Advice Drake wishes he heard soonerIf you struggle with:✔ Lessons not going as planned✔ Classroom disruptions✔ Teacher stress✔ Student engagement✔ Feeling overwhelmedThis conversation will help you develop the mindset and flexibility needed to thrive in the classroom.⭐ Key takeaway:**Have a plan—but don't expect it to go according to plan.**⏱️ Chapters:00:00 – The advice Drake wishes he heard sooner01:14 – Meet Drake and his teaching journey03:13 – Finding confidence as a teacher04:24 – Teaching through COVID09:17 – Reflecting on the school year09:46 – Kagan strategies and student engagement11:19 – Building math confidence14:02 – Why mistakes matter16:46 – Advice for new teachers17:28 – Have a plan but be flexible20:13 – Preparing for the unexpected22:17 – Student growth and achievement23:39 – Using data to motivate students25:50 – Lessons from a previous career27:25 – Discovering your teaching strengths29:56 – Building relationships with students34:43 – Why a simple hello matters36:52 – Unexpected moments in teaching42:18 – What's next for Drake?44:14 – Final advice for teachers

  8. Jul 25

    He Survived Two Heart Attacks to Do This

    👉 Get more classroom management strategies at www.theclassroommanagementguy.com📩 If you have any questions or need any assistance please feel free to reach out to me. I help teachers like you all the time. My email is gabrielvigil@theclassroommanagementguy.com🎙️ Today's Guest: Norris JonesNorris Jones works in campus security and is also the founder of Drawn Out Life Coaching. In this conversation, he shares how relationship-building has transformed the way he works with students, the lessons he learned from surviving two heart attacks, and why helping others has become his life's mission.🎯 The students who need the most support are often the ones who need the strongest relationships.In this conversation, Norris shares powerful stories about working with struggling students, building trust in difficult situations, and how personal hardship helped him discover a deeper purpose. His message is simple: people change when they know someone genuinely cares.🎯 In this video, you'll learn:🧠 The secret to building student relationships💡 Why connection comes before correction🔥 How Norris reaches challenging students📈 The power of planting seeds🧠 Why some students gravitate toward mentors💡 What campus security can teach educators🔥 How a struggling student started a Bible club📈 Lessons learned from overcoming PTSD🧠 How adversity can reveal purpose🎯 Why every student deserves someone who believes in themIf you struggle with:✔ Building relationships with difficult students✔ Student behavior issues✔ Student motivation✔ Connecting with disengaged learners✔ Finding purpose in educationThis conversation will remind you of the life-changing impact educators can have on students.⭐ Key takeaway:People don't change because they're forced to. They change because someone invested in them.⏱️ Chapters:00:00 – A student who turned his life around00:22 – Meet Norris Jones00:52 – What campus security really does01:42 – Why relationships matter most04:01 – The secret to building trust quickly05:07 – Planting seeds in students06:23 – A student success story07:20 – From ditching class to starting a club08:43 – Norris's journey into campus security09:42 – High school vs middle school students12:21 – The start of Drawn Out Life Coaching13:00 – Surviving two heart attacks14:08 – Life coaching vs therapy16:25 – A live coaching session17:54 – Finding purpose through service24:20 – The story behind Drawn Out Life Coaching25:29 – PTSD and recovery28:20 – Turning pain into purpose29:36 – The future of life coaching33:18 – The toughest part of the job34:22 – A heartbreaking student story35:57 – Why Norris doesn't believe in bad kids36:45 – The emotional last day of school37:17 – Final thoughts and where to find Norris

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Middle school teacher with 24 years of classroom experience sharing practical strategies for classroom management, student engagement, teacher burnout, school culture, difficult students, and surviving the realities of teaching. This podcast gives honest advice, real classroom stories, and simple systems that help teachers stay calm, organized, and effective—especially new teachers navigating today’s classrooms. Perfect for educators looking for practical teaching tips that actually work.

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