Consistency in teaching means that your students know what to expect from you day to day. Your rules do not change from situation to situation. You are not strict one day and easygoing the next. There are no surprises for your kids, and they do not have to feel like they are walking on eggshells. Consistency is important if you want to earn the respect of your students.

In a consistent teacher's classroom, students know exactly what is expected of them at all times, and there is no question of what will happen if they fail to live up to those expectations. Because everyone knows the consequences, and there is no doubt about the reaction of the teacher, misbehavior is greatly reduced. Students in a consistent classroom can feel safe and can focus on what is important — not on what mood the teacher happens to be in on a particular day.

Another benefit of consistency is an easier working environment for the teacher. As a basic example, if you always require your students to put their name, the date, and the homework title on the top of their papers, this will cause a lot less headache for you in the long run. You will find that recording grades is much easier when you have this information on each paper.

However, this must be enforced from the beginning or students will not follow through. Thus, consistently enforcing your requirements and rules from day one will result in an easier time for you and a more organized classroom.

Avoid Idle Threats and Promises

Another important aspect of consistency is following through. If you tell your students that you are going to do something, then you had better do it or they will lose respect for you. It is very important that you do not threaten your students with actions that you will not or cannot take.

Let's say your class is misbehaving during a quiz, and that some students are being particularly disruptive. If they don't buckle down, you say, everyone will get a zero. This is a good example of an idle threat. Realistically, it is not something you should or even would do. For one thing, your administration might have a real problem with this action, especially after parents begin calling. Plus, this punishment is unfair to the students who are not being disruptive.

A Day-to-Day Practice

You will have bad days as a teacher. You will come to work unhappy about something that happened at home. Or you may not be feeling well. But even if you're having a bad day, you should try to be consistent in your actions and reactions. In fact, these days are the measure of your consistency.

Obviously, you will have moments when you react in a manner that is not truly consistent. You might lash out at a talkative student on a day you have a bad headache. But the less frequent these instances are, the more your students will respect you and the more effective you will be.