Whether you are a first year teacher or a teacher looking to revamp your classroom management, this guide will help you plan your year and get your classroom management in check. When going through teacher certification programs, we spend a lot of time becoming masters of our content and learning about educational best practices. What we often aren’t prepared for is classroom management.
Truly, part of figuring out classroom management is by getting into the classroom and simply practicing and honing your skills. However, there are things you can do to prepare yourself and your classroom, so you have procedures in place and have thought through potential problems that arise.
Below are the best classroom management tips to help you take control of your classroom management.
#1 Set Up Your Classroom
You may think – done and done! I have the border on my bulletin boards and name plates on the desks. While classroom decor is always fun to work on, we also want to make sure the classroom is functional for our students and is ready for the expectations we put into place. For example, where do you want students to turn in assignments in a certain area? Find a bin and create a label for “turn in”. Keep this bin in the same place in your classroom.
#2 Plan the First Few Days of School
The first days are overwhelming for the teacher and the student. Start by thinking of what your students need to know on the first day of school. For example, they may need to learn a class schedule or where the bathroom is. Begin by focusing on the key skills they will need, and continue practicing those for the first few days – even if you are also teaching content.
#3 Create Classroom Expectations
Setting clear classroom expectations is key to successful classroom management. A great way to create classroom expectations is as a class. Ask students the following questions: What kind of space do you need to learn? What should our classroom look like? What should we (the students) look like as we are learning? Then, create a poster or sign with these expectations, so they can be referred to.
#4 Plan for Centers or Rotations
Centers and rotations are a great addition in your classroom, but without clear expectations, it can easily become chaos! Before you begin planning stations and rotations, start by practicing what it will look like. Clearly model what using centers looks like, give them time to practice, and slowly release students to independent time in centers.
#5 Behavior Management
This is probably the most dreaded part of teaching, but handling negative behaviors in the classroom doesn’t have to be a headache. The key to managing behaviors is to follow through and be consistent. If a student is displaying negative behaviors, you need to address it – even if it is uncomfortable or the 100th time you have asked. Without consistency and follow-through, students will know that you aren’t to be taken seriously.
#6 Build Positive Relationships with Family
Talking to parents can be a very intimating part of the job, but being a team with family makes everything easier. At the beginning of the year, make sure to reach out with positive comments about students. As the year goes on, this positive relationship will pay off! If parents have a concern, they are likely to approach you with more kindness. If you are having an issue with a child, the parents are more likely to listen. This is because the parents see that you are working with them, not against them!
If you want to dig deeper into these classroom management tips and strategies, grab my free Classroom Management Guide! I give you even more strategies to set-up and implement successful classroom management in your classroom!
