Good classroom management is key to helping our students learn more efficiently. It’s a process that all good teachers are always working on, and sometimes one size does not fit all. Different classes have different needs and are made up of unique and individual students. However, there are general habits and mindsets we can work on with purpose that will help the learning move along smoothly in the classroom.
Here are my top ten tips for a smooth running classroom:
1. Build a positive and professional class culture and relationships.
Respect in the classroom is built upon trust and caring. It’s important that your students know and sense that you genuinely care about their learning and well-being, that they’re not just numbers sitting in your classroom. There are many ways to build relationships with your students. It can be as simple as greeting them with a smile at the door or greeting them in the hallway.
However, do have boundaries and maintain professionalism. You are their teacher first, not a buddy. Being clear on this with yourself will help your classroom management go so much more smoothly. It’s also important to teach students how to be professional and positive with each other. Direct teach, model, and give opportunities for students to practice giving each other specific, positive feedback and constructive criticism.
A great way to set the tone in the beginning of the year is to have a class discussion and student input on what the major expectations are for behavior in the classroom. By asking for their input and making this a class process, you are building community and showing that you trust their opinions. Most students are very reasonable and do come up with excellent class expectations/rules. Do try to stick to positive statements (like “do” and “be” rather than “don’t) and overarching themes. Otherwise, your list will become too long and so specific that it wont cover a lot of behaviors. You don’t want it to be just a list of things not to do. Try to guide them to expectations like “be respectful” and have a detailed discussion about what that means to them and how they think it would look like in the classroom.
2. Establish and Practice Procedures and Routines.
Procedures and routines are the backbone of a good classroom management system. Have a consistent schedule and procedures that kids can rely on, even within one class subject. For example, just displaying a list of the day’s activities in order at the beginning of class is very helpful. This helps cut down on time in answering logistical questions and gives more time for instruction. Establish a routine for the beginning of class, such as a “do now” or even having students write homework down in their planners as soon as they sit down helps begin class smoothly.
3. Engagement, Engagement, Engagement!
Classroom management is so much easier when your kids are engaged. And actually, student engagement is essential for good classroom management. There are so many ways to engage kids, especially when you finally get to know them. There are a few core things you need to make sure to do, however, to make sure that you’re engaging all of the kids.
Make sure that the activities you assign are meaningful tasks. If you have to, explain or have a quick discussion about the purpose of a particular type of practice or worksheet. Connect to the real world or previous learning as much as possible.
Make sure that the tasks are on grade level – not too easy, but not too challenging. Sometimes in the general education classroom, you will have a diverse set of abilities. Try to plan for this in advance as much as possible and design activities with multiple entry points or options for completion.
Make sure that the kids are always on task by providing the right amount of work. Have a “must do/may do” written on the board for early finishers. What things must they do when they finish the assignment? What things may they do?
4. Time lectures and direct instruction appropriately.
If it’s hard for adults to sit and listen to someone talk for 30 minutes to an hour straight, imagine how much harder it is for your students. If you talk at your students for too long, it’s a guarantee that they will check out and get bored. Boredom leads to misbehavior, which makes managing a class difficult. If you have a lot of content to get through, break it up with “think/pair/shares” and discussion questions, even little movement breaks.
In addition, I’ve found that not only does class go more smoothly but learning also increases when students are taking some form of notes during direct instruction. Whether it’s something simple like fill-in-the-blank notes, mind mapping, or Cornell notes, this type of activity keeps students engaged and not purely passive. I also make sure to remind them to tell me if they need me to pause, repeat, or slow down. This also gives us something to use to break up longer lectures. I make sure to periodically have them quiz or summarize their notes to their partners.
5. Use nonverbal cues and proximity.
Before resorting to verbal warnings or escalating to concrete consequences, try redirection with non-verbal cues. This goes a long way and should be your main choice of “ammunition” when it comes to classroom management.
Master the “teacher look.” Master ninja-like redirection techniques. It can be a light tap on the shoulder or pointing to a worksheet/notebook on their desk as you pass by.
Establish your presence in the classroom. As much as possible, walk the room during independent or partner time. This will help you see who needs help and makes you available to students who have questions, but it also helps keep students on task. I even try to walk the room during direct instruction (a wireless mouse and wireless keyboard have been indispensable when I’ve used PowerPoints, slides, or even just a digital document on the overhead projector/SmartBoard).
6. Use non-disruptive consequences.
If you do have to resort to a consequence such as a note home, demerit, loss of privileges, or having a discussion, try to keep it as non-disruptive as possible. If I need to address a student behavior that cannot be quickly and quietly corrected during direct instruction, I usually ask the student to step out of the room and I continue as smoothly as I can with the lesson. I step outside to privately address or warn the student while the class is doing a think/pair/share activity or partner discussion. Then I welcome them back into the classroom.
On rare occasions, things do not improve and I make sure to talk to the student and dole out the consequence at the end of class in private. I try as much as possible to keep these discussions private and not disruptive to the whole class unless there has been a very public and egregious offense that required public correction or warning – outright and purposeful bullying or disrespect, for example.
7. Be consistent and follow through.
Say only what you mean and make sure you follow through. If you say that the consequence for a particular action is such and such, make sure that it always is, no matter who the student is (unless there’s some behavior modification necessary in a student’s IEP, but be discerning and fair). One of the best ways to lose the respect and break down the relationship with your students is to lack consistency, like not giving out consequences you’ve said you would or treating different students differently.
If you find yourself exhausted or constantly “putting out fires”, then it means it is time to take a step back and reflect upon which battles you are fighting and if they are consistent with your top priorities. Don’t start battles you can’t win. Take a step back and reflect on possible root causes. Have an honest and respectful conversation with the student(s) if needed.
You might also need to look at your class culture or routines and procedures to troubleshoot for any gaps that may be causing your class to not run so smoothly. It’s okay to reset and go over routines, procedures, expectations, etc. with your class now and again. Have them practice if you think they need it. Step back, reflect, have conversations, but don’t just give up on the consistency. It takes hard work, especially at first, but it is important in building trust and respect as well as in running the class smoothly.
8. Balance rewards and consequences.
Sometimes even with good procedures, well-timed lessons, and meaningful tasks, some kids still need extra motivation on some days. I try to have a variety of rewards to motivate good behavior and balance out consequences. I try to make these rewards simple, non-disruptive, and immediate.
It can be as easy as offering free time or a game for the last five minutes of class if the whole class can complete a particular task that they seem to be having difficulty focusing on. I also do things like offer a “free” quiz question to the first three people who finish the task with all correct answers, etc. or a homework pass for well-written notes and behavior, etc. during class.
Usually, the consequences naturally go hand in hand with the rewards you have in place. For example, if the reward is free time or a game during the last five minutes of class then the consequence is NO free time or game during the last 5 minutes of class.
I try to make the rewards and consequences relevant to the class and befitting to whatever the behaviors are. As with anything, it is important to use moderation and constantly reflect on whether these things are still effective or have become distractions.
9. Constantly reflect and learn.
Take a few minutes at the end of each day to just think about things that went smoothly and things that could have gone better. Why did things go so well? What’s causing chaos? Was the activity too challenging/too easy? Was it one or two people causing disruption? Is there a need for a new seating chart? Was the activity too long or too unstructured? Too unpredictable?
Kids react differently when routine is broken or things do not go as expected. Ask a trusted colleague to observe you and give you some constructive feedback when needed. But this can also be a great and beneficial teaching practice in general.
10. Be kind to yourself and accept that some days will just be rough.
Classroom management is hard. Even veteran teachers can still struggle with it. Managing a class made of individuals is not an exact science. So be patient with yourself.
Try to start fresh every day and don’t take things personally. Recognize when you need breaks, even in the middle of class. If you need to ask them to just put their heads down so you can take a breather or get out of a bad headspace for a minute or two, it’s okay. It would also be a good reset for them.
Prioritize self-care and a good work-life balance. Try not to take work home. As much as possible, work efficiently during your prep times. Remember that not only are you working with complex human beings with complicated emotions and motivations, but you also have emotional and individual needs. Take time to refresh and recharge. The more rested and balanced you feel each day, the better you can help your students.
I hope this helps! Thank you for teaching!
What to Read Next:
Top 5 Priorities for New Teachers
Five Easy Ways to Break Up Long Lectures