8 Ways to Establish Your Classroom Management Practice
I vividly remember my first day teaching. I had been coached up to the morning of the first day of school on which things I needed to focus on, what I needed to remember to do, how I should stay calm and not worry too much. I was feeling ready. I said goodbye to my teammates who were going their own separate ways to teach and having closed the door I stood in front of my first class and thought to myself, “this is crazy.” My mind drew a blank and I just stood there, overwhelmed with the idea of actually being a teacher.
Nothing can quite prepare you for the feeling of standing in front of a classroom ready to pour into a group of 25-35 minds all the knowledge you possibly can in one year. It’s a tad overwhelming, to say the least.
While I stood there on the first day of school I remember distinctly thinking, “Oh no.” I was not in any way fully equipped to deal with the behavior and classroom management challenges this group was about to bring. It was a moment of awakening, to be sure. I found myself that entire year trying to play catch up, discover the perfect tool to use to calm the kids down and bring about order to the classroom. It was draining and exhausting and rewarding and exciting all wrapped into one.
That first year taught me a great deal about teaching and what it means to be in charge of a classroom and how to establish a routine of peace.
If you’re a teacher and find yourself nodding along to this distinct memory, you can probably remember on your own journey the tools you started to put in your toolbox to help you with classroom management over the years. If you’re a new teacher or are looking to teach, you may want to begin to build up your toolbox now on how to best guide your group of kiddos.
Classroom Management can truly make or break a classroom. Speaking from experience and from what I’ve seen, you want to make sure you pour some time in to your classroom environment at the beginning of the year as well as revisiting what it means to be a community throughout the year. When kids feel welcomed and included, they are more likely to buy in to all you have planned for them! They will also be much better at listening to instructions!
Here are some ideas on how to establish your classroom management practice!
Have your class create a set of classroom expectations with your guidance. This gives them buy-in and makes them enthusiastic for jumping on into your classroom management. Be sure to lead them towards ideas you have on what management ideas you know work; raising hands, eye contact, etc. Make sure you are always referring back to this poster.
Be sure there is a clear call-and-response. There are a wealth of favorite call and response calls teachers use. One of my favorites during a fifth-grade explorer simulation was “Oh Captain!” “My Captain!”. I’ve also heard “A Hush Fell Over the Crowd!” “Hushhhh.”
Use different voice levels. For some reason, using an overload of inflection, especially at the primary level, tends to keep kids more engaged.
Don’t be Mr. Stiff all the time. Throw in a few jokes and just be you. The kids will love you even more!
Vary where you stand. If you go into the group of students to talk or teach, you are breaking the third wall. This engages students and forces them to follow you as you talk. When you want to express something different, take one step back and say the important point.
Be sure to allow time for turns and talks. This allows students to be able to vocalize their thoughts even if they aren’t able to talk during whole-group instruction.
Revisit your classroom expectations throughout the year. Reiterate anything you want your students to work on and make sure you check in with them to see if there’s anything they’re enjoying or not enjoying about your classroom.
Build in time for community. The studies have shown that community time in the classroom is invaluable. At the primary level, this may mean discussing problem-solving steps or doing various activities to get each child to speak. At an upper level, this could be as simple as posing a question and asking each student to respond to it.
There are also many amazing resources online which have been a lifesaver when it comes to building a classroom community and finding ways to create better classroom management. Some of my all-time favorites include:
Whole Brain Teaching, Classroom R.E.S.P.E.C.T., Morning Meeting, Love and Logic, and PBIS practices.
What are some ways you like to create strong classroom management with your group of students?
