Learn How to Effective Manage Your Classroom This School Year

 

One of the most critical aspects of teaching is managing a classroom and ensuring that your students are set up for learning success. Students crave structure, routine, and consistency at school. This makes them feel safe, in control, and prepared to learn and do their best. 

Children can’t learn when they are distracted by inappropriate behavior. A well-managed classroom thus allows meaningful teaching and learning to take place.

For more tips on establishing classroom rules, check out this blog post.

Like most teachers, I experimented with different behavior management systems. I have found that with clear guidelines and consistency, your classroom will run itself and your students will rise to meet the behavior expectations you set for them. However, it is important to have some form of a behavior management system in place.

A behavior clip chart is a great tool that allows students to be rewarded for positive behavior and discourage negative behavior. Each student has a clothespin, or clip, with his or her name on it. Everyone will start the day on the green, Ready to Learn level. Students will move their clips up or down based on their behavior throughout the day. During the first week of school our class will learn our rules for the classroom for the year. 

Students that are focused on their work are acknowledged. I don't focus on the chatty ones when the room gets a little noisy. I seek out students who are making good decisions and make a public display of admiration for their role model conduct. They move their clip up on the chart. The others are soon redirected without me having to say anything about their disruptions. It keeps things lively and optimistic.

Incentives/Consequences

Students will have different opportunities throughout the school day to receive tickets. Tickets may be rewarded for students who are on task, making good choices, helping out a friend, etc. Tickets can be traded in for different prizes at the end of the week. 

If students are not making good behavior choices, there will be consequences. Each child is different and the teacher will determine an appropriate consequence suited for the situation. As a general guideline, possible consequences may include, but are not limited to: 

* Loss of recess

* Loss of Fun Friday 

* Move to a different seat in the classroom

Be consistent, keep your kids engaged, build the relationships, switch it up and do what’s best for your class.

Happy teaching!