Imagine a classroom full of students who are running around the room and not listening to the teacher. It’s pure chaos and not fair to the students or the teacher. It’s hard to learn when the class isn’t listening, and things are loud and crazy. Classroom management is always something on the top of teachers’ brains from day one of the school year. Effective strategies of classroom management don’t have to be difficult, but some tips from other teachers can be extremely helpful. Use these simple tips to establish classroom management that works with your students.
Model Ideal Behavior
In everything you do in the classroom, model how you want the students to behave. Modeling is the number one effective way for young children to learn all skills they need to know. As you teach them the rules of the classroom, make sure you abide by them as well. Keep a calm tone, use an indoor voice, offer respect, and use kind words.
Invite Students to Establish Rules
At the beginning of the year, invite your kids to help you come up with a list of rules to follow in the classroom. Include them in the creation process, so they understand the rules and set some they realize are important. Students may offer some rules or routines that help classroom management.
Document Rules Somewhere Visible
Once you and your students have created a list of rules, display those rules in the classroom for everyone to see. One of the top strategies of classroom management is to make sure teachers and students can all see the rules. Refer to them often to remind students how to act in school. If you are able, use visuals or pictures to help kids understand them.
Use Non-verbal Communication
Strategies of classroom management can include non-verbal cues to guide your students. Some of these may include bells, timers, or chimes to get class attention or to signal the end of an activity. Use Powerpoint Slides with Timers that help students transition at the end of centers or when it’s time to go to lunch. This is an easy way for you as the teacher to keep kids on task.
Other forms of non-verbal communication include hand signals to let one another know what you need. Some signals may indicate that a child needs to use the bathroom or that they have a broken pencil. These Groovy & Bright Hand Signals or Boho Rainbow Signals are a great way to manage the classroom.
Offer Praise and Keep it Fair
Praise is so important when establishing strategies of classroom management. Show your students how much you appreciate them following the rules that they helped establish. Keep punishments fair and to a minimum. If you offer positive feedback when students are doing the right thing, you will likely avoid any type of punishment.
Use a Clip Chart
Some teachers enjoy using a display for behavior to keep students on track. This is completely up to your personal preference, as it works for some classrooms and not others. What I’ve found over the years is that EVERY class is different. Some thrive on Clip Charts like these Boho Rainbow ones or a display of great behavior, others prefer more secretive praise, while others still don’t need any type of strict system. Use what works for you and your students.
You can also grab these FREE Farmhouse Clip Chart cards to use with your students! They’re easy to print out, laminate, and display in the classroom. All you need are some clothespins with numbers or students’ names.
Respect Your Students
Respect goes both ways. If students feel respected in the classroom, they will respect their teachers more easily. Keep a positive attitude and show your students how much you care. Give them respect to get respect back. It’s one of the easiest ways to manage your class without much effort.
As you establish strategies of classroom management, be flexible. You may need to adjust things as the year goes on. Listen to what your students need and stay consistent. Give your strategies a few weeks before giving up on them. Overall, stay positive. You and your students will learn your way around one another and find a rhythm soon enough. Happy teaching!
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