6 Classroom Management Strategies

Classroom Management Strategies

Within this chapter, you will find some helpful documents that speak directly to Course Objective #4 (Analyze your classroom management strategies).

What is classroom management and why is it so important?

Classroom Management is a term teachers use to describe the process of ensuring that classroom lessons run smoothly without disruptive behavior from students compromising the delivery of instruction.

Classroom management is the cornerstone of a safe and positive learning environment, and they are essential for any new teacher. Without a proper plan, chaos can ensue, leaving students and teachers feeling overwhelmed and frustrated.

Classroom management forms the foundation of a successful educational journey. Establishing a positive classroom community where your students can learn and achieve, and where you can teach, is key. Well managed classrooms are structured environments with focused, on-task students.

Here are some tips for ensuring your classroom management skills are top notch:

• Foster positive communication with families. Use tools like communication apps, meetings, and emails to connect to parents. This ensures that the adults in your students’ lives can better support your expectations and reinforce learning at home.
• Model values you want to see in your classroom. As a new teacher, it can be challenging to establish a positive classroom environment. However, the values you exhibit as a teacher set the tone for your classroom and can create a foundation for students to emulate and integrate into their own behavior.
• Balance structure and adaptability. Striking a balance between routines and flexibility in the classroom provides students with the stability they need to thrive while accommodating their diverse learning needs and preparing them for future challenges. Routines provide students with a sense of security and predictability, enabling them to focus on learning, but being flexible helps them adapt and prepare for life outside of the classroom.
• Adapt instruction for diverse learning styles. This recognizes the uniqueness of each student and optimizes their learning experience so that everyone can access and engage with the material effectively.
• Hold attention with crafted engaging lessons. Set the stage for the year and your teaching style by capturing students’ attention and fueling their curiosity with interactive activities, active learning, real-world connections, and varied resources.
• Maintain a focused atmosphere. Smooth transitions and well-managed activities help sustain a productive classroom environment. If you start the year with clunky transitions, students could expect those free moments to continue and begin chatting with friends, taking more time out of your lesson to bring them back to focus. With minimal disruptions, the learning momentum stays focused on the task at hand with no moments to get distracted.
• Focus and flow with strategic time management. Adopting strategic time management practices early in your teaching career provides a strong foundation for personal and professional growth. You can optimize your impact in the classroom, develop a healthy work-life equilibrium, and maintain student interest throughout the class.
• Clear guidance and task simplification. When starting a class or academic year as a new teacher, one of the best classroom management strategies for new teachers is establishing a strong foundation for effective instruction by providing clear instructions right away. Students thrive when they understand expectations and can approach tasks without feeling overwhelmed.
• Diversify feedback approaches. Begin building your teaching identity with different types of feedback to make better connections with students. Cater to different learning preferences and encourage a growth mindset by rotating through effective feedback approaches. Offer opportunities for peer assessment, self-assessment, and constructive feedback.
• Enforce consistent consequences. When students understand the consequences of their actions, it contributes to a safe and orderly classroom environment, saving you time. Without resorting to yelling or punishing, enforce consistent consequences to help students understand the outcomes of their actions. A calm and respectful approach to discipline fosters a safe and respectful classroom environment.
• Recognize achievements of all kinds. Recognizing achievement, no matter how big or small, is one of the simplest classroom management strategies for new teachers to start with. Build a culture of support and respect by recognizing achievements, whether academic, personal, or social. It fosters a love for learning, a sense of belonging, and a mindset of continuous improvement.
• Roam the classroom. For new teachers, it may take students some time to get comfortable approaching you. When you move around the classroom, instead of being tied to your desk, you promote a sense of accessibility and approachability. You can easily connect with your students, address questions, and gauge their engagement.
• Set the tone with a unique classroom layout. A tried and tested classroom management strategy is having a well-designed classroom layout. This impacts engagement, collaboration, interaction, and overall classroom atmosphere. Set your teaching philosophy to match a well-designed layout that caters to various learning needs, promotes inclusivity, and contributes to a positive and conducive learning environment. Change up your layout periodically with traditional rows, clusters, flexible seating, and more.
• Continuously evolve with technology. Incorporating technology and AI in education can significantly enhance student engagement and make learning more dynamic and captivating. Also, it can help new teachers in transitioning into your teaching role more smoothly.
• Nurture growth with self-reflection. Encouraging students to engage in self-reflection empowers them to assess their progress, set personal goals, and take ownership of their learning journey. Through introspection, students become more aware of their strengths and areas for improvement, fostering a growth mindset that supports continuous development. For yourself, nurturing growth through self-reflection allows you to adapt, improve, and excel in your teaching while fostering a lifelong commitment to learning and development.
• Empower students with conflict-resolution skills. This can be done constructively through role-play practice, discussions, and case studies to address disagreements and challenges. These activities help to teach effective communication, active listening, and problem-solving strategies. The ability to navigate conflicts in a respectful and collaborative manner is a skill that all teachers need to possess in order to foster a positive and harmonious classroom atmosphere.
• Teach and develop emotional intelligence. Equip students with tools to recognize, understand, and manage their own emotions, as well as empathize with others. By fostering empathy and self-awareness, students can navigate conflicts and interpersonal relationships more effectively, creating a harmonious and emotionally supportive classroom environment.
• Don’t leave the shy student behind. Help the shy students thrive in your classroom by learning their names, using icebreakers, making them feel included, and providing choices. It helps to be extra patient, and consistently applying different strategies based on each student’s comfort level and progress. Your support and encouragement can make a significant difference in helping shy students blossom.

The resources found below will be used throughout the semester as touch points for discussion and reflection opportunities.

1. Teach Starter: 17 Classroom Management Strategies and Examples That Really Work: https://www.teachstarter.com/us/blog/classroom-management-hacks-teachers-us/
2. University of Northern Colorado’s School of Teacher Education: Classroom Management Guide – The Critical Role of Classroom Management: https://www.teachstarter.com/us/blog/classroom-management-hacks-teachers-us/
3. Edutopia: 8 Proactive Classroom Management Tips (with embedded videos): https://www.edutopia.org/article/8-proactive-classroom-management-tips/
4. The Well-Managed Classroom by Harry Wong: https://www.wtc.ie/images/pdf/Classroom_Management/cm6.PDF