Best Classroom Management Strategies
Teaching is a fun and rewarding career. It’s always exciting to walk into your classroom on the first day of school and meet all your new students. But when it comes to classroom management strategies, if you don’t start communicating behavior expectations on day one, you may find that you have an uphill battle ahead of you.
As with most things, there’s more than one way to manage a classroom. And what works for one teacher might not work for all. But over the years, with much research and experimentation, I’ve narrowed things down to these two essential classroom management strategies.
Remember, these two classroom management strategies are not all that's required to successfully run a class. You’ll need to use other techniques as well. I’m merely highlighting these as I believe them to be the foundation of my success as a teacher.
Empower Students to Help Create Class Expectations
Every classroom needs clearly stated rules or expectations of behavior. Each year, one of the first things I do with my students is establish class expectations. Of course, I lead the process, but I encourage everyone to contribute and work together.
Why do I involve the kids? Because of the power of buy-in! Giving them choices and the freedom to create their own class expectations (within reason) significantly increases their compliance with those expectations.
The process is fun and a fabulous learning experience. Here are some questions to get their brains churning.
What kind of environment do you want to learn in?
What are some expected behaviors you want to see from your classmates in our classroom?
What are some unexpected behaviors that you do not want to see from your classmates in our classroom?
Don’t worry, allowing the students to take control may seem like you’re setting yourself up for failure, but each year, I’m surprised by some of the strict standards many of my students bring up.
Here are some examples of the expected behaviors students have created from years past:
Treat others the way they want to be treated.
Listen when others are speaking.
Always be responsible in class by doing your work.
Be respectful when someone thinks differently than you.
Show kindness to others.
Once everyone has agreed on four or five expectations, Write them on a poster and hang them on the wall. By displaying them prominently, they will remind you of the agreement made between you and your students.
Model the Behavior You Want to See
As a teacher, you are not only the leader of your class but you’re also a role model for all those young minds. Because modeling behaviors effectively teaches students how to act in different situations, it’s essential that you constantly and consistently display the behaviors that you want to see.
For example, during subject matter teaching moments, model what to do when you have a question about a topic. Or how you can react constructively when confronted with frustrations.
When you’re modeling, be sure to:
Use polite language
Maintain eye contact
Explain clearly what your expectations are
State when unexpected behaviors occur and what you hope to see from students moving forward
Ultimately, when it comes to classroom management, your modeling and rapport with the students will make you a more effective educator.
About the Author
Hello, I’m Kevin Asher Karnes. I’m a certified English Language Arts and Career and Technical Education teacher at Polytechnic Senior High School in Fort Worth, Texas. I teach beginning to advanced level courses for children in grades 9 thru 12.
As a teacher, my goal is to help my students develop intellectually, socially, and emotionally. I design my lessons to accommodate all learning styles and strive to maintain a safe classroom environment that encourages curiosity, risk-taking, and the sharing of ideas.
In addition to managing my classes, I’m the assistant chair of my department, the sponsor of the Content Creator’s Club, a Junior Achievement International Educator, and an ESL and TEFL certified tutor for English learners.
I hold a BA in Economics and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration, both from the University of Massachusetts. I’m a highly qualified teacher in the state of Texas, certified in English Language Arts and Reading Grades 7 - 12, Hospitality, Nutrition, and Food Science Grades 8 - 12, and English as a Second Language Grades 7 - 12.
In my free time, I enjoy photography, downhill skiing, and cooking with friends.