More efficiency, More organization, More achievement!

Classroom management is a critical skill for new teachers to learn and master.  Get 7 specific strategies (components) for having strong classroom management.  Choose up to 3 that you can work on for the upcoming term to improve your practice.

What does classroom management mean?  What does it entail?  To answer these questions, consider everything a teacher does before, during, and after a lesson.  Here is the breakdown:

Before the lesson:

Careful planning of the lesson

Arranging the room

Getting supplies and materials ready

Mentally rehearsing the lesson plan

During the lesson:

Implementation of the lesson plan

Being aware of students' moods, tempers, triggers, traits

Handling distractions

Handling misbehavior

Continuously checking for understanding

Making on-the-spot adjustments

After the lesson:

Reflecting and adjusting for next time

Timely grading of assignments

Reorganizing and tidying up the room

How well a lesson is delivered and taught depends heavily on planning it, implementing it well, and being able to adjust as needed.  It's challenging because many factors are involved, including varying personalities of students in the room, different learning styles, the teacher's level of self-confidence, the teacher's own personality, the content being taught, the role of school site administration, and more.  Some factors are more complex to control than others, leading teachers to feel tired, stressed, and burnt out.  However, knowing the factors, planning for them, having an organized plan to execute, and being willing to change, adjust, and adapt will help overcome difficulties and challenges.  Effective classroom management has a variety of benefits, including the following:

• More student engagement
• Increased academic achievement
• Stronger teacher efficacy
• Teaching having more self-confidence
• Teacher having stronger job satisfaction
• Less disruptive behaviors
• Positive learning experiences
• Positive learning environment
• Stronger relationships
• Establishing systems and routines (more predictability)
• Teacher getting a good evaluation 
• Parents more satisfied with teacher and the school

Newer teachers must understand and learn how essential and critical managing the classroom is, which involves careful preparation, a well-executed lesson plan, and a reflection for improvement afterward.  

Use the 7 tips (components) provided below to manage your classroom effectively.  Start each day with positive self-talk!  Motivate, inspire, and prepare yourself each day to run your classroom as efficiently as possible, helping your students learn as much as they can while they are with you.

Impressions are made by anyone and everyone walking into your classroom, even when you are not there or not teaching!  People can pick up on your vibe by the small things.  Here are some tips for what you need to do to have an organized classroom:

• Post classroom rules/norms on the wall with list of consequences to expect.
• Ensure that there are no boxes of things sitting around.  All supplies, books, and materials must be nicely stored in shelves and cabinet spaces.
• Label everything so kids know where to go to get supplies.
• Make sure desks and chairs are clean.
• Consider having seats in group or partner format to encourage collaboration.
• On the board, have the agenda, current date, and learning objectives (including essential questions) written down.  
• Have daily instructions already written from the moment kids walk in.
• Your handouts should be picked up when the kids enter the room.
• As they walk in, stand at the door greeting students and telling them what they need to do the second they enter (expectations must be clear from the first second). 
• If you have space, set up stations in the classroom.
• Use a timer to organize and transition the lesson from one activity to the next.
• Be very careful about what you put on the walls and where.  
• Keep your teacher's desk organized and neat (or remove it altogether to create more space for the kids).

Your classroom management begins before the kids even arrive.  The kids must feel they are in a structured, organized, predictable space as soon as they walk in!

Stay excited and motivated from the beginning so kids can pick up on that energy from you.  Be firm, but kind.  Tell them what you expect from them, and do not give in.  It's your classroom, and you are the expert.  You run the classroom and guide the learning.  With time, as you become more and more confident as a teacher, this will become easier.

A lesson begins the minute students walk into the minute they leave.  Everything has to be planned and well-implemented with transitions from one activity to another.  Yes, a lesson plan is part of classroom management. As a teacher, you must imagine and plan what you want kids to do. Plan as carefully as possible. Pay careful attention to the following:

• There should be work for kids when they walk in.
• Go over the objectives and agenda.
• Tell kids WHY they are learning what they are learning to make the lesson relevant.
• Have something exciting for the kids to do each day.
• Continuously check for understanding to get them actively engaged in the learning.
• Make sure kids understand instructions for each component of the lesson.
• Break direct instruction into parts so kids don't get bored or overloaded by too much information.

It's better to over-plan than underplan.  When kids finish work and have nothing to do, this is when they choose what they want to do with that "extra" time.    Have something relevant and worthwhile to keep them busy the entire time they are with you.

As you are teaching, watch closely their faces and their body movements.  This is one area where many teachers are reluctant to watch for cues or don't know how to respond to the cues.  If kids are yawning, it signals information overload or boredom.  You have to change something on the spot.  You don't have their attention if kids are talking to each other.  If they look down at their laps, they are probably texting secretly, which means you do not have their attention.  You have to be willing to make quick changes to your lesson to keep the kids highly engaged, or you have to alter the plan completely.  You can have the best explanations, but if your audience or students are not listening or paying attention, they will not be alert and focused on your presentation. 

If the students strongly bond with or trust the teacher, they will work for them.  They must believe the teacher has their best interest in mind and is there for their growth and development.  Get to know the students.  Learn the names within a day or two and 1 or 2 interesting things about them.  Tell them about yourself.  You should walk around the entire time looking at what they are writing as they work.  Give small clues to help, give compliments, ask questions, and comment on things so they can start to formulate that student-teacher bond quickly.

During the lesson (which begins basically the moment kids step into the room), stay actively engaged with them.  Maintain your proximity at all times.  As a new teacher, staying close to the front of the room or your desk is very tempting.  You must break away from that and leave your comfort zone.  It makes a HUGE difference to be near the students.  You can check on their work, see what they are writing, give quick assistance when necessary, and get to know them more.  You can compliment them for work well done and keep the positivity and encouragement alive throughout the lesson.  Give words of praise, like, "You're on the right track," "Your handwriting is beautiful," "So far, so good," and more.  Kids thrive on positive feedback.

Because you are dealing with human beings, there will be some misbehaviors from time to time that you need to address.  Students will try to take their frustrations out on you and test you.  The best approach to use is to have clear expectations for consequences.  Most teachers have their classroom rules and consequences for breaking the rules on the wall and review them with students periodically.  The trick is to not back down and be consistent with rule enforcement.  If a student is acting out, try to do the following:

• Redirect
• Remind about classroom expectations
• Give warning
• Stay in touch with the parent/guardian
• Assign a consequence, such as detention
• Write an office referral

It might help to have a side conversation with the student to see if there are outside factors affecting the behavior (issues at home, problems in another classroom, lack of resources, emotional needs, etc.  Try not to embarrass the student in front of peers because that will often escalate the issue.  

Work with the veteran teachers and observe other teachers to see how they handle misbehavior.  Research and participate in seminars that teach handling disruptive students, challenging behaviors, and restorative practices.  Remember that having positive behavior reinforcement is the first best line of defense.  Besides having the classroom rules and norms, continually "reward" students by doing what they should be doing.  Rewards can vary:

• Verbally through praise
• By giving small, tangible rewards
• Positive notes
• Classroom celebrations
• Recognitions 

An overwhelming majority of the class will respond well to positive reinforcement or PBIS strategies.  A handful will not respond and will need consequences and other measures (referrals to counseling) to improve behaviors.  As a classroom teacher, expecting shortfalls and challenges with behavior will help you plan better and be ready to tackle problems that come your way.

Teachers with strong classroom management skills get better results.  The rooms are orderly and more conducive to learning.  There are fewer behavior problems.  Student engagement is stronger.  Students feel safer and more connected to each other.  The teacher feels less stressed and more empowered, knowing he or she is making a difference.  

If you are a newer teacher, consider classroom management a theatrical performance.  There must be lots of preparation before the actual performance.  During the performance, the audience must stay engaged and actively in tune with what is happening on stage.  Some minor tweaks, changes, and adjustments may need to be made during the actual performance.  After the show, an honest reflection is necessary to make improvements and changes for the better during the subsequent performances.  This is precisely how teaching can be seen.  Careful lesson planning is the first step when each lesson component is timed and rehearsed (perhaps in your mind).  During the execution of the plan, you are gauging your students and ensuring they are staying engaged.  After the lesson, you evaluate how it went and make changes or adjustments for future classes.  

As a newer teacher, understand the critical role classroom management plays before, during, and after a lesson to be as effective as you possibly can be in your role.  The more effective you are as a teacher, the better you'll feel about yourself, the more confidence you'll gain, and the more satisfied you'll be with your job.

Please subscribe to efficiencyandorganization.com by clicking here. 

20 Ways Teachers Can Increase Engagement in the Classroom

Use a Lesson Plan Checklist to Organize Your Instructional Plans

7 Highly Effective Ways to Plan a Lesson and Why It's Important

How to Have an Organized Classroom | 20 Strategies for Success

Ruzanna Krdilyan Hernandez, Ed.D. is an award-winning educator and content creator writing books/articles on efficiency, organizing skills, productivity, goal-setting, time management, planning, self-development, and achieving more in life. Hernandez is the author of efficiencyandorganization.com, which focuses on six areas:

Personal life

Personal finances

Small business owners

Educators

Students

Careers

She writes in these focus areas on how people in every aspect of life can achieve more by being more organized and efficient with their processes to become consistent, timely, and successful. She is an expert and a lifelong learner of organization, time management, personal efficiency, and goal achievement. This article shares some of her strategies and other researched and proven tips, techniques, and strategies. The book, Efficiency and Organization, is available on Amazon.  Her second book, Organization and Efficiency in Personal Finances, is also released and available on Amazon.  Efficiency and Organization's YouTube channel has over 80 helpful videos.  

Disclaimer:  As an Amazon Associate, I get earnings on qualified purchases. 

20 Classroom Management Strategies and Techniques [+ Downloadable List]

Why Is Classroom Management Important?

Unlocking the 10 Benefits of Classroom Management

8 ways to use PBIS strategies in the classroom