As a new teacher, you are most certainly excited about starting your career and also nervous about having to manage your own classroom. A classroom full of young people will bring excitement and energy into your life; it will also require you to develop skills to teach each learner effectively. This means developing skills that create a structure for your classroom so that all students can learn and grow in a healthy and positive way.
To provide teachers with some immediate and accessible strategies to begin their careers, this paper provides a variety of ways to assist you in establishing a positive relationship with students and building trust in the classroom. Additionally, we will discuss effective classroom management techniques that will help you build confidence while supporting the development of successful learning experiences.
What is classroom management?
Classroom management refers to the practices and routines that a teacher utilizes to promote a productive learning environment. It includes the expectations that are set by the teacher, how students’ behavior is managed, how the teacher organizes his/her lessons, and how the teacher establishes positive relationships with his/her students.
It is impossible to achieve excellent classroom management within just a few days. As a result, teachers need to continually reflect upon their practices and show flexibility when adapting their practices.
- Setting Classroom Expectations
- Set Expectations from Day One
- Create Classroom Rules
In addition to defining what type of behavior you want to see, it is essential for students to know what is expected of them. During your first week of school, define several basic classroom rules. In addition to creating a list of classroom rules, emphasize the importance of the five C’s: respect, listening, participation, responsibility, and communication.
Keep your classroom expectations as simple as possible. Instead of providing numerous examples of what you expect, limit yourself to just a few key phrases. Examples include:
- “Please raise your hand before I allow you to speak.”
- “Everyone has their own opinion.”
- “Complete all assignments on time.”
Involve Students in Creating Classroom Expectations
By including students in establishing classroom expectations and norms, there will be a greater likelihood of students adopting those expectations. By inviting students to contribute to creating classroom expectations, you are empowering students to take ownership of the classroom climate and therefore reducing potential opposition.
- Builds Trust Between Teachers and Students
- Developing Positive Relationships
- Get Familiar With Your Students
Spend time getting to know each of your students’ personalities, strengths, weaknesses, and interests. Simply calling students by name, greeting them at the door each morning, or making small talk with them during transitions can go a long way in helping your students feel valued and supported.
Students who feel supported by their teacher will be much more willing to comply with the teacher’s requests.
Show respect to all students.
Provide equal opportunities for all students. Do not play favorites. Remain composed and patient during stressful moments. When teachers treat their students fairly and respectfully, the likelihood of receiving similar treatment from their students increases dramatically.
- Establish Routine Practices (Structuring Your Lessons)
- Organize Each Lesson
Creating a well-planned lesson allows for less opportunity for confusion among students, which can lead to off-task behavior. Organize your lessons with a clear flow:
- Introduction/Warm-Up Activity
- Major Task/Activity
- Practice/Group Work
- Closing/Reflection
When students are aware of the sequence of events in a lesson, they will generally be able to relax and concentrate on the lesson.
Daily Routine Activities
Many daily routine activities (e.g., entering the room, turning in homework assignments, transitioning from one task to another) save time and help reduce disruptions.
- Practicing daily routine activities repeatedly will eventually turn into habits.
- Positive Reinforcement
- Reward Positive Behavior
Reinforcing positive behavior with praise for efforts made, contributions toward team goals, and improvements made in various areas will encourage students to exhibit these same behaviors in the future. For example:
- “Excellent job focusing on your assignment.”
- “Your group did a great job working together today.
REFLECT AND IMPROVE
Learn from Your Experiences
Following every class, take some time to reflect on what went well and what didn’t:
- What were the strengths of this lesson?
- How can I improve my next one?
Reflecting in this way allows you to grow as a teacher.
Seek Guidance and Help
Don’t be afraid to reach out to your more-experienced colleagues for guidance. Seeing how they handle situations and respond to students’ actions may give you an idea of things you could try in your own teaching.
Practical Example
Imagine that while working together in groups, the students begin to make too much noise.
In place of yelling at the kids to quiet down, you might want to:
1. Stop the activity
2. Make a hand gesture or other signal to alert all the students that it’s time to focus
3. Reiterate your expectations to them
Overall, developing effective classroom management skills takes time as a new teacher. When establishing clear rules and boundaries, cultivating relationships with your students, structuring your lessons into routine patterns, and using a thoughtful, patient approach when dealing with problems, you are going to establish a learning environment where students will feel valued and motivated.
Consistency matters more than being perfect. A small amount of progress made consistently will lead to long-lasting results. Using patience, preparation, and a positive outlook, you will not only learn to successfully manage your classroom; you’ll have created an atmosphere in which your students will grow and develop their potential.
