Classroom Management Tips

Here are a few classroom management tips in no particular order:

Have a seating plan: you learn names far quicker this way and being able to address a student by their name is far more effective when managing the classroom.

Arrange your classroom to suit the lesson and/or that particular class: No one seating arrangement will suit every class you teach so be prepared to rearrange your classroom depending on the class you have. Every class has different needs –some respond well to group work, others need to work more independently. Don’t be scared to alternate your room in between lessons if necessary in order to improve the management of the lesson.

Have clear expectations: these should be agreed between you and the class(es) – even if all you do is notify them of what you expect. They need to know what you will and won’t accept in your classroom and then there can be no room for misunderstandings. These expectations may be different depending on which class you are teaching so it may be an idea to limit the expectations to no more than 5 and write them on the board at the start of each lesson. Once the class is at the stage where they can recite them to you for you to write on the board then you have made your message clear.

Be consistent in the way in which you deal with behaviour: know the correct chain of command for behaviour within your school and then use it. Students need to know what the consequences are to their behaviour and then they need to see you follow through with those consequences.    

Have a clear pre-established signal for the class to know when you want their attention: but make sure that you give them all enough time to respond to it though – some students will take longer than others but most will get there eventually.

Have well planned lessons that cater for all learning styles and needs: be aware of VAK and identify which students prefer to learn in which ways. Your lessons should offer a variety of tasks that cater for all learning styles so that all students have the opportunity to learn from you.

Avoid loud or aggressive confrontations with students: It is your classroom, you are in control and students are there to learn. If you are unhappy with someone’s conduct within your lesson, remain calm in your manner and tone of voice and only comment on the behaviour being displayed and not the actual individual displaying it. Offer them choices on how they can proceed in the lesson, make them aware of the consequences in relation to the choices offered and then continue to teach. Obviously make sure that you follow through with the consequences if they make the wrong choice.

Don’t leave students outside of the classroom for too long: If you need to send a student out to calm down, make sure that you (or another member of staff) follow them out within 2-3 mins. Calmly what you are unhappy about and then invite them back into the class for another attempt at the lesson. Some people would demand an apology at this stage – this is your call. Many students need time to reflect on their actions and may not be ready to apologise at this stage so an insistence on one could make the situation worse. Advise the student of the consequences to misbehaving again and follow this through where necessary.

Already be in your classroom when your students arrive: Having set up your lesson, gathered your thoughts and opened the door to your class, gives the impression that you are there to work just as they are. They will enter the room knowing that you mean business and that they are going to have to knuckle down.

Remember to smile: It’s very hard for most people to not smile back and for those that don’t, it gives you a warning that they may not be in the best of mood and so may need some careful handling during the lesson.