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Classroom Management

The key to a classroom that runs smoothly is effective classroom management techniques. Your classroom management should revolve around the classroom rules. If a rule is broken, there should be a consequence. A structured classroom comes from strong classroom management.

The most effective form of classroom management is the use of positive reinforcement. If you have a student acting inappropriately, you should find a student who is acting appropriately, and praise him or her. Students love getting praised, and they will usually change their behavior if they see other students getting attention for good behavior. For example, if you see a student who is wasting time and not getting work done, find a student who is working hard, and comment, “I love the way Joey is working so hard. He is so responsible.” You will probably see the student who was being inappropriate getting to work so he can be praised as well.

You can also use other forms of classroom management. A lot of teachers have a classroom store. Each student can earn tickets or coins when they display appropriate behavior. At the end of the week, they can shop in the classroom store with their tickets or coins.

Other teachers use the stoplight technique or the red, yellow, green technique. You could have a picture of a stoplight, a pinwheel with red, yellow, and green sections, or use red, yellow, and green cards. If you use a stoplight or pinwheel, you should have each student’s name on something like a clothespin or velcro tag. If you are using cards, each student has their own set of cards. All students start at green. You can then set your own guidelines on when they get moved to yellow or red. For example, if a student gets two warnings, their name or card gets moved to the yellow section. If they get three or more warnings, their name or card gets moved to red. If they get red for the day, their parent or guardian gets notified with a note or phone call. They should also lose a privilege like playtime or lunch in the classroom. The students who stay on green could earn privileges like lunch in the classroom if they stay on green for the week or picking a prize out of the prize bin.

If you have a classroom theme, your classroom management system could revolve around your theme. Your classroom might be based on a sports theme. Your equivalent of yellow might be the penalty box. Your red could be the equivalent of being benched for the game.

Whatever techniques you choose to use, it is extremely important that you are consistent and that you follow through with the program. You will find that if you have a strong classroom management system, you will rarely have to move anyone to the red sections. Good luck!!

As a teacher you need to always be improving your classroom management techniques. Here are some links to some of the Top Classroom Management sites:

Classroom Management

The Really Big List of Classroom Management Resources

Classroom Management Topics

Education World

You Can Handle Them All

Articles on Brain based Education

Teacher lesson plans and classroom management

ProTeacher! Classroom management ideas for elementary school

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT LINKS

Strategies for Classroom Management

Classroom Management

First Day of School

Coming back to school is always exciting for students and teachers alike. Here are some ideas to make the first day of school run smoothly. I usually send a postcard to each student before school begins so the students feel like they already know me when they come in the first day of school. Another good back to school idea is to send a letter to each student written by one of your previous students describing what your classroom is like.

You should already have your classroom organized and decorated so the students feel like they are welcomed into a warm environment on the first day of school. It’s a good idea to have a class list outside the door. In primary classrooms, it’s fun to decorate the hallway or the door with the names of incoming students. For example, you could have each student’s name printed on a frog with a title above the frogs that says “Look Who’s Hopping Into First Grade!” You could have each student’s name written on an apple with a title that says, “We Have the Pick of the Crop in Kindergarten”.

On the first day of school, the teacher should always be standing at the door to greet the students. This way, you can meet each student individually and introduce yourself to parents who might be accompanying their child. You can direct the students to their desks and have them empty their backpacks. While you are waiting for all the students to arrive on the first day of school, the other students can look at books or do a coloring activity that is waiting for them on their desks. Older children can fill out a questionnaire about themselves that can be used in a “getting to know you” activity later in the day.

When all the students arrive, you should establish your routines right away. Take attendance, listen to announcements, do a calendar activity, and whatever else you plan to do in your daily classroom routine. You should assign jobs to the students and describe each job, so on the second day, the students can enter the classroom and get right to their classroom job.

Then, you should establish classroom rules. It’s a good idea to have the students help create the classroom rules so they feel a sense of ownership. The rules should then be displayed in a visible spot in the classroom. Your classroom management techniques should now be explained. You should explain what happens if a rule is broken so there are no surprises if someone is not cooperating.

Also on the first day of school, you should take your students on a tour of the school. This reacquaints the students with the building and helps new students feel comfortable with their new surroundings.

You should also have the students introduce themselves to one another. You can have each student say their name, tell who their previous teacher was, tell one thing they enjoy. You could make this activity into a game or a song.

You could also do a craft activity to decorate the classroom so the students feel that the classroom is theirs. You can use some of the ideas listed on our First Day of School page. Print the patterns from our Patterns page. You can also send in your ideas to ideas@bulletin-board-idea.com to be included on our First Day of School page.

September is almost here! Enjoy your year!

Classroom Rules

Classroom rules should be established on the first day of school.  It’s always good to include your students when developing classroom rules.  You could brainstorm ideas on a chart, and then consolidate and reword the ideas into 5-7 rules.  Your classroom rules should always be positive.  You should not include the words, “Do not” in your classroom rules.  Here are some ideas of positive classroom rules:<p>

1.  Do what the adult says right away. (Adult includes teacher, aide, therapist)

2.  Keep your hands, feet, and objects to yourself.  (Objects includes supplies, toys, etc.)

3.  Be responsible for yourself. (Includes cleaning up after yourself, finishing work on time, keeping your area organized)

4.  Be respectful of others.

5.  Walk at all times.

6.  Raise your hand if you have a question something to share.

You should write the classroom rules on a big poster, and make the poster colorful and fun.  The classroom rules should be posted in the front of the room or in a place where they are visible to everyone.  You also want to refer to the rules if a student is behaving inappropriately.  You could also list the consequences if a rule is broken.  You can refer to the classroom management link for ideas on classroom management techniques.

Decorative Bulletin Boards

Craft Ideas for Classrooms

Calendar Bulletin Boards

Classroom Pictures & Photos

Art Bulletin Boards

Library Bulletin Boards