20 Classroom Management Strategies and Techniques [+ Downloadable List] (2023)

Paper planes fly through space. Students walk between the desks. You can't say a word while they're screaming for you.

Disruptive behavior doesn't have to be as dramatic as a scene you would see in a moviemedia literacylesson thoughPoor classroom management will almost certainly increase your stress and burnout rates.

unfortunately onePost 2019points out that teachers overwhelmingly report a lack of professional development support to improve classroom management. Despite this far from ideal situation, there are simple and effective approaches to classroom management that you can implement yourself. These approaches can improve students' prosocial behavior and academic engagement by creating an orderly learning environment.

Available as a downloadable list to keep on your desktop, below are20 research-backed classroom management strategiesand techniques.

Use the ones that best suit your situation and teaching style.

Universal classroom management strategies for educators

These 20 classroom management techniques have been shown to improve classroom behavior, build relationships for better class community, and foster a positive classroom environment where student learning is the number one collective goal.

Try these effective teaching strategies with your students to become a happier, more effective teacher.

1. Model the ideal behavior

Get in the habit of displaying the behavior you want to see, e.gMany studiesshow that modelingeffectively teaches students to actin different situations.

A simple way to mimic certain behaviors is to have a mock conversation with an administrator, another teacher, or a student assistant in front of the class. When talking about a test or other related topic, pay attention to:

• use polite language
• maintain eye contact
• Keep phones in pockets
• Let's talk without interruptions
• Express concerns about what others say in a respectful manner

Then lead a class discussion to list and expand on the ideal behaviors you have modeled.

2. Have students help establish guidelines

Encourage all students to help you create expectations and rules for the lesson, such as:It will generate more approval than just telling them what they can't do.

This is especially important for new teachers. At the beginning of the school year or on the first day of the semester, start a discussion by asking students what they think should and shouldn't fly in terms of appropriate behavior.

At what points are the phones ok and not ok? What are the acceptable noise levels during class?

It may seem like you're bracing yourself for failure, but depending on the make-up of your class, you may be surprised at the rigor of some of the proposed rules. Regardless, discussion should lead to mutually understood and respected expectations of your classroom culture.

3. Document Rules

Don't let your mutually respected policies be forgotten.

Similar to distributing a syllabus, print and distribute the list of rules created by the class discussion. Then go through the list with your students. This underscores the fact that you respect their ideas and intend to adhere to them. And if a student breaks a rule, they can easily refer to that document.

You will probably want to post these rules up in your classroom if you haven't already, for occasional reference. If you're feeling creative, you can also include the list of rules in a student handbook with important dates, events, and curriculum information.

4. Avoid punishing the class

Treat isolated discipline issues on an individual basis, rather than punishing the entire class, likeThe latter can harm your relationship with the students participating in the assignmentand therefore jeopardize other classroom management efforts.

Instead, make friendly calls to specific students. For example:

• "Do you have a question?" instead of "stop talking and interrupt other students"
• "Need concentration help?" no "Pay attention and stop joking while I'm talking"

This basic approach allows you to maintain a friendly attitude by immediately acknowledging inappropriate behavior.

5. Encourages initiative

Support financiallygrowth thinking, and add variety to your lessons, e.gAllow students to work ahead and give short presentationsto share important points. Almost inevitably, you will have some enthusiastic students in your classroom. You can just ask them if they want to make progress from time to time.

For example, if you are reading a specific chapter from a textbook, have them read the following as well. As they make their subsequent presentations to preview the next chapter on your behalf, other students may also want a little more work.

6. Give praise

Commend students for a job well done, like this oneimproves academic and behavioral performance, after aReview and study of the latest research.

When sincere and related to specific examples of effort or accomplishment, praise can:

• inspire class
• Improve students' self-esteem.
• Reinforce the rules and values ​​you want to see

Perhaps most importantly, it encourages students to repeat positive behavior. Suppose a student demonstrates advanced problem-solving skills using aMatheproblem. Praise him for using certain tactics should go a long way in encouraging him to continue using those tactics. Not to mention you motivate other students to do the same.

7. Use non-verbal communication

Complete the words with actions and picturesimproving the delivery of content,Help students focus and process the lesson.

Manyvarious teaching strategies and techniqueshave their roots in these means of communication. For example, if you operate learning stations (divided areas of your classroom that students move through), you can provide a variety of content types without speech. This includes videos, infographics, and physical objects like counting coins.

8. Have parties

Have an occasional classroom party to recognize students' hard work,motivate them to keep going.

Even if it's only 20 or 30 minutes, they'll appreciate snacks and a selection of group games. Make it clear that you're hosting the party to reward them and that they can earn future parties by exhibiting ideal behavior, getting a high review score together, and more.

9. Give tangible rewards

At the end of each class, reward specific students in front of the class like othersMotivational technique and behavior reinforcement.

Suppose some students actively listen, answer questions, and ask questions of their own during class. Please come to the counters before the end of the lesson to distribute the lots. To help others learn, say out loud what each student did to earn tickets. On Friday, they can submit their tickets to compete for a prize that changes each week, from candy to choosing a game for the next class party.

10. Make positive letters and phone calls.

Keep students happy inside and outside the classroom,pleasantly surprised his parentsMake positive calls and send courtesy letters home.

When the opportunity arises through academic effort or behavioral progress, informing parents has a ripple effect. They usually congratulate their children; Your children will likely come to class eager for more positive feedback. It can also motivate parents to invest more in a child's learning and open the door to homeschooling. These lessons are an integral part ofculturally sensitive teaching.

11. Arouse enthusiasm for the content and timetable

This works well no matter what your educational level: elementary school, middle school, or high school. Begin the lesson by visualizing particularly exciting parts,Arouse the interest of the students right from the start.

When the bell rings and students calm down, distribute an agenda to the entire class detailing the highlights of the day. This can include group assignments, engaging content, and anything else to spark curiosity. For example: "During the day you will learn:"

• How to Speak Like a Teacher (Sentence Structure)
• Why don't you know anyone who won the lottery (probability)
• What All US Presidents Have in Common (Society Analysis)

The purpose of this instructional leadership technique is to get students immediately involved in your lesson plan, thereby preventing misconduct.

12. Offer different types of free study time

Offer a variety of activities during free study timeEngage students who are struggling to process content calmly and individually.

You can do this by dividing your lessons into clearly separated individual and team activities. In separate sections, consider:

• Provide audiobooks that can play material relevant to your classroom.
• Provide a designated quiet area for students to take notes and complete their work
• Creating a challenging stationgroup gamesthat provide or reinforce standards-aligned skills
• Allow students to work in groups while taking notes and completing assignments, away from quiet areas

Through these types of activities, free study time will benefit many students. This should contribute to general participation in class.

13. Draft group agreements

Ensure that students' group work runs smoothly and effectivelyWrite contracts with guidelines, have everyone sign them.

Group contracts should be based on the expectations that students have of each other and that you have of them. You can gather the class's thoughts by having a discussion about what the ideal group member does and how they behave. After students have written the contract, encourage them to think about the consequences of not meeting expectations.

By asking them to sign a new version of the contract before each assignment and group project, you empower them to hold each other accountable.

14. Assign open projects

Encourage students to tackle open projects, projects that do not require a specific product to give them the opportunityDemonstrate knowledge in a way that is inherently suited to them.

This begins by giving the class a list of general project ideas and asking each student to choose one. Make sure you provide a rubric for each project that clearly defines expectations. As you motivate and challenge students, you need to be aware that they:

• Work and learn at your own pace
• Actively deal with suitable content
• Demonstrate your knowledge as effectively as possible.

With these benefits, students will really want to tackle new projects.

15. Give only two marks for informal evaluations

Remember a time when you saw a capital "F" painted in red at your work. You were probably too upset to review the errors and comments, and your students are too upset when they see the same thing.

Therefore, consider avoiding the standard tags in informal andformative assessments.

Instead, simply state whether or not a student met expectations. Then give the struggling students a clear path to improvement. For example, match the classmates who did not live up to expectations with those who did and repeat and practice the activity. Once the fighters are sure they understand the key concepts, encourage them to tell you. Submit a new rating that will allow them to demonstrate their competency.

Classroom management strategies for individual students

16. Use EdTech that adapts to each student

Give students who are struggling to process your content an opportunity to experimentEducational technology that adapts to your needs.

There are many games and platforms that are usedadaptive learning principlesto identify a specific student's capacity deficits and provide them with content to help them overcome them.

For example,mathematical prodigyadapts its content to help students in grades 1-8 deal with their pain points. It also provides feedback to help them pinpoint specific mistakes when answering questions with words, graphics, images, and numbers.

Sign up for your free teacher account today!

17. Studenteninterview

Interview students who are not academically engaged or who exhibit prosocial behaviorlearn to deal with it better.

If you are conducting study stations or a large group activity, separate each student for a few minutes. To ask about:

• What helps you focus
• Who do you work well with?
• Your favorite types of lessons
• Your favorite things to do in the classroom
• What types of exercises will help you remember the main points of the lesson?

Record their responses to develop activities and approaches that engage them and thereby limit class disruption.

18. Respond quickly to inappropriate or unrelated behavior

Do not hesitate when it comes to inappropriate or unrelated behavior,especially when a student breaks a documented rule.

Act sooner rather than later to ensure that negative feelings, whether between students or between you and a student, do not fester. Failure to act can lead to even more bad behavior, leading to unnecessarily difficult conversations.

But remember: usuallyIt's best to talk to the student privately.Seekshows that punishing students in front of their peers is "of limited value".

19. Consider peer teaching

Useteach in pairsas a strategy for classroom management when you believe your best students can help engage and educate problem and struggling students.

peer-teaching activities, such as B. the pairing of students as reading partners, can beparticularly beneficial for students who suffer from low self-confidence and weak interpersonal skills.

authoritative researchstates that tutors improve self-esteem and interpersonal skills by providing feedback. Students see the benefits because they can ask questions and get instant clarification. TOfurther studyof at-risk students reflect these benefits. While you should spend time teaching your fellow tutors how to properly communicate with tutors, the benefits are probably worth it.

20. Gamify Personal Learning Plans

Engage students in personal learning plans by gamifying those plans as studies: howCurrent survey in South Korea- point it outengage and encourage them continuously.

considerGamification-Strategienif:

• Customization of your rating system --Award experience points (XP) along with traditional test and assignment results by setting the student a goal of achieving a certain amount of XP per unit. For example, if a student scores 60% on a test, give them 6,000 XP. You can also award XP for completing additional tasks, taking courses, or anything else that shows effort in learning.
• use stages -Refer to the themes and units as stages. The above terms have clear connotations to you, but students may not see how they fit together. If you are a gamer, you will understand that completing preliminary challenges is required to advance to the next level. Emphasize this by defining specific tasks as prerequisites for reaching the next level of learning.

If these strategies work particularly well for individual students, you should see similar success when you use them as student management techniques throughout the classroom.

Downloadable list of classroom management strategies for teachers

Click hereto download a simplified list of the above classroom management strategies and techniques that you can print out and keep on your desktop.

Classroom management strategies infographic.

Below is an infographic based on this article that will help you implement these classroom management strategies in your own school!

Frequently asked questions about classroom administration

What is the best classroom management style?

Based on the work of Diana Baumrind, a clinical psychologist known for her research on parenting styles, some educators believe an authoritarian style of classroom management may be best. This type of high-control, high-engagement instructional leadership style is characterized by strong expectations of appropriate behavior, a clear understanding of why certain behaviors are acceptable and others are not, and warm student-teacher relationships.

However, there is no specific approach that has proven to be the most effective. Then you might want to checkThe class guide bookby Harry K. Wong and Rosemary T. Wong, which contains a variety of solutions that are easy to implement. Each group of students has different needs and you will likely need a unique approach to help each student do their best in the classroom and be ready to learn every day.

What are the four components of classroom management?

Implementing the four key components of classroom management early will set you and your students up for success all year long. They are:

• classroom design -Be careful how you set up your desk, your students' desks, bulletin boards, devices, and other aspects of your classroom. Thoughtful classroom design can help create a safe and welcoming learning environment.
• Rules/Discipline —To create a safe and supportive school community, develop classroom rules that your students will understand and hopefully follow. While it may not be fun, be sure to communicate that breaking the class rules will have specific but fair consequences.
• Programming/Organization —Being on time, on-time, and staying organized will help set your classes (and your students' learning) up for success.
• teaching technique -While you may not have the flexibility you want in terms of content and curriculum, you should have the freedom to chooseifYou teach. For example, 8th grade students may prefer an expository-style lesson with small group discussions, while 3rd grade students may prefer learning math using a digital game-based learning platform. See how your students are learning best and use lesson management strategies and techniques to deliver your lessons.

Why is classroom management so important?

When done effectively, classroom management is important for three main reasons. The:

1. Creates and maintains an organized learning environment in the classroom.
2. Enhances meaningful academic learning and promotes social-emotional growth
3. Increases student academic engagement and reduces negative behavior in the classroom.

Final thoughts on these classroom management strategies

These individual and cross-class approaches to class management work to a large extent.in all subjects and levels of education. They can be deployed without administrative and parental support, and should allow you to create an orderly, but friendly and engaging environment.

As a result, we expect better teacher-student and student-student interactions.

Looking for a fun wayengage and reward your students?Attemptmathematical prodigy! Aligned with the Grades 1-8 curriculum, students practice key skills while exploring an exciting fantasy world.

You also get access to free teacher tools that help you differentiate math content, provide grades, and collect student information—with just a few clicks.