Effective Classroom Management Tips

Perhaps the single most complex aspect of teaching is classroom management. Since beginning my career in what was considered one of the “Dirty Dozen” in New York City public schools, which “earned” the title based on the amount of incidents reported annually — I had a crash course in how to manage students.

My first day teaching was intense and crazy, and I was the third teacher that the students had in as many months, to start the school year.

Needless to say, I walked into a fire storm and had no equipment, no training, and very little support — except for my fellow English teachers. I couldn’t believe what the students were saying, how they acted, and went home at night wondering if this was the right choice for me as a career.

What I failed to consider, was why are they acting that way. I thought it was all my fault, which primarily it was — but I needed to see the students and recognize them as individual people with all kinds of baggage, combined with my lack of ability to do almost anything in the classroom effectively.

The following is a short list of tips and methods that I used, and have battle-tested in that school — over the course of the next 8 years of my teaching career.

1. Most important tip I could give you is consistency.

Create a habit of daily routines. Most of your students may not get that at home. After quarantine for a year — I truly understand the importance of a rhythm of daily occurrences for students and how that leads to habitual care and management of one’s self both inside and outside of the classroom.

Every day do the same things. If you begin with a starter, do it every day. If you have practice problems on Wednesdays, make sure it happens. If you conduct poetry on Fridays — don’t miss it at all. Stick to your routine, and you will train your students to follow it, and they will respect the persistency as they will become familiar with it and it will be easier to digest therefore, as it’ll be less threatening.

2. Next, and right on the heels of being the most important — your lesson plan can manage your students for you.

Yesterday’s article talks all about how to create an effective lesson plan, and you can read about it here. I harp on the importance of holding students accountable from the second they walk into your classroom, and they are on your time. If your plans are similar in format, yet not in content — this is ideal. Students will know what you mean when you say, “Let’s get into pre-arranged groups…” as this is something they will do often in your class, so it’s easier to transition into when teaching a lesson, and the downtime eliminated. If you close every day with review of your Aim question, students will want that challenge, especially if they are getting points from correct answers.

3. Differentiate your instruction, so you meet the needs of all of the learners in the classroom.

Every student comes into your room and learns differently from the person sitting next to them. They all can learn, just some need the delivery of instruction to appeal to their style more, so they can fully comprehend it best. Perhaps using visuals, having students act out, having the class debate orally, putting someone on trial, experimenting with labs, going out in the yard and actually try to apply new information, or even using multimedia approaches — are all substitutes for teacher centered — direct instruction. Don’t forget — some students learn that way as well!

4. Make what you do in your class fuse student choice into the mix.

Give students the chance to select their own path, so they have buy in and it’s what they want to do. This can resound loudly when empowering your students to take control of their own learning. This redirects their focus from the students sitting around them in conversation, to their own interests and gain, without you constantly reminding them to do so.

5. Be clear in your expectations to your students.

Don’t repeat yourself a million times. If you have to, then your directions are not clear enough. If you find yourself telling students to keep it down or to stay in their seats — do they not know that this guidance is necessary to that part of your lesson plans? I was super guilt of saying things over and over again, until one of my fellow english teachers made a joke about, “… having to listen to Clausi tell his kids to settle down or going on vacation to Staten Island…”

Believe me people, that’s not a good comparison.

6. Make certain you have comprehension before moving on.

All too often teachers feel they have to maintain a pace of curriculum to “cover everything”. I hate that. Just because a teacher covers something, doesn’t mean the students learned it. Why move on, unless they do? Won’t you just be creating grounds for students to give up because of lack of understanding? Ensuring that your students all get your points, also means giving individual attention to those that don’t. Working with every student, so no one feels left out — brings a class together and makes them classmates. It lays the ground for a bond amongst those students, and will impact the learning ability and culture of your classroom daily.

7. Screaming at kids is what they probably get at home.

I remember being in a meeting with one of my students, and all of his other teachers. I had a good thing going with him, and apparently was the only teacher he liked. Our coordinator ask him flat out, “What’s the problem? Why do you disrespect your teachers in the way that you do, and not Mr. Clausi?”

The kid said plain and simple — He treats me like a person. Everyone else makes me feel like I’m home, and I get enough of the negative yelling and constant reminding at home.

All of us, immediately, some with years of experience — learned an extremely valuable lesson on managing students that day.

Don’t give them the stage, don’t even raise your voice. Ask the student to speak with you in the hall or after class. Have a conversation without a threatening and angry tone. Speak to them, but then listen and consider what they are saying, determine their reasoning, and work with them!

All too often, teachers need to “win” battles with their students, or they flat out, “don’t like” specific kids. I never can understand why those people are teachers, but they are. Don’t be that way — it will never be what best for the students, as all you’d be focusing on is your own interests.

Treating students like young adults — and preparing them for life after high school, was the reason we were all there. It’s the purpose behind school. If you are having classroom management issues, email me at thetravelingprincipal@gmail.com and let me help you become the effective educator that you know your students deserve.