This document provides guidance on effective classroom management strategies for teachers. It discusses establishing clear rules and consequences, preparing engaging lessons, maintaining organized routines and transitions, and gaining parental support. The key aspects of classroom management include having an effective discipline plan with rewards for positive behavior and penalties for misconduct, as well as establishing consistent procedures and routines to minimize disruptions.

1. Classroom Management
Tawanda C. Smallwood
Bertie High School
Administrative Intern

2. What is Classroom Management?
 It’s effective discipline
 It’s being prepared for class
 It’s motivating your students
 It’s providing a safe, comfortable learning environment
 It’s building your students’ self esteem
 It’s being creative and imaginative in daily lessons
 And…

3. …It’s different for EVERYONE!!
 Why
 Teaching Styles
 Personality/Attitudes
 Student Population
 Not all management strategies are effective for every
teacher
 Try different strategies to see if they work for you

4. Why is Classroom
Management Important?
 Satisfaction and enjoyment in teaching
 Highest concern for beginning teachers

5. The Ideal Teacher:
 Enjoys students.
 Uses different teaching
techniques.
 Has a great sense of humor.
 Acts like an adult and not a child
(or high school student).
 Keeps promises.
 Is organized.
 Knows the subject matter.
 Admits when he or she is wrong.
 Uses a pleasant voice.
 Is enthusiastic about the subject.
 Is willing to listen to both sides
of an issue.
 Has a reputation for giving
challenging work.
 Isn’t a pushover. Keeps
misbehaving students in line.
 Keeps everyone busy.
 Does not have favorites.
 Is polite to everyone all of the
time.
 Is friendly and fair.

6. Dressing Appropriately
 According to Harry
Wong, “We are
walking, talking
advertisements for
who we are.”
 Educators should
dress for respect,
credibility,
acceptance, and
authority.

7. Ideas for the Beginning of Class
 It is ESSENTIAL that
the students have an
activity to complete as
soon as the bell rings.
 Take roll while the
students are working
on the assignment.
 Have your students:
 Create a test question.
 Illustrate important
information.
 Scan the day’s reading
assignment.
 Take a mini-quiz.
 Draw a cartoon.
 Summarize the previous
day’s topic.
According to Julia G. Thompson, author of Discipline
Survival Kit for the Secondary Teacher

8. Managing Transitions
 Julia G. Thompson suggests the following techniques:
 Time students between transitions.
 Provide students with a checklist of the day’s
activities.
 Give students activities to “sponge” any dead time.
• List ten words associated with the lesson today.
• Defend your position on…
• Make flashcards for this unit.
• Circle the key words from yesterday’s notes.

9. Ending Class Without Chaos
 The end of class should
be as structured as the
beginning.
 Closing exercises will
provide a constructive
review of the day’s
lesson.
 Be sure that you
dismiss the students
and not the bell.
 Some more ideas to try from
Julia G. Thompson:
 Chain Games
 Rapid-fire drills
 Predict the next lesson
 Review homework
directions
 Show a relevant cartoon
 Play a game for bonus
points

10. An Effective Discipline Plan
 The 3 most important
student behaviors to
teach on the first days of
school are:
 Discipline
 Procedures
 Routines
“If you do not have a plan, you are planning
to fail.”
From The First Days of School, by
Harry Wong

11. Class Rules
Abide by the Rule
Positive Consequences:
REWARDS
Break the Rule
Negative Consequences:
PENALTIES
Your Discipline Plan

12. Creating Your Class Rules
 Only have 3 to 5 rules
 State rules positively.
 Make the rules easy for you and your students to
remember.
 Be able to enforce the rules consistently.
 Remember:
 Rules deal with behavior, not procedures.

13. Rewards
 Harry Wong emphasizes,“The best reward
is the satisfaction of a job well done.”
 Some examples include:
 Praise
 A note home (Good News Cards)
 Student of the day, week, or month
 Tangible rewards
 Work posted
 Certificates of Honor
 Coupons

14. Penalties
 Time out
 Demerit or fine
 Detention
 Assignment to write ways to correct
problem
 Being last to leave
 Loss of reward
 Exclusion of class participation

15. Enlist Parent Support
 Be sure to send a copy of your discipline plan
home to parents the first day of school.
 Make positive parent contact before you need their
assistance with a problem.
 Contact parents as soon as you see a change in
their child’s behavior patterns.
 Parents can be one of your biggest allies in
managing the student’s behavior.

16. Procedures and Routines
 Harry Wong writes in The First Days of School, “The
number one problem in the classroom is not discipline;
it is the lack of procedures and routines.”
 Wong also states, “A procedure is simply a method or
process for how things are to be done in a classroom.”
 Procedures answer the question, “What do I do
when…?”