TEACHER BLOG

5 Tips to Manage Your Classroom Like a Pro

Jawaher Bucheeri

12 December, 2021

As many teachers will agree, there is so much more to managing our classroom than standing in front of the class and telling the students what the lesson for the day is. Good classroom management starts with communication and organization. Students need structure, routine and consistency when they're in school. This makes them feel safe and in control, which encourages them to learn and do their best to succeed.

I'm going to share the top 5 lessons I've learned that can help you manage your classroom smoothly and easily:

1 - SET CLEAR EXPECTATIONS

At the start of each semester, I think its very critical to establish a list of classroom rules for your students. This includes what you allow in your class, what is frowned upon and what is non-negotiable. When guidelines are clearly set - and most importantly communicated with your students - it will be easier for students in your class to know how they should behave and what to avoid during your class time.

2- ADDRESS BEHAVIORS APPROPRIATELY

Some students tend to act out in class and it's rarely ever harmful. It's important to observe how your students behave during class and determine what is causing these different behaviors. You cannot assess or deal with the situation accurately without getting to the root of the problem.

How can you do that? The easiest way is to talk to your students. Sometimes, all they want is to be heard. Approaching students in a calm and understanding way can help them open up. Then you can address their behavior knowing what was going on in their little heads.

For example, one of my students started dozing off during class for several days in a row. Instead of scolding her in front of the entire class, I spoke to her at the end of the class and voiced my concern as to why she was suddenly sleeping during class. I offered her a quick and hopefully solution to her issue, and she took it well. That short conversation made my day! Helping my students is the most rewarding and my favorite part about being a teacher.

3 - ENFORCE PROCEDURES WHEN RULES ARE BROKEN

A great tip that a fellow teacher gave me is to only set rules that you are willing and able to enforce. Whether it's rewarding students that follow these rules, or following through on the consequences that you've set in case students break them. If you follow through and implement your classroom procedures, it teaches your students to respect the rules, respect their elders, and respect the people around them. It also helps them learn self-control and consistency.

4- USE NON-VERBAL SIGNALS FOR REPETITIVE ROUTINES

Sometimes, certain behaviors repeat themselves and that turns one misbehaving moment into a routine or habit. I noticed that in this case, my students respond better to non-verbal warnings when it comes to their repetitive bad behavior.

When a student's behavior becomes repetitive, I find it more effective to give them a non-verbal signal. Whether it's a hand signal or gesturing for them to put things away. Surprisingly, they pick up on those quicker than I thought and is much more effective than words.

5 - MAKE YOUR LESSONS ENGAGING

I stand by my mantra: if you’re bored, so are they. When I started adding games into my teaching, I saw that my students were very interested and participating much more during the lesson. Young students are generally curious and eager to know more about topics they're interested in, and that's how you can tell they're hooked and paying attention. You can check out my previous blog where I share my top game-based learning websites. I guarantee it will add a little more fun into your classroom and your lesson plan.

Whether you're an experienced teacher and you feel the need to shake things up a little, or it's your first year of teaching. Managing a class is one of the most important and impactful parts of your job.

Be careful not to be too strict with your class rules, too lenient with your rewards and consequences, or too relaxed with your lesson plan. Yes, it's important to keep your students engaged with the material. However, don't forget the key ingredient is that the game-based exercises stay on topic and within your lesson plan.

Are you interested in starting a teacher blog? Why not share your experiences as a Springring Teacher guest blogger? We're always looking to showcase teachers and help them communicate and connect. Reach out to us on marketing@myspringring.com. You can also refer a friend who is looking to share their teacher tips and expertise 🙏

Share this post

WRITTEN BY