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Establishing rules at the very beginning of the year will help students understand what is expected

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Using "Take Five" is an effective way for students who are acting inappropriately to regroup and come back to a calm and neutral behavior, and them giving me a "thumbs up" when they are ready to come back to work.

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Teacher Tip:

I created a "Take Five" table for kids that need that time to regroup. It's a different version of your counseling center. It has one of your timers at the table and the student sets it himself. When it goes off, he looks at me for a thumbs up to return to the group.

The other day, one of my students - wonderful, bright, but highly volatile - didn't like a direction I had given and decided to throw his markers across the room. I had a parent in the room working at a center and everyone else engaged in an activity.

I calmly told him that his behavior was extremely inappropriate and unacceptable and he needed to "take five", He followed the directions, looked at me for a thumbs up when the timer went off, and returned to his seat like a new person. The parent in the room was utterly amazed, as was I!

It set a great tone for the class - they knew I wouldn't accept this sort of behavior; however, it was handled in a gentle - yet firm manner.

Judy Furman
Fairmont Elementary School
Placentia Yorba Linda Unified School District

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Teacher Tip: I created a "Take Five" table for kids that need that time to regroup. It's a different version of your counseling center. It has one of your timers at the table and the student sets it himself. When it goes off, he looks at me for a thumbs up to return to the group.

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This is a list of strategies and ideas I will use in my classroom in order to stay organized and set-up

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I will use these ideas for my classroom throughout the year that will help me and my classroom have smooth transitions from lesson to lesson

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We will say this pledge together as a class every day as the start of our day, to set the tone and show respect and responsibility

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"3R" Class Pledge

Every morning we start the day with our Room 12 Pledge. (We do the actual pledge of allegiance at the school's flag assemby every Monday morning.) It's a team-building activity and helps to reinforce our commitment to being a happier, more productive classroom.

The pledge goes like this:

"As a member of Room 12, I pledge to:
Respect myself by making good choices,
Respect my classmates
by treating them kindly, and
Take responsibility for my actions."

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Every morning we start the day with our Room 12 Pledge. (We do the actual pledge of allegiance at the school's flag assemby every Monday morning.) It's a team-building activity and helps to reinforce our commitment to being a happier, more productive classroom.

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Although there are students who are showing bad behavior and are making distractions for the class, it is important to also acknowledge good behavior. This shows students a good example and look at other as a role model and how they should act in class.

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We teachers know how hard it can be to reorient students once bad behavior has taken root. That's why it's important to nip behavioral issues in the bud-and to prevent them when we can.

You can start using behavior management strategies in the classroom on the first day of school, and they'll help you and your students have a great year. The key is building strong teacher-student relationships from the beginning.
Further Reading: 6 Tips for Skillfully Managing Extreme Student Behaviors
Rules and Relationships

Focusing on classroom rules and expectations seems like the logical way to begin the year. Students need to know what's expected of them, after all.

But starting this way suggests that you believe that kids will misbehave-that's why you have rules. Instead of starting with this assumption, try welcoming students into your classroom and engaging them in day-one activities. Show your students that you're interested in getting to know them and that you're looking forward to working with them.

Studies support the idea that strong teacher-student relationships are a bulwark against disruptive classroom behavior. Writing in Education Week, Sarah D. Sparks says that strong student-teacher relationships improve "practically every measure schools care about: higher student academic engagement, attendance, grades, fewer disruptive behaviors and suspensions, and lower school dropout rates."

Sparks also points to a study in the European Journal of Psychology of Education that shows that a teacher's relationship with students is the best predictor of "how much the teacher experienced joy versus anxiety in class."

Set the Tone on the First Day

So if teacher-student relationships are the key to a great year, make the first day of the school year about building relationships, not reviewing rules.

Start with an ice breaker; pair students up and ask them to interview one another then introduce their partner to the class. A math teacher in my school assigns kids to small groups, gives them popsicle sticks and glue, and tells them they have 15 minutes to build a structure and then explain what it's for. A history teacher I know starts each year by asking how many of his students don't like history. Then he asks them to write down why they don't like it; his job, he says, is to make his students love history. When his students are done, he collects the papers and reads them aloud-often to laughter and groans.

Telling kids a little about yourself and your subject is a great way to build relationships, too. Give examples of what your students will be learning. Ask for questions. Before class ends, give them a quick preview of what you'll cover tomorrow.

When you talk with your students- and not at them-you're actually using sound behavior management strategies in the classroom. Engaging your students, demonstrating your interest in them, sharing a little about yourself, and being enthusiastic about your class sets the tone and gives kids a sense of what kind of teacher (and person) you are. These relationships are critical to preventing behavioral issues that tend to arise as the school year progresses. Instead of acting out, students will come to you with their concerns. Instead of avoiding their work, students will talk to you about struggles they're having with the material. Establishing strong relationships early on will benefit everyone as the year progresses.

Tips for the Rest of the Year

Of course, there's a lot more to building relationships with students than fun opening-day activities. Writing on the National Education Association's website, teacher Dave Foley offers several tips to connect with kids on the first day of school-and every day after. Here are a few.

Preserve students' self-esteem. "As teachers," Foley says, "we are dealing with fragile beings. Being accepted by their peers is the key to their self-esteem. Being criticized by a teacher in front of their peers humiliates them. To avoid 'losing face,' students may react by talking back, smirking, or walking out of class. They will do whatever it takes to preserve their dignity." So, Foley says, teachers should correct behavior quickly, privately, and without drawing the whole class's attention. Don't be sarcastic, and don't raise your voice. Focus on the behavior, not the student's worth.

Don't ignore good behavior. Good behavior rarely attracts attention. But you can reinforce good behavior by recognizing it. Praise students when they're prepared, when they work hard, and when they listen respectfully to you and to one another. Make giving specific positive feedback a habit.

Be fair and consistent. Treat every kid with the same level of respect. A mentor once told me that all teachers like some students better than others-but no one, especially the students, should be able to tell. Consistently show that you hold high expectations for all of your students.

Ask students for their opinions. Students want to feel valued. Asking what they think, listening carefully, and acknowledging that their opinions are valid goes a long way toward building strong teacher-student relationships.

Creating these habits on the first day of school and sticking to them throughout the year will not only help your students grow academically; it'll go a long way toward preventing behavioral issues.

Making the Most of Your Time

If you're a secondary school teacher, you teach your students for 50 minutes a day. So over a typical 180-day school year, you'll spend 150 hours with your students. If you're an elementary school teacher, you could spend up to 1,000 hours with your students.
Further Reading: How to Deal with Entitled Behavior in the Classroom
Kids connect with teachers who demonstrate consistency, fairness, and respect. They're far less likely to misbehave when it means jeopardizing that connection. So start the year off right by using these behavior management strategies in the classroom. You might end up feeling joy-not stress-during the many hours you spend with your students this year.

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Use These Behavior Management Strategies in the Classroom to Prevent Problems

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We teachers know how hard it can be to reorient students once bad behavior has taken root. That's why it's important to nip behavioral issues in the bud-and to prevent them when we can. You can start using behavior management strategies in the classroom on the first day of school, and they'll help you and your students have a great year.

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In my class, I will use a stuffed animal and will reward one student at the end of the day for good behavior with the stuffed animal. They are allowed to have the stuffed animal sit on their desk the next day for the whole day. This will be a good reward and also a challenge for each student to show good behavior to enjoy a great day with our class stuffed animal!

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One of the ideas in the Tools & Toys book is called Student of the Day. In a nutshell, it's an award given out at the end of the day to a student for some notweworthy behavior. During the recognition process, the student is given both a small certificate--which goes home to the folks--and a trophy--which sits on his desk the next day.

Here's how one teacher does it in her room.

Teacher Tip

Last summer, I took my two daughters to Build A Bear Workshop at Downtown Disney. (My son got a toy from the Lego Store.) We three girls each built a bear....mine was the new Autumn Bear (my all time favorite season) complete with an autumn leaf on his paw. His fur is yellow, orange, red and white. Quite beautiful autumn colors. I named him Sycamore.

When school started, I explained to my students that I would choose one student each day to be the student of the day. In addition to receiving an award to go home to share with their parents, they would get the honor of having Sycamore sit on their desk the ENTIRE day of school! At first I thought my second grade boys might think it was a little silly, but I can honestly tell you the boys enjoy it as much, if not more, than the girls!

While the kids are lining up to go home, I announce who the student of the day will be for tomorrow and why. The current student then carefully brings over Sycamore to the new student of the day's desk. They invented that routine.

I love it!

Debra Simmons

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One of the ideas in the Tools & Toys book is called Student of the Day. In a nutshell, it's an award given out at the end of the day to a student for some notweworthy behavior. During the recognition process, the student is given both a small certificate--which goes home to the folks--and a trophy--which sits on his desk the next day.

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Always enforce what students should do, not what students should not do. It is easier for students to follow a more positive language.

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A well-founded set of class rules has the power to make any school year great. Great teachers know that rules make learning possible and work hard to choose them. Follow these tips for coming up with the right rules for your class and implementing them.

Keep It Simple

Because rules are meant to serve students, they should be logical and straightforward enough that they make sense after minimal explanation. If a rule is confusing and/or its purpose unclear, your students will have trouble practicing it. Follow these guidelines for designing a functional set of rules that is most likely to have its intended results.

Don't overdo it. Be economical with your rules list to increase the likelihood of your students remembering it. There isn't a magic amount but the number of rules you implement should generally not exceed half the age of your students (e.g. No greater than three or four rules for second graders, four or five for fourth graders, etc.).

Include important unwritten rules. Never make assumptions about what your students do or don't already know. Every child is raised differently and cultural contrasts are never more prominent than when it comes to behavioral management and rules. Hold your students all to the same standards only after teaching the rules and not before.

Use positive language. Write what students should do rather than what they should not do. Positive language is easier to follow because it communicates expectations more clearly.

Choosing Between General and Class-Specific Rules

Most teachers tend to follow a similar roadmap for rule-setting: Briefly highlight student preparedness, outline what being respectful of others and school property looks like, and set behavioral expectations during instruction. These standard guidelines are prominent for good reason.

There is nothing wrong with having rules similar to those of other teachers. In fact, this can make your students' lives easier in a lot of ways. However, nonspecific rules don't always make the most sense and you shouldn't feel tied to them. Teachers can deviate from the norm as they see fit based on what will work best in their classroom. Use a combination of general and class-specific rules until you are comfortable with your code of conduct.

Sample General Rules

There are some rules that can be applied to every classroom. This is true of the following examples.

1. Come to class prepared.

2. Listen when someone else is talking.

3. Always try your best.

4. Wait for your turn to speak (then raise your hand)

5. Treat others the way you want to be treated.

Sample Class-Specific Rules

When general rules don't cut it, teachers can use more precise language to put their expectations into words. Here are some examples.

1. Complete morning work as soon as you come in.

2. Always be helpful to others.

3. Give eye contact when someone is talking.

4. Ask questions when you don't understand.

5. Never make a classmate feel like you don't want to work with them.

Steps for Introducing Class Rules to Students

Always introduce rules to your students as soon as possible, ideally within the first few days of school. Prioritize this over other activities and introductions because rules lay the groundwork for how your class will function. Follow these steps for success when presenting class guidelines to students.

1. Involve your students. Many teachers create class rules with the help of their students. This is an excellent strategy for long-term success. Instilling a sense of ownership in your students with regard to the rules will make it more likely that they follow and value them. You can even have your students agree to abide by them by signing a contract.

2. Explicitly teach the rules.Once your class has come up with practical rules, work together to talk about what they mean. Teach and model the rules so that the entire class is on the same page. Let your students help you demonstrate desired behavior and have meaningful conversations about why rules are important.

3. Post the rules. Your students can't be expected to remember every rule after only hearing them once. Post them somewhere visible so that they can be easily referenced-some teachers even send students home with their own copies. Keep the rules fresh in their minds and remember that sometimes they merely forget and are not deliberately misbehaving.

4. Talk about the rules often. Keep the conversation going as the year progresses because posting the rules isn't always enough. Issues will come up that require you to revisit your guidelines with individuals, groups of students, and even the whole class. No one is perfect and your students will need to reset sometimes.

5. Add more rules as needed. You don't have to have it all figured out the day your new students walk into class. If you ever realize that there are rules missing that would make everything run more smoothly, go ahead and add, teach, and post them as you did with all the others. Teach your students about adapting to change whenever you add a new rule.

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A well-founded set of class rules has the power to make any school year great. Great teachers know that rules make learning possible and work hard to choose them. Follow these tips for coming up with the right rules for your class and implementing them.

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I will use "Team Tables" as a way for how my classroom is set up. There will be groups of 4 students with their desks together and each table will be named a team. This will help me assign what I want certain tables to do, while the other do a different task, rather than call everyone by their names. This makes the classroom set-up more fun.

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Be Ready
Be Respectful
Be Responsible

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If the class is complimented by another adult (principal, teacher, Class parent), they will get 3 jelly beans. If the class shows bad behavior, they will lose a jelly bean. The goal is to get the jar filled with jelly beans so they can get a pizza and movie party.

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1. Respect and treat everyone how you would want to be treated. This applies to their person, their belongings, and their rights.

2. Keep your hands and feet to yourself.

3. Raise your hand. Do not interrupt others when they are speaking.

4. Follow directions the first time they are given.

5. Be prepared for class.

If you break a rule the first time, you will receive a verbal warning.

If you break a rule the second time, you will receive a written warning.

If you break a rule the third time, you will eat your lunch in the classroom and lose recess privileges.

If you break a rule the fourth time, a note will be sent home to your parents or guardians.

*If a note has been sent home for the same behaviors, then I will request a meeting with the parents or guardians in order to set up a behavior contract with the student.

**Severe Clause: If a student attempts to harm himself or others or attempts any other violent actions, the consequences above do not apply, and the student will be removed from the classroom immediately and sent home.
If a student shows on task and responsible behavior, they will receive a good behavior ticket. When the student receives 10 tickets, they will be rewarded with one of the following:

1. 15 minutes of free time (i.e. silent reading, playing educational games on the iPad or laptop, or

2. 3 points of extra credit on the next reading test

As a class, there will also be a jelly bean policy.

When the whole class is on task, they will receive two jelly beans. Each time the class is complimented by another adult, they will receive three jelly beans.

If the class is is off task, then they will lose two jelly beans.

Once the jar is full, the students will vote for a party (movie, ice cream, pizza, or donuts)

If any students have any recurring disruptive or problem behaviors, it may be necessary to implement a behavior contract. This entails a meeting between teacher, parents, and student to find the best solution to solve their behavior. The student, parents, and myself will then sign the contract, stating that the student will monitor and improve their behavior, and in return gain something (i.e. an extra ticket per day, extra computer time, etc.).

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Classroom Rules, Consequences, and Rewards

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Respect and treat everyone how you would want to be treated. This applies to their person, their belongings, and their rights. Keep your hands and feet to yourself. Raise your hand. Do not interrupt others when they are speaking. Follow directions the first time they are given. Be prepared for class.

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At the end of each school day, we will do a classroom clean-up. There will be 3 spots in the classroom that I specifically want cleaned and the student don't know which spots. I don't say stop until that spot is cleaned. The students who find the spot I have chosen will be rewarded with a piece of candy like a jolly rancher. This can always go for Rewards & consequences.

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Teacher Tip:

I got this idea several years ago while I was substitute teaching, and it never fails. It has to do with clean-up at the end of the day. I've tried having clean-up jobs but the jobs never seemed to get done to my satisfaction.

Here's what I do:

I choose three spots in the room that need cleaning without telling the kids which three spots I have chosen.

I then say "go" and the kids clean everything hoping to hit the spot that I have secretly chosen.

I don't say "stop" until I am satisfied the room is clean, even if they have already gotten the three spots I had chosen.

Then I reveal the three spots and present the winners with a jolly rancher or other small reward.

Although the kids who didn't win are disappointed they cleaned the wrong spot, that doesn't stop them from trying even harder next time. The biggest winner is of course the teacher who has a clean room with minimal effort and expense.

Troy Duncan
Brea Olinda

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Teacher Tip: I got this idea several years ago while I was substitute teaching, and it never fails. It has to do with clean-up at the end of the day. I've tried having clean-up jobs but the jobs never seemed to get done to my satisfaction.

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Classroom signs around the room for procedures

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Classroom signs around the room for procedures

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I will let students pick a classroom job that helps keep the class organized and clean. Students love to be a teachers helper, and this would be great for them to have a specific job, rather than everyone trying to fight over doing the same job. This help me and its fun for the students who want to take on this role.

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Teach your students about responsibility by assigning classroom jobs at the beginning of the school year.

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Finding rules to create together as a class

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This website gives great ideas such as hands signals, countdown clock, positive notes, etc. for useful classroom management.

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Some years you get an easy class - one that allows you to actually do your job effectively and reminds you of why you went into teaching. Other years, you may have a class that makes you wonder if you'll make it through the whole year without losing your mind. I've experienced both situations, and have learned so much from the latter. These 10 classroom management tips have helped save my sanity during those tough years.

1. Hand Signals

The "I Have Question" sign has been fixed. 😉

Hand signals have saved my sanity. With hand signals, students can silently let you know what they need. I love that I can easily distinguish between a question, answer, and comment - that way, I can save the comments for later if we're crunched for time. The picture above is from last year when I taught 6th grade. I didn't need the hand signals for getting a drink, sharpening a pencil, or using the bathroom since students were free to do that whenever I wasn't teaching. I sell these posters in my store and they're editable so you can change them to fit your classroom's needs.

2. Countdown

Using a countdown helps students know how long they have to finish something. No more excuses of, "I didn't know how much time we had left, so I didn't finish". Hold students accountable for monitoring their time.

My school was Kagan trained earlier this year and our principal bought all of the 5th grade classrooms the Kagan Cooperative Learning MegaTimer. It's expensive, but I use it all of the time. The timer also works as a clock, thermometer, random number generator, student number picker, stopwatch, and more.

If you have technology available in your classroom, you can always use apps or websites, such as Online Stopwatch to count down.

During transitions, I count down aloud from 10 to signal to students that I'm ready to begin. This helps students stop the chatter and get themselves situated for our lesson.

3. ClassDojo

Back in July 2015, I wrote a blog post about using ClassDojo in the upper grades. I suggest you read that post, as I included a lot of information on how I set up my positives and negatives, reward system, and more.

I've used ClassDojo now for 3 years now (in grades 4, 5, and 6) and still love it. I can reward students for the positive things they're doing, as well as track things they need work on. Over the summer, ClassDojo added the option to be able to have negatives be neutral. I went that route this year, not wanting to "punish" kids who make mistakes, but track it for interventions and to keep parents informed.

Which brings us to the #1 reason I love ClassDojo so much - parent involvement. I don't have the time to send home notes, email, or call home every day. Life happens. With ClassDojo, parents can check in on their child whenever they want and see what awesome things they did during the day, or what they need to work on. The app also has a messenger feature, which is sometimes much easier than sending an email. A quick reminder from a parent that their child is being picked up early is always appreciated, but I don't really have the time to check my email all day long. Having the app on my phone and iPad, I can award points all day and have the messenger alert me if I have a new message from a parent.

4. Positive Notes

Students, no matter what the age, appreciate some encouragement from their teacher. I've caught students pulling out a past note from their desk to re-read when they're having a rough day. Totally worth the time to do this!

I made these notes to use in the classroom. I print them on colored paper (such as Astrobrights) and have them on hand to write out for students when I see something worth celebrating. I will stick the note into a student's desk along with a piece of candy, raffle ticket, or school buck for them to find later. I also take a picture of the note, and send it to the student's parents on ClassDojo's messenger, along with a note thanking them for sharing their child with me.

Writing positive notes to students is so powerful. Even writing a quick note on a Post-It will do! Even my most challenging students treasure a positive note from me. It's a nice reminder that they are capable of great things.

5. Practice Procedures

This is one tip that I go back to over and over again all year long. Sometimes it's the whole class that needs to practice a procedure together - such as walking in a line, raising their hands to speak during a lesson, etc. I've had to practice walking through the halls appropriately with my class in the past. Taking 5 minutes during their recess to practice the procedure correctly did the trick and they were on point for the rest of the year.

Other times, it may be one student who needs the practice walking appropriately. I use this "learning opportunity" to connect with the student. We have 30-minute recess and teachers watch their own classes outside. While yes, this is somewhat my "break" time, taking 5 minutes to walk 2 laps around the track with a student who is struggling to act appropriately. I'm able to learn more about students with this one-on-one time and often learn why the student is acting out. Most of the time, they're just looking for attention. Giving them the 5 minutes of one-on-one time usually does the trick!

6. Teamwork Bingo

Teamwork Bingo is an easy way to encourage students to work together and do the right thing. As a class, you can decide what is worthy of earning numbers and what prizes you earn towards. When students earn numbers, simply draw from a can and mark off the number. I laminated my bingo board and used a wet erase marker on the board to mark numbers. You can download this resource for FREE from my TpT store.

7. Echo Directions

I have my students echo directions back to me before I let them begin on their own. I have them tell me where to turn something in, what to do when they finish if they only need to do the odds, etc. If they say it back to me, I know they've heard what I've said. Sure, some still won't remember, but then I have them ask 3 before me.

8. Attention Getting Signal

Having an attention getting signal has been so helpful for me - at all grade levels. I use "Give Me 5" with my students. This allows me to get my class' attention quickly and is both visual and auditory. Students are supposed to stop what they're doing, face me, and put their hand up in the air. Even if someone doesn't hear me if they see others putting their hand up they know what to do. You can get these FREE Give Me 5 Posters and 6 other classroom management tools by signing up below or clicking here.

9. Monitor Noise Levels

I'm the type of teacher who appreciates a mostly quiet classroom while students work. Of course, students don't realize the noise level when they're working in groups so they need a way to monitor the noise that's expected.

A fun app that's available for both Android and iOS is Too Noisy. It uses the microphone on the tablet or phone to monitor the noise level. (You can change the sensitivity depending on the noise level that's appropriate for the activity.) The class earns stars if they don't "break" the screen (set off the alarm). There's both a free and paid version of the app.

Another way to manage noise is to have voice level posters for students to visually see in the classroom. You can move an arrow or clip along the posters to indicate the expected voice level for the activity. I make it a class job to be in charge of moving the arrow because I always forget to.

10. Brain Breaks

Who doesn't need a brain break every once in a while? Even I do when I'm working at home. Basically, anything to get kids out of their seats is a great brain break. But even better? Getting their wiggles out with GoNoodle.

GoNoodle is completely free for teachers. Grades 4, 5, and 6 love it - and my 6th graders were the biggest fans of all. It's evolved over the years and is definitely at its best now. You can search by energy level, category, duration, and even mark favorites to quickly visit when you log in. Doing a calming meditation before a test helps kids get their minds right. Stretching before recess gets students pumped up to play. Starting the day off with a guided dance gets students' blood pumping and brains turned on.

* As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases through affiliate links.
Links last updated 1/7/2020

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10 Classroom Management Tips | The Learning Effect

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Some years you get an easy class - one that allows you to actually do your job effectively and reminds you of why you went into teaching. Other years, you may have a class that makes you wonder if you'll make it through the whole year without losing your mind.

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I want to use a rewards ticket for when I am away and have a sub for the day. This ticket can say something along the lines of "I had excellent behavior today. Get a prize from Ms. Long tomorrow to claim my prize!". This will be a good rewards system for students to act respectfully while a sub watches my class.