Classroom Management is more than rewarding students for good behavior and assigning consequences for negative behavior. This post shares how you can create a well-rounded classroom management plan.
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When I started teaching, my mom gave me a valuable piece of advice that I took with me into the classroom.
She basically told me that I needed to start out strict with my students and loosen up over time instead of starting out easy going and then trying to get control of my class when things got crazy.
Organizing my classroom and managing my classroom were two things I think I did really well as a classroom teacher.
(Okay, okay, not during Year Two when I had a really difficult year!)
Overall, my students and I had a great relationship but at the end of the day they knew I was the leader of the classroom.
We laughed and joked and had plenty of fun. But, at the end of all that fun, or even in the middle of it my students knew when I was being serious and when there was room for goofing off.
I know lots of teachers who laugh, joke, and have fun with their students.
But sometimes these teachers are unable to keep general control of their classroom because instead of setting boundaries and sticking to them, they set boundaries and are wishy washy and how and when they enforce them.
“Classroom management is a very broad and inclusive term that refers to the full range of things teachers do to organize people, materials, space and time for the purpose of teaching.”
Setting limits in the classroom
I would describe building a relationship with students with this formula:
Boundaries + Engagement = Relationship
If you have too many boundaries and not enough fun or engaging content, your students will think your a grouch and not want to build a relationship with you.
If you have tons of fun but never hold kids accountable then you miss out on building trust with them. We all know that trust is critical to relationships.
Can I change my management plan in the middle of the year?
Yes! But I say this with caution.
Consistency is crucial to kids, especially with classroom management. But, so is flexibility.
Confusing, right?!?
If you have a management plan that is working well, then keep it. Don’t go about changing your classroom management plan just for fun.
You especially don’t want to change it more than once, max twice, in a school year.
If you have a management plan that isn’t working out too well, then take time to really think through why it’s not working and what needs to change so that you only have to change it once.
Kids will get confused, frustrated, and grow weary of constantly changing expectations.
If you are going to change up your management plans, I recommend doing it right after the semester break. This ways you can come back to a new year with a fresh start.
This is also a great time to try out a new management plan you’d like to implement next year but with students who you already know and already know you.
Below I am sharing two free trainings you can sign up for to get more classroom management plan help.
The most important thing, though, is to write out your plans and then follow a step-by-step system to implement your management plans with your students.
Free Classroom Management Trainings
I am a huge fan of Linda Kardamis from Teach 4 the Heart! I think of our two businesses as working in tandem.
Inside The Organized Teacher Framework™ I teach the cake method which is essentially the idea that each layer of your classroom builds on top of another in order to create an organized classroom.
Classroom Management is key to an organized classroom.
Linda talks about all things classroom management on her blog an podcast and I cover more about organization. Both of our resources complement each other in helping you run a more effective classroom.
I interviewed Linda for Simply Teach waaayyy back in 2018 and we talked all about classroom management. You can also listen to me on her podcast where we talked about all things (you guessed it!) classroom organization.
She has two great trainings coming up that I think you should know about!
Classroom Management Solutions
The first training you can sign up for is called Classroom Management Solutions.
I like to tell teachers this training is good for teachers who are really struggling with control of their classroom or who have been teaching for less than three years.
In it, you’ll learn a simple 5-step plan to regain control of your classroom now & build your skills to start next year off right.
After this free training, you’ll be able to:
- Regain control of your classroom in just 5 simple steps
- Teach your students to actually follow your procedures
- Get your students’ attention in 3 seconds (without yelling)
- Develop rapport with even your most challenging students
- Build your skills now so you can start next year off right
- And much more
If you wish your class were more calm & controlled, this is the training for you!
Respectful, Responsible, Engaged
The first training you can sign up for is called Respectful, Responsible, and Engaged.
I like to tell teachers this training is good for teachers who have a good handle on their management and are ready to take it to the next level and grow a community in the classroom.
This training is designed for those of you who already have a basic level of control & want to take things to the next level.
In this FREE training, you’ll learn how to….
- Fight off student apathy
- Carn your students’ respect
- Easily build relationships with challenging students
- Help your students take responsibility for their own learning
- Better engage your students
- And much more!
If you’re ready to level up and create a respectful, responsible, engaged class, join us here!
Create Your Own Classroom Management Plan
Not sure which one to sign up for? Head here to learn more!
In Conclusion
In order to have a well-managed classroom, you need a well thought out classroom management plan. That plan also needs to be written out.
You can learn more about how to get access to these to free trainings on creating your own classroom management plan here.
You can also check out the 4 must-have behavior management plans I recommend (and teach inside The Organized Teacher Framework™.)
Quick Links
Here is a quick recap of all the links shared in this post:
- Download the 9 Classroom Management Tips free guide
- 4 Must-Have Behavior Management Plans Every Teacher Needs
- Step-by-Step Guide to Implementing a Management Plan
- Choose the Free Classroom Management Training for you!
- Why It’s Okay to Change Things Mid-Year
Related Posts
Until next time,
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