Tag: classroom management

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Classroom Management: A Tale of Trial & Error

Managing a room full of students can be challenging. You quickly find that what works for one student doesn’t work for another, and sometimes you feel like you are spinning in circles trying to find something that works. It can be frustrating, for sure. 

Management styles and methods vary from teacher to teacher, and can be dependent on many factors. Teacher personalities can influence the kind of management techniques that are used. Student personalities can also largely determine how a teacher manages the classroom. Another factor that definitely plays a role is the grade being taught and managed. Kindergarteners and first graders are typically going to eagerly respond to management techniques that involve silly, catchy little rhymes or actions, such as “One, Two, Three, Eyes On Me!”, sticker charts, and so on. Younger grades tend to also be very highly motivated by external motivators: give them a chance to earn a tootsie roll or a sticker, and you will grab their attention quickly! Upper elementary grades also usually respond to similar methods, but often aren’t as quick to do so. 

Secondary classes can be trickier to find successful management techniques. For the students who truly need behavior management help, offering a sticker or piece of candy probably isn’t going to do much. Forming a connection and being kind, however, will go a long way.

I recently surveyed a handful of teachers about their classroom management techniques. I found a good variety of answers and ideas. Keep reading to see what they had to say!

What is one classroom management technique that you have found great success with?

  • Connection (9th grade)
  • I have a 120 chart and kids put small sticky notes on it as they are caught being good. When the chart is full we spin a wheel for the winners! I pick 5 or 6 kids. Then we take them all off and start again! Winners get a prize from the prize box! (1st grade)
  • Focusing on positive behaviors, having a type of behavior system for individuals, groups/tables & whole class (4th grade)
  • Reinforce positive behaviors (Kindergarten)
  • Classroom money with a class store linked with prizes they actually want. (2nd grade)
  • My students absolutely love being called out for making good choices and signing a chart. Once the chart is full we do a class drawing to win prizes or other things. (3rd grade)

What is your biggest struggle with classroom management?

  • Adapting systems to each class. Every year is different! (4th grade)
  • Students unable to communicate. (9th grade)
  • When I cannot find what motivates certain kids and it seems like NOTHING works! (2nd grade)
  • It is so hard to give a consequence to a student you know will not take it well. (3rd grade)
  • Defiance- straight up telling me no. (1st grade)
  • Noise level. (Kindergarten)

What classroom management advice would you give to new teachers?

  • Consistency is key, even when you know the student might take a consequence badly. Also sometimes what’s fair for one isn’t fair for the other. It’s ok to make tweaks in expectations for students that need it. (3rd grade)
  • Have class, individual, and group systems. (Money, table points, whole class parties they work together to earn) and just know these kids are built different so it is harder! (2nd grade)
  • Connect with your kids, they will do anything for you if you form that connection from the start. Set high expectations, but give grace. (9th grade)
  • Think of your behavior management plan and then explicitly teach it to kids! State expectations clearly and then hold them to it. (4th grade)
  • Keep at it! It takes time and patience! (1st grade)
  • Keep kids busy and working. (Kindergarten)

Great advice all around! These teachers shared some great ideas as well as some encouragement– something we can all benefit from!

When it comes to finding what works for you as a teacher, it can be a lot of trial and error, and it may take some time to settle into a groove that works for you and for your class. But if there’s one thing that I’ve learned about teaching, it’s that any time spent trying to help your students be their best selves and to succeed is time well spent!

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A Time For Reflection

As we wrap up another year (how is 2024 almost over?!), it’s a good time for reflection on the past year and pondering on the year to come. I’ve never been much of a “New Year’s Resolutions” kind of person. I tend to make goals and adjust as I’m going along and see a need. I do, however, like to reflect on the year as it comes to an end and think about the highs and lows and everything I have learned as the year passed. As educators, reflection is a useful tool and can be used to propel us to be better teachers. 

There are so many facets to teaching, which provides much to reflect upon. As you think back on this past year, perhaps you will think about any or all of the following, among other things: classroom management, what went well and what didn’t, funny things students have done or said, and relationships with your students and coworkers. 

Classroom Management

Classroom management is one of the things I was constantly reflecting on and adjusting. What worked for one class didn’t work for another. What worked for one student didn’t work for the rest of the class. There was always room for improvement. One thing I always found when I’d reflect on my classroom management was that consistency was key. If I wasn’t consistent in my management techniques, I found that my classes were more difficult to manage. If students don’t know what to expect, they will try all sorts of shenanigans to see how far they can push things. And, as any teacher knows, that’s usually not a good thing. 

What Went Well And What Didn’t

Another great area for reflection is to think about what went well and what didn’t go as well over the year. Maybe it’s a particular lesson or unit that went incredibly well and you can’t wait to teach it again. Or, on the other hand, maybe you had a lesson or unit go terribly wrong and you find the need to adjust and rewrite your plan. Perhaps you had a classroom management technique work better than you anticipated, or maybe you had one that completely flopped. Think about some of your best interactions with students and make a mental note of what you did that worked well so that you can repeat that another time. Or, if you had an interaction that didn’t go as smoothly as you’d have liked, make a mental note of what didn’t go well and how you can do better next time. Whatever the case may be, there’s likely a million and one things that you can think of that went well or didn’t go so well in your classroom.

Funny Things Said or Done by Students

I don’t think there was a day that went by that my students didn’t make me laugh. They were always doing or saying things that made me chuckle. You know what I’m talking about— those moments that you know could write a book with or that you couldn’t wait to tell your coworker about at lunch time. Laughter in the classroom is not only a nice break in the day, but is, in my opinion, necessary for a positive classroom environment. After all, it’s said that laughter is the best medicine, and I think any teacher would agree with that! Reflecting on those funny moments can help give you the motivation to keep going in the midst of a difficult year and can help boost your mood on any given day!

Relationships With Students and Coworkers

Positive relationships with your students and coworkers are essential for a happy work life. I can’t imagine having to go to a job where you despise the people you work with; it sounds absolutely miserable. Taking the time to reflect on these relationships is an excellent opportunity to think about what is going well and what areas could use some improvement. In thinking back to the interactions you’ve had with the people you work with, perhaps you will think about what you do that fosters positive relationships. Maybe it’s your genuine concern and care for others. Perhaps it is that you are able to connect with others through humor. Or, it could be that you connect with people over their interests. If things aren’t going quite as well, maybe it’s a good time to reflect on how things could be better. Is it possible you need to focus more on others’ interests and needs so that you can better connect with them? Perhaps you will find that you need to slow down and really take the time to be kinder and more patient. Whatever it may be, I’m sure we could all take a minute to reflect on how we interact with and treat those we work with. 

For teachers, the new year comes at the middle of the school year. Mid school year reflection provides educators with a good opportunity to make immediate adjustments to things they see need improvement. End of school year reflection is obviously wonderful, too, but mid year reflection offers the chance for educators to think about what they can do better, then implement those ideas immediately with their current class(es). It provides an excellent opportunity for teachers to improve and be their best selves. And let’s be honest: we can all improve!

Happy New Year, friends! I hope you find a quiet minute to reflect on your year. Thanks for being here, and I hope the coming year brings wonderful things your way!

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Are You a Clean Desk Club Classroom?

I’m a proud member of the clean desk club! I was throughout school and still (somewhat) continue to be. 

As an elementary school student, I felt so much pride as a member of the clean desk club, as I’m sure many do! But what about those students that aren’t part of it? 

Becoming a mom and spending time teaching has widened my view of the clean desk club. I have one child who will clean and organize all day every day if I let her, and while I haven’t seen her desk at school, I wouldn’t be surprised if she was part of the clean desk club at any given moment, too. 

On the other hand, I have a child whose brain just does not work in a way where things around him are organized or clean. The more chaotic his surroundings, the better he does in general. 

What I’ve learned is that some people just genuinely don’t want or need their workspace to be clean. 

So why is the clean desk club a thing? Or desk cleaning days? Or teachers micromanaging the state of their student’s desks?

My first thought is that the teachers doing this know they are more productive when they are organized and tidy, so they feel like their students will be the same. However, we have to also consider the teacher’s needs as well as the students, maybe it’s taking time out of their day to constantly have to wait on students who are searching a messy desk for a paper or book. 

How can we as teachers find the balance between a well-run classroom, while also giving our students space to be themselves and feel comfortable in the classroom? 

Allot the time to your students who need it to find items in their desks. Give them an early heads-up to start their search while you finish up other miscellaneous tasks. 

Minimize the space your students have to keep tidy to cut down on clutter. A teacher I know got rid of desks in her classroom and switched her students to tables. They have their pencil boxes, a shelf in the classroom with book boxes for their books, and a spot in their coat cubby for papers. Everything has a place and it’s easy to eliminate clutter when there’s no space for it. 

Stop praising the clean desks. This automatically places shame and guilt on those with messy desks, which is not helpful for those students. 

Have real conversations with your students, ask them what their needs are. Do they like clean desks? Do they work better with messy desks? How can you work together as a classroom so that everyone wins? 

What is your stance on the clean desk club? 

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11 Jokes to Use in the Classroom

Jokes in the classroom are important, you can read more about it from our earlier post here. Try these fun jokes in your classroom and let us know how they go! 

Why was 7 afraid of 8?
Because 7, 8 (ate), 9!

What did one wall say to the other wall?
I’ll meet you at the corner!

What do you call an illegally parked frog?
Toad!

What’s worse than finding a worm in your apple?
Finding half of a worm in your apple!

Why are fish so smart?
Because they live in schools!

Which teachers have the greenest thumbs?
The Kinder GARDEN teachers

Why was the geometry class always so tired?
Because they were all out of shape

Why didn’t the skeleton go to the school dance?
Because he had no BODY to go with!

What is a cat’s favorite color?
Puuuurrrple

What did the teacher do when she got to the beach?
She tested the water

What vegetables do librarians like?
Quiet peas.

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A Place For Jokes in the Classroom

When I was in sixth grade I had a teacher who would take the time every single day to read the Joke of the Day in the newspaper. Every day, without fail. 

We all looked forward to hearing the joke of the day and sometimes we would have a fun discussion about the joke, too. 

It was the very first thing we did in his classroom each day and it set the tone for the remainder of the school day. 

Laughing and joking immediately puts your mind at ease, it tells your body, “I am safe here, this place is okay.” This is why some people like to joke around when they are in dangerous or stressful situations, they are trying to trick their bodies into thinking they are safe and okay. 

School can feel stressful and scary for many students, but starting the school year, and even just your day, in a setting where joking and laughing and great discussions are held tells the mind, “This is somewhere we like to be. This is safe.”

If you’re not already doing something similar to Joke of the Day or adding humor into your classrooms or schools, I would strongly suggest finding a way to implement it. 

It’s a simple, easy way to tell your students that they are welcome, safe, needed, and happy in their environment. 

Do you do a joke of the day in your classroom? 

Photo by Katerina Holmes: https://www.pexels.com/photo/cheerful-black-teacher-with-diverse-schoolkids-5905918/

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Saying Goodbye to our Students

The school year is coming to a close, which is always so exciting (and needed). But it seems like after all of the hectic end-of-the-year parties and celebrations are over and we’re sitting alone in our empty classrooms, that’s when the reality sets in. 

They’re gone. They’re really gone. 

Your students aren’t coming back to your classrooms again, they’re moving up and moving on. 

For so many months, the routine was the same. Your students walked in, took their seats, and your school day started. 

Together, you learned new concepts and reviewed the old. As a team, you worked to problem-solve within your classroom to create the best learning environment possible. 

There were so many hours spent in the classroom that you all became a family, functioning together as a family does. 

And yes, times were hard, deep breaths were taken (by everyone), and problems were dealt with.

But at the end of the day, your classroom dynamic was still a family dynamic, and there you all were, sticking up for each other, advocating for each other, and learning together. 

So as you sit in your empty classroom in the silence to follow the crazy end of the year… take it all in. Remember all of the good times and bad times you had. Appreciate those students for everything they were and weren’t. And feel good knowing that they walked out of your classroom a better person than they were when they entered. 

It’s okay to feel sad and to feel happy at the same time, there’s space for both. 

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Is Undivided Attention Still the Best Practice in School?

We were deep in the trenches of distance learning with my daughter this winter when my 3-year-old decided to join in and learn right along with her. It was fun having him interact and adapt the lessons to his level. It was the first day we started reading Charlotte’s Web out loud together and almost immediately when he was required to sit still and listen to the book, he started bouncing off the walls. I urged him to sit down and listen, but that was met with him fidgeting with the pencils and crayons, and paper in front of him. 

To be honest, it was driving me mad! I know that everything I was feeling was straight from the social norms that I had in school and required as a teacher. However, times have changed! We’ve learned so much about the human brain and body and it’s a fact that sitting still with undivided attention is not the best way to learn for every single kid. 

The first day he fidgeted and messed with everything in front of him, it drove me crazy. I continued to tell him to stop, to sit down, and to listen. It was a fight until he finally just left the table altogether. 

The next day I was somewhat more prepared and allowed some Lego building while I read. It helped so much but didn’t completely keep him captivated and listening. 

In the days following, I adjusted my own expectations and emotions as he moved and jumped and crashed all around us as I read. It was hard for me to come to terms with him acting this way when I wanted him to listen. But the kicker was this, he was listening because I was allowing him to act this way. 

I was allowing his body to move freely and do what he needed to do best in order to listen. 

I also reflected on the times as a student when I would doodle during a lecture and I would take in more information by keeping my hands busy with a mindless activity instead of having my mind wander when I wasn’t allowed to doodle or fidget in some way. 

The way we learn is incredible and so vastly different among different personality types and students. It’s unfair to assume that just because we are not “distracted” and our eyes are looking directly at the teacher, we are taking in information and retaining what is being taught. 

It was interesting to see the difference in how much my son knew about the book based on what he was doing while I was reading. In the beginning, when I would dictate what he did during the reading time, he didn’t seem to retain much information Later on in the book when he was free to move and play as needed, he was able to tell me more about what was happening and knew who each of the characters was, even the smaller, less significant characters. 

It’s 2023- moving is listening. 

Photo by Pixabay via Pexels