Classroom management challenges all educators. Observing colleagues for additional tips and techniques will certainly help you improve and grow.
Remember: consistency and firmness— always balanced by fairness—will ultimately cause your students to respect you and their learning environment.
TRY: Establishing Rapport ✅
This reduces misbehaviors. Simple greetings of “Hello” and a “Goodbye” after class, demonstrates care. Maintain appropriate professional levels with students, but take an interest in their future, especially their success.
AVOID: Not having hard Conversations ❌
Disciplinary referrals should be the exception, not the rule. Reserve them for major infractions,
not minor ones like side-talking, off-task behavior, or being unprepared for class. When you
refer students for these kinds of infractions, you convey the message: “I don’t know how to deal
with you, so I need someone to do it for me.” In essence, you are handing over control of your
classroom.
TRY: Establishing Proximity ✅
When students engage in off task behavior, simply moving in their direction or standing near
them sends a message that you are aware of what they are doing and do not approve of it.
Proximity preserves instruction and student’s dignity while helping you monitor what students
are doing.
AVOID: Redirecting Students with Questions ❌
Avoid calling on a student to answer a question when they are off-task. Instructional
questioning is to assess learning, but redirection through questioning embarrasses the student
and calls attention to him in a negative way. If you need to redirect a student, consider
“reminding” the student by saying: “We’re on question 5 right now, or we are on page 45” “I
need you to respect everyone’s right to learn,” or another similar statement that reinforces your
expectations.
TRY: Being Mobile / Moving Around ✅
Instructing from different places in the office will help keep students on-task and discourages misbehaviors (sleeping, talking, cell phones). Try to arrange the class to allow for mobility.
AVOID: Public Discipline ❌
Many believe that giving consequences in front of the class “sets an example.” The example you
are setting, though, is that you are willing to embarrass a student. While you might feel a sense
of control by publicly disciplining a student, they lose dignity in the process. Although you might
win a small battle, you unconsciously create a larger struggle: they’ll want to save face, leading
to more off-task behavior or direct provocations. Instead, talk with them quietly at their
desk/station once everyone is working or motion him outside for a conference.
TRY: Non-Verbal Cues ✅
If you cannot move toward a misbehaving student, try some nonverbal cues. Sometimes a well-practiced “look 👀" can redirect the behavior. Holding eye contact with them is another simple
way without calling attention to them. In other instances, a well-placed pause in your
instruction or directions can refocus students because there is a noticeable break in what was
occurring. Hand signals and gestures work too (no snapping, no rude gestures, no loud clapping
and not accompanied with finger pointing, etc).
AVOID: Losing Your Cool / Control ❌
The moment you lose control of your emotions, you lose control of the class. You’ve unwittingly
shown students what buttons to push. Losing control takes a variety of forms, including
insisting on having the last word, saying something regrettable, or crying. Instead, learn to take
a deep breath and emotionally detach yourself from the behavior or words, making sure your
emotions don’t register on your face.
TRY: Creating Structure ✅
A classroom lacking organization encourages off-task behavior. The more structure you
introduce, the more likely your students will exhibit positive behavior. Additionally, the more
familiar your students are with routines, the less likely they are to find “down time” to engage
in misbehavior.