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Hi everyone! My name is Olivia, and I am currently a second year at Wartburg college, looking to teach secondary education. I am looking for advice on how to start day one with good classroom management. I do feel it is important to start off with effective management, so that problems might be prevented. Also, that way I can try to establish a positive learning environment for my students. I'd love some suggestions!

Hi Olivia! I am currently in my student teaching, so I know that I may not have as much to offer because I'm not teaching yet, but wanted to give you a couple of suggestions based off what I've found helpful. First, always be consistent in how you start your morning. Middle level students thrive on routine, so be consistent in how you start your day. I think this will help eliminate classroom behvior issues, as students will know the expectations every day as they enter your classroom. Next, I would suggest focusing on building relationships with your students. While content is obsviously important, students need to see that you see them as a person before a student. Along with that, go into each year with an open mind. It can be easy to have preconceptions about students due to what you've heard from past teachers. Try your best to give each student a new start. Middle level students can see that and will treat you with respect. This will help with your classroom management. Lastly, do what works best for you! It can be easy to get overhwlemed when thinking about how you will "structure" your classroom. While there are good resources available to you, and you should educate yourself, don't be afraid to just go with your instinct. If you have the passion and desire to teach, your students will love you. It's not always going to be easy, but if the passion is there, that will push you! Best of luck, middle level kids are the best!! 

Hi Olivia, I am not a teachet yet but based on my after care experience, I feel like organization, communication and rules are very important in a classroom. You need to create great habits starting when you first meet them. Also repetition is very important, Take 1-3 mins out of your class time to go over the classroom rules.

Hi Olivia, I am in my third year of college for elementary education. I was recenty in a 5th grrade classroom and my teacher had a wonderful room where there was rarely any behavioral problems. She expressed to me that she thinks respect and kindness are crucuial to classroom management. Showing students that you respect them and showing them kindess goes a long way and they typically respond to you in the same manor.

The most important thing to know about classroom management is to make sure that your expectations are clearly stated, easy to understand and follow, and consistent in enforcing those standards. I would shy away from complicated reward and punishment systems as they are unwieldy and create a lot of extra work on your end.

Hello, Olivia. I am in my third year of college for bilingual elementary education at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley in Texas. From what I’ve experienced and learned in some courses, an effective classroom management begins when we, as teachers, establish and most importantly, sustain an orderly environment in the classroom because it increases the students academic learning and facilitates social and emotional growth. Like yourself, I also believe this concept is important and must be done since day one. I believe that although it requires patience, consistency, awareness, boundaries, good timing, and instinct, it must be done for the fewer behavior problems arise and instructional to properly be taught.  I am not a teacher yet; however, I do have a couple of classroom management strategies in mind that I plan on following. For instance, I plan to prepare, model ideal behavior, document rules, encourage initiative, allow students to help establish guidelines, and avoid punishing the class because addressing isolated behavior issues do not jeopardize other classroom management efforts. I wish you the best of luck!