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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!

Hello everyone!

I have only worked with elemenatry aged students but I think what is extreamly important in all grade levels is to start off strong in the begining and then go from there. Often time I have seen teachers not set boundries on the first week of school and this leads to students thinking they own the class. Setting up boundries and rules and implementing them the first month constantly can really help! I think it would also be great to ask a veteran teacher as well, I think they are always willing to give good advice as long as you ask. 

As a new teacher, you need to establish your expectations with the class and be sure that they understand what you are asking of them. Other teachers and authorities may not have the same expectations or meanings for rules. Teach them what respect means and demonstrate examples of what is good behavior and which is unacceptable. You have to reestablish your expectations each day to know they understand what is right and wrong. If you respect your students, they will respect you. For example, when starting a new job you would not like it if your boss yelled at you for doing something wrong. Students will not be perfect all of the time, therefore they shouldn't have to be silent the entire class. Students need time to talk and form relationships with their peers. They are not always disrespectful students, sometimes teachers need to adjust their techniques to stop the misbehavior. Teachers should take the time to thoroughly explain what they expect from their students and encourage them to succeed. 

It is definitely important to be consistent with your discipline. Students need consistency and clear expectations, and I feel that it is important to be firm. Be encouraging when they are doing, offer incentives, but also don't allow them to control you with their behavior. Also, find ways for them to have fun in the classroom with their learning, but also teach them the expectation to come back down into work mode when it is time. 

Hello, my name is Nikita Hatley, and I'm a student at Henderson State University, where I am an elementary education major. I learned many new things and resources regarding New teachers/ effective classroom management. I feel like it is important for us as teachers to make science important in our student's education. Also, if we don't make it important then our students wouldn't want to learn anything dealing with science. 

I have a question about what are some ways or methods that can be used to make our students more involved with science and to make it essential in their education.

Hi Nikita, I too am in school to become an elementary teacher.  This is a question that is constantly going through every new teacher's mind I'm sure!  There are a bunch of great tips in these responses.  Thank you for asking the question and thank you to all those who shared their tips.  In my current placement the teacher's two main points for classroom management is presenting the rules clearly and early and have them visible and review them every day for the first 2-3 weeks, and then as needed.

Hi there, Olivia!

I'm a first year teacher this year and classroom management I think is the hardest part of being a teacher. Something that I've learned to help classroom management is to be consistent all of the time. This allows students to know exactly what they can expect in your class every single day. Another thing is proximity. Move around the room, stand near students during your instruction. If they're doing something like being on their phone, chances are they'll put it away if you get close to them. But remain with the front of your body facing the classroom so you can still easily see what is going on at all times.

These are just a few things I've learned to be helpful for me so far!

Hello! I am a student teacher right now for a second grade classroom and something my Cooperating Teacher taught me was to be consistent and to dismiss unwanted behavior right away. She told me to tell the students what I expect from them during certain points of the day. We reward for good behavior and make that student a model for those around them. It works well for our classroom!

Hi Olivia. It might be hard for you at first, but I'm sure you'll get through it. It's important to build respectful relationships with your students, and I suggest that you read the rules for color schemes in the classroom.You can use a https://eduzaurus.com/free-essay-samples/reconstruction-era-of-the-united-states/ with ready-made free essay samples, so you can use them to make assignments for students and learn how best to structure the learning process so that they can understand it better.

First and foremost for me is a routine.  Make sure you are prepared and organized as much as possible each and every day.  My students know when they walk through the door to get their journal and answer the question on the board.  It does not always have to be a question.  I mix it up sometimes and put vocabulary words up or a fact/fiction discussion.  As much as possible, go bell to bell.  Set your expectations early and stick to them.  If there are consequences, make sure you give them.

Hello Olivia, as a pre-service teacher I believe classroom management is key. We need to be organized and prepared in this field. Another useful strategy is time management. Your classroom rules are key and they need to be enforced. 

Hey Olivia, I think the biggest thing for classroom management is communication. I think at all times you should communicate with the students and tell them exactly what you expect for every single thing. I think if you communicate your expectations and rules then the students will know and listen. If a student is not following the expectations or meeting your expectations then communicate that with them. Tell them what they should be doing and how what they are doing is not your expectation. I think this is a big key for classroom management. 

Hello olivia, one thing i have learned from my mentors is that  as a teacher you should set standards not only for you but for your students as well. this way not only will they know what to expect from them but also keep yourself accountable. 

Students will behaved based on what is acceptable in your classroom. If you let certain things go they will assume that is the norm and acceptable. Once allowing those behaviors it is very hard to teach them that they are not acceptable in your room. Setting clear expectations, modeling those expecations and interviening right away when those expectations are not met are good ways to start.