Classroom management is one of the most essential pieces of a successful school year. As teachers, we are always in a battle with making sure our students are on-task and engaged in learning. The thing with classroom management is, if you don’t teach it, you can’t expect it. This is why it’s so important to have the right set of classroom management tools to help your students follow procedures, stay on task, and engage in their learning. If you are looking to find some new classroom management tools to encourage positive behaviors in your classroom, this is the perfect post for you. I will share five practical classroom management tools that I use and love with my first-graders every day.
Students thrive in a consistent, predictable environment. When students know what to expect each day, they are less anxious and more confident in their surroundings. This emotional security is fundamental for their overall well-being and ability to focus on learning.
Predictable routines reduce uncertainty and anxiety. Students know what is expected of them and what will happen next, which can lower stress levels and allow them to engage more fully in their learning activities.
Consistent routines help establish clear expectations for behavior and performance. When students understand the structure of their day and the standards they are expected to meet, they are more likely to succeed academically and behaviorally.
Routines often include tasks and responsibilities that students must manage independently or with minimal guidance. Over time, these routines help students develop organizational skills, time management, and responsibility.
In summary, a safe, predictable environment with consistent routines is essential for fostering a conducive learning environment where students feel secure, confident, and empowered to reach their full potential both academically and socially.
How do I create a consistent, predictable environment? With time and practice. I also use classroom management resources in my Classroom Management Bundle.
Classroom Culture/Classroom Environment
It’s all about relationships. . . student to student relationships and teacher to student relationships
Relationships create a safe learning environment and a sense of belonging where students are more likely to take risks and know they matter.
How can we do that?
Class Meetings
Morning Meeting is a fantastic opportunity to create a positive and inclusive classroom environment right from the start of each day. Through morning meetings, I am able to connect with my students, encourage open communication, and promote a sense of belonging within the classroom community. The morning meeting sets the tone for the entire day and is a must-do for classroom management. It tells students that the culture of the classroom is one of inclusion, belonging, and mutual respect.
Morning Greetings are a non-negotiable in my class. Why is this simple act imperative? Have you ever come home after a long day and walked into a house of crying kids? What about coming home to people running up to you and being so happy to see you? I don’t even have to ask which one felt better.
The thing is we all want to belong. We all want to be seen. We all want to be appreciated.
The simple act of greeting your students at the door and letting them know you are happy to see them makes a huge difference for the culture of your classroom. Try it out. It’s simple to do.
Class Meetings are different than morning meetings. Class meetings happen at anytime when there’s something to discuss – hurt feelings, procedure refresh, problems, etc. It’s a great way to bring up an issue and ask the students for solutions, which creates buy-in.
Remember students thrive in predictable, safe environments that are consistent and they feel like they are appreciated and belong.
Student Engagement
When students are engaged, they are having fun. There’s no need for misbehavior. There’s no downtime for students to get into mischief.
When students have frequent opportunities to respond to learning, whether it be repeating, Kagan strategies, responding on whiteboards, partner share, cheers and callbacks, there’s less misbehavior.
Have you ever been to a sports game, and everyone is cheering and chanting? It instantly puts you in a good mood, right? Not to mention, it motivates the players on the field. Now, let’s think about that in a classroom setting. It gets your students excited, motivated, and feeling super positive. It’s a great way to reinforce positive behaviors and a job well done. The chants that we use boost self-esteem and aim to build positivity among one another. Will they get stuck in your head at all hours of the day? Yes, but it’s totally worth it. Will your students absolutely love them? 1000%. You can grab these cheers and chants as a freebie to try out with your students!
Callback tools are fun, creative, and get student’s attention immediately. Your voice is a very powerful tool when it comes to the classroom. Call and response tools are an excellent way to quickly grab focus for you to give directions for the next activity, remind students about noise levels, or stay on task. I keep a ton of different call and responses, including my most used ones on a ring that I have close by throughout the day. They are a great way to build positive engagement in your classroom in a super simple way. Teach your students that you say the first half, and they respond with the second.
Callbacks can be anything that you choose. And, I have heard some amusing ones or some as simple as “1-2-3, eyes on me,” and students call back with “1-2, eyes on you.” You can have a signature call and response or maybe have different callbacks for different times of the day. The best part is, you do what is best for your students. I have a freebie with a ton of other call and responses that your students will enjoy! Click here for the paid version with 28 calls and responses.
What about learning and talking with partners? Teaching a partner or restating learning helps solidify knowledge. It’s fun, too.
Sometimes picking partners can be challenging, especially if you have BFFs who are always together, or the same kids with no partners. We pick our partners for the week using Partner Pairing Cards, so there’s no hurt feelings.
I also have Winter Partner Pairing Cards in my shop!
Class Rewards
From the moment school begins, I work really really hard to instill positive classroom management. There is not a one-size-fits-all model, nor is there one tool that helps with classroom management. I use a class rewards system because it’s another way to reinforce my students while encouraging good behavior positively. And, when we use a classroom reward system, it helps teach students that their behavior affects others. When we use a class reward system, we work together toward a common goal. The students can also determine a class reward, and they can collaborate, come up with ideas, vote, and work as a team to meet the goal. This type of system is best used when there are visuals, such as marble jars or one-page trackers, so that students can see their progress towards the goals. Indoor recess and glow days are two of the favorite rewards my students will choose.
Here are some of my classroom management incentive systems on Tpt.
Brain Breaks
We all need mental breaks to energize our bodies for more learning. I know as an adult when I am working on something for too long, I need to get up, grab some water, and take a break. Now imagine those first-graders. We often see issues with behavior pop up when we have asked our students to sit too long without a break. As young learners, they also need a break from all of their learning to re-energize their bodies. Break breaks are a massive component of classroom management and a highly effective classroom management tool.
When we continuously provide our students with dedicated time to take a break from learning, they are less likely to get off task, goof around with their neighbors, or completely shut down. Brain breaks are an excellent tool to give your students a constructive way to shake out some of that energy. I love using team builders, and they help students build connections, move their bodies, and get a bit of a mental break from their school day. Check out this post that incorporates some fun ideas for indoor recess, which will be super helpful as the weather gets colder. As I am sure you know, winter gets tough because our kiddos are all cooped up. There are many different methods you can use when it comes to using brain breaks in your classroom.
SEL
We can’t expect it if we don’t teach it, right? That philosophy applies to so many areas throughout the classroom but especially when it comes to social-emotional learning. I have an entire curriculum bundle with activities on emotions, self-awareness, growth mindset, and self-regulation. Placing an emphasis on these four areas helps build a respectful, responsible, and kind classroom built on solid relationships. Social emotional learning curriculum is a highly effective classroom management skill because you are explicitly teaching and modeling.
Within these units, I focus on what it means to be a good listener, focus, and follow directions. We spend time discussing how mistakes are part of learning, positive self-talk, and the power of a growth mindset. We also dive into identifying feelings, recognizing feelings in others, and self-regulation. Using a solid SEL curriculum helps lay the groundwork for a positive and engaged classroom in their learning.
Since I started to hone in on a strong SEL curriculum, I have spent way less time dealing with behaviors and figuring out the best classroom management. In 10-15 minutes a day, we can dive into helping our students be their best selves. Using this curriculum in my classroom has honestly changed the tone of my classroom to create a welcoming, safe, and loving classroom where we worry less about behaviors and more about positivity and treating each other with respect.
You will have students who require a bit more and for that I recommend Punch Cards. They establish positive behavior management in your classroom This resource is great for students who need positive behavior support. Students earn a punch each time they exhibit the behavior you want to see. You can use the punch cards as data, too! ( I simply date the back of the cards and keep track of how long it took to complete a card.) I start with cards that have 5 hole punches and increase when the student is successful. These cards have 5, 10, 20, and 20 holes so you can do so. They are private, easy to use, and motivating.
I use punch cards when a student is having difficulty managing their behavior. We’ll talk first. I name the behavior and discuss ways to manage it, keeping it POSITIVE. Then, I present the punch card. I let the student know that no one else has to know about it. We fill out the contract and give it a go.
Classroom management is ever-changing, especially this year. It always needs modifications and changes to fit your students’ needs. But, I genuinely hope that you can put some of these classroom management tools to work in your classrooms to make your life a bit easier!
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