4 Classroom Management Strategies & Resources for Calm, Happy Students

There's nothing fun about a classroom that's out of control. It's stressful and unproductive. Thinking about kids running amok reminds me of something my husband often says. "Start how you intend to finish!" 

For me, that means starting the year with strong classroom management strategies in place and tools to help students who are struggling with emotional wellbeing or mental health issues.

Setting the rules at the start of the year means everyone is on the same page but classroom management isn't just about kids' behavior, it's also about how they cope emotionally.

1. Ask Students to Help Establish the Rules

Young or old, no-one really likes to be told what to do or how to behave. Letting your students be involved in deciding on a set of classroom rules helps them to be more accepting of them. 

Start by explaining your reason for having rules in your classroom. Students need to know how they are beneficial for everyone. Tell them that rules provide clear guidelines about what is and isn’t acceptable. Knowing what you expect helps to prevent problems that can affect everyone. 

Be prepared before you discuss and decide on 3-4 main points you must include. Consider the variety of issues that arise during a typical day and make sure you cover them in your list. Explain to students that you’ve started the list but need help deciding on the last few points. 

Write your must-have rules down for everyone to see and discuss the reasons for having them with your class. Ask students to contribute their thoughts on what else to include and write their ideas beside your list. To narrow the student list (there will be lots of suggestions), group similar points and delete any that don’t get a majority rule, or you simply can’t allow. You want to arrive at a simple and easy-to-remember list of around 5-6 points.

Ideas for Classroom Rules

When you’ve narrowed down your student list, add those points to your own. Make sure all your rules are easy to remember. Have each student copy them down and tape them to their desk or in a notebook for easy reference. You might also like to make a classroom poster. 

You'll also want to think about the consequences of not following the rules. This is another area where student input can be valuable. It’s pretty hard to complain about the consequences that students have helped put in place. 

Consequences should be logical, fair, and age-appropriate and not be a punishment. They should be a way to teach the desired behavior and only apply to the offending student. Never allow one student's actions to affect the entire class.

Ideas for Consequences When Breaking the Rules

2. Model and Encourage Kindness 

It’s well documented that kindness is a powerful value that can completely transform your classroom. Countless studies confirm that it improves social, emotional, and mental wellbeing and reduces anti-social and bullying behavior.

Kindness is one of the least difficult and tedious lessons to teach. If they’re not already used to behaving and speaking kindly, it won’t take long for students to form the habit when they experience the feel-good emotions associated with being kind.

Experiencing is the key to making it really stick. Just like reading and writing or anything else you want your kids to learn, it must be modeled and practiced regularly. Taking part in acts of kindness is a surefire way to get them addicted to this good old-fashioned value.

Ways to Nurture Kindness 

3. Use Community Circles

4. Cultivate Connections

When students have a sense of belonging and feel supported, they have fewer insecurities about school. Positive relationships with their teacher and peers improve concentration and engagement levels. When kids feel like they’re in control of their learning they’re much less likely to be disruptive.

Ideas to Foster Connections

BONUS - Brain Breaks

One of the easiest and most fun ways to keep students engaged and learning is using brain breaks!

Spending a few minutes on a brain break has so many benefits (read about them here), but the one we're highlighting in this post is for behavior management. 

It's proven that children are unable to concentrate for extended periods of time. When they are asked to sit still and pay attention during long lessons, many will start to fidget, poke the person in front of them, or chat with a classmate. At this point, you've lost them, and the quality and quantity of information being absorbed is compromised. 

An easy way to get them back on track is to give them a short recess. When you break lessons up into digestible chunks with a quick two to three-minute brain break, you're not only paving the way to greater learning but also fending off bad behavior that can result from boredom.

Grab a set of brain break cards as part of your classroom management strategy! They're an effective way to improve mental health and wellbeing, as well as behavior and academic success!