| The first week of a new school year brings with | | | | also cause students to lose respect for you as a |
| it all of the excitement and challenges of how to | | | | teacher. |
| implement a successful strategy for classroom | | | | Classroom Routines |
| management. Successful classroom management | | | | Especially for early childhood educators, keeping |
| should accomplish three main goals. The first goal | | | | the attention of your young learners is dependent |
| is to establish mutual respect between the | | | | on the structure you create for them within the |
| teacher and the students. Second, effective | | | | classroom. Some students are very sensitive to a |
| classroom management provides clear guidelines | | | | change in routine, while some are quite adaptable. |
| about behavioral and academic expectations. | | | | A few may get bored with the routine, but |
| Third, it creates an environment where everyone | | | | overall, having a dependable structure and |
| can learn. | | | | progression of the day makes everyone feel |
| School Policies and Classroom Rules | | | | more settled. |
| Begin planning for classroom management by | | | | One example is meeting the children at the door |
| becoming familiar with school policies regarding | | | | each morning and welcoming them to the |
| student behavior and discipline. From there, write | | | | classroom, akin to the Waldorf philosophy. Looking |
| a short list of rules that can be posted in the | | | | each student in the eye and shaking hands |
| classroom where everyone can see them. | | | | provides valuable information about what kind of |
| If you're teaching a classroom of pre-reading | | | | day the teacher can expect. |
| students, list each rule in simple words on a wall | | | | Excess Lesson Planning |
| and recite the rules with your students for the | | | | In order to effectively manage your classroom, |
| first week and as needed thereafter to teach | | | | you never want to run out of lesson material. It |
| them what is expected of them within the | | | | may sometimes be difficult to gauge the amount |
| classroom. Without over-explaining, discuss each | | | | of time a lesson will take, and therefore, a good |
| rule and why it is important. | | | | rule of thumb is to always have more material |
| Firm and Consistent Discipline | | | | than you think you will need. Extra material can |
| While establishing the classroom rules and | | | | consist of simple games or a quiz that |
| expectations, be certain to make clear the | | | | summarizes the subject material you are teaching. |
| consequences for not following the rules. The | | | | It isn't really important whether you use it or not, |
| severity of the consequences should match the | | | | but that you have something to focus your |
| severity of the infractions. Second chances are a | | | | students' attention should you cover the lesson |
| good idea only if they are not followed by third | | | | plan in record time. |
| and forth chances, which undermine successful | | | | In order to create the best learning and teaching |
| classroom management. | | | | environment for your classroom, establish a plan |
| When managing a classroom of young students, it | | | | for classroom management that teaches the |
| is easier to start out more firm and then relax as | | | | students what is expected of them and what |
| the school year unfolds. For students of any age, | | | | they can expect of you as their teacher. Clear, |
| it is more difficult to go from relaxed to firm | | | | simple rules, consistent discipline, a classroom |
| discipline, as precedence has already been set. | | | | routine and extra lesson materials are the basics |
| Getting more strict as the year moves along may | | | | for effective classroom management. |