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Classroom Management Strategy
Classroom Management StrategyMegan Edwards
College of Charleston
Classroom Management Strategy 1
Table of Contents
Introduction 2
Relationships 4
Teacher-Student Relationships 4
Teacher-Parent Relationships 5
Teacher-Colleague Relationships 6
Teacher to School 7
Designing an Effective Learning Environment 9
Discipline 10
Data Collection 12
Behavior Management Strategies 13
Conclusion 15
Classroom Management Strategy 2
Introduction
A fundamental element of being an effective teacher is having comprehensive knowledge
in one’s content area. However that alone is not preparation for teaching. An effective teacher
must possess high expectations, reflective habits and an extensive classroom management
system. Teachers must be able to conduct their classrooms in such a way that students remain
motivated, focused, and productive, because disruptive behavior and disorderly learning
environments severely hinder student growth. An effective classroom management system
should include a multitude of strategies for classroom management as well as specific goals,
meaningful relationships, a healthy learning environment, disciplinary strategies, and objective
methods for reflection, decision making, and improvement. Without these key elements, the
content knowledge, passion, and expertise of even the most qualified teacher will be undermined.
Professional educators must maintain a balance of compassion and control to elicit students’
desire to learn and drive to succeed.
I will be certified to teach seventh through twelfth grade general science and
mathematics, two subjects that require analytical and critical thinking, problem solving,
innovation, and several other high level thinking skills. It is imperative that my students feel safe
to ask questions, think abstractly, and learn from their mistakes. My management system will
need to provide a structured and controlled environment in which respect is mandatory so
students can feel physically, mentally and emotionally secure. Students will always be
encouraged to express themselves provided they are within the realm of appropriate school and
classroom behavior. I will consistently enforce clear rules and procedures not to exercise power,
but to provide a structured, safe learning environment, and I will encourage behaviors conducive
to learning and succeeding in life, like responsibility, respect, and hard work. My classroom
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management goal is to create an environment that is both warm and demanding. I will foster
meaningful relationships while maintaining clear and high expectations to promote self-
discipline, respect, and achievement.
Beliefs, Values and Goals
It is my belief that all students can learn and all students have an innate desire to learn. I
also believe it is my responsibility to ensure that this learning occurs by motivating, respecting,
and investing in all students. Students are unique individuals each with their own ideas,
perspectives, and feelings. In order to facilitate intellectual curiosity and enthusiasm about
learning, educators must ensure that the physical and emotional needs of their students are met.
Like adults, students need to feel respected, valued and cared for in order to achieve their
potential. In my classroom, students will be treated as equal individuals where collaboration,
cooperation, diversity and fairness are a top priority. My goal is that my students become
confident, passionate, and caring individuals. Each day is an opportunity for not only learning
content, but also for developing independence, exploring interests and improving interpersonal
skills. I want my class to serve as an opportunity to develop the confidence and skills that my
students will one day use to contribute to something they are passionate about and that is bigger
than just themselves. In the words of Will Richardson, “School is the path, not the point”. The
purpose of school is so much more than just preparing students for their next day at school. It is
about preparing them for the next day of their life and for their very bright futures.
Relationships
Meaningful relationships are the basis of all trust and growth in an educational setting. It
is important to remain professional, but the role of teacher bears many delicate responsibilities.
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Teachers must be personable, supportive and connected to the students, parents, staff, and
facilities they work with. The school is a community largely dependent on personal interaction
and genuine relationships. To safeguard a pleasant and productive school environment, we must
make conscious efforts to build rapport with everyone involved in our students’ education.
Teacher-Student Relationships
When students feel threatened, embarrassed, or uncomfortable, they cannot learn; they
will hesitate to ask questions, fear making mistakes, and count the minutes until school is over.
This is not how teachers and students should interact. A healthy teacher-student relationship
involves trust, support, and genuine interest. A positive teacher-student relationship is one where
students are excited to share good news and the teacher is excited to hear it. It is one where
students ask for help and teachers do everything in their power to provide it. It is one where
students look to the teacher as a positive role model and are comfortable asking for advice. This
positive relationship is essential to learning, and the best way to ensure it is by investing in
students.
There are several ways to invest in positive teacher-student relationships, but I believe the
best way is by listening to students and by showing up for them. I will take time to get to know
my students and support them both academically and personally. I will share my passions with
them and take an interest in theirs’. I will be the teacher who attends sporting events, plays and
concerts. Students know that teachers care when they show they care. I will show that I care by
being involved in the school community and celebrating students in their academic and
extracurricular pursuits. The school day does not end with the afternoon dismissal bell. It ends
when the last student leaves the gym or auditorium or field at the end of a practice or rehearsal or
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meeting or game. The best way to foster meaningful relationships is by being involved and
showing students that we genuinely care about their wellbeing.
Another critical aspect of a healthy teacher-student relationship is having high
expectations. Teachers must have high expectations and demand excellence from their students.
When teachers have high expectations, students know their teachers believe in them, and have
the confidence to rise and meet those expectations. The same is true with behavior. When
teachers have high expectations and demonstrate their pure intentions, managing student
behavior becomes a matter of mutual respect. Classroom management and learning are not
about rules, they are about relationships; we must work every day to build and maintain
meaningful relationships with our students.
Teacher-Parent Relationships
Like teacher-student relationships, teacher-parent relationships are essential to the
learning process. When parents send their students to school, they want to know they are safe,
cared for, and have a teacher looking out for their best interest. Students often acquire opinions
from their parents, so lack of a positive teacher-parent relationship can hinder teacher-student
relationships and impede both learning and classroom management. Teachers should make it
clear to parents that their students are cared for and respected through communication and
through their actions.
I will cultivate a positive, supportive relationship with the parents and guardians of my
students by consistently communicating with them about their student’s progress and by showing
them that I have their student’s best interest at heart. I will contact parents not only when there is
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an issue, but to praise and celebrate students. When teacher-parent relationships are strong,
parents will also be more trusting if it is ever necessary to communicate an issue with them.
When I need to contact parents about an issue, I will use grades, student work, written notes, and
data to remain objective and make it clear that my intent is only to help the student. Oftentimes,
teachers get to spend more time each day with students than their parents do. Parents deserve to
know what their students are doing at school and feel comfortable with the person their children
are spending time with each day. As teachers, we must make a continuous effort to maintain
positive teacher-parent relationships and keep an open line of communication so our students
receive the best education possible.
Teacher-Colleague Relationships
Teaching is a profession that matters, and it matters every single day. It is important that
educators and colleagues maintain supportive relationships to promote a positive school culture
and professional growth. Teachers rely on other teachers to make the best of rough days and
push each other to be better. Great teaching stems from careful planning, passion, and
collaboration. When teachers work together and share ideas, student learning is bound to follow.
Teacher-colleague relationships are also important to the wellbeing of students. A school
staff is a team, and the goal is to provide students with the best education possible. Educators
need to be able to check up on their students’ performance and behavior in other classes, feel
comfortable asking for help and advice, and know that their colleagues are all working towards
the same goal. Teacher-colleague relationships are the foundation for good teaching and
professional growth, and without them, students suffer. I will build strong teacher-colleague
relationships by supporting and collaborating with my fellow teachers and administrators, and I
Classroom Management Strategy 7
will make an effort to get to know my colleagues on a personal and professional level. Together,
my colleagues and I will work to better the school environment and set a positive example for
our students.
Teacher to School
A teacher’s relationship with the school community is just as important as their
relationship with students, parents, and colleagues. High school is a very important time in a
child’s life and we want students to be involved in their school and community, so we must set
that example for them. I plan to be an integral, supportive part of the school community in
which I work. Teaching is not a job I plan to do for a few years just to move on to another job.
It is a career I want for a lifetime. Improving the quality of life at my school will be a lifelong
pursuit, and all teachers should make school improvement a priority.
I have several skills and experiences that I believe will positively contribute to the school
environment. I have spent several years providing academic support to students who struggle in
school and who have various learning disabilities. I know how to help students who struggle to
succeed in a traditional classroom, and I am prepared to provide extra support to any student who
needs it. I also have a long history in athletics. I have played competitive volleyball and softball
for my entire life, and I played basketball in high school. I work continuously to develop my
coaching skills, and I want to be involved in athletics in the biggest way possible. Whether my
role is statistician, assistant coach, or head coach, I want to be a part of any and all programs that
will have me. Extracurricular programs are outlets through which students learn life skills and
develop values. Any educator should want to be a part of that.
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I also believe that it is one of the many duties of a teacher to teach students how to
contribute to their community outside of school. We should serve because we have been served.
I have extensive experience leading clubs and organizing community service events. Over the
past six years, I have devoted myself to planning several service events to benefit the fight
against kids cancer, and I want to get more students involved in these types of projects. Below is
a video of the events I have helped plan this year; these events happen every year. Events like
these not only teach students to be public servants, but also teach them life skills like planning,
organizing, and empathizing with others. As teachers we must support students so they feel safe
to try new things and create opportunities for them to be passionate and succeed. I want to be a
club mentor and encourage students to serve their community.
Click Here
Designing an Effective Learning Environment
A significant part of creating an effective learning environment is developing positive
relationships and setting goals for student learning. However, it is also important that the
physical environment is conducive to learning. The classroom should be a place where students
feel comfortable, have space to move around, and are encouraged to collaborate. As a future
science teacher, I will ensure that any lab space in the classroom is organized to promote safety,
and that desks are arranged to provide the most space and the best view of any classroom
Classroom Management Strategy 9
activity. My walls will be filled with student work, helpful posters, and school spirit. Although
every classroom is different, the classroom layouts below are great examples of effective
physical learning environments.
Discipline
Rules and procedures are essential to creating an effective learning environment. They
ensure that students know what is expected of them and they make class run smoothly. When
rules are not clear, consequences can often seem unfair or arbitrary and create conflict in the
classroom. Similarly, lack of clear procedures can result in inefficient transitions and a waste of
class time. Rules and procedures support preventative discipline by ensuring that students know
how they are expected to behave. Ideally, students will have acknowledged and agreed to follow
the classroom rules and procedures prior to a behavioral issue, and will be internally motivated to
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behave appropriately, but sometimes students forget what is expected of them. Rules and
procedures allow teachers to get students back on track simply by reminding them of the rules.
I believe that managing behavior is one of the most important aspects of student learning.
Students need a structured environment to learn, and disruptive behavior is not conducive to that
environment. I also believe that student discipline is a very delicate task, and without the proper
approach, it can be volatile. The most important discipline skill a teacher can have is being able
to separate the student from their behavior. In managing our classrooms, we must check
ourselves first and make sure we remain calm, clear, and consistent. It is not acceptable in any
circumstance to compromise the dignity of the student. We discipline our students to maintain a
healthy learning environment. Very often misbehavior is driven by a deeper problem. As
teachers, we should look for the root of our students’ behavior and address the problem so our
students can move forward and learn.
In my classroom I will rely heavily on preventive discipline, and do my best to resolve
issues before they have a chance to escalate. I will ensure that my rules and procedures are both
reasonable and clearly taught so students know what is expected of them. A few examples of my
rules and procedures are listed below:
Rules:
1. Students should be respectful and cooperate with all peers and teachers.
2. Students should participate in all class and lab activities.
3. Always wear PPE for the duration of a lab or experiment.
Procedures:
1. Enter the classroom in a timely manner. Gather materials and begin bell work by the time
the bell rings.
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2. Place all completed work in the bin that corresponds to your class period either at the
beginning of class or after an activity is completed.
3. Use the restroom as needed as long as a hall pass is available and it is not the first or last
15 minutes of class.
4. Remain working until the bell rings. Avoid crowding the door before class is over.
Consequences:
1. Verbal warning
2. Verbal warning and parent phone call
3. Lunch or after school detention
4. Office Referral
I will ensure that my students understand these rules and procedures by teaching them at
the beginning of the semester and referring to them frequently. I will discuss them with my
students, and they will be allowed to suggest additional rules or rule changes. Once the rules are
established, we will all sign a contract agreeing to follow the rules and procedures. It is crucial
that teachers implement rules and procedures consistently because students thrive on routines
and structure. We already push students out of their comfort zones to learn. We must maintain
behavioral and environmental stability so students feel safe to push themselves and grow
educationally.
Data Collection
I consider growth to be the most accurate measure of student achievement. Awareness of
students’ prior knowledge is essential to providing them with the support they need and tracking
their growth. Although test scores are not everything, they can be helpful for gauging student
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skills and prior knowledge. Teachers should always seek out as much information about their
students as they can, because it will guide them in serving their students. Teachers should use
programs like PowerSchool and the front office to gather data about their students’ attendance
history, grades, previous test scores, grade history, disciplinary history, legal documents, IEPs,
and 504 plans.
Teachers need this information not only to help their students learn, but to help keep them
safe. For example, if a student has a medical condition, the teacher needs to be trained to help
the student in the case of an emergency. If a student has a learning disability, they need to know
about it to provide extra resources and follow the student’s IEP. If a student has had poor
attendance or behavior in the past, the teacher should know about it so they can try and address
the problem. The reasons are endless. Of all people, educators should understand that
knowledge is power. The more we know about our students, the more equipped we are to help
them. I will always seek information about my students and do everything in my power to help
them succeed.
Seeking data alone, though, will not help us measure growth. It is important that teachers
collect their own data on grades, test scores, attendance and behavior so we can track student
growth. Learning is not about getting perfect scores; it is about learning from mistakes and
continuously making progress. The best way to objectively measure progress is through data
collection. Data does not lie, and it holds teachers, students, and even parents accountable. I
will use data to make decisions about my teaching and to hold my students accountable. If data
shows that my students are not progressing, I will know that I need to make a change. If I
believe a student is not performing to their potential, I will use data to hold them accountable. It
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is easy to get lost in emotions when making decisions. Data driven decision making eliminates
biases and helps teachers conduct fair classrooms.
Behavior Management Strategies
There is no absolutely question as to whether or not behavior management is important.
It is fundamental to learning. However, the task of increasing appropriate behaviors and
decreasing inappropriate behaviors is not small. Teachers must rely on a number of strategies to
manage student behavior. Many of these strategies fall into the categories of limit setting, body
language and communication.
First teachers must set limits. They must teach rules, procedures, and consequences, and
develop a consistent disciplinary plan. Teachers should reinforce good behaviors and avoid
power struggles - not every behavior warrants a response. Students should know what is
expected of them, and teachers should remind them of the limits when they behave
inappropriately. Teachers should also check their emotions and use body language to control
behaviors. We can use eye contact, proximity, posture, and tone of voice to address behavior
without disrupting class. Very often, a single look with the right facial expression or close
proximity can refocus a student. It is important to remain calm and avoid showing anger because
students should not feel threatened in class.
For situations that require more than limit setting and body language, communication is
key. Teachers should develop relationships with their students so they can conference about
behavior and use guiding questions to refocus students. Asking a series of questions like, “What
are you doing? What are you supposed to be doing? Are you doing it? What are you going to do
about it?” is often an effective strategy for getting students to refocus and take responsibility for
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their behavior. If these methods fail, using I-Messages to communicate how their behavior
makes you feel can also be useful.
Other strategies like modifying seating arrangements, establishing signals, conducting
class meetings, and asking students to reflect on their behavior are effective methods as well.
Each individual student is different, so I will use a combination of these strategies and more to
manage my classroom. It will always be my goal prevent behavioral issues and to resolve them
quickly in the classroom, but there will always be behaviors that require administrative
assistance. These include illegal behaviors like drug use, cheating, or possession of a weapon,
along with other behaviors that compromise the well being of other students like bullying and
fighting. I will not hesitate to seek administrative assistance when it is necessary.
The behavior management model that I implement in my classroom will be both warm
and demanding. I don’t want my students to fear me, but they should know that I have high
expectations and I insist that they be met. The purpose of a behavior management system is not
to oppress students, but to help them, and encourage behaviors conducive to success after high
school. As educators we must be diligent in crafting and implementing behavior management
strategies because they are the tools we will use to shape our students and build leaders.
Conclusion
I recognize that I am not an expert teacher. My classroom management strategy will
change as I practice and gain experience. However, I am prepared to do whatever it takes to
ensure the success of my students. I will never cease to learn and grow to be the best educator I
can be. I will always pursue cultivation of my content knowledge and my classroom
management and instructional skills, because I know this is what will allow me to make a
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difference in the lives of my students. I will be intentional in my pursuit of growth and expertise
by seeking advice from colleagues, practicing frequent reflection, and being a lifelong learner. I
will devote myself to the development of my students and my school. Being a teacher is about
so much more than having content knowledge. It is about empowering students, and changing
the world - two tasks that would be impossible without an effective learning environment.
