Classroom Management Teaching Resources
Bring your classroom management strategies to life with resources created for teachers, by teachers, with your classroom in mind!
This collection of digital and printable resources was designed to help elementary and middle school teachers create and implement classroom management plans that are both effective and supportive, building a place where students thrive.
Looking for new strategies to try or ideas to build your classroom routines and establish consistency? Read on for a primer from our teaching team!
What Is Classroom Management?
Maybe you know all this already. Then again, maybe you've got so much information swirling around your head that you could use a quick refresher! That's what we're here for.
Classroom management is the name for all those tools that teachers have in their toolkit that help a classroom run smoothly. It can include everything from your classroom behavior management systems to your instructional techniques, and it helps you hold students accountable for misbehavior. It's the very foundation of your classroom climate.
We like to think of classroom management a bit like we think of the framework for a house — it provides the basic structure for your learning environment and sets you up for success as a teacher while also setting your students up for success as learners.
How to Set Up Effective Classroom Management
Now that we've talked about the what, let's talk about the how!
When you haven't been teaching very long, it can be hard to figure out what's important and what's just loud noise.
There is no one-size-fits-all classroom management plan that will work for every teacher. The age of your students, the year level you're teaching, the needs of your students, and even your personality will all play a role in the way you run your classroom. With that in mind, your classroom management plan may change year after year as your teach new groups of kids.
All that said, you do not have to reinvent the wheel! The teachers at Teach Starter have more than a century of classroom management experience when you put us all together (hey, we're not that old!).
This toolkit draws on that wealth of experience to offer actionable steps and tips to create the classroom management strategies, behavior management plans and more that you'll need to build meaningful relationships with your students.
We've cut out the noise and focused on the most important classroom management tools for your new teacher toolkit. Consider this your favorite new pair of noise-cancelling headphones!
Focus on the Teacher-Student Relationship
A classroom management strategy is only as good as the relationship built between a teacher and their students. Connecting with your students — focusing on their strengths and their efforts — will have an impact on the overall climate of your classroom.
Those connections with your students will also help you tailor your teaching approaches to your students' individual needs, interests and learning styles.
Establish Classroom Rules and Behavior Expectations
Good classroom rules are key to preventing behavior issues and providing a framework for correction.
Your rules and expectations are also tied intrinsically to your teacher-student relationship! When students feel connected to their teacher, they are more likely to internalize the teacher's expectations and classroom rules.
Build Clear Routines and Procedures
Classroom procedures and routines are the core of classroom management in elementary and middle school, and they help keep the school day running smoothly.
The research tells us that kids crave structure, but they also test it — which is where your rules and expectations come into play.
Employ Positive Reinforcement
Being recognized for doing something right or "good" is a powerful motivator for all of us, including our students. Praising your students for their efforts and achievements, as well as their adherence to classroom expectations, reinforces positive behavior and encourages their classmates to follow suit.
Focus on Active Student Engagement
Active learning strategies, such as group work, hands-on activities and interactive discussions help kids learn, but they also play directly into behavior management. Active learning keeps students engaged and reduces the likelihood of disruptive behavior. It also promotes students with a sense of ownership and participation in the learning process.
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Caught Being Good! Class Reward System
Reward and track positive classroom behavior with a printable “Caught Being Good” ticket system.
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Out of this World Behavior - Class Reward
Motivate and reward positive classroom behavior with a reward chart that is out of this world!
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Virtual Classroom Management - Interactive Reward Charts
Track and reward extraordinary class behavior with a set of fun digital reward tracking slides.
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Classroom Store Kit
Set up a classroom economy and open your very own Classroom Store with a printable classroom store starter kit.
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Classroom Hand Signal Anchor Charts
Strengthen classroom management and reduce classroom interruptions with miniature hand signal posters and bookmarks.
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Using School Supplies - Kindergarten Worksheets
Help your kindergarten students learn to use materials appropriately with printable classroom supply procedure worksheets.
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Digital Mystery Rewards – Interactive Resource
Use this fun and exciting set of digital mystery rewards to promote positive behavior in your classroom.
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Picture Reveal - Reward Chart Printable
Encourage your students to follow classroom rules and procedures with fun whole-class behavior reward charts.
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What Are Desk Pets? Introduction Slide Deck
Introduce your students to your Desk Pet Classroom Reward System with an engaging slide deck.
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Positive Self-Talk Brag Bracelets
Encourage a positive mindset with a fun set of printable positive self-talk bracelets.
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Race in Space! Positive Reinforcement System
Track and reward positive behavior with a fun space-themed positive reinforcement system.
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Desk Pet Application
Encourage students to boost their behavior by implementing a Desk Pet Adoption Drive in your classroom, starting with an application!
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Classroom Jobs for Students - Bulletin Board
Keep track of classroom responsibilities with a Classroom Jobs Bulletin Board Display!
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Homophones Crossword Puzzle
Challenge your students to complete this vocabulary crossword puzzle by completing the sentences with the correct homophone.
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Desk Pet Adoption Certificate
Boost student behavior using Desk pets, starting with a printable Desk Pet Adoption Certificate.
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Monthly Newsletter Template Pack
Send out important information to your students’ parents and guardians using monthly newsletters made with our handy monthly newsletter template pack!
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Behavior Sticker Charts
Reward positive behavior for individual students with editable and printable behavior reward charts.
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Interest Inventory for Students – Reward Survey
Discover motivators and reinforcers that excite your students with this printable reward survey.
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Tiered Behavior Plan – Editable Template
Establish clear expectations, rewards and tiered consequences with this free behavior plan template.
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Editable Classroom Newsletter Templates
Keep communication lines open between teachers and parents by using these templates to create a classroom newsletter to share important information.
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Classroom Rules Worksheet Pack
Start your year off right by reviewing classroom rules with a cut-and-paste classroom rules worksheet.
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Desk Pet Dollars
Encourage good behavior choices by awarding your students with Desk Pet Dollars to purchase their new desk pets!
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Pencil Management System - Challenge
Stop those pencils from magically disappearing with a classroom Pencil Challenge display kit.
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Desk Pet Application – Lower Grades
Introduce your students to the Desk Pet Class Reward System with a desk pet application.
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Desk Pets Application – Upper Grades
Encourage responsibility in your classroom with this desk pet application.
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Color by Parts of Speech (Nouns, Verbs, Prepositions, and Adjectives) – Owl
Identify nouns, verbs, prepositions, and adjectives with this color-by-code style worksheet.
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Back to School - Procedure Exit Tickets
Assess student knowledge of classroom rules and procedures with quick and easy exit tickets.
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We Make Sweet Choices! Class Reward Tracker
Encourage teamwork and positive behavior in your classroom with a new ice-cream themed classroom reward system.
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Printable Take-Home Folder Covers
Customize and color your own Take Home Folder inserts with editable and printable folder cover templates.
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Student Daily Check-In Template
Check-in with your students each day with this template.
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Parent Communication Log – Documentation Templates
Document parent phone calls, emails, meetings and more with this set of printable templates.
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Camp - Editable S'mores Labels/Nametags
Decorate your camping-themed classroom with fun s'mores labels!