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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Emotional Awareness Face Template
Teach your students emotional awareness with this customizable face template perfect for lessons focused on social-emotional learning.
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Four in a Row Game
Use this four-in-a-row game to enhance your students’ logical thinking skills in a fun and collaborative way,
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Remember to Write Your Name Poster (Primary)
Make nameless student work a thing of the past with this poster reminding students to write their names on their work.
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How to Be a Good Friend Poster
Use this poster to teach your students how to be a good friend to others.
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The More We Get Together Poster
Use “The More We Get Together” song to promote a sense of community and inclusivity in your classroom.
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Backyard Games - Gross Motor Activities
Have your students pick a card to choose a recess game with printable Gross Motor Activity Cards.
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Good Listener Anchor Charts
Use these anchor charts to teach your students how to be good listeners.
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Verb Charades Active Game
Practice action verbs with this fun active charades game!
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How Do You Draw a Firetruck? Directed Drawing Activity
Inspire your little artists with an engaging ‘How Do You Draw a Firetruck’ directed drawing activity sheet.
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Firefighter & Fire Truck Coloring Sheet Set
Highlight the brave heroes that protect the community with a printable Firefighter & Fire Truck Coloring Sheet Set.
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Four Finger Learning Scale
Help your students self-assess their understanding of a skill using their fingers with this 4-finger learning scale.
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Species Survival! Science Coloring Pages
Explore the importance of environmental conservation with a set of three inspirational quotes colouring pages.
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Learning Intention and Success Criteria Posters
Display this set of learning intention posters to set clear expectations for your students.
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Kindergarten Visual Writing Rubric
Help your little learners perfect their writing with a kindergarten visual writing rubric.
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IEP Goal Tracking Sheets - IEP Planner Template
Keep track of student data and progress toward IEP goals with a printable IEP Planner & goal-tracking binder for teachers.
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Initial, Medial, & Final /s/ - Articulation Worksheets
Build skill with articulating the sounds of beginning, medial, and final /s/ with a set of printable speech articulation worksheets.
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K-2 Math Homework Helpers
Give your students handy Math Homework Helper printables to reference when working in class or at home.
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Schoolwide School Supply List Template
Create a school-wide school supply list to share with the community using an editable school supply list template.
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Grade Level Goal Grids (K-2)
Inform students and parents of their grade level goals with standards-based grade level goal grids for Kindergarten through 2nd grade.
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Editable Class Syllabus Templates
Create your own syllabus with fully editable class syllabus templates.
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Teacher Waiting Room - Clip System
Calm classroom chaos when students need one-on-one help from the teacher with a printable Teacher Waiting List Clip System!
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Dolch Sight Word Tracker - Google Sheets
Track mastery of Dolch Sight Words using a digital Google Sheets Sight Word tracking spreadsheet
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Editable Homework Bingo Templates
Provide your students with novelty and choice by assigning them a Homework Bingo Game instead of traditional homework assignments!
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Fine and Gross Motor Development Checklists
Use a printable Fine and Gross Motor Development Checklist to easily and effectively note concerns about a student’s motor skills.
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K-2 ELA Homework Helpers
Give your students handy ELA Homework Helper printables to reference when working in class or at home.
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Missing Assignment Templates
Promote student accountability for completing assignments with a printable missing work log and parent contact form.
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Group Presentation Rubric
Make assigning grades for group presentations a breeze with a printable Group Presentation Rubric.
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Student Speeding Ticket Templates
Urge your students to slow down and take their time on assignments by issuing them a printable ‘Speeding Ticket’ to encourage revisions.
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Behavior Frequency Chart
Use a printable behavior frequency chart to track student progress toward behavior goals.
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5th Grade Geometry Test
Assess your students' skills with quadrilaterals, coordinate grids, and volume of solid figures using a printable 5th Grade Geometry Test.
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Behavior Intervention Cheat Sheet
Keep a Behavior Intervention Cheat Sheet at your fingertips to help manage classroom behaviors quickly and easily.
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Students’ Strengths and Weaknesses List
Make planning for parent meetings quick and easy with a Student Strengths and Weaknesses list.