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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Symmetry Drawing Worksheet Pack
Teach your students about symmetry using this series of drawing worksheets where they must copy an image symmetrically using grid lines for reference.
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Roll to Create a Creature - Drawing Game
Use a die and a chart to create a creature to include in a narrative text or a comic strip.
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I Wish My Teacher Knew Activity Sheet
Add an ‘I Wish My Teacher Knew’ activity to your first-day plans to learn more about your new students.
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Symmetry Worksheets
Use this set of eight symmetry worksheets to help students understand symmetry, the line of symmetry, and symmetrical objects.
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Would You Rather? - End of Year Summer Fun Game
Kick off your summer vacation with a fun end of year “Would You Rather?” Brain Break activity.
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Classroom Expectations - Behavioral Visual Support Posters
Set clear expectations with a visual classroom expectations poster for the classroom.
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Color by Parts of Speech Chameleon Worksheet (Nouns, Verbs, Adjectives, Adverbs, Conjunctions and Pronouns)
Practice identifying different parts of speech with this fun color-by-code worksheet.
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Grammar Grid Mystery Picture Worksheet- Nouns, Verbs, Adjectives (Bunny)
Follow the color-coded parts of speech guide to fill in the word grid and reveal a mystery image.
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Printable Behavior Tracker - Bees
Track individual student behavior in your classroom with a printable "Bee-havior Chart"!
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Finish the Picture - Drawing Worksheets
Spark creativity in the classroom with a pack of Finish the Drawing worksheets.
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Fall Color By Part of Speech Worksheet - Nouns, Verbs, Adjectives, Adverbs
Use this color by part of speech worksheet as a fun fall activity with your students.
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Mini-Mystery – Which Key Opens the Door?
Use knowledge of 2-D shapes and right angles to solve the mystery in this fun, logic-based activity.
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Exploring Rotational Symmetry Worksheets - Drawing Prompts
Encourage creativity and practice knowledge of rotational symmetry with a set of exciting symmetry drawing worksheets.
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The Lost Library Card – Whole Class Escape Game
Use inference and problem-solving skills to decipher the puzzles and uncover the hidden code.
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Student Interest Survey Pack
Use a Student Interest Survey to get to know your new students at the beginning of the school year.
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Brag Tags
Provide positive reinforcement for good behavior and achievements with printable Brag Tags!
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Quiz and Swap - 2nd Grade End-of-Year Review
Prepare your students for their end of grade assessments with an End-of-Year Quiz and Swap Review Game.
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Color by Number – Multiplication Fact Practice (Mixed)
Practice multiplication facts through 12 with this fun color by number worksheet.
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5th Grade Math Review – Test Prep Packet
Encourage your students to work through 8 pages of 5th-grade math problems while charting their progress to measure their success.
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Last One Standing Active Game
An active game that allows students to build their vocabulary knowledge.
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Drama Game Task Cards
A set of 17 activity cards with instructions for drama games.
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Testing Gift Tags
Give a confidence boost to your students before heading into a test or exam with these testing gift tags.
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We Are... – Classroom Expectation Posters
Set your new students up for success with this set of 11 classroom expectation posters.
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Color By Long A — 2nd Grade Spelling Pattern Worksheet
Invite spring into the classroom and learn long A spelling patterns with a color by code worksheet for 2nd grade.
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Quiz and Swap - 3rd Grade End-of-Year Test Prep Game
Get your students up, moving, and practicing third grade test prep skills with an End-of-Year Quiz and Swap Review Game.
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Fluency Reading Passages - 5th Grade
Assess student fluency with a printable pack of reading fluency passages for 5th grade.
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Busy Binder - Kindergarten Morning Work Activity Book
Review daily calendar, math, literacy, and fine motor skills with a printable kindergarten Busy Binder workbook!
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50-Book Challenge Tracker & Printable Bookmark
Encourage your students to complete the 50 Book Reading Challenge with a printable bookmark to track their books.
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Energy and Electricity Crossword Puzzle
Reinforce science vocabulary with an energy and electricity crossword puzzle.
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Classroom Morning Routine and Agenda Slides
Use these editable classroom morning routine slides to display important information for the day.
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Fractions and Decimals Assessment
Assess students' knowledge of various decimals and percentages concepts with this four-page worksheet.
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Battleship Coordinate Grid Game
Practice using ordered pairs with this fun battleship game.