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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Group Work Role Cards for the Science Classroom
Assign roles for group work in the science classroom with this set of 6 desk cards.
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Clock Reading & Elapsed Time Quiz
Assess your students' knowledge of telling time to the minute and working with elapsed time with this Clock Reading, Conversions, and Elapsed Time test.
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Back to School – Parent Information Slide Templates
Plan out your parent information night or meet the teacher event with this set of 19 slides.
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Mindfulness Coloring Sheet - Landscape
A lovely mindfulness coloring sheet.
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Mindfulness Coloring Sheets - Portrait
A set of 3 mindfulness coloring sheets.
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Blank Game Board - Purple - V1
A blank game board to use when making your own games.
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Emotion Demotion - Brag Tags
Use these brag tags to encourage and celebrate positive social behavior in the classroom.
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The Science of Independent Learning – Individual Posters
Help your students become independent learners with this set of 8 strategy posters.
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The Magic of Independent Learning – Individual Posters
Help your students become independent learners with this set of 8 strategy posters.
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The Science of Independent Learning – Full Poster
A poster to help students learn independently in the classroom.
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The Magic of Independent Learning – Full Poster
A poster to help students learn independently in the classroom.
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Classroom Helpers Bulletin Board Design Set
Help your classroom helpers keep track of their classroom responsibilities with printable bulletin board set.
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Classroom Job Application Template
Encourage your students to take responsibility with a printable classroom job application.
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Secret Student Mystery Points Tracker
A mystery conduct tracker for your daily Secret Student.
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Daily Secret Student - Behavior Management System
A themed display for the daily Secret Student, a fun and easy conduct management strategy for your classroom.
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Blurt Buttons - Classroom Management Strategy
Curb calling out in your classroom with the Blurt Button Classroom Management Strategy.
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Student Gift Tag - Top of the Class
A cute gift tag to attach to an end-of-year gift for your students.
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I Do, We Do, You Do Posters
Indicate whether directed, guided or independent learning is taking place in a lesson or activity with this set of 3 posters.
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Classroom Schedule Cards
Keep your students on track by choosing from 60 editable schedule cards to display in your classroom.
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Assessment Rubric - Historical Recounts
An assessment rubric designed to help teachers to assess students' historical recounts.
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Finish The Drawing Robot Activity
Use this fun finish the drawing robot activity with your elementary students for a challenging brain break or early finisher activity.
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Reciprocal Teaching - Role Bookmarks
Remind students of their reciprocal teaching roles during guided reading groups with this set of 4 bookmarks.
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Positive Parent Notes - Smiley Faces
Let your students parents know when they have done particularly well or shown good behavior with a Positive Parent Note.
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35 Ways to Ask "How Was Your Day?" Poster
Help your parents communicate with their children using these 35 questions.
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Editable 5th Grade Graduation Certificate
Celebrate 5th grade graduation and reward your students with printable promotion certificates.
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Learning Objective Sentence Starters - Cute Monsters
Use these cute monsters learning objective slips as displays on your whiteboard.
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Numeracy Assessment Tool - Grade 5
A set of 6 numeracy assessment tools suited to Grade 5 students
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Homework Information Sheet - Editable Template
Inform parents of what homework will look like in your classroom with this editable template.
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Learning Scale and Self-Assessment Checklists
Have your students reflect on their work and effort using this self-assessment learning scale.
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Pack of Fun - Quick Fitness Games
14 quick, easy, and fun fitness activities for all ages.
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Decimals and Percentages Assessment
Assess students' knowledge of various decimals and percentages concepts with this four-page worksheet.
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Time To Eat – Lunch Procedures Mini Book
Teach your students appropriate cafeteria rules and procedures with a printable Time to Eat Social Stories booklet.