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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Fluency Reading Passage Pack - Grade 1
Assess student fluency with a printable pack of reading fluency passages for 1st grade.
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Cooperation Puzzles - Team-Building Activity
Explore the benefits of cooperation with a tangram-style team-building activity.
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End of Day Checklist & Poster
Help your students remember end-of-day classroom procedures with a printable poster and packing-up checklist.
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Meet The Teacher Station Signs - Editable
Organize your Meet the Teacher event by setting up classroom stations using our printable Back to School Station Signs.
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Back to School - Family Survey
Promote parent involvement and get to know your students better with a beginning-of-the-year parent survey template.
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Ready Confetti - Student Gift Bag Tags
Calm your students' first-day jitters with bags of Back-to-School Ready Confetti topped with fun First Day of School poems.
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Christmas Brain Breaks - Activity Slides
Add some Christmas Brain Breaks to your classroom festivities to help boost engagement and attention during the holiday season.
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Lining Up Mini-Book
Teach your students the proper way to line up with this printable mini-book.
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All About Me Activity - Library of Learning Book Stack Craft
Get to know your students by building a library of “About Me” book stacks with a unique All About Me activity
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Read Across America - Project Task Cards
Celebrate Read Across America Week 2024 with a fun set of literature-inspired book project task cards.
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How to Draw a Cake Slice - Directed Drawing Worksheet
Learn to draw a cake slice with a fun directed drawing activity sheet.
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Movie Day Activity Menu
Turn a movie day into a learning experience with our printable Movie Day Comprehension menu.
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10 Reasons Why - End of Year Letter to Students
Strengthen connections and send your students off on summer vacation with an encouraging end-of-year letter to students.
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Printable 2024 Calendar with Holidays and School Events
Organize your event planning for the whole year with this handy 2024 calendar of school events.
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Constitution Day Activity - Bill of Rights Banner
Help your students understand their citizens’ rights with a Constitution Day Bill of Rights Pennant Banner project.
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Halloween Coloring Sheets — Mindful Coloring
Bring a bit of calm to the chaotic classroom this October with a set of printable (not-so) scary halloween coloring pages.
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Oink, Meow, Moo Icebreaker Game
Break the ice with your students on Day 1 with this silly movement game.
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Science Lab Dramatic Play Kit
Create a dramatic play center with this science lab decor kit.
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International Dot Day Textured Mandala Template
Celebrate International Dot Day in style with a printable Dot Day Textured Mandala Template.
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Color by Number - Division Facts Mixed (1–12)
An engaging activity to consolidate your students' understanding of division facts.
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Editable Teacher Forms for the Classroom
Use this collection of teacher printables to organize parent volunteers, receive feedback from substitutes, keep students up to date on missed work and more!
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Critters with Character - Classroom Behavior System
Tame your ‘wild’ classroom behavior with an animal-themed classroom management system.
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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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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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Desk Pet Habitat Templates
Encourage positive behavior with printable Desk Pet Habitats for your students to spend their Desk Pet Dollars on!
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Monthly Newsletter Calendar Templates
Keep students and parents informed of classroom happenings by providing a monthly newsletter made with a handy editable newsletter template.
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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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Classroom Rules and Expectations – Cut and Paste Worksheets
Start your year off right by reviewing classroom rules with a cut-and-paste, writing and drawing activity.
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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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Back to School - Procedure Exit Tickets
Assess student knowledge of classroom rules and procedures with quick and easy exit tickets.
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Student Daily Check-In Template
Check-in with your students each day with this template.