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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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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Visual Schedule Template - Display Cards
Make your classroom routines visible and understandable with a real-world visual schedule template set.
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Classroom Procedures Checklist
Determine and track which classroom procedures and routines you will teach at the beginning of the school year with a classroom procedures checklist and tracking sheet.
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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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10 Expectations for Virtual Learning – Poster
A poster showing 10 expectations for students during remote learning.
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Student Behavior Discussion Cards for the Classroom
Print free student behavior discussion cards to encourage your class to think about what a positive learning environment looks like, sounds like, and feels like.
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Free Google Slides Template for Teachers - Pink Spots
Prepare and instruct your students on day-to-day classroom happenings with a ‘Pretty in Pink’ Google Slides Template for teachers.
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Morning Meeting Greetings Display
Greet each student at the door in style with this set of morning meeting greetings posters.
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End-of-Year Student Gift Tags – We Had a Ball This Year
Have a ball making end of year gifts for students with our printable student gift tags.
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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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Student Behavior Contract Template
Create a classroom community and ensure adherence to rules and procedures with a printable Student Behavior Contract Template.
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Happy Note Home - Brag Sheet Templates
Communicate positive messages to parents and guardians with a Happy Note Home letter template.
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Weekly Behavior Tracking Sheet
Track and reward student behavior with a printable weekly behavior chart.
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Printable Bookmark - Morning Routine Checklist
Ensure your students start off on the right foot with this morning routine checklist bookmark!
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Behavior Punch Card – Right on Target!
Motivate your students to be on target with this punch card template.
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End of the Year Gift Tags – S'mores Themed
Make the end of the school year “sweet” with these s’mores themed gift tags.
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Behavior Reflection Sheet – Lower Grades
Get your primary students to reflect on their behaviors with this reflection worksheet.
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Emoji Themed Self-Assessment Desk Cards
Print these emoji themed self-assessment cards for students to reflect on their learning and display on their desk to indicate the level of teacher support they need.
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Science Sparks - 3rd Grade Science Activity Cards
Give your students a little science boost with Science Sparks 3 – our newest set of fast finisher science activities for 3rd Grade!
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Free iPad Rules Classroom Poster
Display this classroom poster to set the boundaries and rules around using school iPads in the classroom.
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Last Day of School Printable Bookmarks
Send your students off for the summer with one of our end-of-year bookmarks to color.
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Sharp and Dull Pencil Signs (Pencil Station)
Help keep your pencils organised in the classroom with these pencil station signs.
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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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Camp - Editable S'mores Labels/Nametags
Decorate your camping-themed classroom with fun s'mores labels!
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End of Day Routines Checklists for Students — Printable Bookmarks
Make the end-of-the-day go smoothly with a routine checklist for students to use as a bookmark.
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Behavior Think Sheet - Upper Grades
Invite your students to reflect on their behavior choices with this behavior think sheet.
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Last One Standing Active Game
An active game that allows students to build their vocabulary knowledge.
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Sample Behavior Goals
Use this list of 20 behavior goals to help when creating your students' behavior trackers.
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Daily Writing Prompts Calendars - Upper Grades
Inspire your students and encourage them to write regularly with a set of printable Daily Writing Prompts in calendar format!
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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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Teacher Welcome Letter Templates
Make writing your Teacher Welcome Letter a breeze with an editable teacher welcome letter template.
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Classroom News Template Pack
Get students presenting the news with this set of fun and engaging classroom news templates.