YEA! Many of you have survived the first month or first few weeks of school. You have set some rules in place so that your classroom can run smoothly. Maybe you were that teacher who went the extra mile to allow the students to create the classroom rules and consequences. You can cross that piece off your checklist and breathe.
However, some unexpected things happened, and you don’t have a rule for it, or you are not being consistent in sticking to the rules and following through with the consequences established in the classroom. A lack of consistency can confuse the students and lead to a chaotic situation inside the classroom. You don’t want your principal to walk into a zoo and see that your class is totally out of control. There goes your evaluation. Yikes!
No worries, MG Consulting, to the rescue. Here are three tips we want you to keep in mind when managing your classroom.
LEAD. Lead by example. Do as I said and not as I do is not a great example of managing a classroom. Your students are watching you in and out of the school that includes shopping centers. Yep! You might run into your students at the grocery store in the check out lane, so be careful how you speak to the cashier.
PRACTICE. Practice makes perfect. When you have set the rules, be consistent, and follow through on the consequences. Make sure to go over the rules. You can have the students’ role play each of the rules and consequences. It will allow for a more hands-on approach.
ENGAGE. Allow the students an opportunity to take responsibility for their actions by signing an agreement or contract with you and the parent. It is a great teachable moment in teaching accountability. It also helps everyone be on the same page without leaving any room for misunderstanding when consequences occur.
Hopefully, these three simple tips will help you manage your classroom effectively. A friendly reminder, keep the rules to a maximum of five. Any more than that, your students will feel as if they are in bootcamp versus a learning environment.
Happy Classroom Management
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