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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Roll and Write - Telling Time Dice Game
Practice telling time and have fun learning how to tell time with a Roll and Write Telling Time Dice Game!
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CVCC Word Work Mat
Practice segmenting and spelling simple words with this set of 24 CVCC picture task cards.
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Ketchup, Mustard, Mayo, Pickle - Fast Finisher Bulletin Board
Keep fast finishers learning and growing with our Ketchup, Mustard, Mayo, Pickle Fast Finishers Bulletin Board Display.
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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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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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Free Blank Face Templates
Use these blank face templates to create fun back-to-school art celebrating the individuality and diversity of your new students!
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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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Mindfulness Journal - Daily Emotional Check-In Worksheet
Create a mindfulness journal by printing your students copies of reflective mindfulness worksheets.
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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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Drama Game Task Cards
A set of 17 activity cards with instructions for drama games.
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Rhyming Card Game
A concentration style rhyming card game that can be used to consolidate students' knowledge of rhyming words.
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Stand Up, Sit Down Game - 'Sit Down If' Icebreaker
Have your students giggling on day 1 with this Stand Up, Sit Down Game as a classroom icebreaker.
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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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Color by Letter Worksheet Pack
Help students with their recognition of the letters – s,a,t,p,i,n and c,k,e,h,r with this color by letter worksheet pack.
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All About Me Bag Ideas & Tag Template
Get to know your students a bit better by having them create ‘All About Me’ Bags!
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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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Classroom Wish List - Card Set
Set up a Classroom Donation Station at Meet Your Teacher Night with our printable classroom donation card set.
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Student Progress Report Parent Letter Templates
Track academic and behavioral data with this set of progress report templates.
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Finish the Drawing - Worksheets
Get creative and finish the drawings with a set of five art worksheets.
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Weekly Behavior Tracking Sheet
Track and reward student behavior with a printable weekly behavior chart.
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Learning Target - Teacher Bulletin Board Display Templates
Set clear expectations for each lesson with this set of Learning Objectives Posters.
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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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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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Printable Birthday Badge
Celebrate your student's big day with a printable birthday badge.
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Monthly Behavior Tracker
Use this monthly behavior tracker to collect individual student data over the course of a month.
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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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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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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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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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Student Self-Assessment Template
Get to know your students on the first day and learn their thoughts on school with a printable student self assessment.
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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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Antonyms Word Search
Download this antonyms word search set that helps students identify opposite meanings and strengthen their understanding of contrast in language.