Skip to Content

Effective Classroom Management Strategies for New Teachers

Share with your friends!

It’s time to teach, but you need to manage your classroom in order to do that well.

Check out these 7 effective classroom management strategies for new teachers.

Effective classroom management strategies for new teachers

This article contains affiliate links to things that you might like.

7 Classroom Management Strategies New Teachers Need

In an ideal world, your students would enter class ready to learn.

They would sit quietly and attentively and work to the best of their ability.

But kids aren’t robots, and this rarely happens.

Kids are people, they have lives and concerns outside of the classroom that affect their in-class behavior, and the school day is long and tiring.

So how do you bring out the best in your students?

You need classroom management techniques.

A teacher has to do more than teach; he or she needs to manage the classroom.

This takes experience, nuance, and sensitivity, but you can jump ahead with some effective classroom management strategies for new teachers. 

Effective classroom management strategies for new teachers

Set the Example

This one may seem obvious, but it’s at the top for a reason.

You need to model the behavior you want to see in your students.

Do you want them to be kind and respectful?

You need to be that too.

Do you want them to be hardworking and attentive?

It starts with you.

Don’t lose your cool in class (at least not in front of them).

Be engaged in what you are doing.

You set the tone for the classroom; your students will take their cues from you.

Make Your Guidelines Clear

You want to establish your rules and guidelines on the first day.

You need to be clear.

This means printing the guidelines and handing them out, posting them in the classroom, and talking through them on the first day.

Send them home to parents as well.

This way everyone knows what the lines are. 

Effective classroom management strategies for new teachers

Offer Genuine Praise

Positive reinforcement works.

When you hear a student answer a question thoughtfully, praise him.

If she works well in a group, let her know.

Did he pour effort into a presentation or greatly improve over his last performance?

Communicate that you notice!

By giving genuine and specific praise, your students will try harder.

Remember, too, that praise has a trickle-down effect.

Call a parent or write a note offering specific praise for his or her child.

Likely the parent will communicate that conversation to the student, and the student will walk in the next day eager to do well.

Promote Listening Skills

You need your students’ attention in order to teach.

By developing listening skills in your students, you can accomplish more as a teacher.

An easy way to snag their attention is through call and response.

You train your students to respond to a phrase in a certain way.

These can be silly: “Hocus pocus…everybody focus!”

These phrases call also promote a growth mindset: “If you believe it…you can achieve it!”

Effective classroom management strategies for new teachers

Keep Them Interested

No one wants to be the teacher from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.

You need to keep your students interested.

When you start a lesson, begin with a hook that grabs your students’ attention.

Do a demonstration, begin with some fun facts, ask a “Would you rather?” question, or use a visual aid. 

Also, rely on non-verbal communication.

Remember there are different types of learners.

Use activity stations, motions, high fives…whatever it takes to engage multiple senses and teach more dynamically.

Quickly Redirect Negative Behavior

If you communicated your expectations on the first day, you need to hold your students to those standards.

Quickly tamp down any negative behaviors.

You can do this in a non-threatening way by asking questions.

If you notice side chatter, say, “Do you have a question?” not “Stop talking.”

If your student is distracting others, say, “Do you need help focusing?” not “Sit still.”

You can even offer that student something quiet to fidget with or allow him to change seats. 

By showing the students you are for them and not against them, you can stop negative behavior in its tracks and win them to you at the same time.

Effective classroom management strategies for new teachers

Motivate with Fun

Students crave fun and diversion, and you can use that to help you with classroom management.

Use incentives, like desk pets, a treasure bin, or scratch-offs, to motivate your students.

Throw a simple class party every now and again as a reward for doing well. 

Effective Classroom Management Techniques

These 7 effective classroom management techniques for new teachers will help your classroom be a place of fun and learning.

With some simple strategies in place, your students will learn and thrive in your classroom.

You May Also Like:

Share with your friends!

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.