Classroom management is HUGE! It can literally make or break your school year. Whether this is your first year or your tenth, different groups and situations can bring on new management issues and that’s ok! There’s some solid things you can do to tackle them all no matter what they are. If you need a simple refresher or some new ideas, this quick post will give you 5 quick, easy, and effective management tools to support you and your classroom!
#1: Checklists
Is it just me or do you love to make lists too? I’ve found that when it’s written down and easy to check off, the tasks are more inclined to get done! That’s why I’ve created the classroom management checklist bundle to support you through ALL things. We’re talking pre-made lists for back to school, things to do after long breaks, parent teacher conferences, and SO much more! Even better, there are editable versions included to create your own lists too.
These checklists will help alleviate stress, help you get more organized, stay prepared, and make you feel more confident about ALL those things that can build up and cause anxiety. I’ve worked hard to think through ALL the things so you don’t have to! Check it out below!!
Classroom Management Checklist Bundle
Grab your back to school teaching timeline below to help you prepare for ALL the things back to school!
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#2: Workshop Essentials
Using a workshop model is an amazing instructional practice that fosters independence, gives teachers more time to support students, and it maximizes learning. Whether you’re wanting to setup writing, math, or reading workshop, there are a few things to keep in mind so that it runs smoothly for everyone. One of the reasons I love the workshop model is because students are given more freedom and choice to work on what THEY need. It’s also a wonderful time to spend more time differentiating for individual student needs. But how do we make this time worth it and not chaotic?
Staying organized and prepared is key. With a few lesson plans, anchor charts, and detailed tips, this time will quickly become one of your favorite times of the day with students because you will experience all the magic that is workshop. These binders are super easy to set up and keep everything in order when it comes to planning your lessons, groups, observation notes and more. Learn more in depth tips about setting up math and writing workshops HERE and HERE!
#3: Center Organization and Management
Where there’s workshop, there’s also centers! And staying on top of centers can be A LOT. There are so many variables to think about. How do you organize materials? How do they transition? Where do they turn in their work? The list can seem endless. However, spending the time at the beginning thoroughly setting up can save you time, stress, and all the headaches.
So where do you begin? Don’t worry! I’ve thought through ALL the things to help you get centers started and keep them rocking for the entire year! With expectations laid out for your centers expectations to explicit lesson directions, students will know EXACTLY what to do. It’ll feel as if you don’t even need to be there! I’ve got you completely COVERED with centers, from teaching students how they run, to managing them during, to organizing ALL the things, you’ll be good to go! Check out these resources for everything you need:
Editable Templates for Digital Center Rotation Slides
Help your students get organized too with these FREE student number labels!
You can learn more tips about center organization HERE and things to think about for setting them up HERE!
#4: Flexible Seating
Flexible seating as a classroom management tool? The answer is YES! There are SO many benefits to flexible seating, including decreasing student behaviors and increasing motivation.
Think about how you learn for a second. I can tell you right now I am writing this while sitting on my couch. Would you want to have to sit in a hard plastic chair all day long? If you’re like most people, the answer is probably not. So why would we make students do the same? Instead, with flexible seating, students can choose where they want to sit and how they learn best. Sound a little overwhelming to get set up? It definitely can be. That’s why I’ve thought through all the nitty gritty for you! Check out the ultimate flexible seating setup and guide below for everything you need to get flexible seating up and running in your classroom!
#5: Guides
Last but not least, guides are the ultimate hack for getting everything on track to confidently hit the ground running. Below you’ll find some of my FAVORITE guides to help support you during your first few weeks of school with students. They help set up important structures, build a strong classroom community, and most importantly, create a solid foundation for the entire year with students!
The first is the Beginning of the Year Survival Guide. With this guide you will work through the ‘Big Three’, with thought provoking questions to make a back to school plan for the first six weeks of school. When we talk about the Big Three, we design your classroom setup, outline ideas for our classroom community, and of course deep dive into the classroom management piece. Grab this newly published book HERE! Or if you prefer a more interactive version, check out the Building a Student Centered Classroom course found HERE!
Beginning of the Year Survival Guide
The First Six Weeks of School is another MUST HAVE! I go back and review strategies from this book every year to make sure I have everything ready and set for the first six weeks. While it helps you plan out those crucial first weeks of school, it also helps build a solid foundation for the entire year with students. Grab it HERE!
When it comes to thinking about the community you want to build in your classroom, there are two books I absolutely love. The Morning Meeting Book and 80 Morning Meeting Ideas are both great reads that help with important community building structures and the ideas include awesome back to school topics and activities to break the ice, have some fun, and start building that strong community from day one!
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If you love these tips, you’ll love the GROWING Classroom Management bundle full of ALL things classroom management to support YOU and make back to school a BREEZE!
Classroom Management Growing Bundle
I really hope you enjoyed learning some quick and easy classroom management tools that will make back to school a breeze! Don’t forget to subscribe to my email list! Not only will you get the most up to date tips, tricks, and classroom projects… and of course more fun FREEBIES including the Back to School Teaching Timeline FREEBIE! You will also have exclusive access to tons of digital how to videos! If you would like to learn about this and other things happening in my classroom follow me @sweetnsauerfirsties on Instagram.
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