Hey there, fellow educators! Ready to kick off the school year with a bang? Get ready to tackle classroom management like a pro with these 5 tried-and-true hacks that are guaranteed to make a real difference from day one. Say goodbye to chaos and hello to smooth sailing as we dive into some seriously effective strategies for mastering classroom management right from the get-go. Let’s make this year the best one yet!
#1 – Use Visuals
Let’s talk visuals, because let’s face it, they’re game-changers! I LOVE the power of using visuals to supercharge our classroom management. Think less stress on you and more independence for your students. From must-have visuals to student-friendly go-tos, we’ve got you covered. These gems are designed to empower your students to navigate the classroom like pros, without constantly leaning on you for every little thing. Let’s liberate both you and your students with the magic of visuals!
First up, we have our visual daily schedule. This lets students know exactly what is going on each day at what time. No more questions of what we should be doing for anyone!
Editable Daily Visual Schedule Cards
Next is our visual for our voice levels. This is amazing for students because it’s a constant reminder on exactly what their volume should sound like. Simply move the magnetic arrow to what voice level they should be working with and it’s a simple point for a redirection if and when the class gets too loud. I’ve also used a light up system where each level has a tap light next to it. To let students know what volume they should be at, simply tap the light on next to it. Easy peasy!
Editable Voice Level Management Posters
These posters are SO simple but super effective with it comes to classroom management. The real power is the in action pictures we use with students in our class. Whenever a student or group is doing EXACTLY what you want to see, sneakily snap a quick picture. You can print it and put it right on the poster. Kids get so excited that they are the example and everyone else will follow suit to get their picture up next. Don’t want to draw a poster and then have to print pictures? Make it digital! Check out both options below.
The next visual we use on a daily are our hand signals. I’m sure we’ve all had our teaching interrupted by unrelated student requests. Try magic signals! Nonverbal cues like hand signals streamline communication. Each signal denotes a specific need, preventing disruptions and enhancing classroom efficiency. For example, if a child needs water, they can hold up three fingers. If they need a tissue, they can hold up four fingers. It is a quick way for you to see exactly what students need without interrupting the entire group because you’re not sure what they might blurt out. It is a game changer for communicating needs!
Editable Hand Signals for Classroom Management
Lastly on our visual lists are labels. I’m talking labels for absolutely everything. This is one of the most important parts of building independence in your little learners. Not to mention, you also give them a lot more sight word practice using labels for everything around the room. When things are identified for students, they can meet their own needs. With less interruptions and more student autonomy, the classroom management goes through the roof! You can find all these labels and more in the ultimate classroom organization mega bundle HERE!
Ultimate Classroom Organization GROWING Mega Bundle
#2 – Be Planned Out to a T
Daily slides are must have classroom management hack! They make daily and weekly planning a BREEZE! They can even be used year after year after the templates are set. I like to have all my videos, links, pictures, and more set up for each day so that everything goes smoothly. It’s such an easy way to structure, organize, and manage your day with students. THIS resource includes fully customizable editable templates for Google Slides so you can drag and drop any pictures, clipart, and/or timers you need! You’ll also find video tips to help you get started. Makes everything a BREEZE!
Editable Daily Slides for Classroom Management
#3 – Get Their Attention
No longer say “be quiet” or get overstimulated by too much noise AGAIN. Attention getters, or call and responses, are incredibly easy and effective tools for classroom management. I love to change up our attention getters throughout the year to keep students on their toes! It keeps them engaged and they get excited about learning more as the school year goes on. Of course I don’t want you to use extra brainpower to come up with your own. Check out this GROWING bundle of call and response attention getters for every season!
#4- Model, Practice, & Praise
Let’s chant it together: model, practice, praise! Start by explicitly modeling every behavior you expect. For more guidance on this, check out a more detailed post HERE. Then, dedicate ample time to practice, practice, practice; it’s the secret ingredient for success. Lastly, shower your students with well-deserved praise for their efforts. To foster a positive atmosphere, aim to praise five positive actions for every one critique. This approach lays a solid foundation for a successful beginning to the school year. Below are some of my favorite easy ways to praise individual students, as well as your whole class!
Positive notes home are a great way to build relationships with students and families.
Editable Positive Behavior Notes
Whole class rewards are a great way to get students working together for a common goal. It’s a fun way to set a goal and celebrate when it’s met!
#5 – Transitions
Let’s chat about transitions – the glue that holds classroom routines together! Smooth transitions are like magic; they keep the momentum going and ensure you’re not losing precious instructional time. Whether it’s switching activities or moving between lessons, mastering transitions is key to a well-oiled classroom. But fear not, because mastering transitions can be both easy and fun. These strategies not only streamline transitions but also inject a sense of playfulness into your classroom routine. So, let’s explore these simple yet effective transition hacks below and revolutionize your classroom management game. Below are some of my favorite easy hacks for making transitions a BREEZE!
- Timers – These are a fantastic transition tool for primary students, adding structure and predictability to their day. Whether it’s signaling the end of an activity or providing a visual cue for how much time remains, timers help young learners grasp the concept of time management.
- Music – Incorporating music into transitions is a great way to infuse energy and excitement into your day. Whether it’s a catchy tune signaling the start of a new activity or a soothing melody during work time, music can help signal transitions and maintain a positive atmosphere.
- Secret Student – This is a fun way to get EVERYONE on board. Secretly pick a student to watch during transitions. If that students does the right thing, the WHOLE class earns either a point, a piece of a whole class reward puzzle, etc. Since they don’t know who the secret student is, everyone is striving to be the best. After the transition is over, you reveal the secret student and let them quietly pick the next one!
- Countdown with Expectations – Countdowns paired with clear expectations are a powerful transition tool for students, providing structure and clarity. By counting down to the next activity and stating specific expectations at each interval, students know exactly what is expected of them and can prepare accordingly. An example would be, “I need students to the carpet in 5. I need students sitting down quietly on the carpet in 4. I need students sitting with eyes on me in 3. And so on and so forth. This approach not only helps manage transitions smoothly but also reinforces positive behavior and accountability.
- Movement Code Word – This classroom management must have is a super simple way to help students transition to an activity WITHOUT chaos. You provide the word of the day, or week, and it’s the code to move to the next activity! The word can be as creative as you want to be such as “taco” or “robot”. Students know they can’t move, get started, or transition to an activity until they hear that word! It’s a fun and engaging way to get student’s attention and use it as an anchor to remember to move.
Grab this Movement Code Word Freebie below!
How are you feeling? Excited to begin? Not sure where to start next? Well check this out! I have got your classroom management COVERED with this jam packed growing bundle. All these amazing tools and more are included in the must have classroom management bundle. You will be able to walk in your classroom from day one with a solid plan as well as detailed lesson plans, visuals, checklists, and so much more! Grab the deeply discounted Classroom Management Bundle below!
Classroom Management Growing Bundle
I really hope you enjoyed learning about my top 5 back to school classroom management hacks! 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 Movement Code 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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