From Chaos to Calm: Transforming Your Classroom Environment

For teachers, regardless of experience or the age group that we teach, the one term that we all dread hearing is classroom management.

We are told that we need to have a classroom management plan in order to have a successful school year, but most of the time we are left on our own to figure out just what that successful plan looks like. 

I know from experience that classroom management was my biggest struggle when starting out because everything that I had seen was theory-based and didn’t sound practical.

Today we will look at what a classroom management plan is, how to make one that is unique to your classroom, and how it is used to guide your classroom to a successful school year.

What is a Classroom Management Plan?

Let’s start this off with how I would start any class with a definition of the topic. By definition a classroom management plan is the set of rules that we as teachers put in place to make sure our class knows how to behave and how students will be held accountable for their actions.

Why is a Classroom Management Plan so Important?

In a perfect world a management plan for the classroom sounds easy, just come up with some rules and procedures and post them in the classroom and you’re done. 

 This type of thinking leads us to make assumptions about the students in our classroom, which is a one-way path to chaos.

Assumption #1: Students have been in a classroom before and should know how to act. 

The reality is that students don’t know how to act in OUR classroom unless we tell them and show them how to act. 

We as teachers are responsible for the type of learning environment we set for our students in the classroom. It is our job to create our rules, procedures, and expectations and then to teach them.

From experience, I have found that taking the first week of school and dedicating it just to my classroom management plan is the best way to start the year. 

Now I know what you’re probably thinking: “one week! That’s too long.” and to that I say “yes, it is,” but I would rather spend a week having students learn what to do and not to do in my class than have chaos later.

How to Make a Plan Unique to Your Classroom? 

Now let’s get down to business at hand and learn how to not just make a classroom management plan, but make one that is unique to your classroom and your teaching style.

I want to start out by giving what I consider to be the essentials to your plan for your classroom.

1. Establish clear behavioral expectations from day one.
2. Get your students involved in making the plan.
3. Model your plan. 
4. Be consistent with your consequences.
5. Use positive reinforcement and acknowledge when students are doing right.
6. Adjust your plan as needed throughout the year.

Like I said earlier, these are the backbone of your plan, but from my experience, everyone has their own unique plan. 

Personally, I am more relaxed in my classroom, but students know that when we are in class, that class is priority one and that I will be fair yet firm with my plan.’

The beauty of your classroom management plan is that it is dynamic and ever-growing, thus allowing you to change your plan as you see fit.

Using Your Plan for a Successful School Year?

So now you should have your plan ready to go, but how do you exactly use it? 

First, you want to build a relationship with your students before they even step into your classroom. 

This can range from a simple hello to a fist bump or a handshake, depending on your student and grade level. The idea is to let students know that they are welcome in your class and should be excited to come every day.

Next, I like to talk with my students about why they think rules are important. During discussions, I want students to know that nothing is right or wrong and that all opinions matter.

I have found that getting students involved like this makes the process of making rules and expectations much more productive, as students feel like they are a part of the process and will show more willingness to step up and follow the rules they make. 

Now comes the hard part, and I know one that I have struggled with at times, and that is being consistent with my plan. 

I am one of those people who tend to overthink things too much, and this makes it hard to follow my plan sometimes. This leads me to another assumption

Assumption #2: My students will see me as being strict and hate me for enforcing the plan set by the class.

Simply put, no they won’t. 

Students will respect that you are fair and that it is the plan, not you, that is giving the consequence; you are just the guide to make sure that the plan is followed to the letter.

Wrap Up

Classroom management can be a difficult part of teaching for teachers of all experience levels. As we have discussed, it is important that you make a plan and stick to it, as it will take care of most behavior issues before you have to step in. 

The important thing to remember is to build your own unique plan and that it is okay if the first draft doesn’t work, as your plan is dynamic and ever-growing to meet the needs of you and your students.