Classroom management focuses on prevention and problem solving (being proactive), rather than on punishment (being reactive). Classroom management refers to the procedures, strategies, and instructional techniques that faculty use to keep students organized, orderly, attentive, and productive in class.
Self-discipline and good behaviour are learned, and they must be consistently reinforced. Remember that every faculty member that a student encounters has different expectations for behaviour, participation, attendance, and the calibre of work submitted for grading.
Encourage students to be responsible for their own learning and behaviour. When students make choices, they learn new skills and gain social awareness from the outcome of those decisions.
Classroom Management Strategies (RESULT)
Get RESULTs with these classroom management strategies.
R – Reach Out Positively to Students
- Build positive relationships with students and among students
- Welcome students everyday
- Use students’ names
- Use positive reinforcements
E – Execute Effective Instruction
- Keep students engaged
- Gain and maintain student attention
- Teach with enthusiasm
- Use lesson plans (including a connection activity, lesson, practice opportunities, closing activity)
- Share expertise with storytelling, where applicable
- Have a lesson routine, like the JumpStart Model (a connection activity, lesson, practice activity, closing activity)
S – Supervise and Monitor Behaviour
- Supervise appropriately
- Be active (move, scan, circulate the classroom)
- Respond to problems immediately
U – Uphold an Inclusive Learning Environment
- Create an accessible physical space
- Use UDL Guidelines
- Multiple means of engagement
- Multiple means of representation
- Multiple means of action and expression
- Emphasize models of fairness, empathy, acceptance, respect and kindness to and for other people
- Recognize and value student improvement and celebrate successes
- Provide texts, resources, and learning materials that reflect diversity in culture, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, family structure, etc.
L – Limit Use of Consequences / Use Corrections
Corrections should not be a primary form of classroom management.
- Become familiar with College policies that address behaviour and responsibilities
- Implement corrective measures consistently and in a timely manner
- Implement the consequence unemotionally (set aside personal feelings of anger, frustration and/or annoyance)
- Interact briefly, without arguing at the time of the correction; connect with student one-on-one for further discussion, if necessary
- Know what behaviours warrant dismissal of a student from class or a conversation with the Coordinator/Dean
- Use non-verbal warnings/indicators:
- Pause
- Proximity
- Eye contact
- Facial expressions
- Use verbal reminders to redirect student back on-task
T – Teach Expectations
- Co-create expectations for the classroom with students (post in common area in classroom or in Moodle)
- Teach and reinforce classroom expectations
- Some areas to consider when discussing expectations:
- Behaviour
- Tardiness/Absences
- Homework/Readings
- Food in the classroom
- Technology in the classroom
- Safety procedures, if any specifics
- Cheating/plagiarism
- Etc.
Additional Resources
A number of fantastic articles about classroom management issues can be found at Faculty Focus, including dealing with difficult students, cell phone use in the classroom, cheating, student excuses, and more.