I often wish that I had Harry Potter's Marauder's Map when I am getting my classroom ready for a new year of learning. I long for an all-seeing magical paper that would show me where everyone is at all times and what they're up to. If only teaching were as easy as life at Hogwarts.
In fact, I'm sure most educators wish that such a simple trick existed come September. At the beginning of the school year, students try to test the waters to see what their new teachers will and will not tolerate in the classroom. A fresh set of social dynamics and relationship challenges come into play. But how does the effective educator build those relationships and foster a positive classroom community in order to reach every child? These are a few of my personal favorite strategies for reimagining classroom management.
Step 1: Create routines, routines, and more routines.
Don't start picturing Charlie Brown's teacher! "Routine" does not have to be synonymous with
"dull and boring." I create a routine for any task, activity, or possible problem that may arise in my classroom from day one. This strategy does not mean that I teach them every routine right off the bat. It just means that I choose the routines that give me the most bang for the buck, such as those that will address the "I have to go to the bathroom" or "I need a pencil" or "Where do I put this?" issues. I try to teach only a few routines per day for the first few weeks of school because I want students to remember what we talk about and not become overwhelmed with too much new information.
I also try to strike a healthy balance between the ho-hum routines and the more exciting ones, such as teaching brain breaks (a few minutes to refocus with dance, jumping jacks, Simon Says, or other recharging movement). When I teach any routine, I explicitly model what it should look like before we practice it together. If students make mistakes—which should be expected any time they are learning something new—we discuss them and try again, which nurtures a growth mindset.
Step 2: Get to know your students.
Just as the classic song from Rodgers and Hammerstein's musical The King and I says, getting to know your students (all about them) and getting to like them (and hoping they like you, too) is a great starting place to set up classroom management. This is why I spend quite a bit of time at the start of every year getting to know each and every student. I do this in a variety of ways, including sharing time during our morning meeting; one-on-one conversations with shy students; and group games and activities, such as playing "Two Truths and a Lie" and creating "About Me" posters or glyphs (see student examples).
You should also make time to share about yourself, too. I prefer to use the first week of school to build a family-like environment throughout the school day where we all learn basic facts about one another. Other teachers I know prefer to spend about 10 minutes every day doing team-building exercises so that they have more time to get to the curriculum. No matter your preference, it is crucial to build relationships with all students because kids don't learn well from people they don't know or like.
It is equally vital to keep evolving the relationship as the year progresses in order to foster a community of care and learning. One of the ways I do this is by having weekly individual conferences with my students to talk about what are they doing well and what they can improve. During that time, I dedicate a few minutes to listen to whatever they want to talk about, ranging from a parent's birthday, moving to a new home, or a recent divorce. These one-on-one conversations show students that I care about them and what they're experiencing at home.
Step 3: Plan family outreach events.
Student relationships come first, but family support takes those relationships to a new level. I believe that it really does take a village to raise a child. Despite everything I do in the classroom, children can achieve more with parental support. Every year, I prioritize consistent parent-teacher conferences throughout the year with all my students' families, send regular emails and texts, and host quarterly "family night out" events where parents come to the school for dinner or a movie. I've also hosted a "literacy games and lunch" session with dads, a Mother's Day breakfast, and a cultural gallery walk where parents came to look at students' holiday-themed posters and projects.
The key is that I host these events separately from other school events and send a personal invitation and RSVP slip home with every student. Many parents do not come to whole-school events, but if I reach out to them personally about a gathering just for them and their children, they almost always attend.
As you consider your own classroom management for this year, it is imperative that you plan out what you will need to create your own classroom system. Be as specific as possible. I intentionally write these goals into my lesson plans so that they become second nature for me to schedule. Plan for how you will model and teach classroom management and what you will do when students struggle to meet classroom expectations. Most importantly, trust yourself and your ability to make a difference for your students. These routines might just be the magic trick you were missing.
