Managing a

Classroom
Effectively
Carol Bush
Educational Consultant

Todays agenda

Characteristics of an Effective Teacher

Managing a Classroom Effectively

Purposeful Planning and Time Management

Establishing Procedures and Routines

Establishing Rules and Managing Discipline

What we know now

Research has shown us that teachers' actions
in their classrooms have twice the impact
on student achievement as do school policies
regarding curriculum, assessment, staff
collegiality, and community involvement
(Marzano, 2003)

So what are the

characteristics of an
effective teacher?
Brainstorm what you believe to be the

characteristics of an effective teacher. Write one

idea per post-it note!
Place each post-it note on the chart paper.
Together with your table, categorize the post-its

into common themes.

Effective teachers

Possess classroom management skills

Teach for lesson mastery
Maintain high, positive expectations

What is classroom
management?
Classroom management is all of the things
that a teacher does to organize students,
space, time and materials so that instruction
in content and student learning can take
place.
(Wong, 1998)

Identifying the components

of classroom
management
Purposeful Planning and Time Management
Establishing Procedures and Routines
Establishing Rules and Managing Discipline

Purposeful Planning &

Time Management
Inviting classroom environment
Time management
Solid lesson structure
Engaging classroom activities

Inviting Classroom
Environment

Seating arrangements vs. seating assignments

Physical space

Access to materials

Free of clutter

Wall space

Posters are clearly marked

Pertain to intended learning

Work area and materials

Required materials are ready and available

Materials are labeled and organized etc.

Time Management
Multiply your
minutes

# of transitions per class

Time it would take if each

transition is 2 min

Time it would take if each

transition is 30 sec

Time saved per day

Time saved per week

Time saved per year (180

days)

Time Management
Multiply your
minutes

# of transitions per class

Time it would take if each

transition is 2 min

Time it would take if each

transition is 30 sec

Time saved per day

Time saved per week
Time saved per year (180
days)

4 min

1 min

3 min per day

15 min per week

540 min per year

(13.5 40-min classes)

(9 60-min classes)

(6 90-min classes)

Solid Lesson Structure

Lesson Structure

40 min class 60 min

class

Clear objective(s)

Do now!

5 min 10 min

Mini-lesson

15 min 20 min

Guided practice

10 min 15 min

Independent practice

10 min 15 min

Assessment

EmbeddedEmbedded

Clear Objective(s)

Begin with the end in mind

Let the objective drive your decisions about

instructional delivery
Clearly state the objective for students and post it

in the room
Objective(s) should be specific, skill oriented, and

measurable

Do now!

A focused way to invest your students in the learning

that is about to take place a spark!

Quick (5-10 min)

Related to the objective

Clearly explained on the board so students know

exactly what to do

Usually worked into beginning classroom procedure

Learning begins immediately

Mini-lesson
Key concepts are presented in the mini-lesson
Teachers opportunity to instruct and share

specific information and details

Related to the objective
Crux of the instruction
Teacher has anticipated what students will be

doing during instructional delivery and has

planned accordingly

Guided Practice
Teacher shares models and exemplars
Students critique samples
Related to the objective
Teacher models thought process
Students are not yet doing the work on their own

Independent Practice
Students have the opportunity to apply the skills

theyve been learning

Related to the objective
Teacher proximity is paramount to keeping

students on task

Assessment
Based on the objective for the lesson
Must assess each student
Indicates if intended learning occurred

Engaging Classroom
Activities
Based on the objective for the lesson
Promotes time on task
Students are actively engaged
Activities are varied
Extension activities are included (pacing)

Establishing
Procedures & Routines
A smooth-running class is the responsibility of the
teacher, and it is the result of the teachers ability
to teach procedures.
(Wong, 1998)

Procedures vs. Routines

Procedure : What the teacher wants done.

Routine:

What the students do automatically.

Why are procedures so

important?

Procedures are a way of life.

Brushing your teeth

Approaching a signal light

Mailing a letter

Boarding a plane

Classrooms have procedures too!

Entering/leaving the classroom

Asking a question

Handing in assignments

What to do when you are absent

Students accept and want

procedures!
Provide security
Answer questions such as

How to head a paper

How to sharpen a pencil

How to ask for help

How to turn the computer on

What to do when the bell rings

What to do when you finish early

What procedures do you

use?
Brainstorm as many procedures as you can think of
for one of the following classroom activities and
record them on the chart paper provided.

Procedure for the start of the period

Procedure for quieting a class

Procedure for seeking help

Procedure for handing in papers

Procedure for the end of the period

A three-step approach to
teaching procedures
Explain: Explain the procedure clearly and

demonstrate it step-by-step
Rehearse: Rehearse the procedure until it

becomes a routine. This means intentionally

practicing the procedure.
Reinforce: Continue to reinforce the correct

execution of the procedure so students keep it

fresh in their minds.

Establishing
Procedures & Routines
The number one problem in the classroom is not
discipline; it is the lack of procedures and routines.

Procedures vs. Discipline

There are two main differences between

procedures and discipline.
PROCEDURES: Concern how things are DONE
DISCIPLINE: Concerns how students BEHAVE
PROCEDURES: Have NO penalties or rewards
DICIPLINE: HAS penalties and rewards

Establishing Rules &

Managing Discipline
Basic structure for a discipline plan

Rules What the expected behaviors are.

Consequences What the student chooses to accept

if a rule is broken.
Rewards What the student receives for appropriate
behavior.

Share the discipline plan with students and

parents the first day of school

Establishing the rules

Rules set the limits
Rules should prevent or encourage specific behaviors

NOT academics
Rules should be limited to 3-5 (only the most important)
There are two kinds of rules: general and specific
Rules should be stated positively whenever possible
Rules should be clearly posted prior to the start of school

Should students be
involved in creating the
rules?
Student involvement must be limited

Schoolwide and district rules must be adhered to

Classroom rules essential to classroom instruction

cannot be left to student discretion

Establishing the
consequences
Can be positive or negative
Should be discreet when given out
Should be reasonable and logical
Should have parental support
Should have administrative support
More applicable to student involvement

Logical and Reasonable

Consequences

For each behavior, determine a logical consequence and an

illogical consequence

Chews gum

Turns in sloppy paper

Walks in noisily

Passes paper in incorrectly

Arrives late

Does not bring textbook

Does not bring pen or pencil

NOTE: The consequences determined here would be an attempt

to correct the undesired behavior at various stages in the
discipline plan.

Body language speaks

volumes
Facial expressions
Body movements
Hand gestures
Proximity

What are your key

takeaways?
Purposeful Planning and Time Management
Establishing Procedures and Routines
Establishing Rules and Managing Discipline

Questions?

Carol Bush
Professional Development Specialist
Center for School Improvement and Professional
Development
Orleans/Niagara BOCES
cbush@onboces.org