DESIGNING EFFECTIVE CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT 1

Designing Effective Classroom Management

Mikenna K. Reback

Chico State University

EDTE 255: Introduction to Democratic Perspectives in K-12 Education

David L Teja

November 25, 2022

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There are a million different classroom management tactics in today's teaching world, but

each teacher has to navigate their classroom and figure out what would work best for their

students. When I picture my future classroom, I think of how I can create fun ways to manage

my classroom and create a healthy, fun environment for my students. I plan to make strategies

and relationships and morph my classroom to best fit my students' needs.

To achieve my goals first, I need to structure my classroom before my students arrive on

day one. I want my students to build relationships with the other students and me so we can all

succeed together. My first strategy is to create relationships by focusing on my students, telling

them about myself, and learning about them. Every morning, I would meet my students at the

door to greet them. For example, I read in an article called Classroom Management Ideas for

Elementary Students; Zoe Del Mar explains how meeting students at the door and using

welcoming tactics to interact with them is a healthy way to increase your relationship at the start

of every day. She further explains how you can use nonverbal communication like fist bumps,

high-fives, or even hugs. This is important because it shows the students how you care to go out

of your way to greet them and it also helps strengthen your students' relationships because you

interact with them. Building relationships is significant to me because if you do not have

relationships with your students, they will not respect you, and the environment will not be

healthy. It could even turn into a hostile environment. According to the Seven Habits of Highly

Effective Classroom Management article relationships are very important in the modern teaching

world. They even say, “A classroom culture based on mutual respect and trust fosters students'

growth and discourages disruptions. When students are invested, they're less likely to disrupt the

classroom” (Tingley). This illuminates how when respect is earned through relationships. As a

result, the classroom runs more smoothly. When we build relationships with our students, they
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want to behave in school. I want to make the bases of my classroom on relationships, so my

students want to be there and want to learn.

Another way I can build structure is by making a constant routine with my students. I can

do this by planning out the day and doing subjects at the same time. Building structure creates

safety in the classroom. This provides my students with knowledge of what they will do every

day. Another way I can make a strong structure is by creating rules with my students, so they

have a say and agree on the classroom rules. This is a vital tactic because it lays out the

classroom expectations, so the students know what is expected from them. This can also make

the students feel more involved in the classroom. Routine and structure are important because if

your students feel safe and secure, it will eliminate constant stress and cause a healthy learning

environment. A healthy learning environment is crucial in early childhood classrooms. On the

California Department of Education page, they explain, “Depending upon the age of your child,

his learning style and personality, your child will have different needs. The first five years are

crucial for physical, intellectual, and social-emotional development” (California Department of

Education). Since the younger years of their students are essential, as a teacher, you must make

sure to build your curriculum based on your students' levels and learning skills. This can be done

by using routines and structure. For example, you can execute this by doing groups during

language arts and groups the different reading and writing levels together. This is an excellent

practice because it makes a structure and helps the kids learn at their own pace and level. I want

my students to succeed in my classroom. That is my main goal.

With these strategies and tactics, I plan to build lasting relationships with my students and

provide a safe, structured learning environment so my students can succeed. I plan to prepare the

days and weeks thoroughly and provide my students with fun activities that help them get to
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know their classmates and me. In my classroom, my main goal is for my students to come in at

the beginning of the year ready to learn and leave with lots of new, fun information that will last

them a lifetime. With these few strategies, I hope my students will flourish in my classroom and

benefit from my hard work and determination to help them succeed.

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References

“Ages and Stages of Development.” Ages and Stages of Development - Child Development (CA

Dept of Education), https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cd/re/caqdevelopment.asp.

Mar, Zoe Del. “6 Classroom Management Strategies for Elementary Teachers.” Houghton Mifflin

Harcourt, 12 Sept. 2022,

https://www.hmhco.com/blog/classroom-management-strategies-for-elementary-teachers.

Tingley, Suzanna Capek. “7 Habits of Highly Effective Classroom Management.” Hey Teach!,

27 Apr. 2020,

https://www.wgu.edu/heyteach/article/7-habits-highly-effective-classroom-management2

004.html.