Your classroom management plan doesn’t have to be strict, dry, and boring. Make it fun with engaging strategies and tools that help you maintain control in creative ways. Learn how you can incorporate an element of fun with these ideas and resources.
A Classroom Management Plan Made Fun
Implementing a classroom management plan in any classroom can be daunting. Before meeting students, teachers often wonder which strategies will work and what the best route is. We may fear students who won’t follow the rules or certain strategies that won’t work. There are ways to avoid both!
This post provides insight and guidance to help you establish an engaging and well-organized plan with fun strategies. Picture a fun classroom where students respect the teacher, and the teacher, in turn, respects the students! In this same classroom, transitions run smoothly, the kids work together nicely, and the atmosphere is positive. This all comes from effective classroom management strategies! You can implement this type of classroom management plan by using the tips below.
Table of Contents
- A Classroom Management Plan Made Fun
- What Should a Classroom Management Plan Include?
- Fun Strategies to Add to Your Classroom Management Plan
- Classroom Management Resources
- More Classroom Management Plan Ideas
What is Classroom Management?
Classroom management refers to how teachers implement and maintain an ideal student learning environment. These techniques vary greatly, but they all focus on ensuring students’ well-being and engagement are at the forefront.
An effective classroom management plan involves setting clear expectations and rules while maintaining a positive and respectful environment. These expectations are meant to lessen negative student behavior and promote student participation. Along with that comes mutual respect and a sense of community in the classroom.
Use the ideas below to maximize student time in the classroom.
Important Things to Remember When Implementing a Plan
As you choose the right plan for the classroom, consider a few things for it to be successful.
- Set clear expectations and rules. Ensure that you communicate these rules from day one and explain them so students can understand them.
- Be consistent. This is crucial in setting up a classroom management plan. Stick to what you say you will do, don’t waver from the plan.
- Use positive reinforcement to recognize the behaviors you wish to see in the room. Praise positive behaviors every chance you get to show students how they should behave.
- Create a supportive and engaging environment that is helpful to learning. Arrange the classroom layout to promote student interaction, provide necessary resources, and maintain an organized and visually appealing space.
Other Important Factors
- Build relationships on trust and respect. Positive relationships with students will show them empathy and demonstrate how relationships should work.
- Differentiate the lessons to consider your student’s diverse needs and learning styles. Differentiate instruction and activities to accommodate varying abilities and interests.
- Use communication and collaboration to make everyone feel heard and seen in the classroom. Ask for student feedback and let them participate in decision-making, especially when making the rules.
- Be flexible and recognize that your plans will most likely need to change occasionally. Modify the strategies throughout the year to meet the needs of the classroom.
Remember these when implementing a classroom management plan to establish an effective and supportive classroom environment that promotes student engagement, behavior management, and overall academic success.
What Should a Classroom Management Plan Include?
When choosing a plan for the classroom, consider some of the following.
- Offer Choices – Allow students’ choices so they feel in control of their actions. Giving them 2 or 3 options gives them control over their actions.
- Consequences and Rewards – Give students fun rewards for kids like classroom tokens, a prize box, stickers on a chart, or something else they can work toward. Classroom rewards are great to work toward as a team or work towards independent goals.
- Promote Responsibility – Provide students with ways to get involved and to be held responsible. This can include classroom jobs and collaborative activities. Feeling like they are part of a community will help create a positive environment.
- Student-Centered – Your plan should be student-centered so they know it is for their benefit. Classroom rules should be enforced with kids in mind and created as a group whenever possible.
- Classroom Schedule & Procedures – Clearly outline the day’s events with a colorful schedule. Display the schedule and rules somewhere students can access them easily. Next to the whiteboard or as they enter the classroom are great options.
- Parent and Guardian Communication – Be sure to communicate with families back home daily or weekly. Send home emails or newsletters to keep them updated on changes, events, and classroom events.
- Professional Development and Support – Consider opportunities for professional development and ongoing support for teachers to enhance their classroom management skills. This may involve workshops, mentoring, or collaboration with other teachers to share best practices.
Keep these notes in mind as you plan for classroom management. Be flexible and make room for change as needed because we know things can quickly turn sideways at times.
Fun Strategies to Add to Your Classroom Management Plan
Making learning fun is a critical component of managing a classroom. Students thrive when they enjoy being at school.
Try these eight classroom management resources to make your classroom the best they’ve ever been in.
1. Brain Breaks
Provide students with a way to give their brains a rest. Use fast and fun ideas to get movement in between academic tasks.
These brain breaks include fun dances, silly jokes, listening activities, drawing challenges, and movement to give kids a break from thinking about academics. After a quick brain break, they’ll be ready to dive into stimulating lessons.
2.Classroom Transitions
Show students how to transition in and out of the classroom with targeted activities. These simple activities, such as line-up chants and attention-getters, help encourage positive behavior instead of chaos.
Using fun callbacks to get students’ attention is a great way to transition seamlessly. Some fun callbacks include “Class, class” – “Yes, yes” or “Scooby Dooby Doo” – “Where are you?” Kids love these silly phrases to get their attention and wake up their brains before moving on to something new.
3. Classroom Jobs
Involve students in the classroom management plan with simple classroom jobs. Give students experience with particular tasks and responsibilities by rotating the jobs weekly or monthly.
Incorporate fun jobs, like a table wiper, line leader, pencil monitor, or attendance helper, to give students purpose in the classroom. It’s been proven that when kids feel needed and helpful, their behavior is more positive.
4. Classroom Reward Coupons
Fun coupons make behaving exciting for students. They motivate kids to stay on task and follow the rules.
Try coupons with fun choices, like extra recess, seat swap, lunch helper, and eating outside. They give students something fun to look forward to when demonstrating positive behavior.
5. Rules and Expectations
Lay out the classroom rules using visually appealing posters. Make the expectations of the room a visual focal point for the kids to add to the classroom management plan.
This resource will help you teach students to make good choices with their behavior and to stay on task with following the classroom rules. Use the tools to teach students to be kind to others, keep their hands to themselves, work and play safely, and listen when someone is speaking.
6. Class Schedule
An organized schedule with kid-friendly visuals shows students what to expect each day. A class schedule includes subjects like math, literacy, social studies, P.E., and more.
Use clocks to keep things on track and checkmarks to note which topics are completed throughout the day. Organizing the classroom schedule is an excellent job for students.
7. Fast-Finisher Activities
Some students are just quick! Give them something to work on after they finish a task. This will provide them with purpose throughout the whole day.
Some early finisher activities include practicing subjects students are working on, such as math, painting a picture, eating a snack, or writing in their journals. There are tons more to choose from, as well as editable versions.
8. Classroom Awards
Use fun student awards like editable tags, hats, and bracelets to motivate students in the classroom. Use anytime or year to celebrate achievement and effort or as part of an end-of-the-year classroom celebration.
The hats are an adorable way to display how students behave positively in the classroom. Let the kids add little cutouts as they are rewarded during the year. When their hat is complete, let them share it at home!
Need a few more fun ideas? Try these:
- Shoutouts – Recognize students with sweet cards or notes.
- Flexible Seating – Provide alternate seating as a fun switch-up.
- Whole Class Rewards – Encourage students to work together toward a common goal.
- Hand Signals – Use simple signals for the bathroom or pencil to prevent disruptions.
- Visual Directions – Posters and other visuals are great for managing a classroom.
Classroom Management Resources
FREE Classroom Callbacks and Attention Getters
Try a sample pack of attention-getters in your classroom with this FREE classroom management resource. Use the set of 12 callback cards to introduce students to this fun strategy!
Click the image below to grab a copy.
Classroom Management Bundle
Try the Classroom Management Bundle by Proud to be Primary to make teaching in the classroom easier. It includes eight different classroom management resources to help you create the ideal environment in the primary classroom.
It has everything you need to make your management plan the best it needs to be. Use the printable rewards, classroom jobs, schedule, and more to decorate the room and keep kids on task.
More Classroom Management Plan Ideas
a teacher’s guide to classroom management
classroom management strategies
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