Elementary Classroom Management

The first Elementary Classroom management necessity is structure. You students are in dire need for structure. They need a consist set of class rules, consequences, rewards and routines. This is one of the most important aspects of elementary classroom management - I cannot stress it enough. They key here is consistency. You may have posted rules at the beginning of the school yea. You probably went over the consequences and rewards, but it's how consistent you are with following through that is important to your students.
Your students will be looking to you to be dependable. Many people in their lives come and go. They have parents that work multiple jobs and may spend their nights in difference places. They count on you to be there for their to satisfy one aspect of their life. If they cant come to school knowing your there with their best interest in mind, you have lost them from day one.

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The second elementary classroom management necessity all teachers should have is to always maintain a positive outlook on the experiences you come across in school. The world around children is full of negativity. They don't need more attitudes coming from one of the (potentially) most significant figures in their life. I like to always look on the bright side. Yes, there will be down days, but you have got to hide that away inside when your students are near you. You need to maintain a smile and positive outlook at all times. If a student is misbehaving keep a bright face, ask the student to leave and reward the class for staying on track. Always, I mean always remain positive.

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Enthusiasm is the third necessity for elementary classroom management success. You students feed from your emotions. I have found that when I introduce a project or topic that I am excited about my students get just as pumped. You don't need to say, "OK class, today we're going to learn a really exciting topic" in a squeaky high pitched voice to show enthusiasm. It can be as simple as, I am really excited to teach this new trick about identifying fractions. I know you all have been struggling, so I did extra research on the computer last night, so that I could make your life easier - I say it with a bright face as if I had just told my husband we're having another baby!!!! ;) j/k
You're enthusiasm when introducing a topic as well as teaching should shine through your words and body language. Be sincere with your emotions...

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One of the most important elementary classroom management techniques that have been successful across the board is the use of expectations. Now, many teachers will give the direction to the activity, remind students of the rules, set and "expected" time limit for the assignment and let the students have at it. I can't tell you how irritating it is when teachers think that this is "setting your expectations."

To successfully set expectations for students' behavior during an activity or assignment you must give the directions. Tell them the expected time frame. Then ask, what should our classroom look like as you work through this assignment? Have your students respond, this lets you know that they have a complete understanding of the directions. I would then ask one students (or a couple) to tell me the steps their going to take to repeat it. Then I might throw in a few: should I see students walking around the room? Student's response - NO. Should I hear loud obnoxious talking? Student response - NO. Is ok to hear a few conversations with a low volume? Depending on your teaching preferences - YES. Fantastic, you all understand what behavior I'll be looking to reward. You have so many minutes to complete the assignment. Get going.

Setting your expectations for successful elementary classroom management is as simple as having that five-minute conversation at the beginning of every assignment. You can even have this conversation before entering the hallway, going to the lunchroom, attending an assembly. That conversation will shave hours of wasted energy out of your classroom.

This may all sound extremely hard and time consuming. And it is, but you need to think of it as a time saver for the remaining of the school year. By implementing just the few simple techniques that I have listed you can save yourself from daily headaches, and embarrassing class, and hours of yelling and disciplining throughout the school year.

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