TIPS FOR BETTER

CLASSROOM
MANAGEMENT
THE AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
 1. TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR STUDENTS

• As the airline safety videos say: Put on your own oxygen mask first.
• To learn effectively, your students need a healthy you. So get enough sleep, eat healthy food, and
take steps to attend to your own well-being.
• “a moment of patience in a moment of frustration saves you a hundred moments of regret.”
• Practice self-care at home and patience with the children.
• Don’t get nervous or frustrated, because that translates to the students. Keep your cool 
• Kids can tell if you enjoy being around them, if you dislike them, if you are a dedicated teacher
who genuinely love your job. If they sense you do not like them, they will not care to follow your
rules.
2. FOCUS ON BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS

• Building healthy student-teacher relationships is essential to a thriving classroom culture, and even sets the stage for
academic success.
• Build student rapport
• Take the time during morning meetings and closing circles, include stories about yourself. Talk about your feelings in
situations and invite students to do the same. This should happen throughout the day as well during activities or when
you see a student in acting abnormally. Students should feel that they are in an environment where they are cared for.
• Set goals for students and follow up with their goals.
• Positive reinforcement, high-fives, stickers
• “Be consistent but flexible. Love them unconditionally, but hold them accountable. Give them voice but be the
leader,”
3. SET RULES, BOUNDARIES, AND
EXPECTATIONS (AND DO IT EARLY)
• Students don’t thrive amid chaos. They need some basic structure—and consistency—to feel safe and to
focus.
• But maintaining a culture of mutual respect doesn’t mean your goal is to “make pals, you can’t be their
friend. You can be kind, loving, and supportive, but you still have to be their teacher.”
• Predictability counts: “Follow through with rewards and consequences. If you say it, mean it. And if you
mean it, say it. Be clear, be proactive, and be consistent,”
• “Your attitude as the teacher really determines what the tone and environment of your classroom is like. If
you want calm and productive, project that to your kids.”
• Pick your battles—especially if those confrontations are going to be public: “Instead, say, ‘You and I will
talk about this later, that way you can still address the issue while saving face.
4. TAKE A STRENGTH-BASED APPROACH

• “Find ways to make a special relationship hardest kid, when you connect with them... it makes everything
smoother.”
• A strength-based lens means never forgetting to look beneath the surface of behavior, even when it’s
inconvenient. “Find the root of the problem, I have never met a student that doesn’t want to be successful.
If they are misbehaving it is kind of like when a baby cries; there is something wrong in their world. If they
are misbehaving for attention then find out why they need the attention and how you can give them what
they need.”
• “Don’t sound surprised when remarking on struggling students’ successes, Instead of saying, ‘Wow! That
was amazing,’ it’s better to say, ‘I’m proud of you, but not surprised. I always knew you could do it.’”
• Give responsibilities to difficult students.
5. MODEL IDEAL BEHAVIOR

• Demonstrate what you want to see in the classroom.

• Have mock conversations with other teachers in front of them
• Use polite language
• Maintain eye contact
• Keep hands to ourselves
• Let one another speak uninterrupted
• Raise concerns about one another’s statements in a respectful manner
• Always think out loud when you model behavior.
6. STOP WHAT YOU’RE DOING

• This is most effective when you are reading on the carpet and have multiple students disrupting.
If you continue, other students will be distracted, and the those students will see your
inconsistency in stopping unwanted behavior.
• Encourage other students to not ‘tattle tale’ but solve disruptive behavior themselves when they
see it. Tell your students that you know other students follow that “I’m sad because some people
are not listening to me when I speak”
• Subject teachers can say, “I know your teacher Mrs. _____ and I know for a fact they do not
allow this behavior in their classrooms.
• Stay on top of little disruptions, “I saw that”
7. ASSIGN SEATS

• Students have a sense of pride and responsibility for things that they feel belong to them.
Encourage that by placing name tags on their seats and on the carpet. Separate
problematic children. Assign chairs even if necessary.
• Classroom care
8. DO NOT GIVE STUDENTS MATERIALS UNTIL
THEY KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THEY’RE DOING

• Students will keep busy with whatever is in their hands. Make sure you have repeated
instructions clearly enough that you are confident that they will absolutely know how to
start once they are given materials. Prolong handing them out as long as necessary.
• Have students practice patience through this
9. DO NOT ALLOW STUDENTS TO KEEP
THINGS IN THEIR HANDS
• Whether seated, on the carpet, wherever. Limit children taking things from their
backpacks and keeping them. Be consistent
10. BE PREPARED

• When the teacher is not prepared and is thinking on their feet, students find opportunities to keep
themselves busy.
• A well prepared lesson will not leave any room for student to think or act outside of whatever you
have planned for them. Differentiation is key here.
• Avoid distractions in the classroom. When a teacher walks in, do not let it disrupt the flow of your
lessons. Avoid sitting down unless a part of your lesson plan. When the flow is disrupted, chaos
ensues.
• Always have extra materials for early finishers.
• Always keep the class neat and tidy as this sets a precedent for the students.
WHAT IS POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT?

• Positive reinforcement involves using reinforcing or pleasant stimuli to encourage desirable

behavior.
• The concept is derived from the behavioral education theory of operant conditioning proposed by
B.F. Skinner from the 1930s.
• The concept of operant conditioning suggests that behavior goes hand in hand with consequences,
meaning that:
• If you behave in a certain way and are rewarded, you will repeat the behavior to gain the
same benefits.
• If your actions lead to punishment, you will not repeat them for fear of repercussions.
HERE’S AN EXAMPLE OF POSITIVE
REINFORCEMENT:
• John is a fourth-grade learner in Mrs. Owl’s class who prefers doodling to learning. Mrs.
Owl gives him stickers if he doesn’t touch his doodle pad during lesson time. John stops
doodling in class so he can keep getting stickers.
• Expert Tip: Positive reinforcement only works when the reward appeals to the student.
For instance, in Mrs. Owl’s class, if John didn’t like stickers, he would not stop
misbehaving.
 HOW TO USE POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT IN THE CLASSROOM

• Technique 1 - Social Reinforcement

• Social reinforcement is about gaining the approval of peers, teachers or other adults outside the school setting.
• Here are some examples of social reinforcers:
• Verbal and Non-Verbal Praise
• Verbal praise involves using positive language to praise a student for a specific behavior. For instance, “Well done for handing in
your assignment on time.”
• Children are often quite perceptive, so avoid generalized comments such as, “Good job” or “Well done.” Instead, specify what you
are praising them for.
• Expert Tip: Make sure you know your class well before you start using verbal praise for positive reinforcement so that it doesn't
backfire.
• For instance, if you single out a timid student—even to praise them—they may deliberately avoid performing exceptionally again to
avoid becoming the focus of attention.
• Where verbal communication isn’t possible, such as during a lesson, use non-verbal cues like a thumbs up to show approval.
COMMENTS AND WRITTEN APPROVAL

• You can also write encouraging feedback on a student’s work to motivate them to keep doing well. Use
comments such as:
• Keep up the excellent work!
• This is exceptional; well done!
• Impressive work, Kim. Keep aiming high!

• Remember to vary your comments for each student and all learners in the class. If everyone receives the
same remark, they are likely to become indifferent.
• Writing letters of praise to parents and guardians can also serve as a helpful tool to get your learners to
perform well. This will allow them to receive more applause at home, further reinforcing the desired
action.
TECHNIQUE 2 - PRIVILEGE-BASED
REINFORCEMENT
• When a learner behaves well or meets certain expectations, reward them by allowing them
special privileges for a set time. This will motivate them to repeat what they’ve done.
• Providing perks also allows you to publicly acknowledge the student’s efforts, which can
encourage other students to emulate the same behavior.
• Some privilege-based reinforcement methods include:
• Allowing the child to sit in the teacher’s chair throughout quiet reading time
• Choosing what equipment to play with during recess
• Making the child the teacher’s special assistant for a period
• Letting them leave for recess early
• Another variation of privilege based reinforcement is allowing students a chance to take part in different fun
activities when they behave appropriately, such as:
• Playing a game
• Drawing or coloring during class
• Spending more time on the computer
• Playing music while working
• Having free time after the lesson to relax
• Changing scenery, for instance, working outside of the classroom

• These reinforcers often work well when used in combination with other tools. For instance, allow the student to
pick a friend to join them in their activity. By doing so, you increase their social approval with friends, doubling
the reinforcement effect.
TECHNIQUE 3 - MATERIAL, TANGIBLE
REINFORCEMENTS
• Tangible reinforcers involve offering actual items or prizes. These types of reinforcers often have a higher motivational
pull and work well during challenging periods such as:
• At the beginning of school, after a long summer break
• Towards the end of the term, when learners have already caught the holiday fever

• Depending on the age and size of the class, you can use the following items for positive reinforcement:
• Pencils
• Erasers
• Small toys
• Stickers
• Bracelets
• Balloons
• Washable tattoos
• Medals
• Certificates
• You can also set up a classroom economy as a reward system. The idea behind an economic
system is that the teacher will reward students with a token, ticket, or coupon when they
display desirable behavior.
• The token itself doesn’t have much value, but if the student collects enough, they can cash
them in for a more valuable reward. A specific number of coupons can “buy” a particular prize
or privilege.
• For the system to be effective, the entire class should be clear on what the tokens can earn
them. In addition, tickets must only be valid for a specific time, for example, each day or
week.
• It’s also essential to account for the tokens so that students don’t create their own or carry them
over from a previous period.
TIPS FOR USING POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT
TECHNIQUES
• Here are some ground rules for making positive reinforcement more effective:
MAKE THE REINFORCEMENT IMMEDIATE

• Positive reinforcement tools must be implemented soon after the behavior occurs for the
strongest association between action and reward.
• It helps to have clear and straightforward guidelines. Refer to your rules when praising or
rewarding desirable actions. By doing so, you create a consistent classroom management
system that encourages children to follow the rules.
• Never take back rewards or discount any achievements made in the past based on poor
behavior in the present; this may cause students to stop trying.
CHOOSE YOUR REWARDS CAREFULLY

• Make sure that your chosen rewards excite your learners and are sustainable over the long
term.
• Collaborate with your class, school administration, and parents to choose rewards that are
acceptable to everyone. For example, some parents may not be onboard with rewards like
candy due to allergies or sugar intake restrictions.
• If you choose to use tangible gifts, it’s best to find affordable options that fall within your
school’s budget to create a consistent system.
• Your choice of positive reinforcers must also be age-appropriate.
PRE K - KINDERGARTEN

• Reinforcer
• Stickers
• Stars
• Verbal praise
• Classroom privileges
ELEMENTARY (G1-5)

• Reinforcer
• Special rights like free time
• Computer games
• Stickers
• Verbal praise
• Material gifts
UPPER MIDDLE TO JUNIOR HIGH

• Reinforcer
• Token system
• Free time
• Group activities like pizza parties
• Non-verbal cues
NOTE FOR TEACHERS

• Always have extra materials and activity in case you are asked to cover a lesson so you
don’t deal with difficult classroom management.
• Be super mindful of students at a sensitive age, such as G3-G7. Do not yell at them,
especially in front of their peers. Be extra sensitive but do not ignore behavior. The best
thing is having them stay a few minutes after class (before a break) so you can speak with
them one-on-one about their behavior.
• If you need ideas, see your HOD and/ or Mrs. Vena