Effective Classroom Management Strategies for In-Service Teachers

Classroom management is how a teacher creates and keeps a positive, productive learning environment, one that supports student learning, engagement, and academic achievement. This guide is for in-service teachers who want to build or improve their classroom management. It explains why classroom management matters, what it involves, and five practical guidelines for building a plan that works for your own students.

On this page 5 sections

Why classroom management matters

How a classroom is managed affects how well students learn.

• Well-managed classrooms: Studies have shown that students taught in positive and productive learning environments have higher academic achievement and are more engaged in learning (Martin & Dowson, 2009).
• Poorly managed classrooms: These can lead to lower student motivation, disengagement, and negative behavior (Jones, 2018).

In-service teachers play a key role here. The strategies you develop and use every day decide whether your classroom helps or hinders learning.

Proactive and reactive approaches

Effective classroom management combines two kinds of approaches (Evertson & Emmer, 2013):

Approach	What it means	Main purpose
Proactive	Creating a positive classroom climate before problems arise	Supports learning and lowers the chance of negative behavior
Reactive	Responding to negative behavior when it happens	Handles behavior in a way that is consistent, fair, and respectful of students

A strong plan uses both. Proactive steps prevent many problems, and a clear, fair way of responding handles the ones that still happen.

Five guidelines for building your strategy

There is no single plan that fits every class. Your strategy should be tailored to the specific needs of your students and your learning environment. These five guidelines can help you build it.

1. Set clear expectations

Establish clear expectations for:

• behavior
• academic performance
• class participation

When expectations are clear, students understand what is expected of them and what they need to do to succeed.

2. Establish positive relationships

Take time to get to know your students and show genuine interest in their success. Positive teacher-student relationships build trust, respect, and a sense of community in the classroom.

3. Use positive reinforcement

Positive reinforcement means rewarding positive behavior. It encourages good behavior and discourages negative behavior. Rewards can include:

• verbal praise
• stickers
• other incentives

4. Use consistent consequences

Set consistent consequences for negative behavior. Consequences should be:

• fair
• respectful
• consistent with school policies

Consistency helps keep the learning environment positive and productive, because students know what will happen and see that rules apply to everyone.

5. Foster student responsibility

Help students take ownership of their learning. You can do this by:

• involving students in the classroom management process
• encouraging student decision-making
• promoting student accountability

Putting it together

A quick way to review your own classroom management plan is to check it against the guidelines above:

1. Are my expectations for behavior, performance, and participation clear to students?
2. Am I building positive relationships with each learner?
3. Do I recognize and reward positive behavior?
4. Are my consequences fair, respectful, consistent, and aligned with school policies?
5. Do students share responsibility for how the class runs?

By following these guidelines, in-service teachers can develop classroom management strategies that foster student learning, engagement, and academic achievement.

Frequently asked questions