Classroom Management

This was my sketch/idea for an elementary classroom rules board.

Every classroom needs rules. In order to create independent students the classroom we must have a consistent routine. Early in the school year we need to establish expectations of how to behave, what to do when they finish early with a project, how to leave the classroom, and what to do without interrupting me as I teach if they have questions. This will all make my job a lot easier. When the children know what to do without asking me, they will become independent. They will have opportunities to make choices and accept the consequences. We all make wrong choices sometimes but we also, hopefully, learn from them. Children need these opportunities and independence in their lives to learn which choices are right. The classroom is just another place to learn this kind of thing. Teachers can help children become better-developed human beings, not just smarter.

A chart with different hand signals will help students communicate to me without being verbal and perhaps interrupting the class. A child might hold up one finger as seen in the picture above and all I would have to do is nod my head yes to allow them to leave the room. No words would be needed. Another classroom management idea that I will use in my class is the 2 person rule. If a student did not hear my directions and doesn't know what to do next, they will have to ask 2 people questions to find the answer before asking me. Hopefully someone they ask will know the answer and therefore will make my job easier. This will also help students to work together and collaborate more.