10 Classroom Management Tips

I came across this image today and it couldn’t be more true. These are definite words of wisdom!


  1. Smile when students try to get you off-track: When you need them to be serious, but they keep goofing around, smiling just encourages them.
  2. Handle problems publicly: Advertising misbehavior in a public way risks embarrassing the student. This can make him relatable, and the next thing you know, you’re dealing with a power struggle.
  3. Only give verbal instructions: So many problems start with students not understanding what they are supposed to do, especially when teachers only speak directions instead of writing them (or demonstrating them in the case of EFL).
  4. Address the class before everyone is quiet: Talk before everyone is listening and some won’t hear you. Are they bad listeners, is your timing off?
  5. Talk when students are supposed to be reading and vice versa: The brain can’t do both at once.
  6. Phrase everything as a DON’T: If you tell a seventh grade boy not to tap his pencil, he still has pencil-tapping on the brain.
  7. Allow behavior interventions to drag on and on: This not only takes away valuable instruction time, it also annoys the heck out of other students, who are forced to sit and watch.
  8. Stay at the front of the room: If you’re always at the front of your classroom, you can’t pick up on trouble in the early stages.
  9. Only focus on the problems: You’ll get more cooperation if you give equal (or more) attention to the behaviors you want to see.
  10. Take things personally: Interpreting student misbehavior as a personal affront makes things worse.

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