As educators, we strive to create an environment where every student feels supported, engaged, and motivated. But let’s face it: achieving that ideal classroom setting can often feel like a puzzle with missing pieces.

Whether you’re a seasoned teacher facing new challenges or a newcomer eager to get it right from the start, I’ve found something you’ll find invaluable: the “Classroom Management Answers” training by Teach 4 The Heart.

You don’t want to miss this!

OH! And it’s FREE!!!!

The Answers to Your Classroom Management Problems

Why Classroom Management Matters

Classroom management goes beyond keeping students quiet and orderly. It’s about creating a positive learning environment where students feel safe, respected, and part of a community. Effective classroom management strategies enhance student engagement, foster a culture of mutual respect, and significantly improve learning outcomes. However, finding the right balance and strategies that work can be daunting.

Introducing Classroom Management Answers

“Classroom Management Answers” is not just another training program. It’s a comprehensive solution designed by educators for educators, focusing on the real issues we face daily. This program stands out because it offers practical, actionable strategies you can implement immediately, no matter what grade you teach.

This training will only take an hour, and you can implement what you’ve learned the very next day.

What You’ll Learn

The program covers a wide range of topics essential for every teacher, including:

• How to Avoid the most common classroom management mistake that teachers make.
• How to Respond to student behavior without feeling frazzled.
• 6 simple techniques to confidently & consistently address classroom misconduct.
• How to Reduce disruptions before they erupt into full-on chaos.
• How to Rebuild Respect in a way that feels authentic to you and your class.
• Identify one critical area that keeps teachers stuck in uncertainty (and what you can do about it).

Why I Recommend This Program

Linda Kardamis is leading this program and likes to keep things practical, just like me!

Listen to our conversation on e195 of the Shake Up Learning Show: 10+ Tips to Keep Kids Focused!

The strategies taught are not just theoretical but have been tried and tested in real classrooms.

As someone who has faced her fair share of classroom management challenges, I appreciate this program’s direct, no-nonsense approach. It’s clear, concise, and, most importantly, actionable.

Your Path to a Better Classroom Starts Here

Whether you’re struggling with classroom management or simply looking to enhance your skills, “Classroom Management Answers” offers the tools you need to succeed. By joining this program, you’re not just signing up for another free training session. You’re taking a significant step towards creating the classroom environment you’ve always dreamed of—one where every student thrives and education comes to life.

Don’t let classroom management puzzles hold you back. Discover the answers you’ve sought and unlock your potential as an educator.

Join “Classroom Management Answers” today, and see the difference it makes in your teaching — and your students’ learning.

© Shake Up Learning 2023. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Kasey Bell and Shake Up Learning with appropriate and specific direction to the original content on ShakeUpLearning.com. See: Copyright Policy.

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In this course, you’ll learn….

• 3 mistakes that cause classroom chaos – and how to avoid them
• How to get students to listen without being mean
• Why students aren’t following your procedures – and how to get them to start!
• The system I used to drastically reduce chatter, blurting & other disruption
• And much more!

© Shake Up Learning 2023. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Kasey Bell and Shake Up Learning with appropriate and specific direction to the original content on ShakeUpLearning.com. See: Copyright Policy.

The post FREE Crash Course: How to Reduce Disruptions without Yelling, Begging, or Bribing appeared first on Shake Up Learning.

In this episode, Kasey chats with Classroom Management expert Linda Kardamis from Teach4theHeart.

Linda shares tips to help teachers manage the chaos of the end of the year, as well as develop a plan to start the school year off on the right foot.

Don’t miss this episode and blog post!

Learn quick tips to reduce disruptions without yelling, begging, or bribing.

You can reduce the chaos, earn your students’ respect, and create a classroom environment that you and your students enjoy together!

Listen to this article.

10+ Classroom Management Tips to Keep Kids Focused

Linda Kardamis is a former middle school math teacher and the owner of Teach for the Heart, a platform that offers practical advice and encouragement to support Christian teachers. Linda has always had a passion for teaching, and when she became a teacher, she quickly realized that classroom management was not the easiest thing to master. She had to learn strategies and figure out what would work, but she ultimately learned how to become an effective teacher. Linda’s platform provides teachers with the tools and resources they need to succeed and make a difference in their classrooms. She has helped many teachers establish a strong classroom community and develop strong relationships with their students. Linda’s platform is an invaluable resource for teachers who are looking for guidance and support.

How to Create a Plan for Success

Do you know what you will do when certain situations arise in the classroom? You should! You need a plan.

If you don’t have a plan, you end up not doing anything or you are inconsistent and students don’t know the boundaries.

When we get super clear and decide exactly what we will do, things work so much better!

Write it down! Take the time to jot down exactly what you will do when certain behaviors occur in your classroom.

There isn’t a right or wrong way to do this, but Linda shares more tips below.

Establish a Warning System

This works particularly well for talking and disruptions. This gives students responsibility and an opportunity to self-correct.

The old-school way of giving a warning is to write a name on the board. But there are many ways to do this.

You could use a web app like Class Dojo, or issue “yellow cards” like in soccer, or create some kind of visual for the student. Usually, 3 warnings in one class period before you issue a consquence.

Ideally, you do issue the warning without interrupting the flow of the classroom. You can place the warning card on their desk while you continue teaching or facilitating without announcing it to the class.

I Statements

If students are blurting out answers in class, the teacher can change their language to “I statements.” Instead of telling them they need to raise their hand, you ignore them and use an “I statement” like, “I only call on students who raise their hand.” Repeat this as needed and be consistent.

Strategies for Starting the School Year on the Right Foot

The beginning of the school year is kind of magical for establishing rules and procedures. Generally, students are more receptive and well-behaved. This is an opportunity to put your plan into action and set clear expectations for students.

Establishing Procedures and Expectations for a Successful School Year

Establish a plan for the year!

Focus on procedures and insist that they are followed all year. If you don’t consistently insist on following procedures, students see that you are inconsistent and will push boundaries on everything else.

Have a plan for how you will react to behaviors, and start using your plan from day one to demonstrate to students your expectations and that you will be consistent.

You may need to add procedures for things that you wouldn’t necessarily think about.

Transitions

Transitions need expected procedures. Students tend to get off task very quickly during transitions. Teach them how you want them to transition, just like everything else.

Maintaining Respectful Interactions with Students

You don’t have to choose between being a nice teacher or being a strict teacher. You can be kind and hold students accountable.

When you keep your emotions in check and speak corrections, warnings, and consequences with kindness, you can maintain a respectful relationship with students.

Linda says sometimes we yell because we don’t know what else to do. This is because we didn’t plan! Again, plan for how you will react.

Managing Student Collaboration and Volume Levels in the Classroom

We all know how the volume levels can rise when students are working together. Linda says to establish a procedure for how this will look in your classroom.

Teach them how you will regain their attention. You may want to use a call-and-response like the teacher says “Class,” and the students respond, “Yes.” Depending on the age you teach, you can find the right option for your class. Whatever you decide to use, PLAN and PRACTICE IT! This is a procedure like any other.

You can also try many online tools to monitor noise levels in your classroom.

Taming the Beast at the End of the School Year

Linda’s biggest tip for the end of the year is DON’T let go of your procedures. Continue to insist that students follow your rules and procedures. Review or reteach procedures if they need reminders.

Linda’s 4-Step Process for Teaching Procedures

1. Tell them what to do and model it
2. Practice it with your students
3. Correct anything that wasn’t done correctly
4. Redo it

Ask yourself, what is causing the chaos in your classroom? And what can I do right now?

Ready to create a plan for the new school year? Linda can help!

How to Reduce Disruptions without Yelling, Begging, or Bribing (FREE Training)

In this free training with Linda Karadamis, you will learn:

• 3 mistakes that cause classroom chaos – and how to avoid them
• How to get students to listen without being mean
• Why students aren’t following your procedures – and how to get them to start!
• The system I used to drastically reduce chatter, blurting & other disruption
• And much more!

Register here

Rise Up Summit

Where is God when teaching is hard?
He’s right there with you, working in your classroom, working in your students, and working in YOU.

You see, God never said the Christian life would be easy. In fact, Scripture promises just the opposite – trials, challenges, griefs, and opposition will abound. Sound familiar?

But the amazing news is that God is at work IN the struggle and despite the opposition.

Join us to discover anew the encouragement & hope that is found in Christ as well as practical solutions to navigate specific challenges that occur when teaching in a confused world.

Register Here

About Linda Kardamis

Linda Kardamis taught middle school math before being led to become the founder of Teach 4 the Heart – a website centered on providing practical advice, encouragement, and support for Christian teachers. As part of her calling to uplift educators everywhere, Linda has compiled three books: Create Your Dream Classroom, Take Heart & Teach, and Teach Uplifted.

She is also the creator of online courses such as Classroom Management 101 and Reclaim Your Time 101, and her Teach 4 the Heart podcast is enjoyed by a growing number of educators.

All of Linda’s work and programs focus on her faith-based passion and calling to help teachers across the country and around the globe excel and thrive in their teaching adventures and careers. Linda is also a wife and mom of four littles, which, of course, keeps things interesting.

Teach 4 the Heart Podcast
Facebook Group
Free Training
Your Smooth-Running Class Online Course

© Shake Up Learning 2023. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Kasey Bell and Shake Up Learning with appropriate and specific direction to the original content on ShakeUpLearning.com. See: Copyright Policy.

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Long gone are the days when students had nothing to look at but the chalkboard and nothing to listen to but the teacher. Or, if your classes were like mine, look out the window and listen to the rustling of passed notes. 

These days, the classroom environment is far more dynamic. Students get to participate in group work and indulge in self-study, they might conduct experiments or work on the computer. 

In fact, so much goes on in class these days that teachers have a hard time keeping up with it all. And then, on top of that, to spare a few precious minutes for administrative work like recording grades and taking attendance, and then entreating a student to carry those reports to the office?

How Technology Helps with Classroom Management

This sponsored post was written by Superprof.

In today’s tech-rich teaching environment, all of that work is streamlined so teachers can do more of what they became teachers for: interacting with their students and helping them learn. 

Student Check-In

Every teacher knows that taking attendance is a time-consuming ordeal, especially if they have large groups. This task is even more off-putting because you know that your students count on having the first few minutes of class to do nothing that’s task-related.

By contrast, using an attendance app, preferably one that defaults to all students present so you only need to uncheck absent students takes less than 60 seconds. Are all the seats full? Taking attendance is complete at a glance! 

Then, it’s a simple matter of forwarding the ‘report’ to the office. You can do that as you introduce the day’s lesson.     

Effective Seating Arrangements

Depending on your perspective, from the wildly optimistic to the mildly cynical, classroom management can be anything from a collaborative learning arrangement to stopping trouble before it can start – meaning you have to keep rival students away from each other. 

Apps such as Smart Seat (iPad only) and Seat Charter allow you to configure your classroom to meet the needs of the day. Do you have group work planned? Open the app and slide your students’ thumbnail pictures into the most effective arrangements.

These apps can also serve as attendance takers.    

Create Engaging Lessons

Rare is the student who doesn’t complain that school is boring and, despite teachers’ best efforts, there is an element of truth to their assertion. It’s not anyone’s fault, least of all the teachers’, but a matter of perception. 

Kind of like how no work of art can be universally appealing. 

That doesn’t stop teachers, especially those who are new to the profession, from trying to be everything to everyone. Luckily for those who do aspire to this monumental task, classroom technology can help them achieve that goal.  

Schoology software makes individual instruction possible even in large-group settings. You can create your own presentations that your students can absorb at their own pace. Best of all, it comes with more than 200 integrated apps, including Google Docs and Drive, Youtube and Dropbox.   

Even if your students don’t bring their own devices – a requirement for Schoology to truly be effective at home and in school, simply having an interactive Whiteboard in your room would go a long way to making your lessons more engaging.  

Assigning Homework

If attendance eats the first few minutes of your class time, giving out homework takes up the last bits. The best teachers go much farther than shouting “All exercises on page ___!” as the bell drowns them out and students round-up their belongings. They want to explain the work and make clear their expectations.  

The only trouble is, what should the assignment be? 

Teachers go to great lengths to plan their lessons but we all know how the best plans can be waylaid by as little as a question. Or maybe you didn’t get quite as far into the lesson as you needed to. So, while you may have intended to assign XYZ, you may find it more relevant, challenging or appropriate to assign something completely different. 

As the bell rings and students aren’t paying attention, anyway. 

But not if you and your groups use a homework app. You only need to enter the assignment’s details, expectations, and any other notes. You needn’t worry if your pupils got the message because the app will tell you that the students logged in and checked their workload. 

Thus comes great news: you’ll get no more excuses about not understanding what the assignment is!   

Responding to Students’ Needs

Posting assignments across an app that notifies you when students log in doesn’t guarantee that everyone will understand the work. Having a direct line of communication with you does. 

At first glance, the idea that your students have access to you outside of their allotted time in your class sounds exhausting but that’s only until you realize that you’ll likely adopt a group chat format. You won’t have to answer the same questions over and over; furthermore, students can help each other understand what’s going on, too. 

Education technology and tech not meant specifically for education – whiteboards, office suite software, and Google Drive have taken much of the mundane and administrative work out of being a teacher. It allows people who are passionate about teaching to devote the bulk of their time doing what they got into the profession to do while reducing the stress of classroom management.    

That’s how technology helps achieve successful classroom management.  

© Shake Up Learning 2023. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Kasey Bell and Shake Up Learning with appropriate and specific direction to the original content on ShakeUpLearning.com. See: Copyright Policy.

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