Teaching can be so frightening. Some days you find yourself on track and moving so easily through your planning list, and other days you don’t know where your head is at. Keep reading if you want to learn the top 5 tips for classroom management every teacher should own or try!
Tip 1: gather as many social stories as you can
It’s easy to have a plan in your head about what you want to do or how to get kids to follow the rules, but most of the time these rules are broken. How do we keep the kids engaged? How do we help them understand what is good for them? Enter social stories.
Trying These stories not only help your kids learn to be better well-rounded people, but they also encourage them to learn appropriate ways to behave with others and themselves. Some
Social stories are mainly used for helping kids learn and understand appropriate behaviour in and out of the classroom. They read stories which help them visualise themselves in the same scenario to help them then learn how to react.
Social stories are mainly used with special needs kids or children on the autism spectrum, but current research says that social stories work even for mainstream kids, especially when incorporating character education in mainstream education
Gather some picture books to teach social skills or find appropriate ones you need around the internet with the simple search.
Here are some of my favourites:
Interactive Social Story: It’s Never Okay to Hit or Kick Others
Interactive Social Story: It’s Never Okay to Laugh at Others
Tip 2: Keep track of students with a cheat sheet
Having some trouble keeping track of where students are all the time? Use a cheat sheet with magnets to keep track. Create a simple board with headings of where your students could be located like the library, the restroom, the principal’s office etc. Have them locate their names on a magnet and move it under the location to where they are going before they actually leave the classroom! Done.
TIP 3: INCORPORATE LOTS OF SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING ACTIVITIES
Social Emotional Learning has recently taken a huge rise in the education system. There are lots of reason why but the main reasons are that:
- Kids need structure
- Kids need proper character education just like we teach math and science
- Kids need to follow the lead by example
- Kids don’t necessarily know what is right from wrong unless modelled or actually taught.
- Kids find it difficult to express their emotions
- We need to give students an opportunity to express those feelings in a safe environment.
Some of my favourite posts for SEL resources (most are free)
Teaching Social Skills Kids 
Teaching Social Skills Kids 2 
Social Skills Free Activities
- 5 Bulletin Boards to promote kindness
- What is Peace Printable Book and Hand Painting Craft
- Teaching Social Skills
- Social Story About Germs and COVID19
TIP 4: Inquisitive Minds Board
When you first begin your class, be sure to have a question board as soon as kids walk through the door. Have them respond to the question. It could be as simple as SEL questions, like ‘How do you feel today?’ or a scenario then a question.
Here’s a super helpful video on a further 10 HACKS and teacher tips for beginning the year.
