High School
Classroom Management
Strategies

Supporting New Teachers

When new teachers don't implement effective classroom management strategies, they struggle. This is especially true when it comes to high school classroom management. It's also one of the primary reasons that new teachers leave, or are asked to leave, the education profession.

The new teachers that succeed are frequently those provided with staff development in classroom management.

New Teachers

Regardless of the quality of their formal training, most new teachers experience classroom management challenges during their first few years of teaching. At the secondary level, high school classroom management issues are even more challenging.

New teachers are seldom equipped to deal with defiance, arguing, fighting, apathy, and cheating. Today's typical high school environment underscores the dire need for well-trained teachers with excellent classroom management skills.

More Than Student Discipline

Although the public's perception is that a lack of discipline in schools is the primary problem in education today, knowledgeable teachers and principals understand that effectively managing the classroom is more about choices and consequences.

Effective classroom management entails learning how to engage students academically, build rapport, and prevent behavioral problems.

Today's teachers and principals must have the knowledge and skills necessary to:

1. engage students academically
2. identify disruptive behaviors and intervene when appropriate
3. build rapport
4. apply appropriate consequences consistently
5. provide basic counseling
6. consider personal factors
7. seek parental support and involvement
8. create an environment of mutual respect
9. collaborate with students to establish behavioral standards
10. commit to safe and orderly learning environments

Staff Development

Individual classroom management is greatly dependent on the overall school environment. Studies show that high schools with high expectations for students enjoy more academic success and better student behavior.

When comparing safe schools with those that struggle to maintain safe environments, it's clear that schools that have a committed, caring and well trained staff combined with fair and consistently applied behavioral policies are those that thrive.

Does your staff development program include training in classroom management strategies?