The Ultimate Guide to Classroom Management Plans for New Teachers

I want you to close your eyes and picture your worst class. The one that runs wild, with students who always talk over you. 

You get them quiet…but their voices rise back up, threatening to pull you under.

Open your eyes. Shake off that nightmare. 

Now picture that same class – well-behaved, obedient, attentive. You give a direction…and they follow it. They don’t talk back or give you sass. Everyone knows what to do.

Don’t shake this vision off, because I’m about to show you how to make it come true…with a classroom management plan, and 10 intentional minutes of your time.

What is a Classroom Management Plan?

Before we get into classroom management plans, let’s talk about classroom management in education.

“Classroom management” is one of those terms that everyone in education uses, but if you’re new, it can be hard to pin down what it really means.

At its core, “classroom management” means that you, the teacher, have control of your classroom. 

When you ask students to work on something, they follow the directions. If you ask them to transition to a different activity, they do. 

Students quiet down when you ask, and everyone knows what is expected.

Classroom management is also an area where new teachers struggle, mainly because it’s difficult to teach if you’re not in the classroom with students. Theories can only take you so far.

So how do you turn all that theory into real-world control?

Let’s look at a practical tool to help you strengthen your classroom management skills: a classroom management plan.

A classroom management plan is a deliberate list of strategies and expectations that you are committed to using.

You’d never walk into a formal observation unprepared, right? Well, daily classroom management deserves the same level of planning.

You need a classroom management plan.

When you have a classroom management plan in place, you don’t have to guess how to respond to behavior issues.

Your plan will tell you which consequences to enforce, how often to enforce them, and how to follow up after a consequence.

Some classroom management plans even specify rewards for students doing the right thing.

Making a classroom management plan helps you clarify your daily expectations. When you go through the process of making a plan, you’ll notice holes, gaps, and areas you never considered as needing management.

It’s worth it, though, to have clarity of your own expectations.

Once you know what is expected, you can communicate that clearly to students and hold them accountable for being on their “best behavior,” however that looks in your room.

Now that you know what a classroom management plan is, let’s look at what makes it work.

Key Components of a Classroom Management Plan

There are as many different ways to make a classroom management plan as there are classrooms in your school.

Some teachers prefer a digital version, others like paper. Some plans are multiple pages, while others might fit on a note card. 

I believe the most effective classroom management plans have four areas in common: rules and expectations, routines and procedures, rewards and consequences, and communication strategies.

You might prefer to have more areas in your classroom management plan, but these four are the pillars of strong teaching.

Think of them as the four pillars that hold up your classroom culture.

We’ll look at each pillar individually, as well as which classroom management strategies are most effective in each area.

Rules & Expectations

Here’s the truth: If you do not explicitly teach your classroom rules, you cannot expect students to follow them.

Think about a principal or boss you worked for who gave unclear directions. Was it easy to do your job? Probably not. Don’t be like that boss to your students.

Take two minutes to write down every rule or expectation you already have for your students. Things like:

• Treat others with kindness
• Don’t draw on the desk
• Raise your hand to speak

Set a timer. I’ll wait.

Got your list? Good. Those are the rules and expectations your students need to know forwards, backwards, inside out, and upside down.

(If they don’t know the rules, you might have too many. Check out how many rules you actually need for a calm, respectful classroom.)

Spend some time this week going over your classroom rules with students. Yes, even if it’s the beginning of May. It’s never too late to teach (or review) the rules.

Once your students know what’s expected, the next step is helping them remember what to do. That’s where routines come in.

Routines & Procedures

Grab another piece of paper before we move on; we’re about to map out your day.

Now that you’ve clarified what your rules and expectations are, let’s talk about routines and procedures.

Routines are one of my favorite ways to reduce classroom chaos. When students know the morning routine, the transition routine, the line-up-for-gym-class routine, your day goes so smoothly, it doesn’t even feel like teaching. It feels like magic.

Some more common routines are:

• Homework turn-in
• Line up
• Writing down homework
• Passing out papers
• Collecting papers
• Sharpening pencils
• Asking for help

You still have that paper, right? Take three minutes and write down your entire day, from start to finish. 

Write down what you do, what your students do, and where your class is going at each time.

Depending on the grade you teach, your daily list might look something like this:

• Students enter the classroom
• Students turn in homework, unpack backpacks; teacher is in hallway supervising
• Morning meeting led by teacher – students in the front of the room on the carpet
• Some students transition to math with Mrs. Math Teacher
• Math lesson taught by teacher, students sitting at desks listening and participating
• Students return from math time
• Everyone lines up for recess
• Etc.

Analyze your list. Where are students at their most disruptive? What expectations do you need to put in place (and teach) so that the disruptions are minimized?

For example, one classroom management technique I use is that all line-ups must be silent. That means that no matter how long it takes, we will not go anywhere if anyone in line is talking.

Sometimes I’ll even send students back to their seats to line up again if they’re being very disruptive!

Pick five or six areas that would benefit from specific routines. Highlight, circle, or star them. Those will be your focus routines for the next couple of weeks.

Pro tip #1: Remember that routines must be taught and practiced. Don’t just “tell” students the expectation and hope they “get it.” They won’t remember, and they won’t “get it.” Hold a class meeting if you need to, but hold students accountable!

Pro tip #2: Don’t try to teach all routines at once. Pick one (maybe two) to focus on for one entire week. At the end of the week, reevaluate. If they need more practice, stick with those routines. If they’re following the expectations, then move onto a new routine to teach and practice.

With routines in place, it’s time to balance accountability and encouragement.

Rewards & Consequences

Effective classroom management plans balance positive reinforcement and discipline. 

You wouldn’t want to work for a principal who always calls out your mistakes, right? But you also wouldn’t respect a principal who never addresses mistakes and only gives out rewards.

Some schools have reward systems already in place. In those cases, tell students exactly what they need to do in order to earn a reward token or a Fun Friday activity.

For example, you might tell students that anyone who walks from their seat to the line without talking earns a reward token. 

See how specific that was? Now students know exactly what they need to do, and for how long, in order to earn a reward.

On the other hand, you might tell students that anyone who talks in line will be sent back to their seat and will miss one minute of recess every time they are sent back. 

Again, the consequence is very specific, and students know what will happen if they make a certain choice.

(If you’re struggling to find rewards for older students in grades 4-8, check out this blog post or these reward coupons.)

But classroom management isn’t just about what happens inside your four walls. How you communicate with families and administrators matters too.

Communication Strategies

Effective classroom management plans include strategies and techniques beyond classroom discipline. They also follow up on the incident itself (regardless of whether the incident was positive or negative).

I like to make a note of students who struggle the most with following expectations. Then when I catch them being good (lining up without talking, using school materials appropriately), I message home right away.

This tells the student that I’m not just trying to “catch” them or get them in trouble, and it builds a strong relationship with the student’s family.

Some students or families request weekly checkins for student progress. That goes on the classroom management plan!

Other times, I’ve had principals ask to be copied on all messages to certain students’ families. That also goes on the classroom management plan.

Some common communication strategies I’ve used are:

• Send positive notes to the family of student X, Y, and Z at least once a week
• Copy admin on messages to student A’s family
• Message home any time a behavior concern has repeated for two or more days
• Make a phone call if the last two messages have not received responses

(It’s normal to be apprehensive about communicating with families, especially as a new teacher. This blog post can help.)

When communication is consistent, you turn management into connection…and that’s where true classroom culture grows.

How to Create a Classroom Management Plan

By now, you’ve brainstormed what belongs in your plan; you’re ready to put it all together.

I prefer my plans to be on paper, mainly because I walk around so much when I teach.

With a paper plan, I can print it out and tape it to my desk, the wall, my plan book, or somewhere I’ll see it regularly. 

Having the plan staring me in the face (metaphorically speaking) helps me remember which routines I’m focusing on that week, which students to watch carefully, and what consequences and rewards I decided on.

When you’re creating a classroom management plan, follow these simple steps:

1. Analyze your classroom needs. Ask: If I had a magic wand, what would I change about how my classroom runs?
2. Set rules and expectations. Ask: What rules do I need to set so students behave the way I want them to?
3. Create routines. Ask: How can I teach my students what I expect them to do?
4. Roll out rewards and consequences. Ask: How can I reward my students when they’re doing the right thing? What will be the consequence if they don’t meet my expectations?
5. Determine communication strategies. Ask: How will I keep parents and administrators informed of student behavior?
6. Communicate the plan to students. Ask: What do I need to tell students so they follow my expectations?

Common Classroom Management Plan Challenges – and How to Overcome Them

A plan is only as good as its enforcement, though, and some challenges make it difficult to enforce a classroom management plan.

Inconsistent Enforcement

When you first start a new classroom management plan, it’s normal to have some things fall through the cracks. After all, both you and your students are getting accustomed to a new way of doing school.

The thing to be wary of, however, is trying to implement too many changes at once. If you try to do too much, none of it will sink in – for you or for your students – and then you’ll be right back where you started.

Instead, pick one thing to introduce and focus on for a few days. If students are getting it and it’s working, then move on to something else. 

Resistance from Students

I’ll be honest: students probably will push back when you first implement your classroom management plan. 

Think about it: They’ve been spending the whole year until now doing whatever they want, running the show, and having a great time doing so. Of course they don’t want things to change.

Stick to your rewards and consequences plan. If a day goes by when no one gets a reward, sometimes that happens. If you have to spend lunch time practicing walking in the halls because your 8th graders can’t be quiet? Do it. (As I did. And I had no more issues with loud classes for the rest of the year.)

Make sure parents and admin are in the loop (this is part of your communication plan), and make sure you’re not singling students out for punishment for personal reasons. But to make this work, you must be firm, fair, and consistent.

Time Constraints

Many teachers have days jam-packed with lessons, assessments, activities, and other assorted events. A common complaint about setting up a classroom management plan is, “I just don’t have time!”

Here’s a secret. 

If you take the time to introduce and follow the plan (even if it means not doing that one really fun lesson you had planned), you’ll actually end up with more time later in the year.

Think about it: How much instructional time do you lose because you’re constantly repeating directions or waiting for students to quiet down?

Wouldn’t you rather take a medium amount of time now to address and fix those issues instead of losing a small amount of time every. single. day. for the rest of the year?

Something’s Not Working OR I Got a Better Idea

Great! Some of the best ideas I’ve had come in the moment with no warning. Flexibility is part of good classroom management.

Don’t be afraid to pivot or adjust your classroom management plan if you need to.

This is a great learning experience for the students, too. Calmly tell them, “We tried to do things this way, but it’s not working, so we need to adjust.”

That’s not just a school lesson…that’s a life lesson!

Why a Classroom Management Plan is Necessary

Hopefully by now you’re convinced that a classroom management plan is necessary. But if you’re still on the fence, here’s what happens when you commit:

• Students follow directions quickly
• You don’t have to talk over noisy chatter
• Your classroom becomes a place of learning and engagement
• Your stress levels will decrease, and you’ll actually want to come to school

I’m not saying that academic lessons aren’t important, because they absolutely are.

But if you want your class to make real progress, it’s important to teach expected behaviors too.

Teaching engaging lessons helps your students be good learners. But teaching expected behaviors helps them be good humans.

Not sure where to start? 

Download your free classroom management plan template. It has all 4 areas we’ve talked about: rules and expectations, routines, rewards and consequences, and communication.

One page is partially filled in to give you a starting point, but the other is totally blank if you’re ready to fly solo. 

Oh, and it also comes with a 2-minute explainer video where you’ll hear me talk about each section. 

Think about it: If you download this right now, you could have your classroom management plan in place by the end of the day and a calmer class by tomorrow.

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