Class meetings work best when they’re quick, calm, and direct, but sometimes it’s hard to know what to say. Having a class meeting script on hand will solve that problem.
In last week’s post, I walked you through how to run a five-minute behavior reset when your class is slipping into chaos.
Today, I’m going a step further and giving you four ready-to-use scripts you can follow word-for-word.
Each script starts the same way:
Bring students away from their desks and have them sit on the floor (or as close as you can manage).
Moving them out of their usual seats shifts their attention and puts you in a position of calm control.
Once students are settled, you’re ready to begin the class meeting.
Class Meeting Script: First Grade
Sample scenario: Students have been rocking up on two feet of their chairs. They put the chair feet down when the teacher asks, but a few minutes later, they’re rocking again.
Teacher: Class, we’ve been having a problem lately. Many students are having a hard time keeping all four chair feet on the floor.
Teacher: Students have been rocking backwards, and this makes the chair’s front feet lift up.
The teacher demonstrates this with a student chair.
Teacher: When the chair rocks backwards, it’s not safe. It could tip over, and someone could get hurt.
Teacher: I know it’s fun to rock on the chairs. Sometimes it makes you feel like you’re flying! And sometimes, it’s really hard to sit still.
Teacher: But it’s important to sit properly in your chair. Even if you don’t get hurt, you might bump into someone else and hurt them.
Teacher: Who can show us how to sit properly in a chair?
The teacher calls a student to sit in the chair.
Teacher: Notice how Sam isn’t rocking the chair backwards. All four of the chair feet are on the floor.
The teacher sends the student back.
Teacher: I know that when you return to your seats, you’ll all work really hard to keep all four chair feet on the floor.
Teacher: If you can’t do that, you’ll have to come sit by me, and I’ll remind you.
Teacher: Please go back to your seats and keep working.
Pro Tip: Notice how the teacher didn’t ask for much input from the students. First graders will tell you their life’s story if you let them, and class meetings should be short and focused. At this age, the teacher should be doing most of the talking.
Class Meeting Script: Fifth Grade
Sample scenario: Students have been interrupting each other and blurting out answers without raising their hands. It wasn’t a problem at the beginning of the year, but lately it’s been hard for the teacher to get through a single lesson without constantly stopping to address side conversations and blurt-outs.
Teacher: Class, we’ve been having a problem lately. Any ideas what it might be?
The teacher allows several students to raise their hands and calls on a few. She’s looking for someone to point out that students have been talking constantly during class – even during instruction.
If a student says this, the teacher confirms that this is the problem she’s talking about:
Teacher: Exactly. It’s been really noisy lately because everyone keeps talking.
If no one arrives at this conclusion, the teacher supplies the answer:
Teacher: You’re right – we have a lot to work on. Today, I want to talk about how many students are talking when they’re not supposed to.
(Usually at this point, students will nod their heads; they know this is also a problem.)
Teacher: When everyone is talking at once, it’s hard to hear anyone. Not only that, but it’s rude and disrespectful to the person who’s supposed to be talking.
Teacher: Imagine you were trying to tell your best friend about something really cool that happened over the weekend. But then I came over and started telling you about this new jacket I bought. Pretty rude, right?
Teacher: That’s exactly how I feel when so many students talk over me. And I’m sure it’s how your classmates feel when you interrupt them.
Teacher: Going forward, we’re going to have a tally system. The first time you interrupt or blurt out without raising your hand, I’m going to make a tally on this class list.
The teacher shows a class list on a clipboard.
Teacher: The second time you interrupt or blurt out, I’ll make another tally and contact home.
Teacher: The third time this happens, you’ll be eating lunch in the classroom with me instead of with your friends in the lunch room.
Teacher: But I know no one will get to three tallies, will they?
Students shake their heads.
Teacher: I know you can control your interruptions. Let’s go back to our seats and keep working.
Pro Tip: Upper elementary students can – and should – take more responsibility for pointing out their misbehaviors. At this age, students know what they should be doing (or not doing), but they sometimes need a pointed reminder, which is where the class meeting comes in.
Class Meeting Script: Eighth Grade
Sample scenario: Many 8th grade students have been taking their cell phones out and texting, playing games, or browsing social media during class. The school has a cell phone policy, but most students ignore it.
Pro Tip: Even eighth graders can (and should) be pulled away from their desks to have a class meeting. If students have mobility challenges or are uncomfortable sitting on the floor, the teacher may direct them to sit at a nearby desk. However, students should not be allowed to stand. Having students sit physically lower than the teacher emphasizes that the teacher is the one in charge – not the students.
Teacher: Class, we need to talk about something I’ve noticed during many of our classes. Any ideas what it might be?
The teacher allows several students to suggest ideas. She’s looking for someone to point out that students have been on their cell phones.
If a student says this, the teacher confirms that this is the problem she’s talking about:
Teacher: Exactly. Many students – not all of you, but many – have taken their cell phones out and used them during class.
If no one arrives at this conclusion, or if no one volunteers any ideas, the teacher supplies the answer:
Teacher: I want to talk about the number of cell phones I’ve seen out during class.
Teacher: Why is this a problem?
The teacher waits for students to provide reasons why cell phone use during class is problematic. If no one volunteers, the teacher asks students to share their ideas with a neighbor, then calls on a few. She’s listening for ideas like:
- It’s disrespectful to the teacher’s time
- It’s distracting to other students
- It doesn’t help the student learn
Teacher: All of those are correct. Cell phones are great for staying in touch with friends outside of school, but in school, I need your attention focused on the lesson and on your learning.
Teacher: Going forward, if I see your cell phone out, you get one reminder to put it away. After that, I take it and you don’t get it back until the end of the day.
Teacher: And just so we’re clear, it’s your responsibility to see me at the end of the day to collect your phone. I’m not going to track you down. Understood?
The teacher waits until students nod in acknowledgement.
Teacher: Good. Please go back to your desks and continue working.
Pro Tip: Older students can handle not only identifying the problem but also explaining why it’s a problem. When students do this, they take more ownership of the misbehavior.
Bonus Class Meeting Script: Any Grade
Sample scenario: Students have not been completing their work. The teacher prepares for the class meeting by bringing papers from a recent assignment where only a few students turned in the work.
Teacher: Class, I’ve been noticing a problem lately.
The teacher holds up the papers.
Teacher: This is from our latest homework assignment. Only three students completed the work.
Teacher: When I assign work, I don’t do it because I love grading. I don’t even do it because I love giving you things to do.
Teacher: The work that I assign always has a purpose. It’s designed to help you learn, grow, and practice the skills that I teach in class.
Teacher: When you get yourself in the habit of not doing work, you’re making things harder for future-you.
Teacher: As a grown-up, you might not have homework, but you’ll have bills to pay, appointments to make, and work deadlines to keep track of.
Teacher: Imagine if your parents didn’t pay the bills, forgot to make doctor appointments, or kept missing work deadlines.
Teacher: You would have no lights, no running water, and no medicine when you got sick. And if you miss too many deadlines at work? You don’t have a job, and that means no money.
Teacher: Completing work on time – or not completing it – is a habit. That means that your brain gets used to doing – or not doing – something a certain way.
Teacher: Part of my job is not just to teach you math and reading, it’s also to help you build good habits.
Teacher: So from now on, if you don’t finish an assignment in class, it will be sent home as homework. And yes, I’ll be messaging your parents so they know it’s coming home.
Teacher: If you don’t do your homework, you’ll be spending lunch in the classroom working on your missing assignments instead of eating with your friends.
Teacher: I know it’s not easy to change a habit, but I also know that you can do better than this.
Teacher: Please go back to your seats and continue working. Remember, anything not finished during class time is extra homework.
P.S. Want more class meeting scripts that can be used with any grade? Check out this blog post!
F.A.Q.
A class meeting is a short, structured conversation where you bring students together, name the problem you’re seeing, and reteach the expectations. It’s not a lecture or a scolding. You briefly describe the behavior, explain why it matters, model the correct behavior, and have students practice it with you. Most class meetings take 3–5 minutes and work best when students are seated away from their desks so you have their full attention. Read more about class meetings here.
Keep the focus on the whole class, not individual kids. Use neutral language (“I’ve noticed…” instead of “Some of you keep…”) and speak in a calm, even tone. Reteach the expectation, show what it looks like, and give students a quick chance to practice it correctly. When the script is the same every time, students see resets as part of normal classroom routines, not punishment.
A strong reset script includes four parts:
1. Describe the behavior in clear, neutral terms.
2. Explain why it matters for learning, safety, or fairness.
3. Teach or model the expectation (“Here’s what it looks like when we…”).
4. Have students practice the correct behavior once before returning to work.
Using a consistent, calm script keeps the reset short and effective.
Use the same structure for all grades, but change the tone and examples. Younger students need concrete, step-by-step modeling (“Watch how I carry the scissors safely”). Upper-elementary students respond well to cause-and-effect language. Middle schoolers prefer brief, direct statements and clear boundaries. The reset stays the same, you just shift how you explain it.
If resets aren’t sticking, check your classroom management plan for missing routines, unclear directions, or inconsistent follow-through. Students may also need more chances to practice expectations during calm moments. For persistent issues, try a quick small-group check-in or reteach the routine during a transition. And if the whole class is struggling, using daily micro-meetings for a week can rebuild momentum. These strategies can help.
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