Creating a Simple Classroom Management Plan with Systems

An effective classroom management plan shouldn’t be complicated. You don’t need a bunch of different levels, tickets to keep track of, or (worse) a treasure chest of prizes that you’re constantly paying to refill. You can simplify your life by putting just a few core classroom systems in place.

What are Classroom Systems?

In a classroom, teachers create systems for procedures that are repeated frequently. A smooth classroom system allows teachers and students to go through these procedures on autopilot. Everyone knows what is expected of them, so it cuts down on questions and negative behaviors.

You can create classroom systems that are specifically designed to improve your classroom management. Some teachers feel overwhelmed about certain aspects of classroom management, saying “I don’t have time to do THAT!” I know that teachers have an unrealistic number of expectations placed on them every school year. However, the right systems can make it easier to set up and implement a classroom management plan.  

3 Must-Have Systems for a Classroom Management Plan

I want to share three must-have systems for a classroom management plan that you can stick with all year long:

1. A System for Addressing Individual Student Behavior

The first system that you want to have in place is a procedure for addressing individual student behavior. Recognizing students for their positive behavior choices is essential for building relationships. Plus, it significantly reduces the negative behavior in your classroom. When students feel like the only way they get individual teacher attention is when they’re misbehaving, they’re more likely to make negative choices.

On the other hand, it’s also important to have a system for addressing disruptive behavior choices. Students need to know that they will be held accountable for their behavior in your classroom. It’s also important that parents know if their students are making negative choices in class. This will help you develop a partnership with the families of your students, which will ultimately have a positive impact on your classroom management plan.

A very simple way to ensure that you’re addressing your students’ behavior consistently is to create a system using glow and grow notes. Each day, you can choose one student to receive a glow note that outlines a positive behavior choice they made. This doesn’t have to be a detailed note! In fact, my glow and grow templates are simple checklists with room for a quick note. Students are so excited when it’s there turn to receive a glow note!

You can also use grow notes to communicate with parents about negative behavior choices in a constructive way. Again, these notes make it simple to select the behavior from a checklist and write a quick note. A simple system like this means you’ll be able to consistently address individual student behavior choices.

2. A System for Addressing Whole Group Behavior

The next system that you want to have in place is a way to address the behavior of the class as a whole. Consistently rewarding your class for positive behavior is an easy way to improve your classroom management. Students are more likely to make positive choices when they know that’s what you’re on the lookout for.

A whole group reward system is an easy, streamlined way to help your class work toward a reward by making positive behavior choices. Simply choose a goal you’d like your students to work toward, like walking quietly in the hallway or keeping their hands to themselves at carpet time. Then you can acknowledge the class or even individual students when they are demonstrating that positive behavior.

With my build-a-reward system, the individual students who demonstrate the target behavior can earn a piece of the class puzzle. Once the picture is complete, the class earns a reward. In order to keep this system streamlined, you can choose simple rewards that are easy to implement soon after they are earned. It doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive! For example, a ten-minute dance party at the end of the day is always a hit.

Keeping the reward system, goal, and reward on display is an easy way to motivate students and remind you to be on the lookout for the target behavior. This will help you keep this system up and running all year long!

3. A System for Communicating with Families

Finding time to reach out to families can be such a challenge! If you already have a system in place for communicating with families, you can easily add a quick note to parents and guardians whenever you need to. It doesn’t have to sideline your entire prep period to track down parent contact information and write an email.

Plus, the system for communication should work both ways. Parents should find it easy to reach you with any questions or concerns. This will go a long way in building relationships with the families of your students. These relationships will have a positive impact on your classroom management all year long.

One communication system that I love to use is a take-home folder. Everything gets in the habit of looking in the folder for back-and-forth communication, so it is simple to send and receive feedback. Whether you want to share something great that a student did that day or report on a negative behavior choice, you’ll have a system in place that makes it easy.

More Tips and Resources for Classroom Management

If you want to set up these three systems in your classroom, you’ll definitely want to check out my Kindergarten Behavior Blueprint course. You’ll find all of the tools I’ve mentioned in this post as well as even more tips and printables to simplify your classroom management.

Just click below to take a closer look at everything included in the Kindergarten Behavior Blueprint.

Save These Classroom Management Systems

Be sure to save this post if you’d like to come back to it later. Just add the pin below to your Pinterest board where you keep your classroom management tips and ideas. You’ll be able to quickly find these resources when you’re setting up your classroom management plan.