George Lucas Educational Foundation
Edutopia

Classroom Management

Learn strategies for building positive, compassionate classroom communities that engage learners, and find and exchange tips for coping with disruptive behaviors and managing distraction.

  • Social Contracts Foster Community in the Classroom

    When students and teachers collaborate to create shared behavior expectations, the whole class is invested in the norms.

  • Screen-Free Days in a 1:1 School

    A middle school stows the laptops periodically for an entire day to intentionally foster face-to-face learning experiences and interactions.
    Matthew Howell

  • Creating a Learning Environment Where All Kids Feel Valued

    A five-step exercise on identity and belonging helps middle school students appreciate differences—in themselves and in their peers. 
    Shana V. White

  • A Student-Centered Model of Blended Learning

    When educators at a Washington, DC, high school ditched their lectures and devised a self-paced blended learning model, their students thrived.

  • 60-Second Strategy: Pom-Pom Jar

    Explicitly teaching and celebrating kindness is a simple yet powerful way to build a positive classroom culture.

  • 8 Proactive Classroom Management Tips

    New teachers—and experienced ones too—can find ideas here on how to stop disruptive behavior before it begins.
    Youki Terada

  • There’s a Cell Phone in Your Student’s Head

    A 2017 study found that cell phones that were turned off and stashed away silently reasserted themselves—distracting working students anyway.

  • 60-Second Strategy: Appreciation, Apology, Aha!

    A quick, low-key way to build community in your classroom on a daily basis.

  • 30 Techniques to Quiet a Noisy Class

    Most teachers have a method of calling for quiet, and we’ve collected a variety of good ideas for elementary, middle, and high school.
    Todd Finley

  • 60-Second Strategy: Snowball Toss

    A quick, fun classroom activity fosters open dialogue while releasing pent-up energy.

  • Welcoming Students With a Smile

    Greeting each student at the door with a positive message brings benefits for both students and teacher.
    Youki Terada

  • How to Keep Your Elementary Students Focused

    5 research-backed tips to keep your elementary students on-task.

  • 10 Powerful Community-Building Ideas

    Strategies for ensuring that students in every grade feel like they’re part of the classroom community.
    Emelina Minero

  • Demonstrating Self-Regulation With Tone of Voice

    When teachers model self-regulation by using a voice that is calm, neutral, and assertive, they help students feel cared for—and ready to learn.

  • 60-Second Strategy: TUMS at the Door

    A simple greeting at the door forges a strong teacher-student bond.