SUBSCRIBE FOR ONLY $16.99!

Taming the Chaos: 10 Tips for Classroom Management

Advertisement

Originally published in TEACH Magazine, January/February 2024 Issue

By Adam Stone

At McClintock Middle School in Charlotte, NC, eighth-grade English Language Arts teacher Eric Gaestel knows first-hand the importance of classroom management, and just how hard it can be to achieve.

“The purpose of us being in the classroom together is to create an environment where everybody has a fair chance of learning the material. If you have students who are being disruptive to that plan, you’re doing a disservice to everyone in the room,” he says.

And yet, disruptions happen all the time. “You have people getting up and walking around to do random tasks: ‘I have to throw this out,’ or, ‘My pencil broke.’ All these little interruptions add up,” Gaestel notes. Bigger disruptions make it worse: students talking, quarrelling, or distracting one another.

To continue the learning momentum, teachers need a wide variety of classroom management tools and techniques.

Subscribe to Keep Reading

🔑 You’re one step away from unlocking premium content.
Subscribe now for just $16.99/year and get full access!
If you’re already subscribed, please .

Adam Stone is a seasoned journalist with 20+ years’ experience. He covers education, technology, government, and the military, along with diverse other topics.

Education News

New Immersive Platform Offers Glimpses Into the Daily Lives of Kids With ADHD, Dyslexia, and Dyscalculia

The free digital tool by Understood.org uses simulations, videos, and expert resources to start conversations and challenge assumptions about learning and thinking differences.

School Safety Plans: 4 Ways Districts Can Prepare for Everyday Medical Emergencies

While most people think of lockdowns when they hear “school safety,” it’s also critical to plan for situations like seizures or cardiac arrest.

Building a Listening Culture: A Conversation with Christine Miles

In our discussion with educator, author, and keynote speaker Christine Miles, we explore the often-invisible crisis of listening in education.

Four Education Innovators Honored with 2025 Harold W. McGraw, Jr. Prize in Education

This year’s class of McGraw Prize winners combines highly innovative approaches to learning with results that transform lives.

Join Our Newsletter

Join now for a chance to win 1 of 2 $25 Indigo e-gift cards this month!

Adam Stone
Adam Stone
Adam Stone is a seasoned journalist with 20+ years’ experience. He covers education, technology, government, and the military, along with diverse other topics.

Advertisement

Read More

New Immersive Platform Offers Glimpses Into the Daily Lives of Kids With ADHD, Dyslexia, and Dyscalculia

The free digital tool by Understood.org uses simulations, videos, and expert resources to start conversations and challenge assumptions about learning and thinking differences.

School Safety Plans: 4 Ways Districts Can Prepare for Everyday Medical Emergencies

While most people think of lockdowns when they hear “school safety,” it’s also critical to plan for situations like seizures or cardiac arrest.

Beyond Fame, Fortune, and Followers: Inspiring Students to Redefine Success

I’ve started to notice a troubling trend among my students: many of them equate success with fame, followers, or a fat bank account.

Building a Listening Culture: A Conversation with Christine Miles

In our discussion with educator, author, and keynote speaker Christine Miles, we explore the often-invisible crisis of listening in education.

Four Education Innovators Honored with 2025 Harold W. McGraw, Jr. Prize in Education

This year’s class of McGraw Prize winners combines highly innovative approaches to learning with results that transform lives.

Who Knew? Transforming How We See and Support Dyslexic Learners

One-third of the population simply learns differently from the way they are taught. They share the underlying “gift” of dyslexia, which is an ability to alter perception.