Ebook On New Teacher Support

Taking Charge in the Classroom: New Teacher
Resources and Tips
© Dorit Sasson, The New Teacher Resource Center

http://newteacherresourcecenter.blogspot.com
A handbook of resources and tips on classroom

management and lesson planning
1
The New Teacher Resource Center © 2008 Dorit Sasson
Greetings!
I’m an ESL teacher, teacher trainer and mentor who writes on ESL issues
and for the non-fiction educational market. I’m the creator of The New
Teacher Resource Center where I regularly search for new links,
teaching resources and bring you interviews with educational experts.
How to use this handbook to create an effective classroom

management plan
For many years I was a full-time ESL (English as a second language) and
EFL (English as a foreign language) teacher. As I was slowly developing
my own classroom management style, I wanted to create an effective
classroom management plan that would allow me to make better use of
classroom time. Discipline problems are the main reason why many
potentially good teachers leave after their first year or few years of
teaching. Many become frustrated and quickly burnt out.
2
So, while I COULD plan for my students’ success, I could NOT

guarantee that every lesson would be successful as the previous one.
Rather than simply write down a few lesson plans, then hope that I would
“survive”, I took a more proactive approach that consisted of reflecting
and writing about those classroom tested strategies over some time that
ensured the recipe for a successful classroom management plan.
Now I’d like to share with you the guide that I developed along the way
to creating an effective classroom management plan. I know it will give
you the confidence to begin your own classroom management plan or
strengthen classroom management and lesson planning areas.
I’ve included articles that touch on the essentials of classroom

management and lesson planning. The main thing is – keep focused and
use this guide to help you develop your own plan. Each article will give
you more insight on what you can do to become a better lesson planner
and classroom manager.
I’m always interested in receiving feedback on how these articles helped

you.
You can email me at: sasson92@gmail.com
3
Article #1
New teacher tip: build positive relationships with students
before discipline problems begin
An effective classroom management plan should take into account the

personal connection with students. Many potentially good new teachers
become absorbed in managing the class and reporting bad behavior. They
tend to focus on the negative consequences of their students' misbehavior.
As a result, they lose focus of what their students can do, instead of what
they can't.
Effective classroom management is dependent on the degree the teacher

helps students believe they can be successful using the personal touch.
Here are a few tips to help you build a more personal connection with
your students. The key is to do it consistently way before discipline
problems begin.
Give the student a sense of belonging

Consider the changing the way you relate to your disruptive student who
often creates havoc in your lessons as a perfect opportunity to neutralize
negative behavior. Whether they are upset about a friend or a test,
teachers need to act as "emotional guardians" and not only as
disciplinarians. Often the students' very own fear of failure causes them
to misbehave. Here are some ways to give students a sense of belonging:
4
• Say something positive in a calm and reassuring way

• Smile at the student; it will deflect some of the negative tension.
Your classroom will be calmer too.
• Say something that also creates a positive relationship with the rest
of the class. Example: "Adam looks a little tired, doesn't he class?"
Set the expectation on the very first day that every student
will succeed.
From the first day, approach your class with a positive affirmation. I
always write on the board on the first day of school: "We are all working
together – I am here to see you succeed" This gives the class the message
that I am not just their teacher and I am also looking out for their well-
being. Students feel when you want them to succeed and they will try and
live up to that expectation.
Turn individual problems into a cooperative classroom

relationship
When a student begins to misbehave, look for the cues and use some of
the tips to build the personal touch. Instead of just dealing one-on-one
with the student, involve the entire class in the scenario. Start
5
by asking how his or her day went, or say something like: "I saw you on
the basketball court and you were excellent." Then you can turn to the
class and say: “wasn't he great?" or "You did so well yesterday in English
class, let's see if s/he can do that again." Over time, you will raise that
student's self-esteem and strengthen your relationship with the entire
class.
New teachers often feel a sense of urgency to quickly report discipline

problems in order to fulfill their roles as classroom managers. Effective
classroom management means doing something that also makes you
appear more human and approachable to the students. Initially, this is
hard for new teachers to balance, but it is a necessary first step.
6
Article #2
New teacher tip: How to Plan Successful Lessons without
having them take control of you
Once the school year gets started, many teachers are already absorbed by
interactive decisions. Many new teachers don’t realize that lesson
planning includes a variety of decisions not just quick on the spot
decisions.
So, what kinds of decisions should be taken into consideration? Here's a

checklist of short and long term lesson planning decisions that should
help you become a better lesson planner.
Lesson Planning Decisions for Lessons

• Long term - plan in the summer for a whole course, year, semester
• Short term - for a particular lesson.
Long Term Lesson Planning Decisions: Lesson Plans and

Textbooks
• What supplementary material should you add?
• If there is no book, what material should you teach? (4th grade,
special education)
• How should you divide material between semesters?
• How should you deal with specific areas such as extensive
reading?
7
More Teacher Tips: Short Term Decisions in Lesson Planning
• Focus on the main teaching point of this lesson. Types of aims for
the reading lesson typically include: a particular reading skill, a
function, a grammatical structure.
• Include a strong engaging opening
• Select and order activities in a varied way. This prevents teacher
dominated discourse.
• Balance length of activities - short vs. long(er) activities, based on
book, word cards, work pages, etc.
• Consider the level of difficulty and the balance of each activity. It
is a good idea to have an active activity in-between between two
activities. Incorporate topics of different ideas and in-between
heavy and light activities.
• Consider your own teaching presence in terms of voice and acting
ability.
• Include an engaging closing to your lesson: Leave enough (but not
too much) time. Try to avoid having to end a lesson after the bell
rings!
• Include a summing up. For example: what did we do today? What
can we call this lesson?
• Consider the issue of homework.
• Link lessons with previous and following lessons. Where are the
students in the framework of things?
8
Another teaching tip:
Planning successful lessons around various circumstances that are out of

your control is a reality for any teacher. Knowing the factors in advance
can help you with these unexpected scenarios:
• Time of lesson (time of day, and day of week)

• Age and level of pupils
• Potential discipline problems
• Presentation - practice - testing sequence
• Homework given previously
For difficult lessons, use lessons that are cost effective and can be
adapted for a number of lessons. Good decision planning obviously
involves a variety of teacher smarts and skills. Too much planning is
natural in the beginning, but with time, you’ll be able to predict your
students and learning outcomes and become a great lesson planner and
teacher.
9
Article #3
Have a Positive Support Plan
Tips on Using Spontaneous Ways to Motivate Your Students
It is easier to respond to misbehavior than to relate to what your students

have done well. Students need to see the positive, more human side to
teaching. Positive reinforcement rewards your students in return for their
hard work or accomplishments, effort or some other appropriate behavior.
Teaching your rules and procedures are just as important on emphasizing

and reinforcing appropriate behavior. Positive reinforcement is one way
to give an obvious payoff for those behaviors that you have been teaching
and reinforcing all along.
Positive reinforcers come in all shapes and sizes. Loosen up in the

classroom and put a smile on your student’s face. Decide which ones
work best for your style and students based .
Loosen up in the classroom and put a smile on a child's face right on the
spot. Here is list of positive reinforcements. New teacher tip: Find out if
your school offers other positive reinforcement which you would be
willing to try.
10
Social reinforcers for elementary students
• Laugh/smile
• A song
Social reinforces for secondary students
• Laugh/smile
• A small chat
• A phone call
Privileges for elementary students
• Helping the teacher write on the board

• Erasing the board
• Acting as class monitor
Privileges for secondary students
• Telling a joke to the class

• Playing a game
• Watching a movie
Artificial reinforcers (tangibles) for elementary students
• Erasers/pencils
• Stickers
• Stars
• Candies
• Certificates
And for secondary school students
• Popcorn/soda/candies
• Stamps
• Letter/certificate
11
Article #4
How and What to Plan
Advice and Ideas to Help You With Lesson Planning
It is difficult to give advice about teaching, because it is so individual, so

dependent on your particular school, students, personality and experience.
Lesson preparation on the other hand, is the first obvious place to start
investing all your hard work as a teacher in order for it to have best effect.
You can’t prepare a lesson very much in advance but you can lay a
general scheme of what material you want to get through in a term or
year. Each individual lesson has to be prepared the day before it is given,
not very much previously, because it depends so much on what happened
the lesson before.
Think. A lot of my preparation time goes by while gazing at my son or

musing over the dishes. Don’t think that if you aren’t physically active,
you aren’t working.
Write. The minute you make time to write it down, it will quickly fall
into place because you have given it much thought. But write it down
even if you don’t actually look at the lesson plan during the course of the
lesson. The mere fact of writing it down makes you plan more carefully.
12
Plan extra activities. Plan at least three or more different items for any
lesson (with the younger classes, at least) and make sure they are varied
in nature. Prepare one extra item in case you find you have extra time.
Collect extra materials. Over the years, I have collected board games,
flashcards, worksheets, posters and other language learning items. I
laminated them and still use them till this day. Keep your materials in
good working order and they will serve you. Plus, you will save money as
well.
The Lesson - Your Activity in Class.
This is where you work the hardest. You have to give 100% of yourself
the whole time. The lesson is where most of the learning goes on. Use
every moment to teach – every moment is of value.
I tend to move around the class a lot physically and keep the activity
going the whole time. The more energy you put into a lesson, the more
they will stimulated to work. Make sure the students know what is
coming next. Write the lesson plan and the order of the activities on the
board. Tick off what you have already finished.
13
Discipline Problems and Tips for Preventing Them
Watch out for slow/apathetic/potentially disruptive students. Have a

‘reaction’ plan at the first sign of inattention. Call on them personally to
participate, make sure they understand, add a few extra words of
explanation, or another repetition aimed specifically at them. Since they
are the ones who need the extra teaching, let them get it.
After the Lesson
It’s worthwhile reviewing your lesson. What went well? What didn't? I
keep a notebook and I jot down what went well and what didn’t. A
teacher’s learning is meaningful only if she or he can apply it.
14
Article #5
Classroom Management Styles
What Kind of a Classroom Manager Are You?
Different personalities and ideologies reflect varied classroom

management styles. Concerns about the ability to manage a classroom are
common among preservice and practicing teachers alike. The first time
entering a classroom can be a pretty scary experience, but once you have
built an effective classroom management system that works for you, you
can begin to feel a bit more comfortable with your own classroom
management style.
While imitating other teachers' classroom management styles is a good

starting point for any new teacher, there comes a point when you as a new
teacher, need to start feeling safe and comfortable with your own
classroom management style.
This process will not happen overnight of course, nor will it happen in a
year or two. It takes a long time experimenting with different classroom
situations as they will pop up.
15
In order to start thinking about your role as a classroom manager, it is

worthwhile to identify the initial concerns about classroom management
and discipline. Think about your values and your personality. Which
aspects of your personality and which values do you think will help you
become a good classroom manager? Which ones might interfere?
Another good way to analyze your concerns about managing a classroom

is to build your own classroom management profile. Taking an individual
quiz (see links below) will give you a more well rounded and accurate
picture of your classroom management style. Once you have answered
the questions, you can start to apply your classroom management profile
to various classroom situations.
Misconceptions however, do lie in each of these styles. For example,

teacher dominated talk which is descriptive of the authoritative style, is
usually equated by new teachers with effective classroom management.
Depending however on how you rank your personal characteristics and
values as a classroom manager, you might be pleasantly surprised at your
obvious need to perhaps connect to the students, which isn't
communicated by the authoritative approach. (“I do, you say”)
16
For the inexperienced teacher, the most important lesson to be learned is

that of flexibility. There will always be classroom situations where you
cannot depend on an authoritative style of running a classroom and you
might need to rethink your approach. This does not necessarily mean you
need to change your personality, but rather to reconsider additional
classroom management techniques for dealing with various classroom
situations.
Links on classroom management styles:
http://education.indiana.edu/cas/tt/v1i2/what.html
(a self-test on classroom management styles)
http://education.indiana.edu/cas/tt/v1i2/authoritarian.html
(authoritative classroom management styles)
17
Article #6
Regaining Class Control
Classroom Management Strategies, Tips and Techniques
As a new teacher, you might find some of your hard prepared lessons do
not go as smoothly as planned. Classroom management or loose class
control is usually one of the main reasons for why this happens. It is easy
for a new teacher to enter a panic mode when thirty or so students aren't
exactly listening to you. What happens when your lesson doesn't
succeed? Here are a few classroom management techniques and strategies
to help you regain class control.
Consider the classroom seating arrangements
It may just be that your classroom seating arrangements need rethinking.

Social dynamics is a big factor for rowdy behavior. Look at your seating
chart. Disruptive students who have been sitting next to each other may
now need to be separated. The minute you neutralize the social dynamics
of a classroom seating arrangement, you might find it easier to teach.
18
Stop the Lesson!
New teachers think that stopping the lesson is a sign of poor classroom
management. They think talking over the students helps them gain class
control. The good news is that your lesson plan is not grounded in stone.
While trying to cope with a difficult classroom situation, stop and take a
few seconds of time out. Those few seconds can buy you more time as
you quickly ponder other more viable solutions. Here are some quick tips
to help you consider your next steps:
• Observe the class. What is going on? What needed to be changed?

• Listen to your teacher intuition. It is often precise and telling you
what to do. The minute you know that too much explanation might
overwhelm your students, then stop. Use a picture to teach new
vocabulary or, shift gears and share a memorable anecdote.
• After you shifted gears, go back to your original plans and see what
happens.
Don't Forget Discipline
Good teaching is a mix of classroom management strategies and

motivating teaching approaches. If you find the class is not attentive for
learning new material, stop and wait. One option is to remind and perhaps
even reteach classroom rules and procedures. Illustrate what happens
when they don't abide to the classroom rules. They should understand that
the responsibility rests on their shoulders.
19
Another option is to use body language effectively. Eye contact is a great

nonverbal way to regain class control. When you eye that one disruptive
student, the rest of the class gets a clear and important message that you
cannot teach because that particular student’s behavior is interfering.
Final Words
Deep down inside, kids want to learn and succeed; they just have a very
hard way of showing it! By using a variety of classroom management
techniques and strategies, you will gradually know what works for your
particular class.
How to use a seating chart
http://classroom-
organization.suite101.com/article.cfm/how_to_use_a_seating_chart
Lesson planning
lesson-plan-help.suite101.com/article.cfm/writing_lesson_plans
Motivating students
newteachersupport.suite101.com/article.cfm/how_to_motivate_students
Teaching rules and procedures
preservice-teacher-
training.suite101.com/article.cfm/how_to_teach_rules_and_procedures
20
Article #7
How a Teacher Mentor Can Help You in Your First Year of
Teaching
How can teacher mentors help a new teacher? New teachers in their first
year need a teacher mentor to help guide and support him or her in this
overwhelming year.
Teachers starting out can become easily lost in a big educational system
with thirty or so students to teach. But for every new teacher, there is a
seasoned teacher who has been there, done that and can share a few tips
of the trade in order to prevent you from sinking too deep.
This illusion of not having enough teacher control typically results from a
lack of classroom experience. Lesson plans can look good on paper, but
successful lessons depend largely on maintaining an effective classroom
management system.
So how can a teacher mentor help with classroom management?
A mentor offers the best gift to a new teacher: objectivity. Mostly likely,
you will be telling him/her classroom situation s/he has experienced
before. It is a good idea to sit with your lesson plan and reassess your
objectives. What went well? What didn't? Use the following checklist to
help you deal with classroom management and classroom organization
issues.
21
A Teacher-Mentor Checklist: Troubleshooting Issues.
Teacher mentors can start by looking at the lesson plan itself. How is it
structured?
• Was there sufficient time for practicing the new skills?

• Did pupils cooperate in the learning tasks? (try and isolate the main
contingents for discipline problems)
• Was there a balance between learning and teaching?
• Was there a diversity of learning tasks and teaching methods?
• How could you tighten lesson openings and beginnings?
• How could activities be shorter? Longer?
• Was there enough transition or 'glue' between each part of the
lesson plan?
• Was the subject motivating enough? How could you motivate them
differently?
• Did the students have enough familiarization with the subject
content?
• How could you engage the students? What classroom techniques
can you try to improve your classroom management?
22
Together, evaluate the classroom outcomes together with your written

version of your lesson plans. You might be pleasantly surprised to find
that your class didn't go as badly as you thought.
Writing lesson plans
http://lesson-plan-help.suite101.com/article.cfm/writing_lesson_plans
23
Article #8
How To Teach Rules and Procedures
Tips on Teacher Support and Classroom Organization
Teaching rules and procedures is a big part of classroom organization.

Deciding on effective rules and procedures is important in establishing
teacher credibility.
An effective classroom management plan consists of curbing the types of

disruptive behavior and promoting positive behavior. Students challenge
teacher authority when they are simply told the rules. Rules need to be
thoughtfully planned so that a teacher can easily and practically enforce
them and they will be taken seriously.
Rule teaching and enforcement goes hand in hand with positive

reinforcement and feedback. There are cases however when these two
elements do not effectively operate together and will not generate a
positive classroom environment for learning.
24
A Few Tips to Work By:
• The teacher should respect the students

• The teacher should understand them and treat them maturely
And then there is that something extra that strengthens a great bridge of
trust and cooperation between student and teacher. In practical terms, it is
a worthwhile investment to build a code of conduct or rules together with
the students.
Over time, I have shifted from telling the students the rules to sharing my
expectations with the students as we build the rules together.
25

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Taking Charge in the Classroom: New Teacher

Resources and Tips

© Dorit Sasson, The New Teacher Resource Center

A handbook of resources and tips on classroom

How to use this handbook to create an effective classroom

So, while I COULD plan for my students’ success, I could NOT

I’ve included articles that touch on the essentials of classroom

I’m always interested in receiving feedback on how these articles helped

An effective classroom management plan should take into account the

Effective classroom management is dependent on the degree the teacher

Give the student a sense of belonging

• Say something positive in a calm and reassuring way

Turn individual problems into a cooperative classroom

The New Teacher Resource Center © 2008 Dorit Sasson

New teachers often feel a sense of urgency to quickly report discipline

The New Teacher Resource Center © 2008 Dorit Sasson

So, what kinds of decisions should be taken into consideration? Here's a

Lesson Planning Decisions for Lessons

Long Term Lesson Planning Decisions: Lesson Plans and

More Teacher Tips: Short Term Decisions in Lesson Planning

Another teaching tip:

Planning successful lessons around various circumstances that are out of

• Time of lesson (time of day, and day of week)

Have a Positive Support Plan

Tips on Using Spontaneous Ways to Motivate Your Students

It is easier to respond to misbehavior than to relate to what your students

Teaching your rules and procedures are just as important on emphasizing

Positive reinforcers come in all shapes and sizes. Loosen up in the

Social reinforcers for elementary students

Social reinforces for secondary students

Privileges for elementary students

• Helping the teacher write on the board

Privileges for secondary students

• Telling a joke to the class

Artificial reinforcers (tangibles) for elementary students

And for secondary school students

How and What to Plan

Advice and Ideas to Help You With Lesson Planning

It is difficult to give advice about teaching, because it is so individual, so

Think. A lot of my preparation time goes by while gazing at my son or

The Lesson - Your Activity in Class.

Discipline Problems and Tips for Preventing Them

Watch out for slow/apathetic/potentially disruptive students. Have a

After the Lesson

Classroom Management Styles

What Kind of a Classroom Manager Are You?

Different personalities and ideologies reflect varied classroom

While imitating other teachers' classroom management styles is a good

In order to start thinking about your role as a classroom manager, it is

Another good way to analyze your concerns about managing a classroom

Misconceptions however, do lie in each of these styles. For example,

For the inexperienced teacher, the most important lesson to be learned is

Links on classroom management styles:

(a self-test on classroom management styles)

(authoritative classroom management styles)

Regaining Class Control

Classroom Management Strategies, Tips and Techniques

Consider the classroom seating arrangements

It may just be that your classroom seating arrangements need rethinking.

Stop the Lesson!

• Observe the class. What is going on? What needed to be changed?

Don't Forget Discipline